Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
News story
Fisheries and Seafood Scheme reopens with around £6 million of investment
The latest round of the Fisheries and Seafood Scheme (FaSS) in now open, supporting projects that strengthen England’s seafood sector and support economic growth while enhancing nature recovery.
Administered by the Marine Management Organisation (MMO) on behalf of Defra, around £6 million in funding is open to seafood and marine businesses, recreational sector, charities and other organisations.
The latest round of funding is available to support projects in the 2025/2026 financial year which focus on the following priorities:
Creating a sustainable and resilient seafood sector
Reduce emissions and waste from the seafood sector
Clean up rivers, lakes, seas and support nature recovery
Boost regional and economic growth within the seafood sector
Fisheries Minister Daniel Zeichner said:
I’m thrilled to further invest in our exceptional seafood industry, demonstrating our steadfast support for England’s coastal communities alongside our substantial £360 million Fishing and Coastal Growth Fund.
This is on top of our new agreement with the EU, which will boost exports by making it easier for producers to sell their high-quality products to our largest trading partner.
“This government is committed to creating a sustainable seafood sector that grows local economies while safeguarding our precious marine habitats, all central to our Plan for Change.
Paul Errington, Acting Director of Finance and Resources at MMO, said:
We’re proud to facilitate the delivery of continued financial support through FaSS, which has already had a real impact across England’s fishing communities and coast.
This new round of funding will deliver investment to safeguard the long-term sustainability, resilience and prosperity of England catching, aquaculture and processing sectors as well as continue efforts to protect our precious marine environment.
This round of FaSS builds on four successful years of the scheme, which has seen more than £35 million committed and over 1700 projects approved, ranging from marine litter removal and funding for vital processing equipment to promoting careers within the industry.
Fishing and coastal communities are also set to benefit from £360 million investment to drive growth and boost the sector for the future as the Government launches its Fishing and Coastal Growth Fund, a major investment to support the next generation of fishermen and breathe new life into our coastal communities as part of the Government’s Plan for Change.
A new agreement with the EU will also cut red tape for seafood exporters and reopen certain markets for British shellfish, making it easier to sell our fish to our biggest trading partner.
£1 million from the total fund has been set aside specifically to support the seafood processing sector and to help businesses get their products from the sea to the consumer.
Applications with a total project cost of £150,000 or more must be considered by the FaSS panel, which is responsible for reviewing and recommending projects in line with the overall objectives of the scheme. Projects over £150,000 must be submitted by 21 July 2025. The panel is expected to meet to consider these during the week commencing 8 September 2025.
MMO is also on hand to provide expert advice to those considering applying. Telephone 0208 026 5539 or email FaSS.queries@marinemanagement.org.uk
Fishing and coastal communities are also set to benefit from £360 million investment to drive growth and boost the sector for the future as the Government launches its Fishing and Coastal Growth Fund.
The West Indian Foundation praised Dr. Cato T, Laurencin for his longstanding activities, “Your unwavering dedication and commitment have played a significant role in advancing our mission and strengthening our community. Your generosity and consistent support have been a cornerstone of our ability to serve the community. Whenever the West Indian Foundation has faced challenges, you have always stepped forward, ensuring that we can continue our important work. Your selflessness and commitment have made a profound impact, allowing us to grow and extend our reach.”
Samuel J. Laurencin, M.D., Ph.D., the nephew of Dr. Cato T. Laurencin, accepted the award on Dr. Laurencin’s behalf. Dr. Samuel Laurencin is a board-certified orthopaedic surgeon who trained at UConn.
Dr. Cato T. Laurencin has a strong connection to the West Indian community as his father was born in St. Lucia. He was awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award by the West Indian Foundation in 2015. In 2025, Sir Cato T. Laurencin received Knighthood under the auspices of King Charles III of England through the Governor-General of St. Lucia.
The mission of the West Indian Foundation Inc. is to foster and strengthen a sense of unity within the West Indian community through strategic partnerships in the areas of health, education, business, and culture. The Foundation is dedicated to preserving the identity, history, and unique cultural heritage of the West Indian community while continuing to educate the community at large in these traditions.
At UConn Laurencin is the University Professor and Albert and Wilda Van Dusen Distinguished Endowed Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery at UConn School of Medicine, professor of Chemical Engineering, professor of Materials Science and Engineering, and professor of Biomedical Engineering at the University of Connecticut. He is chief executive officer of The Cato T. Laurencin Institute for Regenerative Engineering, a cross-university institute created and named in his honor at the University of Connecticut.
Laurencin is an expert in public health, especially as it pertains to racial and ethnic health and health disparities. Academically, he completed the Program in African American Studies at Princeton University. He is a core professor of Africana Studies at UConn and is the editor-in-chief of the Journal of Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities, published by Springer/Nature, the leading journal in the field. He has served as the chair of the National Academy of Sciences Roundtable on Black Men and Black Women in Science, Engineering, and Medicine. Laurencin co-founded the W. Montague Cobb/NMA Health Institute, dedicated to addressing racial health disparities, and served as its founding chair of the board. The W. Montague Cobb/NMA Institute and the National Medical Association created the Cato T. Laurencin Lifetime Research Achievement Award which is bestowed at the opening ceremonies of the National Medical Association’s annual meeting. Laurencin is the recipient of the Spingarn Medal, the highest honor of the NAACP. The medal is presented for the “highest or noblest achievement by a living African American during the preceding year or years in any honorable field.”
Laurencin received the 2014 Greater Hartford Torch of Liberty Award from the Anti-Defamation League in recognition of his commitment to social justice and public service. He received the Community Service Award from the Urban League of Greater Hartford. He has been honored by the Hartford Public School System and the Connecticut State Legislature for his work in the community and has been recognized as a Connecticut Health Care Hero by Connecticut Magazine.
Paddy Hill spent more than 16 years in prison for murders he did not commit. One of the so-called Birmingham Six who were wrongfully convicted for the Birmingham pub bombings in 1974, he was proof that exoneration and financial compensation do not fix a miscarriage of justice.
When I met him in July 2023, more than 30 years after his release from prison, his ordeal continued to haunt him. He was in his late 70s, looking frail and far from the “12 and a half stone” man he was in Parkhurst Prison. He had very little appetite and was in poor health. The little sleep he was able snatch was marred by screaming nightmares.
Neither of us knew it at the time, but this was to be his final interview. He died aged 80, on December 30 2024. I sat down to talk with Hill in his living room. Struggling to control his emotions, he told me: “Sometimes I sit in the bedroom … and I’m crying my eyes out like a child and I don’t know what the fuck happened … I’ve been so fucking screwed up.”
The ITV docudrama Mr Bates vs the Post Office thrust wrongful convictions into mainstream consciousness in January 2024 – a quarter of a century after the Post Office began prosecuting sub-postmasters and mistresses for fraud, theft, and false accounting and 15 years after Rebecca Thomson’s Computer Weekly article exposing the Horizon IT system as the potential culprit.
Now the public could finally see the human impact of miscarriages of justice on these upstanding – and, more importantly, innocent – members of their communities. Public outrage followed.
But despite the mass quashing of hundreds of convictions, and amid promises of speedy financial compensation, progress has been pitiful. While collecting a National Television Award in September 2024, former sub-postmistress Jo Hamilton confirmed that out of the “555 group”, those involved in the litigation which exposed the Horizon scandal, “more than 300 haven’t been paid yet, including Sir Alan Bates”.
Sadly, this timescale is far from unusual. In July 2023, Andrew Malkinson finally had his 2003 rape conviction overturned after several unsuccessful appeals, including unsuccessful applications in 2012 and 2020 to the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC), the independent body which investigates potential miscarriages of justice.
Crucially, the CCRC did not commission the DNA testing that finally exonerated him and did not review police files which would have shown that Greater Manchester Police had withheld crucial evidence at his trial.
Malkinson spent 17 years in prison maintaining his innocence. Perversely, he could have been released sooner had he falsely confessed. He was eventually exonerated thanks to the help of the charity Appeal, which commissioned those crucial DNA tests and unearthed the disclosure failures.
The CCRC has since acknowledged in an independent review that it “failed Mr Malkinson” with chairperson Helen Pitcher OBE (whose recent resignation was welcomed by the Ministry of Justice) eventually expressing “sincere regret and an unreserved apology on behalf of the commission”. All of this happened 12 months after Malkinson called on the CCRC to apologise to him. Malkinson said it was “shameful” that the CCRC has kept private the names of those responsible for his ordeal and delayed the publishing of the report highlighting its mishandling of his case.
The true number of miscarriages of justice is unknown. In the UK, the CCRC referral rate averages 2% including appeals of sentence. In the US, estimates of wrongful conviction and imprisonment range from 6% to 15.4%.
The Insights section is committed to high-quality longform journalism. Our editors work with academics from many different backgrounds who are tackling a wide range of societal and scientific challenges.
Inevitably, some innocent people will have their appeals denied and will remain convicted for the rest of their lives. The trauma of remaining legally guilty of a crime you did not commit cannot be overstated.
But persistent psychological ill-effects can be seen even in those who have been formally exonerated, including long-term effects on their employment and relationships.
I’ve been examining cases like this as part of a research project into the experiences of people who suffer grave miscarriages of justice. Working with Dr Mandy Winterton at Edinburgh Napier University, I interviewed several men who have been imprisoned for crimes they did not commit.
As academics with psychology and sociology backgrounds, we were predominantly interested in how victims were affected by such injustices. Previous research has documented the litany of mental health and social effects on those who have been wrongfully convicted and exonerated, and the flaws in the criminal justice system that are to blame. But little attention has been paid to individual experiences. While there were clear commonalities in the men’s stories, they all had unique perspectives.
Of the people we spoke to, Hill and a man called Jimmy Boyle spoke to us on the record and specifically requested that they be named. I have given the other men featured here pseudonyms to protect their anonymity.
Paddy Hill
Hill’s story is particularly harrowing. On November 21 1974, shortly after 8pm, bombs exploded in two pubs in Birmingham, England, killing 21 people and injuring around 200 others. They were attributed to the Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA), which had detonated many bombs in the West Midlands in the previous year.
Hill and his friends were arrested at Heysham Docks as they were boarding the ferry to Belfast to attend the funeral of an old friend who had been a member of the IRA. Hill said that they were initially interviewed at Morecambe police station in Lancashire, and the West Midlands Police took over their questioning the next day.
Hill and his co-accused were, says Hill, tortured by the West Midlands serious crime squad. They were subjected to anti-Irish verbal abuse, hours-long beatings over several days, mock executions, were burned with cigarettes, and deprived of sleep, food and drink. Unable to withstand this, four of the six men eventually signed false confessions, condemning them all to life imprisonment in 1975 for the murders. The six men brought a civil action against the West Midlands Police which was thrown out in 1980 by Lord Denning.
These shocking revelations eventually reached the public consciousness thanks to investigative journalist and former Labour MP Chris Mullin, who uncovered evidence of police wrongdoing and corruption. His work informed the group’s court of appeal hearing in 1987. However, the convictions were upheld by Lord Chief Justice Lane. It was only at their second appeal in 1991, after Mullin had uncovered more evidence of their innocence, that they were finally exonerated.
Despite other lines of enquiry which could have led to the real bombers – including a confession and several named suspects – the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) decided in 2023 that there was insufficient evidence to prosecute, denying justice to the families of those killed and injured.
The impact on Hill’s family was enormous. With such public vitriol for the Birmingham Six, his wife and children had to move house regularly and change their names to avoid being recognised. He told me:
Everywhere they went, sooner or later somebody found out who they were and then they’d pick on them. And sometimes my kids were going to school and they couldn’t even remember what fucking name they were supposed to be using, they were that confused.
Hill’s marriage ended while he was in prison. “I told her to divorce me. I said: ‘Meet someone, you want to get married, don’t worry about me.’ And that was it.”
He later remarried, but his relationship with his children was irretrievably destroyed. “Along the way I lost my own kids, because I came out of jail and I didn’t feel nothing for my kids. I still don’t … I’ve spent more time here with you than I have done in the last 20 fucking years with my kids.”
Though he was referred to psychologists for support, he told me none were able to help him. Over and above the pains of imprisonment, the wrongfully convicted are betrayed by the very people that we are led to believe are there to protect us. The justice system has wrought on them the worst injustice, and many will suffer from enduring anger and mistrust of authorities.
When we met, Hill was still consumed by his anger and felt badly let down: “Over the years I realised I was never going to get any professional help from the government, even though we have it in writing that they have a duty of care towards us – but they’ve never done nothing to help us … If they did, they would acknowledge what they’ve done wrong.”
Up until his death, Hill had spent much of the past 30 years helping other survivors of miscarriages of justice. Initially intending to spend his first 12 months of freedom campaigning, he “got involved with the families, and it was then I realised how bad the families had it … That’s what kept me going, coming out and campaigning.”
He established the Miscarriages of Justice Organisation (Mojo), a Glasgow-based charity dedicated to supporting the wrongfully convicted. It provides advocacy for clients in prison, aftercare and reintegration services, and dedicated psychological support offered pro-bono by a clinical psychologist.
But the demand far exceeds Mojo’s ability to help, and it may take several months for a case to be assessed. Euan McIlvride, the organisation’s legal officer, told me it typically receives “250 applications a year, and we will probably support only ten of those because the rest of them don’t meet the requirements for our support … We have finite resources.”
For Hill, keeping busy provided some relief from thinking about his ordeal.
…When you aren’t doing something, all you’re going to do is sit there and think … about things you don’t fucking want to think about. I don’t know what happens to me when I go to sleep … [My wife] hears me screaming … kicking and punching everything … I’ll be watching television and all of a sudden … BANG! It’s like a non-stop video going through your head all the time.
Chained to a radiator
The Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 (Pace), which came to effect in 1986, aimed to reduce miscarriages of justice by balancing the powers of the police and the public. Pace provides safeguards for suspects during questioning, puts a limit on how long suspects can be questioned for, and insists that interviews be recorded.
This makes it easier to detect when protocols have not been followed or there may have been mistreatment or intimidation.
It doesn’t prevent such wrongdoing, however.
I spoke with one man, who I am calling Mark, who was wrongfully convicted of murder in 1988. He told me there were over one hundred breaches of Pace in his case, including being handcuffed to a hot radiator, being denied food and water, and being denied a solicitor.
One of his co-accused, a vulnerable adult, had also falsely confessed to the crime. Mark lost his first appeal in 1990 but his case went to the CCRC when it was established in 1997. The CCRC brought in another police force to investigate. He said:
When I saw [their] report … I nearly fell off my chair and nearly choked on my coffee … Everything I had said all those years ago … the handcuffing to the radiators, they proved it. All the breaches of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act … that we were interviewed off the record … Making up notes and stuff like that. I couldn’t believe it. I knew we were going home.
He subsequently pursued a civil action against the police which was settled out of court, with the force insisting the settlement did not mean it was admitting liability.
Mark also suffered a marital breakdown, after he and his wife lost their baby daughter while he was on remand:
It ripped the guts out of my marriage, you know. My wife was only 17-18, same age as me … She had a husband inside and she lost a child. And you’ve got to look at the economical impact and the mental impact it had on her … She was just as much a victim as what I was.
He started taking drugs in prison: “I didn’t care if I lived or died because I had lost everything, as far as I was concerned.”
But Mark turned himself around, got off drugs and availed himself of all the education he had access to, including law and human rights, to build the strongest possible case for his appeal. With the aid of a human rights lawyer the CCRC referred his conviction in 1998, which was then quashed by the Court of Appeal in 1999. He had spent 11 years in prison as a convicted murderer.
‘The innocence test’
After his exoneration, Mark was successful in securing over £600,000 compensation for his ordeal, though he had over £37,000 deducted for “saved living expenses”. A House of Lords ruling in 2007 deemed that those receiving compensation for a miscarriage of justice can have the amount reduced to account for “savings” made while in prison – for costs such as food, housing and other bills that they would have had to pay had they not been wrongfully incarcerated.
Considering the difficulties people face accessing any financial compensation for their wrongful imprisonment, this adds further insult to injury. The rule has since been scrapped following the high-profile Malkinson case – but deductions made prior to this are not being reimbursed.
Mark was given no financial counselling or support, and he rapidly spent the money – more than he had ever had in his life – while trying to block out his pain:
By the time six months had gone, I’d spent the hundred grand [interim payment] on wine, women, drugs … ’cause I couldn’t cope with what was going on … That was my way of blotting out all the things I saw in prison.
The money also caused a rift in his family – something echoed by others I have spoken to. After the death of his mother, his family “went their own ways”.
Nowadays, only a small proportion of those exonerated will ever receive financial compensation due to the requirements of the so-called “innocence test”.
The Criminal Justice Act 1988 made it difficult for applicants to receive compensation because there had to be a newly discovered fact – not available at the time of their original trial – that they could use to make the case that they had suffered a miscarriage of justice.
The definition of what constitutes a miscarriage of justice has become more restrictive over time, meaning an applicant now must provide evidence, beyond reasonable doubt, of their innocence. In the absence of a key witness admitting to falsifying their statement or DNA evidence proving innocence, this is unlikely.
Like Hill, Mark struggled to adjust after his exoneration and release, and found support to be woefully lacking:
I had nobody to talk to, no money, no job, no house. I didn’t have any prospects. I phoned up my solicitor … I remember saying: ‘Why did you get me out?’ It was difficult to adjust … I slept with a hammer … under my pillow – I was very paranoid … All they did was give me tablets and told me to get on with my life. No counselling. Nothing. They didn’t know what to do with people like me.
Mark still suffers with post-traumatic stress disorder and depression, and has never been able to work a normal job. He continues to campaign for the wrongfully convicted and to increase awareness of miscarriages of justice. He credits this work with giving him a sense of purpose.
Jimmy Boyle – not innocent enough?
I also spoke to James Boyle, who was acquitted at retrial of historical sexual offences after he had spent five years in prison. Boyle, from Rutherglen, who likes to be known as Jimmy, has always maintained these offences never happened.
From the outset, Boyle found processes quite at odds from how we are told they are supposed to be. He said: “Things that you should have: for example, presumption of innocence – nonsense, it doesn’t exist. None of these rights exist in reality.” He claims that lines of evidence undermining the allegations against him were not investigated. Further, he encountered professionals in the criminal justice system who he says were incompetent and even “malicious” and “criminal”.
To add further insult, he was later told that he was not considered exonerated because he did not provide evidence proving his innocence (he failed the “innocence test”). As a result, the General Teaching Council for Scotland did not reinstate him and he was unable to return to his teaching career which he had found enormously fulfilling.
Like others I have spoken to, Boyle, now in his 60s, hasn’t been able to work since his release:
There was so much involved, and fighting with the Teaching Council – you know, it was full time. It really was full time when you’re dealing with these agencies … I do plenty [at Mojo] – I’ve spoken at a number of events … But I had to continue fighting my own fight.
Martin: total lack of victim support
Miscarriages of justice have a huge effect on a person’s mental health. But my research found the impact begins long before a conviction – with effects such as anxiety, trauma and depression resulting from the wrongful allegation.
Martin (not his real name) detailed the difficulties he experienced from his initial wrongful allegation of rape – including isolation, lack of advice, and a lack of appropriate mental health support. He said:
I kept [the rape allegations] to myself and it was horrific, because I didn’t know what was going to happen … Once I was charged … I went to my GP because I was severely depressed. I could barely function. [Counselling] was actually making things worse rather than better … I had looked online … There’s victim support and there’s witness support, but if you’ve been accused there is absolutely nothing.
It took over three years from the initial allegation to court proceedings, during which time two other allegations of rape and indecent assault were made and charges were brought. Martin kept the allegations from his employers and friends:
You don’t mention it because if you mention it, you’re opening the box and then that becomes a big thing – and God help how you’re going to feel at the end of that conversation.
Convicted of rape and indecent assault (the second and third charges), he was sentenced to four years in prison, but successfully appealed on the basis that the Moorov doctrine was misapplied.
Moorov is a principle of Scottish law which allows evidence of one crime to corroborate evidence of another. As the charges against him were considered to corroborate one another, having been acquitted of the key (first) charge he should have been acquitted of all. Instead, he spent about a year in prison – yet he considers himself fortunate.
The guy [Andrew Malkinson] that won his appeal the other day spent 17 years in prison. I only spent one. And although I shouldn’t have spent any, it could have been a hell of a lot worse. There are a lot of people that haven’t been able to clear their names, there are a lot of people that have spent a long time in prison. I spent one year and managed to clear my name, so I should be thankful for what little happiness I’ve managed to get out of it.
Martin was fortunate in that he’d had a good education and had taken detailed notes during his trial, which assisted his appeal. He also helped other prisoners who were struggling to complete required forms for themselves, and managed to get a job in the prison kitchen.
Since his release, he has pursued a law degree, eager to use his experience for positive change in the justice system. “I think it’s given me a new perspective really … You know what, life’s too short – let’s just get on with it.”
What needs to be done?
People wrongly accused of crimes are in dire need of support from the moment the initial allegation is made, to help them navigate the complex legal processes and challenging psychological effects of being wrongly accused.
Currently there is woefully inadequate mental health support at all stages, from initial allegation to post-release.
Of course, there are many guilty people in prison who protest their innocence – but support should not be denied to those who maintain their innocence.
Reforms are needed to make it easier for an innocent person to appeal their conviction. The CCRC has suffered a decline in funding, from £9.24 million in 2004 to £6 million in 2022. Over this period, the workload has more than doubled while the Ministry of Justice has reduced CCRC commissioners’ terms of employment from full-time salaried positions to one-day-a-week contracts, making the workload unsustainable.
People may also face significant barriers in accessing evidence that would exonerate them such as police files, without which they have little hope of a successful appeal. This was evident in the Malkinson case, where the charity Appeal accessed the police files the CCRC had refused to look at.
The lack of accountability and consequences for those who purposely harm innocent people causes further anger and distress to the wrongfully accused and convicted. Yet those affected rarely even receive an apology. This needs to change.
Finally, there needs to be greater public awareness of wrongful convictions and allegations, their causes and consequences, and an understanding of their devastating and long-term effects. As Hill told me the year before he died:
People think you come out and they give you a few quid … [then you] walk off into the sunset and live happily ever after. If only. I would love to go to bed at night like an ordinary fucking person … without waking up so angry and tense.
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This work was supported by the BA/Leverhulme Trust grant SRG1819190884. Many thanks to Dr Mandy Winterton, co-Investigator on this research, and to the Miscarriages of Justice Organisation (MOJO) for supporting us by facilitating access to clients.
Faye Skelton is affiliated with the Miscarriages of Justice Organisation having joined the Board of Directors in April 2025.
These projects are a part of the Council’s and Scottish Government’s ongoing play area upgrade programme.
Four play parks, Langlands Park in Luncarty, The Well Green in Scotlandwell, Westfield Common in Rattray, and Greenloaning, have all undergone full upgrades as part of the council’s commitment to enhancing outdoor spaces for communities. On Friday 6 June, Langlands Park, The Well Green and Westfield Common were officially opened, with community celebrations at each location.
The upgrades include a wide range of new play equipment and surfacing, designed to make each park more fun, inclusive, and environmentally sustainable.
These improvements were shaped in partnership with community councils, local schools, and residents, ensuring the new spaces reflect the needs and aspirations of the people who use them most.
A unique feature of the project is the installation of commemorative boards at each site, combining printed acknowledgements with handwritten signatures from those involved creating a lasting tribute to the community spirit behind the transformation.
Local children also played a key role, contributing creative ideas, designing logos for park signage, and sharing their hopes for the future of their play spaces through a detailed consultation process.
Councillor Richard Watters, Convenor of Climate Change and Sustainability Committee said: “We are delighted to see these play parks transformed into vibrant, welcoming spaces for children and families.
“This investment reflects our ongoing commitment to improving local amenities and supporting healthy, active lifestyles. We hope these parks will be enjoyed by the community for many years to come.”
Park Highlights
Westfield Common, Rattray
Combining a free draining circular pathway, the play areas contain soft fall areas of wood chip. A large climbing net and basket swing provides fun for the older children whilst a multi-unit, roundabout and springies keep the younger children engaged. A zip line also provides family fun on the other side of the greenspace. Coupled with the community run BMX track and MANTALK Blairgowrie garden this greenspace provides facilities for all.
The Well Green, Scotlandwell
Includes a thrilling new zip line, monkey bars, swings, and other modern play equipment. Located on the site of a freshwater well, the history of the site is noted in the entrance sign and was once used as an area to dry clothing lines manufactured from locally grown flax.
Langlands Park, Luncarty
Features a hybrid grass surfacing that combines artificial and natural grass for a durable, safe play area. Aimed at the younger children, the play area was developed and relocated following consultation with the Community Council and local school. Combining the adjacent route to school with a line-marked cycleway helps provide the opportunity for young children to learn road safety skills at roundabouts and junctions. There is also a ‘hopscotch’ marked on the footway, which we are sure must be used by all age groups, sometimes ‘secretly!’
Greenloaning
Located within the greenspace area of a housing estate this facility provides for all the family with picnic benches for family feasts and a range of play equipment for all ages. A rubber surfacing keeps the site useable in all weathers with the play equipment combining a range of vibrant natural colours. The equipment is manufactured from many recycled materials including ‘used fishing nets’ melted down and used in the production for the recycled plastic posts, guaranteed for life.
The City of Edinburgh Council has negotiated the purchase of 78 homes in Colinton in an ongoing drive to urgently tackle the capital’s housing emergency
Councillors have today (Monday 9 June) agreed to progress the purchase of a further 38 homes from the Ministry of Defence (MOD) for £6.65 million, as part of the council’s phased purchase of homes on the Dreghorn Estate.
The proposal has been warmly welcomed by the families, who had previously been told by the MOD that they might have to vacate their homes after the summer.
Finance and Resources Convener Mandy Watt said:
We’re doing everything we can to make sure these residents will remain in their homes and to increase the amount of affordable and social housing we have in the city – and I know the residents are very grateful that this proposal has had so much support from councillors.
Purchasing these homes is a sensible way to boost the housing we have, and Dreghorn is a community that provides a great place for council tenants to have a suitable, safe and affordable place to call home.
Council colleagues have worked over many months to negotiate this purchase from the Ministry of Defence, listening to the concerns of Dreghorn residents at every turn and ensuring good value for the council. This is a huge step towards a positive outcome – a fantastic example of doing things differently to make sure we address our housing emergency.
It is proposed that the purchase of these homes will be made using £3.289 million from the Scottish Government’s National Acquisition Fund, delivered through the Affordable Housing Supply Programme, with the remaining balance funded through rental income and prudential borrowing over 30 years. A final decision on financing will be made at a future full council meeting.
To mark Volunteer’s Week 2025 last week (2-8 June) the council has been celebrating and highlighting some of the work our volunteers do throughout the city.
You can find all the information shared last week to find out about our incredible volunteers and the great work that they do.
After joining weekly health walks offered by the Dundee City Council’s Community Health Team and theMAXwellCentre Jackie because a volunteer walk leader. Here about what she gets out of volunteering –https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qV652SurPYs
Youth Volunteers at Rowantree
Our evening drop-ins at Rowantree attract many young people with young volunteers helping to run these sessions. Each young volunteer has their own unique journey and in this case study three of them tell us about their experience. https://prezi.com/i/view/H7jn4xMcwKczMcF61HDi/
Margaret
Margaret Hogg has been an integral part of Douglas Community Centre for many years. This short film is about her experience volunteering in her community.https://youtu.be/lpCs5H5UFGY
DISC Target Project
Find out what our young volunteers get from helping at the DISC Target project, a well-attended evening youth group that runs on Thursday and Friday evenings and offers young people a safe place to meet and socialise in the evenings.https://youtu.be/rgYcb4tvOjo
Angela
Angela volunteers in several groups and activities in theNorth Eastof Dundee. She is a community activist in its true sense and her passion is clear to see, read her volunteer profilehttps://prezi.com/i/view/1CxeklTRPnmPIZcmtsvQ/
Council Leader Visit
Council Leader Mark Flynn joined volunteers at Hilltown Community Centre to celebrate and recognise their contribution to community. Read on our website. https://bit.ly/43Sx6Jj
As Volunteers’ Week comes to an end, a huge thanks to all our volunteers for getting involved and making a difference in their communities.
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
News story
Consultation on new measures to protect sensitive habitats and species in 30,000 km² of our seas
The Marine Management Organisation (MMO) is consulting on proposed fisheries management measures to protect some of England’s most sensitive marine ecosystems, habitats and species.
On 9 June 2025, the government announced plans to extend bans on the use of bottom towed gear and other damaging fishing activities in more Marine Protected Areas (MPAs).
As England’s marine manager, MMO is responsible for managing fishing in offshore MPAs. It is now asking marine stakeholders to view its draft management measures for 42 English MPAs, complete an online survey and have their say.
Proposals would be implemented through the creation of four region byelaws. They include:
prohibitions of fishing using bottom towed gear in specified areas in 31 MPAs;
prohibition of fishing using bottom towed gears and prohibitions on fishing using static gears (traps and/or bottom set nets and lines) in specified areas in four MPAs;
prohibition of fishing using traps in a specified area of one MPA;
prohibition of fishing using bottom towed gear and prohibition of the removal of spiny lobster, also known as crawfish (Palinurus elephas) in a specified area of one MPA;
minor changes to existing bottom towed gear prohibitions in five MPAs to reflect the most up to date approach, habitat location and depth information.
The total area of seabed that would be protected by MMOs proposed measures is approximately 30,000 km².
The measures are based on detailed assessments into the impacts of fishing on sensitive seabed habitats and species within these sites. This includes circalittoral rock (animal dominated rocky reef habitats), fan mussels, ocean quahogs, as well as sea-pen and burrowing megafauna communities.
These habitats and species are at risk from damaging fishing activity. Their protection and recovery will contribute to healthier marine ecosystems and support the long-term sustainability of commercial fish stocks.
Michelle Willis, MMOs Acting CEO, said:
Marine protected areas play a critical role in the future health and vitality of our seas and sustainability of our fisheries. Our latest proposals are based on draft fisheries assessments which have concluded that management measures are necessary to ensure, beyond reasonable scientific doubt, that the conservation objectives of the MPAs included in the stage can be achieved.
This consultation runs for 12 weeks and will close on 1 September 2025. Stakeholders are encouraged to view proposals by region and comment on areas relevant to them.
The consultation follows a call for evidence which ran from 17 January to 28 March 2023.
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
Press release
Nine million pensioners to receive Winter Fuel Payments this winter
Everyone over the State Pension age in England and Wales with an income of, or below, £35,000 a year will benefit from a Winter Fuel Payment this winter.
This increased threshold means no lower or middle-income pensioners will miss out, with the vast majority – over three quarters – of pensioners in England and Wales receiving the payment.
Support will continue to be targeted, with pensioners above this threshold having the payment automatically recovered or able to opt out.
Nine million pensioners to receive Winter Fuel Payments this winter as all pensioners in England and Wales with an income of, or below, £35,000 a year will benefit from a Winter Fuel Payment. This extends eligibility to the vast majority of pensioners, with around 9 million, or over three quarters, benefitting. This threshold is well above the income level of pensioners in poverty and is broadly in line with average earnings, balancing support for lower income pensioners with fairness to the taxpayer
This change will cost around £1.25 billion in England and Wales and see means-testing of the Winter Fuel Payment save around £450 million, subject to certification by the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) compared to the system of universal Winter Fuel Payments. The costs will be accounted for at the Budget and incorporated into the next OBR forecast. The Chancellor will take decisions on funding in the round at that forecast to ensure the government’s non-negotiable fiscal rules are met. This will not lead to permanent additional borrowing.
No pensioner will need to take any action as they will automatically receive the payment this winter, and for those with incomes above the threshold it will be automatically recovered via HMRC. The payment of £200 per household, or £300 per household where there is someone over 80, will be made automatically this winter. Over 12 million pensioners across the United Kingdom will also benefit from the Triple Lock, with their State Pension set to increase by up to £1,900 this parliament.
Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves said:
Targeting Winter Fuel Payments was a tough decision, but the right decision because of the inheritance we had been left by the previous government. It is also right that we continue to means-test this payment so that it is targeted and fair, rather than restoring eligibility to everyone including the wealthiest.
But we have now acted to expand the eligibility of the Winter Fuel Payment so no pensioner on a lower income will miss out. This will mean over three quarters of pensioners receiving the payment in England and Wales later this winter.
Pensioners above the £35,000 threshold will have the full amount of the Winter Fuel Payment they received automatically collected via PAYE, or via their Self-Assessment return. No one will need to register with HMRC for this or take any further action. Pensioners who want to opt out and not receive the payment at all, will be able to do so, with details to be confirmed.
Making these changes now gives people certainty and ensures that payments can be made in time for this winter. Payments will be better targeted than before 2024-25 when they were previously paid to all pensioners regardless of their income, meaning those on lower and middle incomes will still receive the help they need, ensuring fairness for both pensioners and taxpayers.
Approximately 2 million individuals in England and Wales over State Pension age have taxable incomes above £35,000.
More information
Eligibility is based on a person’s age and place of residence during the qualifying week (the third full week of September). For winter 2025/26, the qualifying week will be 15 to 21 September 2025.
A person needs to have reached State Pension age by the end of the qualifying week to be eligible.
Winter Fuel Payments are worth £200 per household, or £300 per household where there is someone over 80. Shared payments are made to pensioners not on an income-related benefit.
The payment will be recovered from individuals via HMRC based on their individual taxable incomes. There will be no need for household incomes to be aggregated.
It will be recovered via PAYE for the vast majority, or in their Self-Assessment tax return for the minority who file and pay their taxes in this way. HMRC will work closely with representative bodies to ensure the process is as simple as possible with clear guidance for taxpayers.
For those who would like to opt out from receiving the Winter Fuel Payment, DWP will develop a simple system to enable individuals to do so, removing the need for HMRC to recover the payment. Further information will be on GOV.UK in due course.
The government will be publishing an equalities analysis alongside the legislation and a Tax Information and Impact Note at Budget.
Further background
As of winter 2024/25, Winter Fuel Payments were restricted in England and Wales to pensioner households receiving Pension Credit or certain other income-related benefits.
It is worth £200 for eligible households, or £300 for households with someone aged 80 or over. It is a non-contributory, household payment to support pensioners during the colder months.
From 2025/26 Winter Fuel Payments will be payable in England and Wales at £200 for households including someone between State Pension age and 79, and £300 for households including someone aged 80 or over. Where the household is not getting an income related benefit, such as Pension Credit, a shared payment will be made – e.g. a couple, each under 80, not on Pension Credit will receive a payment of £100 each.
Winter Fuel Payments are transferred in Northern Ireland. The policy area is devolved to Scotland. The Scottish Government and the Northern Ireland Executive will both receive a mechanical uplift in their funding as a result of this change in England and Wales.
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
Speech
Prime Minister’s remarks at London Tech Week 2025: Monday 9 June
Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s remarks at London Tech Week 2025.
Thank you so much. It’s really fantastic to stand here and look out and see so many people in this room—to get a real sense of the energy, the commitment, and the professionalism, the entrepreneurial spirit that we have here.
Let me start by thanking you all for being here. We’re going to have a really good Tech Week. We already kicked off yesterday. We’ve got some major announcements to make, some real partnerships to build together, and I’m just so pleased to have this opportunity—this privilege—of opening this morning. It’s a real pleasure for me.
My constituency, the area I represent, is London. I’m a London MP, and that means I understand first hand just how important our sector is as we go forward—whether it’s entrepreneurs or the spirit in London, this is hugely, hugely important.
We have to recognise that for many people, they see AI and tech as transformative—something that’s going to do so much. And every time we say “over five years or ten years,” everybody says to me “it’s going to be more like five years or three years.” We’re going to bring about great change in so many aspects of our lives. Whether that’s in health—where I’ve seen for myself the incredible contribution that tech and AI can make. I was in a hospital up in the Midlands, talking to consultants who deal with strokes. They showed me the equipment and techniques that they are using – using AI to isolate where the clot is in the brain in a micro-second of the time it would have taken otherwise. Brilliantly saving people’s lives. Shortly after that, I had an incident where I was being shown AI and stethoscopes working together to predict any problems someone might have. So whether it’s health or other sectors, it’s hugely transformative what can be done here.
Last Monday, I was in Scotland launching the Strategic Defence Review of the government. This was a review I commissioned soon after we came into power to tell me what are the risks we face as a country in this new era? What are the challenges? What are our capabilities? And how do we make sure that, as we go forward, our capabilities match the risks and challenges we face as a country.
In that, tech and AI were absolutely central. Over the last three years or more, during this awful conflict in Ukraine—I’ve been back to Ukraine on a number of occasions in that period to have in-depth conversations with President Zelensky to make sure our support is in the right place. But I was really struck, on the trip before last—probably about six or seven weeks ago—by the extent to which technology and AI are now having a direct impact in that conflict. In three years of conflict, the way that war is being fought has changed profoundly.
So I wanted that hardwired into our Defence Review—a sense of how AI could be driving change. There are so many examples across government. I’ve set the challenge to all of my teams: show me how they can use AI—not just in the output of government, not just in partnership with yourselves and others in the delivery of services—but also in the very way we do government. How can we transform what we do?
There are certainly examples of that. I spoke to a social worker in Downing Street at one of our receptions. She explained to me, with a smile on her face, just how AI is slashing her paperwork and her caseload. She talked me through how she’s now doing her work. What she said was that this was helping her transform her work—because she could concentrate on the human element of it. She could use AI and tech to help with the parts that could be done more quickly. And from that, I’ve always said: AI and tech make us more human. It may sound like an odd thing to say, but it’s true—and we need to say it. Because, some people out there are sceptical. They worry about AI taking their jobs. But I know from audiences like this, this debate has been had many times. We need to push past it. But people worry: will it make their lives more comfortable? Even for businesses, the pace of change can feel relentless. I know you all get that. But when it comes to harnessing the power of this technology, I believe the way we work through this together is critical. And that means partnership and partnership is at the heart of everything we do in government—working with you. You are the entrepreneurs who will drive this country forward. Our job as partners is to create the best possible conditions for you to succeed. That’s why events like this—and the conversations we have in the margins—are so important. Because we can only create the right conditions if we’re having that conversation. You’re able to put your fingerprints on what we’re doing.
Just look at the raw facts. This industry supports over 2 million jobs. That’s incredible. Or take this statistic: in 2023, our AI sector grew 30 times faster than the rest of the economy. That is incredible. So this is about what we’ve achieved. It’s about who we are as a nation. What signal do we want to send to the rest of the world? The signal I want to send is this: a Britain that, after years of chaos, is a stable partner for investment. A Britain that believes the future should be shaped by our values. And that in this volatile world, is proud, unashamed, open for business.
I think—and hope—you can see that in our approach to trade, in the new deals we’ve done just in the last few months. We’re determined to create new markets—whether that’s in India, the US, or Europe. You can see it in our openness to investment as well. On that front, I’m really pleased to welcome what I see as yet another vote of confidence in Britain today: the announcement that Liquidity will base their European headquarters right here in London. That’s a £1.5 billion investment into our economy. It means better access to finance for entrepreneurs right across the country. It’s a vote of confidence in our AI Opportunities Action Plan as well. We put that plan out at the beginning of the year. We’re really proud of it—50 recommendations, all of them accepted by the government. At the heart of it is partnership in action. It shows our ambition to be the best state partner for tech entrepreneurs anywhere in the world. That’s the bar. That’s the ambition I’ve set.
So I can also announce today that we’re committing an extra £1 billion of funding to scale up our compute power by a factor of 20. You know how important that is— a huge increase in the size of Britain’s AI engine. It means we can be an AI maker, not just an AI taker. More importantly, it means we have the digital infrastructure we need to make sure AI improves our public services. Because we do have a defining mission in that plan—a responsibility, if you like—to harness this unprecedented opportunity and use it to improve the lives of working people. This is a shared mission. We’re a mission-driven government. But this is a shared mission. Because social fear I was talking about a moment ago—trust me, I think that is the challenge for adoption. It’s a far greater challenge than the regulatory barrier, although that can be a challenge too. But it’s an area where government can help—where we can do our bit in this partnership.
Take planning, for example, which is a huge priority for this government. We are going to build more labs, more data centres—and we’re going to do it much, much more quickly. Our Planning and Infrastructure Bill going through Parliament right now is a real game-changer. Each of you in this room knows how important it is to change our rules on planning, infrastructure, and the regulatory environment—and how that can drive growth in building homes – what a difference that could make. Again, the human that sits there with the tech and the AI—because the security of having an affordable home is hugely important. I come from a working-class background, and at times we struggled as a family to make ends meet. But we owned our home, and that gave me a sense of security—a base camp, if you like—on which I could build my life, my opportunities, and my aspirations. I want that to be there for everyone in the country—that base camp. And AI can help on this.
This is how we explain and lead people down this transformative path. And in that way, in pushing forward, we’ve developed a powerful new tool. We’ve done this in-house, and I’m really proud of that—that as a government, we’ve taken on the challenge and developed something in-house, just to prove that governments can innovate. We use that word all the time, and some people don’t associate it with government—but we have. We’ve developed what we call Extract. It’s being trialled in councils in Exeter, Westminster, Nuneaton and Bedworth. It takes old, handwritten planning documents and put them into digital form in seconds. Jobs that would otherwise have taken hours and hours—done in seconds. A hundred planning records per day, and the usual average up till now is five. So, you can see—it’s a huge productivity boost and we want to roll that out. It doesn’t just show that the government can innovate, it also means faster planning decisions, which I think comes as a relief to many people in this room and beyond—both in AI and in British business more broadly. And of course, it’s money-saved for councils, so they can spend their money on other things. It turns into more growth and more opportunity.
But most of all, it speeds up the future that we need. AI innovation making a difference for working people. The same, of course, is true across the public realm. We’re looking at how AI can speed up discharges from hospitals—hugely important. I’ve looked into this in our hospitals. Getting people out the back door more quickly—AI can help with that. Same with the asylum backlog, how can AI and tech help us deal with that? Or teachers—helping them personalise lessons for their pupils. Again, using their time better, making them more human. Giving them that interaction so that every child gets the best possible chance in life. What a difference personalising what they do can make to so many children.
In every case, you can show AI innovation making a difference for working people. But to truly succeed in this mission then one of the biggest parts, and you’ll all have heard this many, many times in the conversation about AI, tech, growth and investment and business. It always comes back to this point: skills. It is one of the key concerns in any business in technology—actually, in any business pretty much across the board—one of the great worries for working people, and the same for any parent, is always: What does this mean for my children? What does it mean for their future? So today, I am really delighted to announce what is a step change in how we train homegrown talent in AI. A partnership with 11 major companies to train 7.5 million workers in AI by 2030.
I would also like to thank NVIDIA for partnering on a new pipeline. Jensen is here with us for the “in conversation” we’re so grateful for that partnership. That allows us to expand their lab in Bristol, and that will make a huge difference to opportunity and jobs in the South West. We’re also going to bring the full powers of government with a new tech-first training programme. That’s up to 1 million young people trained in tech skills—that will be so crucial for their future. That’s a £185 million investment, embedding AI right through our education system, starting in our secondary schools with subjects like computer science. At universities, a new scholarship programme for high-flying students—supporting the best and brightest personally, so they can focus on their research on the next frontier.
So from school all the way through—and on top of that, extra support for small businesses, along with their student leavers, so they can recruit the technology skills they need. And this—trust me—is a package that should make a massive difference to the aspirations of working people.
At the end of the day, that is what this must be about. I want young people in the poorer parts of my constituency—and I’m thinking in particular of a place like Somers Town, between Euston and King’s Cross, where there’s so much of that tech and entrepreneurial AI belief—I want the children in Somers Town to look out of their classroom windows and feel “yes, I can be part of that success. This could belong to me.”
That’s why the work we’re doing in schools, universities and colleges is so important—to make them feel they’ve got a role, they’ve got aspiration, they’ve got a future. They can’t aspire to do something unless they can see it, feel it, and understand what it is. In this country, the technology needs to be built in our brain. Just to give a short example of that—praising tech companies for investing in Somers Town. I’ve thrown this challenge out many, many times: how do we make the children in the poorest part of my constituency aspire to work in your centre? And Google AI opened a campus in Somers Town. They’ve taken up that challenge. It is tremendous. I went there for the opening—it’s right next to the school where I envisage those students who wouldn’t necessarily have seen their future in tech. And now that campus is right next to their school they can see it every day and they can feel it.
That’s a really good example. Thank you to the tech sector for stepping up to that challenge. But now we need to go further. By the end of this Parliament, we should be able to look every parent the eye, in every region in Britain and say – look what technology can deliver for you. We can put money in your pocket; we can create wealth in your community; we can create good jobs and vastly improve our public services and build a better future for your children. That is the opportunity we must seize, that is what my Plan for Change will deliver. And today, I think we’re taking another big step towards it.
So thank you very much for being here and thank you for letting me have the privilege of opening today. Thank you.
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
Press release
‘Our Living Soils’ by Emma Rosen and Rhiannon Thomas out now
Natural England has commissioned a children’s illustrated book to teach young children about soil.
‘Our Living Soils’ written by Emma Rosen and illustrated by Rhiannon Thomas was commissioned by Natural England to teach children about soil.
Young children love to jump in muddy puddles and roll on grass, but are unlikely to think about what is going on in the earth underneath them. Now a new illustrated book aims to dig into just what is happening in the soil beneath their feet.
‘Our Living Soils’ was commissioned by Natural England to explore soil health in a way that appeals to four to seven-year-old children. It highlights just how much is going on in our soil and focuses on the creatures that make it their home. It was written by author and schoolteacher Emma Rosen, and illustrated by fine artist and illustrator, Rhiannon Thomas.
The team behind ‘Our Living Soils’. From left: Jonny Griffiths, Matthew Shepherd and Eleanor Reed of Natural England, author Emma Rosen and illustrator Rhiannon Thomas.
The book was launched during the weekend at the sold out Open Farm Sunday event at Springwater Farm in Exeter, with both Emma and Rhiannon in attendance, along with Natural England’s soils team. The team hosted a series of activities including round the campfire storytelling; soil minibeast drawing and writing activities; and the very popular exploration of soil dwelling organisms through the microscope.
Eleanor Reed, Natural England principal soil specialist, said:
From soil formation to soil function, this visually engaging book aims to raise the awareness of soils to young children and their parents alike.
We hope it engages young children and develops their curiosity about the fascinating, but hidden, world beneath their feet.
‘Our Living Soils’ was launched at Open Farm Sunday in Exeter where children could look at soil-based organisms under the microscope.
Neal Layton, author and illustrator of some of the Eco Explorer series of children’s books, endorsed ‘Our Living Soils’, saying it is ‘a brilliant book for muddy boot wearers big and small’.
Alongside the paperback, which is available to buy at Our Living Soils – Emma Rosen, or from Waterstones and Amazon, there will be a PDF edition which can be distributed by Natural England. A Kindle version will also be produced and put on the Kindle Unlimited subscription service so subscribers can read it for free.
A narrated video of ‘Our Living Soils’ is available on YouTube.
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
Press release
Updated guide to raising concerns about a charity
The Charity Commission for England and Wales has today published refreshed guidance and an updated online form to help anyone who wants to raise a concern about a charity.
The guidance ‘Raising a concern with the Charity Commission’ (CC47) sets out when to raise concerns about a charity with the Commission as well as what it can do or cannot do within its remit of helping charities in England and Wales be accountable, well-run and meet their legal obligations.
The guidance also covers where and how it can and will act and how it prioritises the most serious concerns that present risk of significant harm to, or abuse of, charities, their beneficiaries or assets or to trust and confidence in the sector.
Eight percent of 3679 concerns submitted by members of the public to the Commission during the last financial year could not be taken further as these were either beyond the Commission’s regulatory remit set by Parliament or had insufficient information.
The Commission’s updated guidance and forms aim to help people find the most appropriate route for raising any concerns, while being clear when it is unlikely to be able to act.
An improved online ‘raising a concern’ form on gov.uk for members of the public, which still allows evidence to be attached, now provides new signposting to make it easier for a charity’s trustees, employees and volunteers to raise concerns in the right way via alternative routes for whistleblowing, reports of serious incidents or matters of material significance.
Charity Commission Head of Intelligence & Risk, Kate Waring, said:
While things can go wrong – either intentionally or unintentionally – the vast majority of the 170,000 charities on the register are doing great work to make a positive difference. Trustees overwhelmingly act in their charity’s best interests, and we step in when they do not.
It is important people can tell us when things are not right at a charity, and our refreshed guidance explains the sorts of concerns they can, and should, confidently bring to our attention. Both the improved guidance and online form also remind people about concerns that are for other regulators, so they can raise those with the right organisation.
We have to prioritise our work to help us make the best use of the resources we’ve been given as a public body and to ensure proportionate regulation of a volunteer led sector.
The ‘Raising a concern with the Charity Commission’ guidance is available on gov.uk.
ENDS
Notes to editors:
The Charity Commission is the independent, non-ministerial government department that registers and regulates charities in England and Wales. Its ambition is to be an expert regulator that is fair, balanced, and independent so that charity can thrive. This ambition will help to create and sustain an environment where charities further build public trust and ultimately fulfil their essential role in enhancing lives and strengthening society. Find out more
The Commission’s suite of guidance for charities in England and Wales is on gov.uk
Concerns about a charity can be raised with the appropriate authority on gov.uk
An exciting community dig is happening at theprehistoric and medievalsite of Kilmocholmóg, just off Kilmore Road in Lurgan, fromMonday 16 June to Friday 4 July2025.
Members of the local community are encouraged to roll up their sleeves and get involved in unearthing Lurgan’s medieval past.
Previous excavations at the site known as Kilmocholmóg (meaning ‘church of my little Colman’) has uncovered a greater insight into life at this location over thousands of years.
Working alongside archaeologists, volunteers have helped unearth artefacts, structures, and evidence of ancient craftsmanship at this high-status historical site.
Since 2022 over 1,000 artefacts including stone age tools, pottery, an ingot mould and glass beads have been recovered as well as the remains of an iron age enclosure and surrounding stone structures.
The upcoming community dig aims to expand on these discoveries and uncover more details about the settlement’s significance and prove or disprove the local memory that an early medieval church was once located here.
The dig runs Mondays to Fridays, giving volunteers the chance to take part in morning sessions (9.30am-12pm) or afternoon sessions (1pm-3.30pm).
It is open to everyone, making it a perfect opportunity for families, history enthusiasts, and curious minds of all ages. Under 16s must be accompanied by an adult to ensure a safe and educational experience.
No experience is necessary as a team of experts from leading archaeology firm, Northern Archaeological Consultancy, will be on hand to guide volunteers every step of the way.
Organised by the Craigavon Historical Society in partnership with the Council’s Lurgan Townscape Heritage scheme, this dig has been funded by National Lottery players through the National Lottery Heritage Fund.
If you are interested in learning about archaeology and uncovering the secrets of Kilmocholmóg, book your place at www.eventbrite.com/e/1376030156239 or email David Weir of Craigavon Historical Society at
Thousands of visitors packed into the picturesque Lurgan Park on Saturday 7th June for this year’s Lurgan Show – a vibrant celebration of food, farming, and agriculture that firmly underscores the ABC Borough’s status as Northern Ireland’s Food Heartland.
Now a flagship event in the agricultural calendar, the show proudly showcased the very best of the borough’s award-winning food and drink producers, agri-businesses, and farming excellence.
This year’s Food Heartland stand, supported by Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council, attracted crowds keen to sample the finest produce from local favourites including Peggy’s Family Farm, Ballydown Milk, Rosemount Cottage Farm Meats, Glorious Bakes, Long Meadow Cider, Apple Tree Farm, the Hemp and Honey Farm Co Op, and Moo Valley gelato.
From artisan jams and farm-fresh milkshakes to sizzling meats and handcrafted bakes, the local offering was second to none.
Lord Mayor of Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough, Alderman Stephen Moutray, said:
“Lurgan Show is a shining example of what makes our borough so special – a deep-rooted connection to our agricultural heritage and an unwavering passion for food excellence. I was delighted to see so many producers and visitors enjoying the day. This event is a true celebration of our Food Heartland, and I commend all those who work hard year-round to make our borough a place of taste, talent, and tradition.”
Organised by the Lurgan & District Horse and Cattle Society, the Show also featured equestrian and livestock championships, vintage farm machinery, family activities, and more – offering something for everyone.
The summer show season continues with the Armagh County Agricultural Show and Country Festival taking place this Saturday 14th June at Gosford Forest Park. For details, visit www.armaghshow.com
To learn more about the Food Heartland and its producers, contact:
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments 2
Press release
PM unveils AI breakthrough to slash planning delays and help build 1.5 million homes: 9 June 2025
Planning permissions will be sped up as the Government rolls out a new AI tool which can scan hundreds of files in seconds – making it easier to make home improvements, while turbocharging the Plan for Change milestone to build 1.5 million homes.
PM unveils revolutionary AI tool to transform planning system and speed up housebuilding at London Tech Week
‘Extract’ set to digitise planning documents and bring England’s outdated planning system into the 21st century
Breakthrough AI tool to be made available to all councils by Spring 2026, using Google DeepMind’s Gemini model
Digital planning transformation to help deliver Plan for Change milestone to build 1.5 million homes
Planning permissions will be sped up as the Government rolls out a new AI tool which can scan hundreds of files in seconds – making it easier to make home improvements, while turbocharging the Plan for Change milestone to build 1.5 million homes.
Speaking at London Tech Week, the Prime Minister announced the launch of “Extract” – an AI assistant for planning officers and local councils, developed by government with support from Google.
For the first time, this cutting-edge technology will help councils convert decades-old, handwritten planning documents and maps into data in minutes – and will power new types of planning software to slash the 250,000 estimated hours spent by planning officers each year manually checking these documents. This will dramatically reduce delays that have long plagued the system.
Around 350,000 planning applications are submitted a year in England, yet the system remains heavily reliant on paper documents – some hundreds of pages long. Once submitted, each of these documents needs to be manually validated and approved by a planning officer.
In test trials across Hillingdon, Nuneaton & Bedworth, and Exeter councils, Extract digitised planning records, including maps, in just three minutes each – compared to the 1–2 hours it typically takes manually. This means Extract could process around 100 planning records a day – significantly speeding up the process.
This represents a step-change in productivity, freeing up thousands of hours for planning officers to focus on decision-making to speed up housebuilding. It will also accelerate the delivery of much-needed housing, improve reliability in the planning process and reduce costs and save time for councils and developers.
Extract is expected to be made available to all councils by Spring 2026. The government’s ambition is to fully digitise the planning system – making it faster, more transparent, and easier to navigate for working people, councils, businesses and developers.
The rollout will help deliver the government’s Plan for Change milestone to build 1.5 million homes over the next Parliament and is part of the government’s efforts to harness tech and AI to deliver change and renewal for working people.
It also comes alongside the government’s wider efforts to digitise the planning system, building on an estimated £59.4m per year spent by councils on digital planning and housing software, delivering an estimated time and cost saving of £527m for the public sector each year.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer said:
For too long, our outdated planning system has held back our country— slowing down the development of vital infrastructure and making it harder to get the homes we need built.
This government is working hand in hand with business to change that. With Extract, we’re harnessing the power of AI to help planning officers cut red tape, speed up decisions, and unlock the new homes for hard-working people as part of our Plan for Change.
It’s a bold step forward in our mission to build 1.5 million more homes and deliver a planning system that’s fit for the 21st century.”
Deputy Prime Minister and Housing Secretary Angela Rayner said:
From day one we made an unwavering promise to use every tool at our disposal to build the 1.5 million homes and vital infrastructure through our Plan for Change that our local communities desperately need.
By using cutting-edge technology like Extract we can fix the broken planning system, cut delays, save money, and also reduce burdens on councils to help pave the way for the biggest building boom in a generation.”
Co-Founder & CEO of Google DeepMind, Demis Hassabis said:
We build our AI models to understand all types of information – from text to handwritten notes and technical drawings – so it’s really exciting to see the UK government choose Gemini to help speed up the planning process and support planners and people across the country.
Hillingdon Council’s Chief Operating Officer Matthew Wallbridge said:
‘The UK Planning System relies on paper-based processes, and AI can help to read and then extract the key information from it, to help both residents and planning officers. The productivity benefits will allow for a faster and cheaper service’.
Tom Shardlow, CEO Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council said:
Just like many local authorities, Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council has many plans and documents in storage from historic planning applications over the years. Working with the Extract team, we have seen the outputs from Extract, and how these could improve our service, providing high quality, digital, GeoSpatial data and how this could speed up the process for our Planning Team.”
The government is now working with Google to develop and expand Extract to all local authorities in England using its Gemini model. The government will expand Extract to handle all planning document types with the aim of supporting local authorities to digitise all planning documents by the end of 2026.
The planning data, unlocked through Extract, will be uploaded to a publicly accessible gov.uk service page. Open, public data will ensure the planning system is more transparent, accessible and understandable to the public. The government will also explore the best and most efficient ways to deploy Extract into local authorities – this might also include developing an app to scan documents instantly.
This government is turning the page on the decline of the past and choosing growth with a significant number of planning decisions already made by Ministers since July.
This includes 18 planning decisions taken by Ministers over 85% of which within the target timeframe, and 18 nationally significant infrastructure projects approved, collectively spanning airports, data centres, solar farms and major housing developments such as the Expansion of London City Airport, a data centre in Buckinghamshire and a new M&S store in Oxford Street, London.
The Planning and Infrastructure Bill will also provide the powers to accelerate the infrastructure and homes needed to deliver on the government’s ambitions – and fast track critical infrastructure such as wind farms, power plants, and major road and rail projects.
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
Press release
Compensation to postmasters reaches £1 billion milestone
More than £1 billion has been paid out to over 7,300 postmasters affected by the Horizon IT scandal – one of the biggest miscarriages of justice of our time.
Today’s data reveals over £1bn has been paid out in financial redress to thousands of postmasters across the UK
This includes £245m in the Horizon Convictions Redress Scheme launched last summer
Redress for victims of Horizon scandal has more than quadrupled under this government – delivering on a key manifesto commitment
More than £1 billion has been paid out to over 7,300 postmasters affected by the Horizon IT scandal – one of the biggest miscarriages of justice of our time.
This figure is a total across the Horizon-related redress schemes, with data published by the government today (Monday 9 June).
This milestone marks the Government’s ongoing commitment to deliver redress and justice to postmasters as swiftly as possible. Whilst Government cannot fully put right what postmasters have been through, what is being delivered is increased redress and ensuring the compensation process work better than it has done previously.
Post Office Minister Gareth Thomas said:
Since entering government, it has been our priority to speed up the delivery of compensation to victims of the Horizon Scandal and today’s milestone shows how much progress has been made.
We are settling cases every day and getting compensation out more quickly for the most complex cases, but the job isn’t done until every postmaster has received fair and just redress.
Since entering government, redress paid out to victims of the Horizon Scandal has more than quadrupled to £1,039 million, delivering on a key manifesto promise to ensure justice and compensation are delivered swiftly for those sub-postmasters shamefully affected by the Horizon IT scandal.
Ministers continue to review each scheme to ensure the process is as smooth as it can be, and welcome feedback and scrutiny from postmasters, campaigners and Parliament and recognise the tireless campaigning in this area over many years. Reforms to increase the roll out of redress has included the following steps.
Since July 2024, the government has also launched the Horizon Convictions Redress scheme – providing redress to postmasters who had their convictions overturned by the Post Office Offences Act (and the equivalent legislation in Scotland) and also launched the Horizon Shortfall Scheme Appeals process.
In March, Ministers made a commitment that claims for redress under the Post Office’s Overturned Convictions scheme would be transferred into the Department for Business and Trade (DBT) and the Post Office would cease to be involved in the administration of redress for overturned convictions. This is something that postmasters, campaigners and Parliamentarians have called for. As of 3 June, these cases have all been transferred and all future redress for these claimants will be managed by DBT.
Other milestones include:
Launching the Post Office Process Review (PPR) helping to provide redress to postmasters who suffered financial losses caused by products, processes or policies that were designed or delivered incorrectly.
Beginning Horizon Shortfall Scheme fixed-sum payments of £75,000 for those who don’t want to go through the full assessment process.
Announcing the upcoming publication of a Green Paper which will give the public the chance to have their view on the future of Post Office.
Committing to develop an effective and fair redress process for those affected by the Capture IT system.
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
Press release
Scotland Office: First government trade mission since UK-EU deal
Minister Kirsty McNeill teams up with the Scottish Chambers of Commerce to champion Scotland and the UK in Spain
Boosting trade and investment between Scotland and Spain is top of the agenda as a group of 16 Scottish female entrepreneurs, led by UK Government Minister Kirsty McNeill and the Scottish Chambers of Commerce (SCC), arrive on Spanish soil today (Monday 9th June).
The Scotland Office led trade mission will meet with Spanish entrepreneurs, business leaders and politicians to maximise the benefits of the recent UK-EU deal, tackle the Scottish gender export gap, promote Brand Scotland’s iconic goods and services and encourage Spanish investment into Scotland.
A recent report found that trade in Scotland could increase by more than £10 billion over two years if women-led businesses exported at the same rate as those led by men.
Women from Scotland’s world class food and drink, tech, manufacturing, energy, tourism, travel, legal services, consultancy, marketing and cosmetic sectors are on the trade mission.
UK Government Scotland Office Kirsty McNeill said:
I’m very proud to be teaming up with the Scottish Chambers of Commerce and fantastic Scottish women entrepreneurs on a trailblazing mission to Spain to help kickstart economic growth, create jobs and attract investment to Scotland as part of the UK Government’s Plan for Change.
I want the UK to be a leader in promoting gender diversity in international trade and this is a unique opportunity for our women business leaders to build international connections, explore market opportunities, and connect with other female entrepreneurs in one of Scotland’s and the UK’s largest EU markets.
Through Brand Scotland, we are now giving our country the global platform it deserves.
Chief Executive of the Scottish Chambers of Commerce Dr Liz Cameron CBE said:
This trade mission marks a bold step forward in advancing Scotland’s global trade ambitions. By connecting some of our most dynamic women entrepreneurs and leaders with key players in Barcelona, we are opening new doors of opportunity, innovation, and growth. Scotland’s businesswomen are global in their outlook, ambitious in their vision, and ready to lead the way in forging deeper connections around the world.
The collaboration between the Scottish Chambers of Commerce and Scotland Office is a powerful partnership which will boost business growth, increase exports, and champion Scotland as a world-leading trading nation. This mission expands our market access and ensures the future of our business community is more representative, resilient, and internationally competitive.
This visit marks the first Brand Scotland trade mission since the signing of a partnership agreement between the Scottish Chambers of Commerce and the Scotland Office on Friday (June 6th). The deal, backed by a £100,000 UK Government grant, is focused on showcasing Scottish businesses globally and attracting inward investment.
Spain is the UK’s seventh largest trading partner (2024) and Scotland’s 10th with total trade in goods and services (exports plus imports) being £64.6 billion, while the UK is the number one European destination for Spanish investment (€83 billion stock). Last year Scotland’s goods exports to Spain reached £0.7 billion, with food and drink leading the way at over £212 million. Most recent figures show that Spain was the number six export destination for Scotch whisky, with sales worth £196 million in 2024. Spain is also among the most valuable destinations for Scottish seafood exports, including a top 20 destination for Scottish salmon exports.
The trio of trade deals secured by the Prime Minister in recent weeks offers a huge opportunity for Scotland and the UK’s economy.
The agreement with the EU directly addresses challenges faced by Scottish exporters since 2019, especially in the food and drink sector, as it makes it significantly easier to sell Scottish goods to markets such as Spain (see stakeholder quotes annexed below).
The two day trade mission comes after Minister McNeill hosted a gathering of female business leaders from across Scotland in Edinburgh in May to identify and tackle export challenges they face.
While in Spain the Minister will also participate in cultural initiatives, including a concert for Ukraine, being organised by the British Embassy in Madrid.
Further information
Trade mission, list of delegates:
Dr Liz Cameron CBE, Director & Chief Executive, Scottish Chambers of Commerce
Dr Jeanette Forbes OBE, CEO, PCL Group
Dr Poonam Gupta OBE, CEO & Founder, PG Paper Company Ltd
Arjumand Ara Sheikh, Principal Solicitor and Associate CIPD, Strand Solicitors
Rosalind Wardley-Smith, International & Operations Executive Scottish Chambers of Commerce
Agenda
Today (Monday) the Minister will attend a women in business lunch in Madrid for senior female business leaders. This will be chaired by Sir Alex Ellis, His Majesty’s Ambassador to Spain. She will also meet with the newly appointed CEO of Navantia UK, Donald Martínez, to discuss Navantia’s progress and future plans for their two shipyards in Scotland.
Tomorrow (Tuesday) in Barcelona the Minister and all women trade delegation will meet Spanish women business leaders, Barcelona Chambers of Commerce, the British Chambers of Commerce and Deputy Mayor of Barcelona, Maria Eugènia Gay Rossell. The Minister will also meet the President of Catalonia, Salvador Illa to discuss new opportunities for trade and investment for both the UK and Spain.
Stakeholder quotes
Head of Trade Marketing – Europe at Seafood Scotland Marie-Anne Omnes said:
The timing and geographic focus of this ministerial trade mission are highly relevant. Spain is a key market for Scottish companies and presents significant growth opportunities that initiatives like these can help identify. Spanish consumers are knowledgeable about seafood and Scottish products, with an understanding of the importance of product origin. It is essential to strengthen relationships at both government and corporate levels, especially considering that the new trade agreement could facilitate more direct trade between the two countries.
Director of central Scotland-based MacNeil Shellfish Amber Knight said:
The partnership between the Scottish Chambers of Commerce and the Scotland Office is a game-changer for Scottish exporters. For businesses like ours, anchored in rural communities and operating across European markets, this agreement provides the visibility, credibility, and connections needed to grow with confidence. Our expansion into Spain, with a new distribution hub in North Spain is just the beginning. With this renewed focus on promoting Scotland’s world-class products internationally, we can scale our reach, strengthen our brand, and help put Scotland’s sustainable seafood firmly on the global map.
PM unveils AI breakthrough to slash planning delays and help build 1.5 million homes: 6 June 2025
Planning permissions will be sped up as the Government rolls out a new AI tool which can scan hundreds of files in seconds – making it easier to make home improvements, while turbocharging the Plan for Change milestone to build 1.5 million homes.
PM unveils revolutionary AI tool to transform planning system and speed up housebuilding at London Tech Week
‘Extract’ set to digitise planning documents and bring England’s outdated planning system into the 21st century
Breakthrough AI tool to be made available to all councils by Spring 2026, using Google DeepMind’s Gemini model
Digital planning transformation to help deliver Plan for Change milestone to build 1.5 million homes
Planning permissions will be sped up as the Government rolls out a new AI tool which can scan hundreds of files in seconds – making it easier to make home improvements, while turbocharging the Plan for Change milestone to build 1.5 million homes.
Speaking at London Tech Week, the Prime Minister announced the launch of “Extract” – an AI assistant for planning officers and local councils, developed by government with support from Google.
For the first time, this cutting-edge technology will help councils convert decades-old, handwritten planning documents and maps into data in minutes – and will power new types of planning software to slash the 250,000 estimated hours spent by planning officers each year manually checking these documents. This will dramatically reduce delays that have long plagued the system.
Around 350,000 planning applications are submitted a year in England, yet the system remains heavily reliant on paper documents – some hundreds of pages long. Once submitted, each of these documents needs to be manually validated and approved by a planning officer.
In test trials across Hillingdon, Nuneaton & Bedworth, and Exeter councils, Extract digitised planning records, including maps, in just three minutes each – compared to the 1–2 hours it typically takes manually. This means Extract could process around 100 planning records a day – significantly speeding up the process.
This represents a step-change in productivity, freeing up thousands of hours for planning officers to focus on decision-making to speed up housebuilding. It will also accelerate the delivery of much-needed housing, improve reliability in the planning process and reduce costs and save time for councils and developers.
Extract is expected to be made available to all councils by Spring 2026. The government’s ambition is to fully digitise the planning system – making it faster, more transparent, and easier to navigate for working people, councils, businesses and developers.
The rollout will help deliver the government’s Plan for Change milestone to build 1.5 million homes over the next Parliament and is part of the government’s efforts to harness tech and AI to deliver change and renewal for working people.
It also comes alongside the government’s wider efforts to digitise the planning system, building on an estimated £59.4m per year spent by councils on digital planning and housing software, delivering an estimated time and cost saving of £527m for the public sector each year.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer said:
For too long, our outdated planning system has held back our country— slowing down the development of vital infrastructure and making it harder to get the homes we need built.
This government is working hand in hand with business to change that. With Extract, we’re harnessing the power of AI to help planning officers cut red tape, speed up decisions, and unlock the new homes for hard-working people as part of our Plan for Change.
It’s a bold step forward in our mission to build 1.5 million more homes and deliver a planning system that’s fit for the 21st century.”
Deputy Prime Minister and Housing Secretary Angela Rayner said:
From day one we made an unwavering promise to use every tool at our disposal to build the 1.5 million homes and vital infrastructure through our Plan for Change that our local communities desperately need.
By using cutting-edge technology like Extract we can fix the broken planning system, cut delays, save money, and also reduce burdens on councils to help pave the way for the biggest building boom in a generation.”
Co-Founder & CEO of Google DeepMind, Demis Hassabis said:
We build our AI models to understand all types of information – from text to handwritten notes and technical drawings – so it’s really exciting to see the UK government choose Gemini to help speed up the planning process and support planners and people across the country.
Hillingdon Council’s Chief Operating Officer Matthew Wallbridge said:
‘The UK Planning System relies on paper-based processes, and AI can help to read and then extract the key information from it, to help both residents and planning officers. The productivity benefits will allow for a faster and cheaper service’.
Tom Shardlow, CEO Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council said:
Just like many local authorities, Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council has many plans and documents in storage from historic planning applications over the years. Working with the Extract team, we have seen the outputs from Extract, and how these could improve our service, providing high quality, digital, GeoSpatial data and how this could speed up the process for our Planning Team.”
The government is now working with Google to develop and expand Extract to all local authorities in England using its Gemini model. The government will expand Extract to handle all planning document types with the aim of supporting local authorities to digitise all planning documents by the end of 2026.
The planning data, unlocked through Extract, will be uploaded to a publicly accessible gov.uk service page. Open, public data will ensure the planning system is more transparent, accessible and understandable to the public. The government will also explore the best and most efficient ways to deploy Extract into local authorities – this might also include developing an app to scan documents instantly.
This government is turning the page on the decline of the past and choosing growth with a significant number of planning decisions already made by Ministers since July.
This includes 18 planning decisions taken by Ministers over 85% of which within the target timeframe, and 18 nationally significant infrastructure projects approved, collectively spanning airports, data centres, solar farms and major housing developments such as the Expansion of London City Airport, a data centre in Buckinghamshire and a new M&S store in Oxford Street, London.
The Planning and Infrastructure Bill will also provide the powers to accelerate the infrastructure and homes needed to deliver on the government’s ambitions – and fast track critical infrastructure such as wind farms, power plants, and major road and rail projects.
A LIFESAVING initiative that enables front-line police officers in Leicestershire to carry and administer an antidote to opiate drugs has been shortlisted for a national award.
The city council’s public health team worked in partnership with the police and local drug and alcohol treatment service Turning Point to develop the initiative, which has potentially already saved 14 lives in its first 12 months of operation.
It’s now in line for a Public Partnerships award, as part of the 2025 Local Government Chronicle’s Awards, which recognise excellence in local government across the whole of the UK.
The partnership was developed in response to a national rising trend in drug deaths. Many of these could have been avoided with the use of the antidote Naloxone, which reverses the effects of an opiate overdose – if given quickly enough.
Leicester’s Director of Public Health Rob Howard said: “In the event of an opiate overdose, administering an immediate dose of naloxone by nasal spray reverses respiratory arrest and allows time for emergency medical services to be called.
“Police officers are most likely to be the first on scene at such incidents, and thanks to years of hard work by all involved, we believe that the Leicestershire police service is now the first in England and Wales to commit to enabling all front-line officers to carry Naloxone.
“This incredible partnership work has not only saved lives, and will save lives in the future, but is also supporting a broader understanding of the challenges faced by people who use drugs.”
Approval for a pilot scheme was given by Leicestershire Police in 2023, after Turning Point and the city council’s public health team had found funding and established pilot sites.
Initially small groups of police officers were given training in overdose awareness and administering Naloxone, and as a result almost 200 officers voluntarily agreed to carry it.
James Edmondston, Leicestershire Police’s Substance Misuse Team Leader said: “The most important duty of a police officer is to preserve life and Naloxone gives officers a simple, safe and effective way of doing so. This initiative reflects a strong and robust partnership commitment to saving lives and supporting people into long term treatment.
“It is fantastic to see its use being celebrated– it really does save lives and we are looking to expand its use across the force and into custody.”
Julie Bass, Turning Point’s Chief Executive said: “Being short-listed for this prestigious award is testament to the power of partnership. We have been delighted to work with Leicestershire Police and Leicester City Council on this initiative, which genuinely has saved lives and also strengthened joint working across our organisations.”
In the first 12 months of the scheme, police officers administered naloxone on 14 separate occasions, in situations where people were likely to have otherwise died, before calling for ambulance back-up.
New recruits to Leicestershire Police are now trained in administering naloxone as part of their core training, and offered the chance to carry at that time. Since this was introduced, every new recruit has volunteered to carry it.
The winners of the LGC Awards will be announced at a ceremony on 11 June 2025, at Grosvenor House, London.
Source: Traditional Unionist Voice – Northern Ireland
Statement by TUV party chairman Keith Ratcliffe:
“As I warned in advance, Saturday’s anti-Israeli parade through Scarva was deeply provocative, entirely unnecessary, and now, sadly, has led to the very outcome many of us feared – disorder on our streets and arrests in our community.
“I formally objected to this parade to the Parades Commission and raised serious concerns both in writing and in a telephone call to the police. I made it crystal clear to the Parades Commission that Scarva, a quiet, close-knit Unionist village with deep ties of sympathy and support for Israel, was no place for Palestinian flags and associated political messaging on a Saturday morning.
“And yet, the parade was allowed to proceed unchecked – no conditions, no restrictions and no serious engagement with local concerns. The Commission was warned. The PSNI was informed. And now we have witnessed precisely the breakdown in community relations that this parade was always going to cause.
“Scarva is not a canvas for political performance. Residents here should not be subjected to displays that are knowingly inflammatory. People have a right to go about their daily lives without being dragged into conflict they did not ask for and do not support.
“Let me be clear: this situation was entirely avoidable. The blame lies squarely with those who organised this needlessly provocative display, and with the Parades Commission, who failed in their duty to prevent disorder and protect community cohesion.“
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
News story
Underwater robot could improve pipeline and cable security
Dstl has trialled an underwater robot which can prevent adversaries from sabotaging undersea cables and pipelines by disarming or removing threats.
An underwater robot could soon be saving lives at sea for the Royal Navy and prevent adversaries from sabotaging undersea cables and pipelines.
A commercially available remotely operated vehicle (ROV) has been adapted by the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) and industry partners to deal with sabotage threats and clear legacy unexploded ordnance. These present hazards to both vessels and divers deployed to deal with them.
Dstl has incorporated or developed a number of systems to enable the ROV to detect unexploded ordnance and remotely place explosive charges to enable safe neutralization.
Dstl explosives engineer John said:
“This technology would be a valuable toolset for keeping our Armed Forces safe whilst providing the public with value for money.
This unique capability with its sensors, tools and cameras will give operators a real time ability to deal with these underwater hazards in a safe, effective and efficient way.”
The robot can operate at depths greater than divers can reach, and it can also work there safely for much longer.
The new technology and systems developed will work in partnership with other robots to scan the seabed for hazards and will be able to deal with them once one is spotted.
The robot can be launched from a ship or a shoreline and is operated remotely, feeding video and sonar images back to the operators.
They will then be able to remotely deal with underwater hazards in relative safety.
The robot is not normally destroyed, which means it can be used multiple times giving the public better value for money in addition to the economic benefits of partnering with industry. This project supports numerous specialist jobs in industry.
Our specialists work closely with Royal Navy specialists to develop tactics and techniques as well as technology.
Trials have taken place at:
Horsea Island in Portsmouth
Portland Harbour
South Wales
Norway
Alford Technologies, Atlantas Marine, Sonardyne and ECS Special Projects are among the industry partners involved.
This Royal Navy funded project has developed a number of cutting-edge technologies that have been tested in successful trials.
Jos Buttler top-scored for England again as they chased down an imposing target and beat West Indies by four wickets in the second T20I on Sunday to take a 2-0 lead and seal the three-match series, continuing their excellent form under new captain Harry Brook.
Former captain Buttler’s 47 from 36 balls at Bristol’s County Ground came on the back of his 96 in the first T20I in Durham and set the platform for England to hunt down West Indies’ total of 196-6 with nine balls to spare.
It was a second straight series victory for England under the captaincy of Brook after they secured a 3-0 series sweep in the one-dayers.
Jacob Bethell hit a thrilling 26 from 10 balls, which included three sixes, as England spread the runs throughout the team with Ben Duckett (30), Brook (34) and Tom Banton (30) providing solid backup.
“We had a lot of fun out there,” said Brook. “They had a very good finish. We stuck to our plans through the middle really well. They didn’t get away.
“We had a discussion before going out to bat that it was only a matter of a couple of big overs. We chased the score beautifully. It was a very good performance.”
England, who won the toss and chose to bowl, got off to the perfect start with Luke Wood, who was the hosts’ standout bowler with 2-25 in his first appearance since September 2023, striking Evin Lewis on the pads with the day’s first delivery, but the tourists quickly steadied the ship.
Shai Hope took the fight to England with 49 off 38 balls, while Johnson Charles started patiently before he also fell just short of his half century, with 47 from 39 deliveries.
The West Indies innings threatened to stall at that point but a rollicking finish peppered with sixes from Rovman Powell, Romario Shepherd and Jason Holder saw them power to a healthy total, even considering the County Ground’s short boundaries.
“I thought we were a few runs short, with the dimensions and the pitch being a decent one,” said West Indies captain Shai Hope.
“I don’t think we capitalised on the middle overs with the spin, but whatever we have on the board we have to defend it… We have to try and bounce back, win the game and finish the tour strong, setting the tone as a team.”
BATTING DEPTH
England lost Jamie Smith for four in the second over as he tried to hit one down the ground but was caught by Holder. That brought Buttler to the crease and he wasted little time in taking the attack to the tourists, with England ending the powerplay on 58-1.
The hosts’ progress was interrupted as they were reduced to 72-2 when Duckett fell after a brisk 30 from 18 balls trying to smash Shepherd for six only to draw a superb diving catch from Powell who plucked the ball out of the air on the run.
Buttler was handed a reprieve in the 10th over when Charles fumbled and dropped what should have been an easy take in the deep but the England batsman did not last much longer.
He was out for trying to sweep Akeal Hosein and his dismissal offered redemption for Charles, who this time held on to the catch.
Brook was then caught at long-off as Powell pulled off another good catch off the bowling of Roston Chase, before England stepped up a gear.
Four sixes in six balls turned momentum in their favour with Banton hitting Gudakesh Motie over the rope before Bethell dished out a double punishment to Alzarri Joseph.
Yet after another ball sailed for six in the same over, Joseph got his revenge, taking the wicket of Bethell, who was out when he was caught behind by Chase attempting a reverse lob.
That left England on 169 for five after 16 overs and by the time Will Jacks (7) was caught by Chase off Joseph England needed just nine runs from 16 balls.
They moved comfortably within striking distance before Brydon Carse hit the winning runs, swinging at a delivery from Holder that looped back over the wicketkeeper for four.
With the final match of the series to come in Southampton on Tuesday, England can wrap a second straight clean sweep.
“It’s nice to win any series, especially off the back of the ODIs keeping the momentum going,” said player-of-the-match Wood. “Hopefully we can make it 3-0 in a few days’ time.”
Australia will have to dust off the cobwebs but are still fancied to successfully defend their World Test Championship crown against equally ring-rusty South Africa in the final at Lord’s, starting on Wednesday.
The five-day clash comes on the heels of a plethora of limited overs cricket over the last five months and both teams have been scrambling to prepare for a high-profile return to the red-ball game.
Australia have not played a test since beating Sri Lanka in Galle in February when they made sure of a top-two finish in the standings from results for the 2023-25 WTC cycle.
South Africa were assured of top place when they won their last test against Pakistan at home in January to book a first-ever finals appearance.
It came on the back of a run of seven successive wins, but the fact they did not play against the Aussies or England has seen their achievement dismissed as too easy.
Former England captain Michael Vaughan said they reached the final “on the back of beating pretty much nobody,” which was a result of the lopsided test schedule where Australia, England, and India dominate and South Africa elect to play more financially lucrative limited-overs internationals.
But an upset win for South Africa could change that.
“It’s the biggest thing in this team’s existence. It’s the biggest thing for South African cricket at the moment,” said their coach Shukri Conrad.
SELECTION CHOICES
Australia have been warming up with training sessions at Beckenham in Kent as they grapple with selection choices.
They must pick between Scott Boland or Josh Hazlewood to join skipper Pat Cummins, left-armer Mitchell Starc and spinner Nathan Lyon in the attack’
The top batting order is likely to be changed with Cameron Green set to return for his first test in more than a year. He will likely bat third with Marnus Labuschagne opening alongside Usman Khawaja, while Steve Smith will come in at No. 4.
South Africa’s planned four-day warm-up scrimmage with Zimbabwe at Arundel last week was largely washed out but did hint at Wiaan Mulder moving up the order to No.3 in a batting lineup that has been inconsistent over the last two years.
Their hopes rest instead on a fiery bowling attack where Kagiso Rabada features after serving a one-month ban for recreational drug use.
Australia won the last WTC final by beating India at The Oval two years ago. New Zealand were the inaugural winners in 2021.
Two independent valuation providers, QV and Opteon, completed the 2024 valuation process. These companies are experienced property valuers and have worked closely with Auckland Council. The trends they identified tell us:
Values for areas further from the city centre have reduced less. These include Hibiscus & Bays, Upper Harbour and Franklin (-4% to -1%).
Conversely, properties closer to the city centre generally have above-average reductions (-11 to -14%). These include Puketāpapa, Albert-Eden, Maungakiekie- Tāmaki, Waitematā and Whau (all -14 or -13%).
In some areas, reduced demand for properties with redevelopment potential has contributed to larger value declines. These include Māngere Bridge, Henderson, Massey, Glen Innes, Point England and Panmure.
Land values have driven changes in CV. For many residential properties, land values reduced an average of -13% and commercial -6%. The reduction in land values reflects reduced development activity since 2021 and, in some cases, potential zoning changes.
Some have bucked the trend. Rodney has held its values (average 0% change) and Great Barrier is up (+38%). This is a continuing trend, with residential valuations on Great Barrier up 59% at the 2021 rating valuation.
My property’s valuation has reduced. Why?
The new valuations reflect changes between 1 June 2021 and 1 May 2024. The last council rating valuation in 2021 was close to the market peak, and between then and May 2024 the economy and property market generally trended down.
Council valuations do not reflect a property’s current market value and should not be used for insurance or mortgage purposes. Valuations just allow rates to be fairly shared.
Valuers assess a property’s CV by analysing data, such as local sales, property type, location and other property factors. The valuations are not a good indication of what your property would sell for today (the values are based on 1 May 2024).
Rating valuation and rates
How does rating valuation impact a property’s rates cost?
How a property’s CV changes compare to other properties in the region will determine whether a property’s rates increase from 1 July is more, or less, than the average residential rates increase of 5.8%. The new CV will be used to calculate rates for the next rating year, from 1 July 2025.
Reduced property values mean lower rates, right?
A change in a property’s CV will not necessarily mean the rates will be higher for an increased value, or lower for a decreased value. Properties with a valuation change higher or lower than the region’s average, will pay a higher or lower proportion of rates.
Does rating valuation affect the amount of rates council receives?
Revaluation doesn’t affect the amount of money the council collects from rates – it helps work out everyone’s share of rates. Any increase, or decrease, in the city’s property value does not change the total amount of rates the council collects. The council sets its budget annually following community consultation, using the three-yearly Long-term Plan as the starting point.
The council decides the rates revenue it needs to provide the services in the budget, after accounting for all revenue sources such as income from fees and charges, and central government contributions. Achieving savings and other initiatives to improve value for money are helping the council to deliver more, without solely relying on rates increases.
What a new property valuation means
Why does the council value properties?
All councils are required by law to revalue properties inside their boundaries within a maximum of three years. In order to set rates fairly, the council’s registered valuers attribute an approximate value to all properties in the region, every three years. The last rating valuation was in 2021 and used to set rates from 1 July 2022.
Does rating valuation reflect the current value of a property?
No, a rating valuation reflects the likely selling price of the property, without chattels, if it sold on 1 May 2024. This historical information is only used for fairly sharing rates between properties. Council valuations do not reflect a property’s current market value and should not be used for insurance or mortgage purposes.
For an appraisal of current market value, we recommend ratepayers reach out to local real estate agents or registered valuers. There is also a range of online providers of property information based on current market data and recent trends.
How are rating valuations completed?
Valuers assess a property’s CV by analysing data, such as local sales, property type, location and other property factors. The values are not a good indication of what a property would sell for today (the values are based on 1 May 2024).
Rating valuations allow rates to be fairly shared. Council valuations do not reflect a property’s current market value and should not be used for insurance or mortgage purposes.
How does it work for an average home?
For your average stand-alone home, the valuers would look at sales of comparable homes – similar land size, floor area, quality condition and location attributes, such as coastal properties.
Valuers analysed market sales in areas of Auckland around 1 May 2024, considering similar properties and locations. For example, renovated villas in Grey Lynn are compared with sales of other renovated villas in that immediate area.
So, a typical residential property would usually move in value along with other similar properties in the neighbourhood. But not all property values in an area will change in the same way – it depends on standalone houses, cross-leases, units and other home types. Values are done by mass valuation, using information held by council and our valuation providers – not by individual inspection.
Good things to know
Who completed this year’s valuations?
Given the scale of the task of valuing 630,000 rateable properties in Auckland, two property valuation partners were involved in Auckland rating valuation: Opteon and Quotable Value.
How does the objection process work?
Property owners who want to opt for an objection can do so by 25 July 2025. We encourage property owners to take a look at the process via our website – and consider how the CV for their property compares with the CV for similar properties in their local area.
Because the rating values are all based on 1 May 2024, looking at more recent sales data might not be relevant when considering an objection. Further information is available online through the Auckland Council website or phone 09) 301 0101.
If an objection leads to a change in a property’s rating value, council will issue amended rates assessments that reflect any increase or decrease. If a refund is required, any overpaid amount will be refunded (once the objection process is complete).
What should ratepayers do if they are concerned about paying rates?
Anyone concerned about paying their rates is encouraged to get in touch as we have a range of assistance available.
These include:
a government-funded rates rebate scheme
a rates postponement scheme for residential properties
flexible payment options, such as direct debits offering weekly, fortnightly, monthly, quarterly, and annual payment.
The rates rebate threshold for SuperGold card holders will increase from $31,510 to $45,000 from 1 July 2025. This will make more ratepayers who receive NZ superannuation eligible for a rates rebate.
This information can be found on the Auckland Council website and our rates invoices also detail the support available. We encourage ratepayers to consider the options.
This year’s valuation delay
Why has the property rating valuation been delayed?
Ensuring a robust valuation process so ratepayers receive values that accurately reflect market values as at 1 May 2024 is important to the council, so Aucklanders have confidence the values used to determine rates have been accurately calculated.
Following an audit in September 2024, the Valuer-General advised that the council valuation data required some amendments to ensure it accurately reflects the market as at 1 May 2024, before valuations will be certified and ready for public release.
The Valuer-General advised that the 2024 valuation data was of a good quality, however some further work was needed for Auckland Council to attain certification.
In April, the valuation file was resubmitted to the Valuer-General for review once that further work was completed by our valuation partners. The Valuer- General has now certified the 2024 rating valuations which has enabled us to publicly release these to property owners in June 2025.
Who is the Valuer-General and why are they involved?
The Valuer-General is appointed by central government and has a statutory responsibility for auditing and certifying all valuations used by councils to set rates.
Where can I get more information?
Further information is available on the Auckland Council website.
This year’s rating valuation trends is summarised on OurAuckland.
To discuss your queries further, please phone (09) 301 0101.
Auckland ratepayers will receive new property valuations this week, as Auckland Council prepares to update rates from 1 July 2025.
The rating valuations Auckland property owners receive this week are based on property market trends and recent sales activity as at 1 May 2024. Therefore, the valuations are not intended to accurately reflect current market value – instead, the information will help enable rates to be fairly shared across Auckland’s 630,000 properties.
The new rating valuations have been prepared by two independent valuation providers, QV and Opteon. These experienced property valuers have worked closely with Auckland Council to deliver valuations that meet robust standards.
Auckland Council chief financial officer Ross Tucker said he was pleased to announce that the Valuer-General has now approved the new valuations for release to Aucklanders.
“As we know, the last council valuations from 1 June 2021 were completed close to the market peak and between then and May 2024 the economy and property market generally trended down. Therefore, as most people would expect, the May 2024 Capital Values (CVs) are lower than the previous 2021 CVs for many properties,” said Mr Tucker.
The overall CV movements between June 2021 and May 2024, by property type for Auckland, are:
industrial +5%
lifestyle +4%
rural + 4%
commercial -5%
residential -9%.
Valuation movements over that period also varied across the Auckland region. Residential properties in centrally located local board areas tended to see a bigger reduction than those further out.
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Economic backdrop
Auckland Council Chief Economist Gary Blick said it is important to note that the last two Auckland rating valuations happened to coincide with markedly different stages of the recent economic cycle.
“At the time of the 2021 rating valuation, in June 2021, the Official Cash Rate (OCR) had been at an all-time low,” says Mr Blick. “We saw exceptionally low mortgage rates and strong upward pressure on property prices. The 2021 rating valuation reflected those higher prices.
“In contrast, the 2024 rating valuation in May 2024, occurred when the OCR had been lifted to its recent high of 5.5 per cent. Higher interest rates cooled buyer demand, leading to a decline in property prices.
“Despite that fall, the median house price as at June 2024 was still above the level just prior to the OCR cut of March 2020, and that remains the case today. The recent economic cycle – with its unusually steep climb and fall – helps explain why some properties have had swings between the two rating valuations.”
What it means for rates
The valuations do not change how much the council takes in rates – this is set annually following community consultation. For 2025/2026, Auckland Council has approved an overall average rates increase of 5.8 per cent for residential ratepayers.
The council has kept the rates increase down, due to the commitment made as part of the council’s Long-term Plan 2024-2034, along with good progress in savings.
“We are acutely aware of the tough cost of living facing our community and we continue to work hard to achieve council savings and improve value for ratepayers, to help keep rates as low as possible,” said Mr Tucker.
“Most Auckland ratepayers will see some degree of rates increase from 1 July 2025. However, how a residential property’s CV changes compares to other properties in the region will generally determine whether that property’s rates increase from 1 July is more, or less, than the 5.8 per cent average.
“If your residential property value has reduced more than the average (-9 per cent) change between the two valuations, you can expect a smaller rates increase than the 5.8 per cent. Conversely, if your property value held up better than the average, then you can expect a larger rates increase.”
For 2025/2026, the annual rates for an average residential property (CV $1.29 million) will be $4,069. The 5.8 per cent average increase for 2025/2026 will equate to $223 per year or around $4.30 per week.
Anyone concerned about paying their rates is encouraged to get in touch to access a range of assistance available. This information can be found on the Auckland Council website and rates notices.
Ratepayerscan access their property valuations via the Auckland Council website from Tuesday, 10 June 2025. Formal notices will be posted or emailed from Friday, 13 June 2025.
Supporting information
What are the valuation trends from this rating valuation?
The rating valuations are based on 1 May 2024. At that time, these were the high-level trends for residential properties compared to the previous valuation:
Values for areas further from the city centre have held up slightly better (Hibiscus & Bays, Upper Harbour and Franklin range from -4% to -1%).
Conversely, properties closer to the city centre generally had above-average reductions (-11 to -14%). These include Puketāpapa, Albert-Eden, Maungakiekei-Tāmaki, Waitematā and Whau (all -14 or -13 per cent). This may be influenced by the varied market, including apartments, multi-units and stand-alone homes, which all have different sales trends.
In some areas, reduced demand for properties with redevelopment potential has contributed to larger value declines. These include Māngere Bridge, Henderson, Massey, Glen Innes, Point England and Panmure.
Land values have driven changes in CV. For many residential properties, land values had fallen an average of -13% and commercial land is also down -6%. The reduction in land values reflects reduced development activity since 2021 and, in some cases, potential zoning changes.
Some have bucked the trend. Rodney held its values (average 0% change) and Great Barrier is up (+38%). This is a continuing trend, with residential values on Great Barrier up 59% at the 2021 revaluation.
For storm-affected properties, it is difficult to quantify the overall effect of the 2023 storms on the market due to the number of variables involved. For instance, values in Muriwai have increased by 12%, whereas values in Henderson have fallen by 10%.
How are rating valuations completed?
Valuers assess a property’s CV by analysing data, such as local sales, property type, location and other property factors. The values are not a good indication of what a property would sell for today (the values are based on 1 May 2024).
Rating valuations allow rates to be fairly shared. Council valuations do not accurately reflect a property’s current market value and should not be used for insurance or mortgage purposes.
How does rating valuation impact a property’s rates cost?
A change in a property’s CV will not necessarily mean the rates will be higher for an increased value, or lower for a decreased value. Properties with a valuation change higher or lower than the region’s average, will pay a higher or lower proportion of rates.
How a property’s CV compares to other properties in the region will determine whether a property’s rates increase from 1 July is more, or less, than the average residential rates increase of 5.8 per cent, which was set through the council’s budget process. The new CV will be used to calculate rates for the next rating year, which starts on 1 July 2025.
Do reduced property values mean lower rates?
Property values going up do not increase the total rates the council collects, and likewise downward values do not decrease the total rates the council collects. Valuations simply allow the amount of rates to be fairly shared.
How does rating valuation work for an average home?
For your average stand-alone home, the valuers would look at sales of comparable homes – similar land size, floor area, quality condition and location attributes, such as coastal properties.
Valuers analysed market sales in areas of Auckland around 1 May 2024, considering similar properties and locations. For example, renovated villas in Grey Lynn are compared with sales of other renovated villas in that immediate area.
So, a typical residential property would usually move in value along with other similar properties in the neighbourhood. But not all property values in an area will change in the same way – it depends on standalone houses, cross-leases, units and other home types.
Values are done by mass valuation, using information held by council and our valuation providers – not by individual inspection.
What should ratepayers do if they need support with paying rates?
Anyone concerned about paying their rates is encouraged to get in touch as we have a range of assistance available. These include:
a government-funded rates rebate scheme
a rates postponement scheme for residential properties
flexible payment options, such as direct debits offering weekly, fortnightly, monthly, quarterly, and annual payment.
The rates rebate threshold for SuperGold card holders will increase from $31,510 to $45,000 from 1 July 2025. This will make more ratepayers who receive NZ superannuation eligible for a rates rebate.
This information can be found on the Auckland Council website and our rates invoices also detail the support available. We encourage ratepayers to consider their options.
For more information and frequently asked questions, visit the main Auckland Council website.
Funding boost for activities clubs for children from low income families.
Funding of £5.5 million for the Extra Time programme, which provides free activities clubs before school, after school and during the school holidays for primary age pupils, will support families on low incomes outwith school.
On a visit to the St Mirren Charitable Foundation’s Extra Time service at Kirklandneuk Primary School in Renfrew, Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville saw how the programme is helping parents to get into and stay in work or training, or increase their working hours.
The 2025 Extra Time Evaluation Report, published today by the Scottish FA, highlights the potential for the scheme to support the Scottish Government’s priorities of growing the economy and eradicating child poverty.
Ms Somerville said:
“The Extra Time programme is helping us to better understand how providing activities clubs before school, after school and during the holidays can improve outcomes for families on low incomes by supporting parents into work, training, studying or providing respite.
“We are increasing our funding by £1.5 million to invest £5.5 million this year to expand the Extra Time Programme – increasing the number of football clubs and trusts we are working with from 31 to 53. This national programme will provide around 5,000 children and their families on low incomes with access to vital services.
“The evaluation demonstrates that, as well as helping realise our priorities in growing the economy and eradicating child poverty, the Extra Time programme is supporting kids with their school attendance and attainment, helping tackle food insecurity and improving children’s health and wellbeing.”
Ian Maxwell, Chief Executive of the Scottish Football Association, said: “Today’s announcement of increased funding for the Extra Time programme is a significant boost, and testament to the success of the initiative and the impact it continues to have on families across the country.
“While this may be a football-based programme, with obvious health and education benefits to children who participate, the positive effects of Extra Time are felt throughout the entire family and it is another example of how the power of football makes a tangible difference across Scotland.
“We are grateful to the Scottish Government for this additional investment which will allow clubs to continue to bring Extra Time to life. It’s a hugely worthwhile programme and something we’re delighted to be involved in.”
Football clubs and trusts are taking a variety of approaches to test and deliver provision that suits the needs of families in their communities.
This includes working with local schools and other community partners to deliver breakfast clubs, after school clubs, weekend provision and holiday clubs. Some clubs are also considering the impact of in-service days and school closures on families to provide full day activity sessions.
Many of the clubs have been considering how to best support parents and carers as part of their projects – for example, working in partnership with local services to deliver employability courses, and offering Scottish FA coaching qualifications.
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
Press release
Government proposes to extend ban on destructive bottom trawling
Government proposals to ban bottom trawling in more vulnerable marine habitats aim to protect important and rare underwater life.
Under the sea.
Bottom trawling – a fishing method that involves dragging large nets along the sea floor – could be banned across more vulnerable areas of English seas.
The government is committed to protecting our oceans and today (Monday 9th June) has outlined plans to ban the destructive practice in more Marine Protected Areas (MPAs). The measures would help protect rare marine animals, as well as the delicate seabeds on which they rely, from indiscriminate and potentially irreversible damage.
A consultation will invite marine and fisheries stakeholders to share their views and evidence on the prohibition of destructive bottom-towed fishing gear that could affect approximately 30,000km2 spanning 41 MPAs.
The measures would protect marine habitats ranging from subtidal sandbanks to gravels to muds, and support important marine species such as lobster, clams, soft corals and langoustines.
A ban on bottom trawling in these areas would help conserve valuable and rare marine life, and allow seabeds to recover from damage caused by destructive fishing practices.
Such regeneration will produce healthier marine ecosystems across English waters, supporting greater biodiversity in our seas for the enjoyment of everyone, as well as preserving vulnerable underwater life that is essential for nature to heal and thrive.
Environment Secretary Steve Reed said:
Bottom trawling is damaging our precious marine wildlife and habitats.
Without urgent action, our oceans will be irreversibly destroyed – depriving us, and generations to come, of the sea life on which we all enjoy.
The Government is taking decisive action to ban destructive bottom trawling where appropriate.
Director of Policy and Public Affairs at The Wildlife Trusts Joan Edwards said
For too long damaging activities have been allowed to continue within many of our Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) which are supposed to protect the seabed.
The Wildlife Trusts have been campaigning for a long time for better management of our MPAs and therefore welcome the news today of a consultation to ban bottom-towed trawling in over 40 offshore sites.
Removing this pressure is a great step forward towards protecting not only the wildlife and fish stocks within those sites, but also the carbon stored in the seabed muds beneath. Following this consultation, we hope that these measures will be put in place rapidly to enable recovery of these sites, a win-win for both nature and the climate.
Executive Director of Oceana UK Hugo Tagholm said:
Destructive bottom trawling has no place in marine protected areas. These proposals provide a golden opportunity to safeguard these vital marine sanctuaries from the most damaging fishing practices.
If these whole-site bans are fully implemented, this could provide an invaluable and urgently needed lifeline for England’s seas, which are so crucial for wildlife and climate resilience.
The proposed measures would add to the approximately 18,000 km2 of English seabed already protected from bottom-towed fishing gear, and form part of the government’s ambitious programme to protect all English MPAs from harmful activity where needed.
The design of the measures and choice of MPAs has been based on detailed assessments into the impacts of fishing on sensitive seabed habitats and species at risk of damage by bottom-towed fishing gear.
The consultation will be launched by the Marine Management Organisation (MMO) in partnership with Defra, and run for 12 weeks from Monday 9th June to Monday 1st September.
Elsewhere at the United Nations Ocean Conference, the government pledged a further £4 million to the Global Fund for Coral Reefs to help protect this vital marine habitat, bringing the UK’s total contribution to the fund up to £40 million.
It also announced £2.8 million investment into the Outrigger Technical Assistance Fund to support sustainable blue economies in small island developing states, and reiterated its commitment to agree an ambitious, legally binding plastic pollution treaty when negotiations resume in Geneva this August.
This government is committed to protecting and restoring our ocean to good health, delivering on our commitment to protect 30 per cent of the ocean by 2030.
Last month, the government announced its £360 million Fishing and Coastal Growth Fund to modernise Britain’s fishing fleet and support the seafood sector in the face of changing global pressures.
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
Press release
PM launches national skills drive to unlock opportunities for young people in tech
Pupils across the country will be given the skills and tools needed to get the AI-powered jobs of the future thanks to a new skills programme launched by the Prime Minister.
1 million students in secondary school to be given an unprecedented chance to learn and develop their skills in tech and AI
£187 million investment in national skills programme to bring digital skills and AI learning into classrooms and communities
7.5 million UK workers to gain essential AI skills by 2030 through industry partnership as major tech players including NVIDIA, Google and Microsoft back the Government’s skills drive
Skills drive to break down barriers to opportunity, drive growth and put more money in people’s pockets through skilled jobs as part of the Plan for Change and the forthcoming modern Industrial Strategy
Pupils across the country will be given the skills and tools needed to get the AI-powered jobs of the future thanks to a new skills programme launched by the Prime Minister today (Monday 9 June).
At the heart of the skills drive, and as part of the upcoming modern Industrial Strategy, is a new £187 million government “TechFirst” programme to bring digital skills and AI learning into classrooms and communities and train up people of all ages and backgrounds for the tech careers of the future.
Today’s announcements show this government is laser focused on investing in the futures of young people across Britain, knocking down barriers to opportunities, regardless of where they grow up.
It comes as research commissioned by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) shows that by 2035, around 10 million workers will be in roles where AI will be part of their role or responsibilities in some form, with a further 3.9 million in roles directly in AI.
The flagship strand of this programme “TechYouth” – backed by £24 million of government funding – will give 1 million students over three years across every secondary school in the UK the chance to learn about technology and gain access to new skills training and career opportunities.
There will also be an online platform to inspire and educate students about the potential of computing and tech careers – building on CyberFirst’s Explorers which has access to most secondary schools in the UK with 100,000 students registered already. This will bring together learning tools and training opportunities in a streamlined accessible space.
In each of the UK’s regions and nations, a local delivery partner will be selected by DSIT to run the programme and deliver activities to schools and colleges in local areas.
The AI sector alone is valued at £72.3 billion and is projected to exceed £800 billion by 2035. It is growing 30 times faster than the rest of the economy, employing over 64,000 people across more than 3,700 companies.
But despite these strengths, access to AI skills in the UK remains one of the biggest barriers to growth—especially for startups, scaleups, and regions outside London. According to a TechNation report released today, one in three UK tech founders say the availability of top talent is their biggest barrier to growth.
That’s why the government is backing young people and investing in skills as an engine of economic growth—putting more money in people’s pockets and breaking down barriers to opportunity as part of the Plan for Change.
This package underpins the upcoming industrial strategy and also delivers on the government’s manifesto commitment to create higher-quality training and employment paths by empowering local communities to develop the skills people need and putting employers at the heart of our skills system.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer said:
“We are putting the power of AI into the hands of the next generation – so they can shape the future, not be shaped by it.
“This training programme will unlock opportunity in every classroom – and lays the foundations for a new era of growth.
“Too many children from working families like the one I grew up in are written off. I am determined to end that.
“This programme is the Plan for Change in action – breaking down barriers, driving innovation, and giving every young person the chance of a good, well paid job and a bright future.”
TechFirst will also support over 4,000 graduates, researchers, and innovators through three additional strands:
TechGrad (£96.8m) – will support 1,000 exceptional domestic students a year with undergraduate scholarships in areas like AI, cyber security, and computer science. This will also go towards 100 Research MSc places in key tech sectors, and 100 elite AI scholarships. Applicants will be able to apply to the scheme online and those successful will have their bursaries paid from a central fund.
TechExpert (£48.4m) – will give up to £10,000 in additional funding to 500 domestic PhD students conducting research in tech with the aim of accelerating cutting-edge innovation, strengthen the UK’s research pipeline in strategic technology sectors, and ensure that emerging talent is supported to contribute to national tech leadership.
TechLocal (£18m) – will offer seed funding to help regional innovators and small businesses develop new tech products and adopt AI. A panel made up of local tech businesses will be established in each region to decide which applications have merit, with the necessary checks then done centrally by Innovate UK.
Major industry players including IBM, BAE Systems, QinetiQ, BT, Microsoft and the Careers & Enterprise Company – the national body for careers education – have backed the initiative.
TechFirst builds on the success of the CyberFirst programme, which has already helped hundreds of thousands of young people gain cyber security skills.
Science, Innovation and Technology Secretary Peter Kyle said:
“We are getting Brits ready for jobs of the future by helping millions across the country gain vital digital skills in AI and beyond.
“Embedding these skills into our education system and local communities will help people of all backgrounds and ensure tech talent flourishes in every corner of our nation.
“These partnerships with industry will translate skills into real jobs and economic growth, putting more money in people’s pockets and breaking down barriers to opportunity. This is our Plan for Change in action – investing in the skills that will power our economy and deliver prosperity for working people across the country.”
David Hogan, Vice President Enterprise EMEA – NVIDIA said:
“AI developers are the engine of the next industrial revolution. AI talent, skills and research are crucial ingredients in the UK’s mission to become an AI maker, not an AI taker.
“So, we’re delighted to partner with the government to train the next generation of AI developers, capable of finding new cures for diseases, discovering new materials and building world-beating, British AI companies.”
Google EMEA President, Debbie Weinstein, said:
“Our AI Works report revealed that £400bn worth of economic growth awaits the UK, but half of this depends on workers embracing and using AI. That’s precisely why we’re thrilled to join this crucial initiative, essential for supercharging AI upskilling, unlocking AI-powered growth and cementing the UK’s position as an AI leader.”
Carolyn Dawson OBE, CEO of Founders Forum Group and Tech Nation, said:
“AI will transform every industry – but we can only unlock its full potential if we ensure the UK’s workforce has the skills to keep pace. This national upskilling programme is an ambitious and necessary step – not just to boost productivity, but to make sure we’re equipping the UK to participate in and benefit from the AI-driven economy. At Tech Nation, we’ve long championed the power of both homegrown talent and global expertise – whether that’s through supporting founders to scale or endorsing the UK’s Global Talent Visa. We’re proud to support initiatives that help the UK remain globally competitive”.
Leon Butler Chief Executive of IBM UK and Ireland said:
“Boosting technology skills across the economy is key to the UK maintaining its leadership position in AI. Having helped millions globally to develop new AI skills with our IBM SkillsBuild programme, we are delighted to partner with the UK government to help equip workers with vital tech skills. This complements our long-standing commitment to programmes such as CyberFirst, which we are excited to see expand. We look forward to continuing our support as the programme grows.”
Darren Hardman CEO of Microsoft UK said:
“Artificial Intelligence represents a generational opportunity, already transforming the way we live, work, and innovate. For the UK to remain globally competitive, we have to equip people with the skills they need to be successful in an AI-powered economy. Microsoft is proud to be playing its part, by training one million people with AI skills this year, and by supporting millions more through this new initiative.”
Intuit EMEA General Manager Leigh Thomas said:
“AI is a growth enabler for small and medium-sized businesses, levelling the playing field, by giving them the opportunity to access the sort of technology solutions that larger businesses have access to. The announcement today is a great step forward in improving their bottom line, and we look forward to collaborating with Government and other private sector partners to accelerate knowledge, understanding and adoption of AI tools by the businesses that need it most.”
Jensen Huang, Founder and CEO, NVIDIA said:
“AI developers power the next industrial revolution. AI talent, skills and research are crucial ingredients in the UK’s mission to become an AI maker, not an AI taker. We’re delighted to partner with the government to train the next generation of AI developers, capable of finding new cures for diseases, discovering new materials and building word-class AI companies.”
Alongside TechFirst, the Prime Minister also announced a new government-industry partnership to train 7.5 million UK workers in essential skills to use AI by 2030—equivalent to around 20% of the UK workforce.
Leading technology companies including Google, Microsoft, IBM, SAS, Accenture, Sage, Barclays, BT, Amazon, Intuit, and Salesforce have signed up to the partnership. They have committed to making high-quality training materials widely available to workers in businesses – large and small – up and down the country free of charge, over the next five years.
Training will focus on enabling workers to use and interact with AI systems such as chatbots and large language models to boost productivity across a wide range of roles. Sector-specific training will also be developed to meet the needs of industries from healthcare to finance to manufacturing.
These companies will meet the Technology Secretary Peter Kyle this week to discuss how to meet the 2030 target, agree a terms of reference and will convene regularly to track progress.
Following his speech, the Prime Minister will join NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang for an “in conversation” event to discuss the challenges of closing the AI skills gap and the potential of AI to transform public services and drive economic growth.
This comes as the government and NVIDIA today signed two Memorandums of Understanding, supporting the development of a nationwide AI talent pipeline and accelerating critical university-led research into the role of AI in advanced connectivity technologies. In addition, NVIDIA will expand its AI lab in Bristol to other areas of the UK to accelerate UK research in AI.
Today’s package follows the Department for Education’s announcement of the board members for Skills England, a new body which will work with employers and local leaders to shape training policy and delivery. Skills England will identify and tackle skills shortage in key Industrial Strategy sectors such as digital, creating more opportunities for young people.
Yesterday, the Prime Minister hosted a private reception at Chequers with leading tech CEOs and investors—including Eric Schmidt (Former CEO & Chairman of Google), Angie Ma (Faculty AI) Demis Hassabis (Google DeepMind), and Alex Wang (Scale) —to reaffirm the UK’s position as a global tech leader.
Tomorrow, he will welcome business leaders and entrepreneurs to Downing Street, including 16-year-old AI entrepreneur Toby Brown, who recently secured $1 million in Silicon Valley funding for his startup, Beem.
Source: Traditional Unionist Voice – Northern Ireland
North Antrim MP Jim Allister said:
“The serious sexual assault in Ballymena is shocking in all respects. The apparent overlap with immigration tensions is an added dimension of concern.
“Those commenting on social media should be careful not to prejudice the judicial process which must now bring justice to this situation.
“Meanwhile my thoughts are very much with the young girl and her family.”
TUV MLA Timothy Gaston added:
“Once again Ballymena has hit the headlines for all the wrong reasons after another young girl was sexually assaulted. My thoughts are with the girl at what must be a traumatic time.
“Since being co-opted to Stormont I have constantly raised the concerns over immigration in Ballymena.
“Over the last number of months I’ve also been pressing the Executive Office about its spending under the much-trumpeted Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy.
“I am baffled that so much of the funding from this programme appears to have been awarded to councils for grants, rather than the primary agency responsible for crime prevention – the PSNI.
“I am glad to see the police have two people arrested and they are in custody but I’m very concerned that this attack took place on the doorstep of the station.
“The police need to be a visible presence within areas such as Clonavon to provide reassure to the public that this area of the town is safe.”
Three outstanding South Australia Police (SAPOL) officers have been acknowledged with Australian Police Medals (APM) in the 2025 King’s Birthday honours.
Assistant Commissioner Ian Parrott, Superintendent Craig Wall, and Detective Senior Sergeant Rebecca Hughes are recognised for their dedication to policing and a collective 109 years of service.
The APM recognises meritorious contributions to an Australian police service and is presented by the Governor-General.
Commissioner of Police Grant Stevens APM LEM congratulated the three APM recipients on receiving this significant honour.
“These officers exemplify the values of South Australia Police and represent the commitment and professionalism in their work towards ensuring the safety and security of our community,” he said.
“Ian, Craig and Rebecca have each given decades of selfless service.
“Receiving this medal will go down as one of the highlights of their career.”
Assistant Commissioner Ian Parrott
Assistant Commissioner Ian Parrott joined SAPOL in 1987, and after serving on patrol and in the Operational Response Group, in 1994 he was promoted to Senior Constable in the Special Tasks and Rescue (STAR) Division, working as a firearms specialist in a Response Unit.
In 2000, Assistant Commissioner Parrott was promoted to Sergeant and two years later to Senior Sergeant, representing SAPOL in counter-terrorism training and development, enhancing national and local responses.
In 2005, he was appointed an Inspector, initially as Officer in Charge of Combined Operations within STAR Group and later within Human Resources Service.
In 2008, Assistant Commissioner Parrott’s leadership of frontline country policing began when he was promoted to Officer in Charge of Riverland Local Service Area (LSA), and then Murray Mallee LSA’s Superintendent. In these postings he was Forward Commander at a major domestic violence murder and siege resulting in the arrest and imprisonment of a significant violent offender; achieved excellent reductions in crime; and led his people in providing exemplary service to their communities.
He returned to Human Resources (HR) and then led metropolitan and peri-urban operations in South Coast LSA while also being integral to SAPOL’s White Ribbon Accreditation. While working in the Communications Group, he led the successful implementation of new computer systems, structures, and dispatch protocols in support of the District Policing Model.
In 2019, he was promoted to Assistant Commissioner, State Operations Service where he has driven road safety policing, regional policing, and First Nations policy and practice (including Closing the Gap initiatives) with extraordinary commitment.
Assistant Commissioner Ian Parrott
Superintendent Craig Wall
Superintendent Craig Wall joined SAPOL in 1986, graduating to patrol duties then transferring to the Operations Response Group.
In 1994, he was promoted to Senior Constable in the Special Tasks and Rescue (STAR) Division, working in a Response Unit engaged in tactical policing and rescue duties. This included the May 1994 Nuriootpa siege in which he displayed professionalism and courage under fire from a suspect.
While at STAR he was promoted to Sergeant and to Senior Sergeant, qualified as a Police Diver, and was a tactical policing first responder at numerous high-risk tasks involving considerable danger.
In April 2008, Superintendent Wall was appointed an Inspector in the Protective Security Service. Returning to STAR in 2010 as Operations Inspector, he became Police Tactical Group Capability Advisor for the ANZCTC, responsible for facilitating national police tactical training courses including special weapons, explosives and tactical command.
Superintendent Wall also managed frontline patrols in the Transit Services Branch and Public Transport Safety Branch. Between 2015 and 2020 Superintendent Wall led country and metropolitan frontline services as Officer in Charge of the Hills Fleurieu LSA), Eastern Adelaide LSA and later Eastern District.
Since 2020 he has been Officer in Charge of STAR, where he implements a clear vision for continued development and implementation of specialist policing response capability across South Australia. His confidence, clarity and judgement inspire trust in his team. Superintendent Wall holds prominent positions on national committees, councils and working groups and has contributed significantly to national practices that are interoperable and consistent.
Superintendent Craig Wall
Detective Senior Sergeant Rebecca Hughes
Detective Senior Sergeant Rebecca Hughes joined SAPOL in 1993 and was initially posted to the Elizabeth Police Station.
In 2003, she was promoted to Senior Constable and commenced in the Criminal Investigation Branch (CIB). During this time, she also worked on the Focus 21 initiative that set the strategic direction for SAPOL at the time.
As a CIB member and later a designated Detective, she continued a career balanced between criminal investigation and strategic contribution, serving on Project Compass and the Organisational Reform Unit, and coordinating an extensive program focused on enhancing customer service at the frontline.
Detective Senior Sergeant Hughes was promoted whilst in the Special Crimes Investigation Branch, and again when managing the Australian National Child Offender Register (ANCOR) Unit. At ANCOR, she has provided highly valued insight into legislative and policy matters at both state and national level, extending beyond her immediate responsibilities to drive the future of child protection. Her strategic acumen and meticulous preparation of processes and strategies have been integral to a suite of legislative and operational enhancements. These have included harmonisation of state, territory and Commonwealth child sex offender registration schemes, which has improved the tracking and management of offenders and led to more effective prevention strategies.
Detective Senior Sergeant Hughes has also significantly enhanced information sharing between jurisdictions and to ensure children at risk receive timely and appropriate protection. The measures led by Detective Senior Sergeant Hughes have collectively contributed to a safer environment for children by improving the efficiency of the child protection system and reflect Australia’s commitment to upholding the rights and safety of children as expressed in the National Framework for Protecting Australia’s Children 2021-2031.