Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
Case study
Increasing automated detection capabilities at the UK border
Border Force wants to expand its use of artificial intelligence in the searching and screening of freight at UK seaports by automating anomaly detection.
As cross-border traffic continues to grow, Border Force aims to expand its use of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the searching and screening of freight at UK seaports. To balance security with the smooth movement of legitimate goods, the agency is seeking to automate the detection of anomalies in x-ray images, as manual analysis is both time-consuming and prone to error.
AI-driven automation will not only speed up screening times but also increase the volume of goods processed. Additionally, it will free up officers to focus on critical tasks, reduce false alarms and minimise unnecessary secondary inspections.
To achieve this, Border Force turned to the Accelerated Capability Environment (ACE) for support in organising and analysing its extensive x-ray image database, which had previously been stored inconsistently across multiple data structures. ACE was initially tasked with creating a fully indexed and standardised repository of x-ray images and associated data—making it easily accessible to analysts and suitable for AI algorithm development.
Six ACE suppliers—Faculty, Leonardo, Polygeist, Roke, Symetrica and Zaizi—collaborated to explore innovative AI and machine-learning methodologies for anomaly detection. Using the newly indexed data, they developed three use cases: vector integrity, pattern recognition and high-density material detection.
The insights gained were presented to Border Force at a demonstration day, where all three approaches showed strong operational potential for further development.
The success of the initiative prompted Border Force UK Deputy Director, Chino Nwachukwu, to share a glowing endorsement on LinkedIn, praising the “quality and professionalism” of the team. Reflecting on the project’s impact, he stated:
“I’m still buzzing from the high on which I ended last week, having spent the last few months working with some of the best brains in Britain to explore the potential of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning techniques in Border Security.”
There is now a need to take these solutions forward for trials in a controlled operational environment. In order to plan for this, a recently completed commission assessed the capability requirements and the feasibility of integrating these solutions into Border Force systems. This commission analysed Border Force’s data, systems and applications, consolidating the data into a unified, structured format. Trials were conducted with Border Force staff across multiple ports to evaluate the AI anomaly detection system.
The success of these commissions has led to a request for further development, forming the foundation of a business case for wider AI implementation across Border Force operations.
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
Case study
Working lean and fast: the Coefficient ACE supplier story
Consultancy Coefficient wants to elevate the global standard of data science, machine learning and AI.
Coefficient is an AI and data consultancy that brings the fast-paced energy of start-ups into ACE. As CEO John Sandall puts it, by staying “incredibly lean and incredibly fast”, Coefficient aims to elevate the global standard of data science, machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI), one project at a time.
This culture is maintained by a “small but mighty” team of data scientists, software engineers, statisticians and machine-learning specialists, who are passionate about open-source technologies and agile delivery. They make data work as hard as possible, exploring opportunities for machine learning or AI that can improve processes or enable deeper insights.
However, Coefficient never just applies technology for the sake of it—they start by asking the right questions to get to the root of the problem. From there, research-grade statistical methods are combined with a practical, problem-solving approach. The outcome is that organisations can distil complex patterns from their people, products and performance into actionable intelligence.
“We take what works in one industry and apply it somewhere else—for instance, Coefficient used techniques for hedge fund market prediction models to help forecast election outcomes,” says Sandall. For over a decade, Coefficient has applied these learnings to create innovative solutions across private, public and educational sectors. They also run more than 200 workshops a year, helping major banks and organisations learn more about Python, data science and AI.
Coefficient joined ACE in early 2021 and has since worked on 12 independent projects, growing to a team to 10 people. “Day-to-day life is pretty exciting because we get to change the lives of possibly millions of people across the UK and that drives a high level of motivation within my team,” says Sandall.
Two notable projects illustrate Coefficient’s achievements within ACE. For one law enforcement commission, the team completed a discovery phase and developed a machine-learning model that mimicked the results obtained by existing manual methods in just 12 weeks. The tool was then tested in real-world conditions as well as presented to government ministers.
For a different law enforcement project, Coefficient evaluated a number of commercial redaction tools that use AI to replace faces, text and audio in sensitive media. The team assessed whether each tool met the specific needs of policing while adhering to strict legal and ethical standards. As part of this research, Coefficient also demonstrated cutting-edge techniques and built rapid proof-of-concepts for sanitising media. This helped stakeholders understand current state-of-the-art technologies to make informed investment decisions and see how current redaction processes could be made more efficient.
Sandall said: “Alongside impact, ACE encourages a modern way of working by building fast and then iterating. ACE’s matchmaking has had Coefficient working alongside other SMEs that we would never meet otherwise, with the complementary skills necessary to tackle each problem.
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
Press release
UK announces new action to detect hostile state activity using AI, on visit to the Arctic
The UK is stepping up its efforts to safeguard national security by leveraging AI to detect hostile state activity in the Arctic.
UK working with allies to tackle growing threats in the Arctic, and drive forward an ambitious new UK-Norway defence agreement
New scheme to improve monitoring capability in High North to detect hostile activity, enshrining the UK’s security – the foundation of the Plan for Change
UK sanctions have halted Putin’s plans to station a floating repair dock in the Arctic to service the precious icebreakers fleet.
The UK is stepping up its efforts to safeguard national security by leveraging AI to detect hostile state activity in the Arctic, the Foreign Secretary will announce during a visit to the Arctic today (27 May 2025).
As the UK’s two nearest Arctic neighbours and close NATO allies, what happens around Norway and Iceland affects Britain, especially our national security, the foundation of this government’s Plan for Change.
Foreign Secretary David Lammy will see first-hand how British and Norwegian ships jointly patrol the high seas of the Arctic to detect, deter and manage increasingly sophisticated subsea threats to energy, critical national infrastructure, and security posed by Russia’s Northern Fleet.
This comes after the Prime Minister visited Norway earlier this month for a meeting of the Joint Expeditionary Force, where he discussed further support for Ukraine with allies from the Baltic and Scandinavian states.
While in Iceland, the Foreign Secretary will announce a new UK-Iceland scheme to use cutting edge AI technology to monitor hostile activity in the region.
As global temperatures rise and ice caps continue to melt, previously inaccessible shipping routes are opening up. This is leading to the Arctic becoming an increasingly contested area, with countries looking to exploit new reserves of gas, oil and natural minerals, fuelling security concerns.
Areas close to the Arctic are also being used by Russia’s nuclear-powered icebreakers which are crucial to Putin’s High North ambitions, clearing paths for tankers helping fund his illegal war in Ukraine. This threatens maritime security and the environment, as Putin has resorted to using dodgy and decaying vessels which frequently break down increasing the risk of oil spills.
UK sanctions have helped halt Putin’s plans to station a floating repair dock in the Arctic to service the precious icebreakers fleet.
A tug boat – the Vengery – had been due to tow the platform, but its journey to the High North has now been halted after being sanctioned last week.
Foreign Secretary, David Lammy, said:
The Arctic is becoming an increasingly important frontier for geopolitical competition and trade, and a key flank for European and UK security.
We cannot bolster the UK’s defence and deliver the Plan for Change without greater security in the Arctic. This is a region where Russia’s shadowfleet operates, threatening critical infrastructure like undersea cables to the UK and Europe, and helping fund Russia’s aggressive activity.
It’s more important than ever that we work with our allies in the High North, like Norway and Iceland, to enhance our ability to patrol and protect these waters. That’s why we have today announced new UK funding to work more closely with Iceland, using AI to bolster our ability to monitor and detect hostile state activity in the Arctic.
Norway has hosted British troops’ Arctic training for more than fifty years. Our long history of defence collaboration is being taken further through a strategic agreement to strengthen both nations’ security.
David Lammy will be the first Foreign Secretary to travel to one of the Arctic’s northernmost inhabited points when he visits the Archipelago of Svalbard witnessing how UK scientists are collaborating with Norway and partners to tackle climate change which is driving new geo-political challenges and opening new frontiers for state competition.
Today, this work is being taken further, with new opportunities for early-career researchers on polar research vessels and at Ny Ålesund, where British scientists have been based for over 30 years. £400,000 of UK funding will support work to understand the impact of climate change and how it affects the UK – ensuring we have resilience against its effects. This follows 21 joint research projects made between the UK and Iceland during the past 18 months to strengthen our understanding of the arctic’s future.
During the visit, the Foreign Secretary will highlight the UK’s role in securing NATO’s northern flank and protecting the region’s critical undersea infrastructure such as cables and pipelines which are crucial for stable energy supplies and telecommunications in the UK.
Earlier this year the Prime Minister announced the biggest sustained increase in defence spending since the Cold War as a result of the changing global picture, now reaching 2.5% of GDP by April 2027, and with an ambition to reach 3% in the next Parliament subject to economic and fiscal conditions.
Maritime security and the Arctic also feature in the UK’s ambitious new Security and Defence Partnership with the EU agreed last week, committing to work together to make Europe safer.
In Iceland, the Foreign Secretary will visit Keflavik Air Base, where RAF jets have supported NATO air policing missions, ensuring the safety and security of Arctic airspace. He will learn how Icelandic scientists are working with their British counterparts to address climate change in vulnerable countries around the world.
The 1970s extension to the rear of the library has been internally remodelled, providing 2 new first floor offices, along with WCs, a kitchenette and ground floor space for booking deliveries, sorting and collections.
This paves the way for further works to be undertaken by contractor Speller Metcalfe, with Adult Education Wolverhampton’s Alan Garner Building on Old Hall Street set to undergo internal remodelling and refurbishment, plus the construction of a 2 storey glazed link building to connect it directly to Central Library’s 1930s extension.
Ongoing works on the restoration of the building façade and roof of the Grade II* listed library started in November, with a new rear entrance lobby and landscaping also in the pipeline.
The overall redevelopment will create a modernised, reconfigured and accessible, digitally enabled Central Library for the public and an expanded centralised Adult Education provision that meets post-16 learner and employer demands.
The improved Central Library and Adult Education Wolverhampton facilities will sit alongside a new state of the art education facility for City of Wolverhampton College currently being constructed by McLaughlin & Harvey on the site of the college’s former Metro One campus and land on the corner of Garrick Street and Bilston Street, where the Faces nightclub building once stood.
Central Library and Adult Education Wolverhampton are continuing to operate throughout the works, which are expected to be completed during the winter.
The council’s Cabinet Member for City Development, Jobs and Skills, Councillor Chris Burden, said: “The improvement works to Central Library and our Adult Education facilities are integral to our City Learning Quarter vision alongside the new college campus being developed.
“Together they will provide state of the art facilities in the city centre and improve life chances for people of all ages through learning, apprenticeship and employment offers.
“The restoration and development of the Grade II* listed library and Adult Education building will enhance the offer for current users of these services and attract new users, providing an inspirational learning environment that is easy to reach by bus, rail, tram and bicycle.”
Ninder Johal, Chair of Wolverhampton’s City Investment Board, said: “Excellent progress is being made in delivering Wolverhampton City Learning Quarter.
“This regeneration will ensure the city’s Central Library and Adult Education facilities are the best they can be to support the delivery of an outstanding education and skills offer and enhanced public facilities.”
The exciting City Learning Quarter proposals were initially supported by investment from the council with a further £49 million coming through UK Government funding, plus additional government grants and contributions from the college and council.
It will pave the way for City of Wolverhampton College to move from its 1960s Paget Road site, which has been identified as land to build much needed housing.
The college forecasts that over a 10 year period approximately 45,000 people will benefit from learning at the City Learning Quarter and around 7,500 apprenticeships will be started.
Its central location and close proximity to the new £150 million transport interchange will make it easily accessible. It will also boast environmental benefits in line with council’s climate emergency agenda.
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
News story
Open Innovation Team’s AI work at the Department for Education
Secretary of State for Education highlights Open Innovation Team in Education World Forum speech
The Open Innovation Team (OIT) was highlighted by Secretary of State for Education Bridget Phillipson during her keynote address at the recent Education World Forum 2025.
In her speech, the Secretary of State emphasised the importance of evidence-based innovation in EdTech to improve educational outcomes globally. She announced new investments to test educational technologies, including AI tools, with support from the OIT.
She said:
Working with the Open Innovation Team, we’ll be engaging the sector to understand what works. We’ll look at how tools, including AI, can improve things like staff workload, pupil outcomes and inclusivity. Evidence must be at the heart of all we do, on EdTech and right across education.
This recognition underscores the OIT’s commitment to collaborating with the Department for Education and partners to develop and evaluate innovative solutions that enhance teaching and learning experiences across England, and beyond.
A Concluding Statement describes the preliminary findings of IMF staff at the end of an official staff visit (or ‘mission’), in most cases to a member country. Missions are undertaken as part of regular (usually annual) consultations under Article IV of the IMF’s Articles of Agreement, in the context of a request to use IMF resources (borrow from the IMF), as part of discussions of staff monitored programs, or as part of other staff monitoring of economic developments.
The authorities have consented to the publication of this statement. The views expressed in this statement are those of the IMF staff and do not necessarily represent the views of the IMF’s Executive Board. Based on the preliminary findings of this mission, staff will prepare a report that, subject to management approval, will be presented to the IMF Executive Board for discussion and decision.
An economic recovery is underway. Growth is projected at 1.2 percent in 2025 and will gain momentum next year, although weak productivity continues to weigh on medium-term growth prospects.
The authorities’ fiscal plans strike a good balance between supporting growth and safeguarding fiscal sustainability. It will be important to stay the course and deliver the planned deficit reduction over the next five years to stabilize net debt and reduce vulnerability to gilt market pressures. Further refinements of the fiscal framework could help minimize the frequency of fiscal policy changes. In the longer term, the UK will face difficult choices to align spending with available resources, given ageing-related expenditure pressures.
The Bank of England (BoE) should continue to ease monetary policy gradually, while remaining flexible in light of elevated uncertainty. Calibrating the monetary policy stance has become more complex, given the recent pickup in inflation, still fragile growth, and higher long-term interest rates.
The authorities’ Growth Mission focuses on the right areas to lift productivity. Given the breadth of the agenda, prioritizing and sequencing of structural reforms, along with clear communication, will be key to success.
Washington, DC – May 27, 2025:
Economic Outlook
After a slowdown in the second half of 2024, an economic recovery is underway and is expected to gain momentum. Economic activity decelerated during 2024 H2, partly reflecting weaker export performance in the challenging global environment. In recent months, high frequency indicators have shown signs of improvement. Growth is projected at 1.2 percent in 2025 and 1.4 percent in 2026, as monetary easing, positive wealth effects, and an uptick in confidence bolster private consumption, while the boost to public spending in the October budget will also help support growth. The forecast assumes that global trade tensions lower the level of UK GDP by 0.3 percent by 2026, due to persistent uncertainty, slower activity in UK trading partners, and the direct impact of remaining US tariffs on the UK. The authorities’ structural reforms, including to planning, and the increase in infrastructure investment could increase potential growth if properly implemented. However, medium-term growth is still forecast to remain subdued relative to the pre-GFC trend, at 1.4 percent, given weak productivity.
Risks to growth remain to the downside. Tighter-than-expected financial conditions, combined with rising precautionary saving by households, would hinder the rebound in private consumption and slow the recovery. Persistent global trade uncertainty could further weigh on UK growth, by weakening global economic activity, disrupting supply chains, and undermining private investment.
Fiscal Policy
The authorities’ fiscal strategy for the next five years appropriately supports growth while safeguarding fiscal sustainability. The new spending plans are credible and growth-friendly, taking account of pressures on public services and investment needs. They are expected to provide an economic boost over the medium term that outweighs the impact of higher taxation. As revenue is projected to increase, deficits are set to decline and stabilize net debt.
It will be important to stay the course and reduce fiscal deficits as planned over the medium term. There are significant risks to the successful implementation of the fiscal strategy, from the high level of global uncertainty, volatile financial market conditions, and the challenge of containing day-to-day spending. Materialization of these risks could result in market pressures, put debt on an upward path, and make it harder to meet the fiscal rules, given limited headroom. To this end, staff recommends adhering to the current plans, and implementing additional revenue or expenditure measures as needed if shocks arise, to maintain compliance with the rules.
In the longer term, difficult fiscal choices will likely be needed to address spending pressures and rebuild fiscal buffers. Under current policies, staff analysis suggests spending to be around 8 percent of GDP higher by 2050, mainly due to additional outlays on health and pensions from population ageing. There is limited space to finance this spending through extra borrowing, given high debt and elevated borrowing costs. Unless revenue is increased, for which there is scope, tough policy decisions on spending priorities and the role of the state in certain areas will be needed to better align the coverage of public services with available resources.
While recent reforms of the fiscal framework enhance its credibility and effectiveness, further refinements could improve predictability and reduce pressure for frequent fiscal policy changes. The new current balance rule helps preserve space for investment, while the debt rule safeguards fiscal sustainability. The transition to a three-year rule horizon, aligned with the spending reviews, is expected to make the rules more credible, while allowing time to adjust gradually to shocks. Staff welcomes the authorities’ commitment to hold a single annual fiscal event, but notes that there is still significant pressure for frequent fiscal policy changes, given that small revisions to the economic outlook can erode the headroom within the rules, which is the subject of intense market and media scrutiny. Refinements to the fiscal framework could promote further policy stability. Options include (1) de-emphasizing point estimates of headroom in OBR assessments of rule compliance; (2) establishing a formal process so that small rule breaches do not trigger corrective fiscal action outside of the single fiscal event; or (3) assessing rules only once per year at the time of the fiscal event.
Monetary Policy and Operations
A gradual and flexible approach to monetary easing continues to be appropriate to support the economy and protect against inflationary risks. The pickup in inflation that began in 2024 is expected to last through the second half of this year, with a return to target later in 2026 as underlying inflationary pressures continue to recede. Although monetary policy calibration has become more difficult due to still-weak growth, the temporary rise in inflation and high long-term interest rates, staff sees the BoE’s gradual pace of easing as appropriate. Given the elevated uncertainty, the MPC is encouraged to retain flexibility to adjust the monetary stance in either direction if needed.
The BoE should continue to strengthen its forecasting capacity and communications. Staff welcomes the implementation of the Bernanke Review and the use of scenarios and conditional guidance in the BoE’s communications. The BoE will benefit from continuing to invest in modeling capacity, data and personnel, to be able to tailor scenarios promptly as economic conditions change. In the scenarios, interest rates should be allowed to adjust to economic developments, so that the scenarios are more informative and consistent, rather than assume that interest rates follow current market expectations. Lastly, MPC members could make greater use of the information from the central forecast and the alternative scenarios to justify the MPC decision and explain their personal views.
The BoE’s transition to a repo-based framework will mitigate balance sheet risks. QT continues to be conducted in a gradual and predictable manner. As the balance sheet normalizes, transitioning to a demand-driven approach, with reserves provided to banks mainly through repo operations, will reduce the market footprint of the BoE and limit its exposure to interest and credit risks. This will also maintain monetary control and the flexibility for new QE in the future, while providing sufficient reserves for financial stability reasons. The transition is being accompanied by a timely review of BoE instruments to consider the relative role of repo operations and asset purchases, as well as the balance between short and long-term repos.
Financial Sector Policies
The banking sector remains broadly resilient and macroprudential settings are appropriate, despite global financial stability risks increasing over the past year. The banking system is adequately capitalized and liquid with healthy levels of profitability, and the 2024 desk-based stress test showed that it can support households and businesses during times of severe stress. Macroprudential settings remain appropriate, as indicators of financial vulnerabilities are close to their long-term average, although global risks have risen in the past year given more volatile asset prices and credit spreads.
Significant progress has been made assessing and reducing vulnerabilities in the non-bank sector and work should continue at the domestic and international levels. Managing risks in the sector is critical, as it accounts for over half of UK financial assets. The system-wide exploratory scenario (SWES) has improved understanding of linkages with the banking sector and contagion risks, while the BoE’s new repo facility for non-banks is in line with previous AIV recommendations. The BoE could, in the future, consider expanding access to this facility so as to include a broader range of non-banks with a large gilt market footprint, provided they are adequately supervised and regulated. Ongoing work, including with the FSB, is essential to better monitor and manage non-bank leverage, concentration, and liquidity risks. Work should also continue on closing data gaps to enhance financial system surveillance.
Recent episodes of global bond market turbulence underscore the importance of enhancing gilt market resilience. Gilt market functioning has remained orderly. Vulnerabilities have nonetheless risen, given increased supply and the reduction in demand by more patient investors, with hedge funds and non-residents playing a greater role, and the BoE reducing its holdings as part of QT. Staff recommends close monitoring as well as regular stress testing and engagement with market participants to detect and manage future risks. In this regard, the shift of issuance toward shorter-dated securities for FY2025/26 has been well received by the market. The authorities are considering policies to enhance structural resilience, such as central clearing for gilt repo transactions, which is welcome.
Reforms to the financial sector and its regulation should balance promoting growth with preserving continuity and financial stability. While staff supports the government’s aim of enhancing the role of financial services as a driver of growth, risks will need to be carefully managed. Regulatory reforms should balance simplification and modernization with mitigating vulnerabilities, while being well-communicated. Consolidating pension funds has the potential to reduce fees and expand access to diverse asset classes, but it will be important to guard against possible unintended side-effects, including from reduced competition. Staff supports the FPC’s recommendation that the Pensions Regulator has the remit to take financial stability considerations into account. This would strengthen its ability to oversee the evolving pensions landscape and help manage potential risks from consolidation of funds and changes in investment strategies.
Structural Policies
Persistently weak productivity remains the UK’s primary obstacle to lifting growth and living standards. The UK has faced a decline in trend productivity growth since the Global Financial Crisis (GFC), further widening the gap with the US. Along with adverse shocks, including Brexit, the pandemic and the energy price crisis, the slowdown has left the level of UK GDP around one quarter below what the pre-GFC trend would imply. This slowdown has multiple causes, including chronic under-investment, low private R&D, limited access to finance for businesses to scale up, skill gaps, and a deterioration in health outcomes.
While the authorities’ Growth Mission focuses on the right areas, careful prioritizing and sequencing of policies will be key to success. The agenda is ambitious and impacts many parts of the economy. Reforms are broadly aligned with past IMF recommendations, although many of them are still at the formulation and consultation stage. Delivering on the Growth Mission involves significant challenges given limited fiscal space, the breadth of the reforms, and the volatile external environment. In refining their strategy, the authorities will thus need to carefully sequence reforms, ensure internal coherence among them, and prioritize early wins to build momentum and garner support for more complex initiatives. Continued clear communication with the public and markets will also be essential.
Stability, capital, and skills are the most important aspects of the Growth Mission. Staff recommends prioritizing the following three most binding constraints to growth. First, policy stability is critical to support business confidence in an increasingly uncertainty global environment. In this context, recent efforts to strike trade agreements with key partners, including the EU, India, and the US, demonstrate the authorities’ commitment to finding common ground and establishing a more predictable environment for UK exporters. Second, the planning reform and complementary public infrastructure projects can lift the chronically-low private investment, which has weighed on productivity. Finally, boosting people’s skills, enhancing their health, and incentivizing work will address shortages in sectors like construction and healthcare, while providing the productive workforce needed by growth industries. Reforms in these three areas are likely to deliver the largest growth benefits, while laying a strong foundation for progress on other fronts.
Industrial policy can play a complementary role to support particular sectors, but economy-wide reforms should remain the main tool to boost competitiveness and growth. Structural reforms that apply horizontally across the whole economy, such as easing planning restrictions, are likely to have the greatest impact. These reforms are prerequisites to realize the full potential of vertical interventions at the sectoral level, such as investments by the National Wealth Fund and initiatives under the new industrial strategy. Sectoral interventions should be focused on addressing market failures, identified using an evidence-based approach, and supported by rigorous appraisal processes, while being subject to strict budgetary limits, prudent risk management, and comprehensive risk reporting.
The mission thanks the authorities and other counterparts for open discussions, productive collaboration, and constructive policy dialogue.
Pedestrian safety will be at the heart of improvement works due to start at the beginning of June.
From Monday 2 June, work will start to upgrade the junction of Trinity Way/Great Ducie Street providing a larger and improved crossing area for the public.
Adjacent to Manchester College, which will see an increased number of students in the coming years, and in proximity to the AO Arena and Victoria Station this junction is one of the key crossing locations in that part of the city centre.
Coupled with increased investment in the area as part of the Strangeways redevelopment and the more than 400 new homes built on the former Boddingtons site, it is only going to become a busier area which is why it has become clear that improvements to existing infrastructure are needed.
Between 2017 and 2021 there were a total of 15 accidents at this junction resulting in 21 people being injured – one of which was a serious injury.
Running until approximately mid-July the works will consist of:
Improved controlled pedestrian crossing on the east side of the junction, opposite the Manchester College campus
Redesigned controlled pedestrian crossing on the west side of the junction, opposite the Kickair trampoline centre
Guard rails and bollards to prevent pavement parking on the kerb island near to New Bridge Street and Mirabel Street
A left turn ban of northbound traffic on Great Ducie Street and a build out of the kerb to prevent left turns
Road markings and signage will be updated to reflect the changes
Working hours for the scheme will be Monday to Friday between 8am and 5pm, with some overnight lane closures planned. For any lane closures during the day, they will only be in operation in off-peak hours between 9.30-15.30.
No work will take place during the weekend.
During the weekends of Parklife (June 14-15) and the Peter Kay and Pulp performances (June 21-22) overnight closures will not be in place.
A traffic management plan will be in place so that motorists will still be able to use this junction during the course of the works. However there will be a degree of disruption as the improvements are made, which is why we would encourage people to plan their journeys ahead and try alternative routes where possible.
Councillor Tracey Rawlins, Executive Member for Clean Air, Environment and Transport said: “Safety will always be our number one priority which is why the improvement works planned for this junction are so important.
“Thousands of people – many of them attending the nearby college – use this crossing point every day and we must ensure that they can cross what is a very busy road safely.
“We hope to carry out this work as quickly as possible but I would like to thank motorists in advance for their patience as it is carried out.”
Cllr Patricia Seaman, Cabinet Member for Children and Young People, is the latest guest on the Relational Social Work Podcast.
Cllr Seaman joins hosts Matt Clayton and Hannah Bedford for an episode about the importance of relationships, community, and help being available for families when they are in need.
The three also discuss her journey into politics, the role that local politics plays in how Children’s Services is delivered, and the role of the Lead Member for Children’s Services.
The Relational Social Work Podcast is aimed at social workers and other professionals working within or in partnership with Children’s and Education Services, and it started here in Coventry!
The podcast is hosted by Matt Clayton, Strategic Lead for Children in Care, Children with Disabilities and Care Leavers, and Hannah Bedford, Family Valued Team Manager, and produced by Arin Sotoudeh, Improvement Officer.
Hannah, Matt and Arin launched the podcast in September 2024, with the aim of starting a conversation about the importance of relationships and love in social work, recognising the challenges faced by the sector, and influencing practice across the UK.
The Relational Social Work Podcast, now in its third series, has built a strong following, with over 8,000 listens, both in the UK and internationally, and has featured a wide variety of guests including Yvette Stanely, Ofsted’s National Director for Social Care, and Coventry City Council’s Director of Children’s and Education Services, Sukriti Sen.
The podcast is also now releasing one episode per series, in partnership with the Association of Directors of Children’s Services (ADCS) to share this platform with their President.
The podcast has a weekly newsletter which you can subscribe to through the website and provides updates and reflective questions based on each episode.
The podcast has teamed up with MADLUG (Make a difference luggage) for the latest series, to promote their mission to ensure that all care experienced young people are given value, dignity and worth, and that no child in care or leaving care should ever have to move their belongings in black bags or carrier bags. Not only is the podcast promoting this, but MADLUG have donated some of their bags as prizes for listeners and subscribers.
Australia in 2025 is living up to Dorothy McKellar’s poetic vision of a country stricken by “drought and flooding rains”.
The clean up is underway from the deadly floods in the Hunter and mid-north coast regions of New South Wales. At the same time, large swathes of Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania are severely drought affected due to some of the lowest rainfall on record.
Do we have the right support arrangements in place to help farmers and communities survive the current dry period?
Or is there a better way to help primary producers through the tough times, which are predicted to become more frequent and severe under climate change?
The decision was made for several reasons, including the high level of expenditure on drought relief in Queensland. The federal finance minister at the time, Peter Walsh, suggested the Queensland government was using the arrangements as a “sort of National Party slush fund to be distributed to National Party toadies and apparatchiks”.
The more considered reason was that our scientific understanding of the drivers of Australia’s climate, such as El Niño, suggested drought was a normal part of our environment. Since then, climate modelling points to droughts becoming an even more familiar sight in Australia as a result of global warming.
So the focus of drought relief shifted from disaster response to risk management.
Building resilience
The National Drought Policy announced in 1992 stated drought should be managed like any other business risk.
Since then, the language of resilience has been added to the mix and the government lists three objectives for drought policy:
to build the drought resilience of farming businesses by enabling preparedness, risk management and financial self-reliance
to ensure an appropriate safety net is always available to those experiencing hardship
to encourage stakeholders to work together to address the challenges of drought.
Since 1992, various governments have introduced, and tweaked, different programs aimed at supporting drought-affected farmers.
The most successful program is the Farm Management Deposits Scheme. This has accumulated a whisker under A$6 billion in farmer savings, which are available to be drawn down during drought to support farm businesses.
In 2025, the federal government is using the Future Drought Fund to invest $100 million per year to promote resilience. It also offers support through the Farm Household Allowance and concessional loans for farms and related small businesses.
Apart from the Farm Management Deposit Scheme and the Farm Household Allowance, these programs do not offer immediate financial assistance to the increasing number of farmers across southern Australia being impacted by drought. If the drought worsens, it is likely there will be increasing calls for greater support.
This provides the government with a dilemma: it is already investing significantly in the risk and resilience approach to drought, but politically, it is hard to resist cries for help from farmers who are a highly valued group in our community.
A better way?
There is a solution available to government to improve support. It can be done through the provision of “revenue contingent loans” for drought-affected farmers. Financial support would be available to farmers when they need it, consistent with the risk management principles underpinning the national drought policy.
Our detailed modelling, extending now over 25 years, shows compellingly that revenue-based loans would mean taxpayers spending less on drought arrangements. But the assistance compared with other forms of public sector help would be greater.
Capacity to repay would be the defining feature of the scheme. A revenue contingent loan is only paid down in periods when the farm is experiencing healthy cash flow. If a farm’s annual financial situation is difficult, no repayments are required.
These loans would also remove foreclosure risk associated with an inability to repay when times are tough. Loan defaults simply can’t happen, a feature which also takes away the psychological trauma associated with the fear of losing the property due to unforeseen financial difficulties.
Good policy
These benefits would address governments’ main motivation with drought policy, which is risk management. That is because repayment concerns and default prospects would be eliminated. With farming, in which there is great uncertainty, these are very significant pluses for policy.
Revenue contingent loans are a proper risk management financial instrument that requires low or no subsidies from government. They would complement the Farm Management Deposit Scheme and be an effective replacement for the concessional loans currently on offer.
A win-win for farmer and taxpayer, alike.
Linda Botterill has in the past received funding from the Australian Research Council, the Grains Research and Development Corporation, and Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation (now Agrifutures).
Bruce Chapman has received funding from the Australian Research Council in various years, and was a consultant to the Federal Government’s Department of Education University Accord Enquiry in 2023/24.
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Claire Walker, Associate Professor, School of Historical and Classical Studies, University of Adelaide
La Religieuse Tenant La Sainte Croix (The Nun Holds the Cross), Jacques Callot, French,1621–35.The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Is loneliness a modern epidemic as we are so often told? Did people in the past suffer similar feelings of isolation?
The word “loneliness” was not common before the 19th century. Cultural historian Fay Bound Alberti argues it was rarely used before 1800.
This does not mean people didn’t feel alone. They just had different names for it – and they didn’t always think it was bad. Modern people living hectic lives in bustling cities often yearn for peace and tranquillity; so did our forebears.
From the hermits of the early Christian church escaping society for lives of solitary prayer, to medieval anchorites in secluded cells, isolation was a prerequisite for spiritual success.
But were isolated monks, nuns and hermits also lonely, as we would understand the word today? And do early modern nuns offer solutions for our own loneliness epidemic?
Searching for solitude
Early Christian religious thinkers and medieval churchmen viewed voluntary loneliness positively, with successful practitioners becoming saints. But religious solitude was not without its problems.
Holy recluses, far from escaping society, were pursued for spiritual advice. Some, like Simeon Stylites (390–459), went to extraordinary measures, living atop a pillar near Aleppo for 30-odd years to achieve solitude.
Monasticism provided an alternative. Monastic rules, like that of Benedict of Nursia (480–547), institutionalised isolation. In Benedictine monasteries, solitude was created through seclusion from society, strict silence, and prohibition of close friendships.
Yet, like hermits, monks and nuns couldn’t escape the world completely. Monasteries constituted vital spiritual resources, providing multiple services and conducting business for wider society.
Nuns at Work, Follower of Alessandro Magnasco (Italian, Milanese, first half 18th century). The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Over the centuries, reforming bishops believed there was too much interaction between monasteries and the wider community. This led to repeated church reforms from the 10th century onwards to secure separation.
Male members of the clergy were particularly worried about nuns who were considered “less capable” of maintaining holy solitude. As a result, women had to observe strict enclosure behind convent walls, limiting their economic and spiritual capacity. Reforms in the 16th century upheld nuns’ incarceration.
Many women resisted, but others embraced isolation as spiritually liberating.
Isolation in exile
Early modern English convents, exiled in Europe after Henry VIII’s dissolution of the monasteries, shed light on nuns’ experiences of loneliness.
The convents were subject to traditional rules of enclosure and silence. To become nuns, women left their homeland, family and friends. They joined English houses, so they were not alone among strangers, but they had to remain emotionally distant from one another, despite living in a community where they did everything together.
Women wanting spiritual fulfilment often sought additional solitude.
Benedictine mystic Gertrude More (1606–33) praised prescribed periods of silence because in them she might hear her Lord’s whispers.
Carmelite prioress Teresa of Jesus Maria Worsley (1601–42) took time from her busy administrative role and hid from the other nuns to pray in solitude.
The Nun in Count Burckhardt, from the periodical Once a Week. After James McNeill Whistler, American. Associated with Dalziel Brothers, British. September 27 1862. The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Not all women found seclusion and silence so fulfilling, however, with some experiencing bouts of spiritual doubt and poor mental health. Many missed their family and homeland.
This was particularly common among young sisters and those in convent schools. In the 1660s, Catherine Aston returned to England to recover after suffering poor health and depression.
Alone in a crowd
Nuns’ diverse experiences of monastic solitude reflect modern urban loneliness.
In 1812 Lord Byron expressed the contradictory nature of loneliness in the poem Childe Harold, juxtaposing the positive solitary contemplation of nature with its negative counterpart – aloneness “midst the crowd”.
In the present day many people feel alone in cities, even domestic households, as Olivia Laing and Keith Snell have shown.
How might this be countered? Do early modern nuns offer solutions?
A study of 21st century Spanish monks and nuns found monastic training, prayer and silence create feelings of spiritual satisfaction and purpose which lessens loneliness.
Prayer is not the answer for everyone because modern isolation is caused by multiple factors in a largely secular society. There are alternative paths to meditation, however, through yoga or mindfulness which can provide feelings akin to monks’ and nuns’ “spiritual satisfaction”.
Similarly, the nuns’ sense of “purpose” might be achieved through nostalgia. Nostalgia is the longing for an idealised and unobtainable past – a time when life was better. Research by psychologists suggests nostalgia can be beneficial in counteracting loneliness, even enabling forward-looking and proactive behaviours.
This was certainly true for the nuns exiled in Europe following Henry VIII’s abolition of monasticism in England. They dreamt of a future when their convents would return to England, family and friends. All nuns prayed both communally and in private for this outcome.
Some went further, engaging in missionary work and political intrigue to achieve their goal.
We cannot know whether this stifled loneliness, but by combining the benefits of meditation and activism it likely fostered a shared sense of purpose.
Just as Gertrude More and Teresa of Jesus Maria Worsley found solitude essential for spiritual satisfaction, activist nuns believed they might reverse the English reformation from their exiled convents. Solitude, prayer and political engagement gave them a sense of purpose.
Everyone’s situation is unique. There is no single solution for resolving isolation in the contemporary world. But the knowledge that it can be positive is perhaps a step towards countering the modern epidemic.
Claire Walker has received funding from the Australian Research Council.
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
Press release
Faster cancer treatment thanks to new radiotherapy machines
Thousands of cancer patients will see faster treatment thanks to new radiotherapy machines
Cutting-edge machines will cut waiting times and help 4,500 more patients get treatment faster
Upgraded tech being rolled out at 28 hospitals can cut the rounds of radiotherapy needed and reach cancers in harder to treat areas like chest, abdomen and pelvis
Rollout is backed by £70 million provided by government as part of its mission to improve cancer care through its Plan for Change
Thousands of patients will benefit from faster and safer cancer treatment thanks to new cutting-edge radiotherapy machines being rolled out to every region in the country.
The government has paid for new linear accelerator (LINAC) machines at 28 hospitals, which use modern technology to reduce delays to treatment and, in some cases, could reduce the number of hospital visits a patient needs to make by half, helping to cut waiting lists faster.
Replacing these older machines will save as many as 13,000 appointments from being lost to equipment breakdown.
The machines will be rolled out at hospitals across the country from August, funded by a £70 million government investment as part of its plans to improve cancer care through the Plan for Change.
By March 2027, up to 27,500 additional treatments per year will be delivered, including up to 4,500 receiving their first treatment for cancer within 62-days of referral, helping to treat more cancer patients in faster time.
Equipped with cutting-edge technology, the machines are safer for patients and can more precisely target tumours, causing less damage to surrounding healthy tissues. They are particularly effective at targeting cancers in harder to treat areas, such as the chest, abdomen and pelvis.
Health and Social Care Secretary, Wes Streeting said:
There is a revolution taking place in medical technology which can transform treatment for cancer patients. But NHS hospitals are forced to use outdated, malfunctioning equipment thanks to 14 years of underinvestment under the previous government.
Thanks to the investment this government is making in our NHS, we will provide more cancer patients with world-class, cutting-edge care.
By reducing the number of hospital visits required and preventing cancelled appointments, these state of the art radiotherapy machines free up capacity so that thousands more patients are treated on time.
As a cancer survivor, I know just how important timely treatment is. These machines are part of the investment and modernisation that will cut waiting times for patients, through our Plan for Change.
The tech is being prioritised in hospitals which are currently using outdated treatment machines older than 10 years, meaning patients can be treated faster and reducing cancelled appointments due to faults.
It will also increase the availability of Stereotactic Ablative Radiotherapy (SABR) cancer treatments, which can more precisely target tumours.
NHS national clinical director for cancer Professor Peter Johnson said:
Radiotherapy is essential for many cancer patients, so it’s great news that the investment in new machines means that some will need fewer rounds of treatment, as we bring in more sophisticated techniques.
These machines will deliver more precise treatment for patients, which helps them to recover sooner, as well as enabling the NHS to treat people more efficiently as we continue in our efforts to catch and treat more cancers faster.
The new LINAC radiotherapy machines were allocated across England by Specialised Commissioning teams at NHS England, which will help to improve health inequalities by ensuring every radiotherapy service has the modern equipment needed to offer innovative radiotherapy treatments.
Alongside turbocharging treatment for patients, significant work is being carried out to get cancers diagnosed more quickly than ever before.
Improved performance against the Faster Diagnosis Standard has led to the equivalent of 4,000 extra patients given the all-clear or a definitive cancer diagnosis within 4 weeks in March 2025 compared to the same time the year before, to reach over 217,000 in total in March 2025.
Patients are also getting easier access to vital tests, checks and scans, with Community Diagnostic Centres delivering almost 2.5 million on high streets and at other convenient locations in March.
Senior policy manager at Cancer Research UK, Matt Sample, said:
All cancer patients, no matter where they live, should have access to the best treatment, so it’s great to see investment in cutting-edge equipment for hospitals across the country.
Modern LINAC machines can offer more efficient, targeted treatment with less side-effects for patients, which is why it’s vital that there is sustained funding to replace them routinely.
The government has a huge opportunity in its upcoming National Cancer Plan for England to tackle unequal access to optimal treatment, and we look forward to working with them to help give every patient the care they deserve.
Kate Seymour, Head of External Affairs at Macmillan Cancer Support says:
Today marks an exciting step forward for cancer treatment in England. Many people across the country are facing long delays for care but today proves that better is possible.
Investment in cutting edge technology is essential to bring down waiting times and help more people with cancer get the best care the UK has to offer, whoever and wherever they are.
The investment in this new technology follows on from the government rolling out 13 new DEXA scanners across the country which will allow 29,000 extra bone scans per year will be delivered for patients as part of the Plan for Change.
The government’s Plan for Change will continue to put patients first as it works to end the misery felt by millions up and down the country who have been denied the care they need for too long.
Over 3 million appointments have already been delivered since the end of June 2024, smashing the government’s target of delivering 2 million extra operations, scans and appointments. This is alongside over 8.3 million more appointments each year becoming available as 1,000 doctors surgeries receive a bricks and mortar upgrade to modernise practices and expand capacity.
NOTES TO EDITORS
The 28 trusts receiving an upgraded scanner are:
– Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust
– Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
– Northampton General Hospital NHS Trust
– United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust
– University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust
– Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust
– Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
– Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
– The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust
– Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust
– Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
– The Newcastle Upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
– East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust
– Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust
– Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust
– Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust
– University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust
– South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
– The Christie NHS Foundation Trust
– Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
– Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust
– Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust
– The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre NHS Foundation Trust
– University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust
– Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust
– University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Severe weather and winds have caused dust storms that are significantly reducing visibility on various country roads throughout the state. Some roads are closed to traffic and will not be reopened until the risk to the public reduces.
If you are driving in the country, please exercise caution as the roads are unsafe.
Ensure your headlights are on and drive to the conditions.
Pull to the side of the road if it is unsafe to continue, activate your hazard lights and wait for the storm to pass.
Contact police in an emergency on triple-zero (000) or for assistance on 131 444.
Prof Jules Griffin tries fish curry with Karen Taylor and Prof Frank Thies
Scientists exploring why eating fish is good for heart and gut health are looking for volunteers to help them unlock more of its nutritional secrets.
Codenamed FAM-OUS because it compares fish and meat-based diets, the Aberdeen University study hopes to underline the benefit of eating more of our local catch.
And the lucky participants will have a 14-week menu selected for them by the Rowett Institute’s dieticians, with regular monitoring of the relative changes to their health.
The £750,000 project is funded by the UK Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) and will delve deeper than previous research in the area.
It is specifically aimed at providing strong scientific backing for the heart health benefits of eating fish, following studies showing an increase in some people’s blood levels of a metabolite – trimethylamine N-oxide, known as TMAO – after eating fish.
The latest project comes shortly after the Rowett published Scottish Government-funded research showing many vital nutrients are “lost” because the UK exports so much of the fish caught by our fleets.
That report concluded fresh efforts are urgently needed to increase the quantity of fish we eat as a country, which falls significantly short of the recommended intake.
Rowett Institute director Jules Griffin, who is one of the lead researchers for the FAMOUS study, said the work would help highlight the value of one of the north east of Scotland’s most celebrated assets – and said he was delighted with some of the dishes set to be served up to volunteers, including a curry and fish cakes.
The FAMOUS study sets out to examine the health benefits of a fish-based diet, going further than traditional studies to investigate how fish modifies the microbial community in our guts to promote health” Prof Jules Griffin
“This region produces some of the best fish and seafood in the world and yet many of us eat a rather limited range, perhaps just fish and chips on a Friday,” he said.
“We are not just missing out on some great tasting food, but fish is an important source of vitamin D and polyunsaturated fats, protecting us from serious diseases including cardiovascular disease.
“The FAMOUS study sets out to examine the health benefits of a fish-based diet, going further than traditional studies to investigate how fish modifies the microbial community in our guts to promote health.
“Using the Rowett’s world-class Human Intervention Studies unit, we will better define these health benefits to promote the consumption of the great fish and seafood we have in the area.
“I will also see if I’m allowed to share some of the wonderful recipes the team have created for the study – the fish curry is a personal favourite and the fish cakes are excellent too!”
The team is looking for healthy, overweight (BMI 25-29.9) 30–65-year-old meat eaters with elevated blood lipids, sugar, or blood pressure but not on medication or with any history of heart disease or other inflammatory diseases and not on medication for cholesterol or lipaemia or taking any dietary supplements.
Taking part will involve following different diet plans over set periods and having heart health and gut microbiome changes monitored and assessed.
To apply or find out more, please contact Frank Thies (f.thies@abdn.ac.uk) or Morven Cruikshank (morven.cruickshank@abdn.ac.uk) or visit the Rowett website: FAMOUS Study | The Rowett Institute | The University of Aberdeen
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
News story
Appointment of Cabinet Office Board Non-Executive Board Member
New appointment to the Cabinet Office Board
Lisa Tremble has been appointed as a Cabinet Office Non-Executive Board Member for a period of three years, concluding in April 2028.
Lisa is currently the Chief People, Corporate Affairs and Sustainability Officer, and a Member of the Management Committee at British Airways. Prior to that, she was a Group Corporate Affairs and Sustainability Director at Direct Line Group Plc and the Director of External Affairs at Mishcon de Reya LLP.
The Cabinet Office Board provides strategic leadership for the department, comprising Cabinet Office ministers, senior executives, and non-executives from outside government. Its purpose is to advise on strategy, monitor performance, and assess significant risks.
The Non-Executive Board Members are responsible for providing support and challenge to the department’s ministers and senior officials on the delivery of key policies and programmes.
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
News story
Appointment of Cabinet Office Board Lead Non-Executive Board Member
New appointment to the Cabinet Office Board
John Fallon has been appointed as the new Cabinet Office Lead Non-Executive Board Member (NEBM) for a period of three years, concluding in April 2028.
John is an executive and academic currently holding positions as a Professor of Practice and senior adviser at Northeastern University, an Executive Fellow at London Business School, and Chair of WarChild UK and Blackpool Pride of Place. He served as CEO from 2013 to 2020 at Pearson Plc. John has also held senior roles at PowerGen plc, Centro, and the House of Commons.
The Cabinet Office Board provides strategic leadership for the department, comprising Cabinet Office ministers, senior executives, and non-executives from outside government. Its purpose is to advise on strategy, monitor performance, and assess significant risks.
The role of the Cabinet Office Lead NEBM is to provide strategic oversight and leadership for the department’s team of Non-Executives. The Lead NEBM supports ministers and officials by providing expert advice and challenge on delivery and performance. As well as their formal role on the Board and its sub-committees, the Lead NEBM also maintains close working relationships with the Permanent Secretary and the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster to support the delivery of their priorities.
The Lead NEBM works with the department to ensure the NEBMs are assigned to work on issues where they will have the most impact and can best support the delivery of the department’s strategic priorities.
Chief Operating Officer for the Civil Service and Permanent Secretary of the Cabinet Office, Cat Little said:
Lead Non-Executive Board Members provide vital scrutiny and challenge to departmental boards, guiding our work and helping us deliver for people across the country.
John Fallon will bring a wealth of experience in systems and transformation leadership within complex organisations. I look forward to working with him to deliver the Cabinet Office’s priorities.
From Monday June 9, we’ll begin implementing a series of speed reduction measures, from 40mph to 30mph, in locations across the city.
We will be installing the new speed limit signs through June and July, beginning with Biggar Road.
Once the new 30mph speed limit signs are in place, the new speed limits will be enforceable.
We’re urging motorists to look out for the new signage and respect the speed limit.
Transport and Environment Convener, Councillor Stephen Jenkinson said:
Road safety is a key priority for us and I’m glad that we’re moving ahead with this important process. Whilst this has taken longer than we initially anticipated, I’m confident that these measures will make many of our roads across the city safer.
The evidence is clear – lower speed limits make roads safer for everyone. A pedestrian or cyclist has twice the chance of surviving a collision at 30mph compared to 40mph. Any action that we can take to make sure all road users are safer is a positive step.
You can view a map of the roads with new 30mph speed limits on our website.
The full list of streets and road where we’re installing new signage and reducing the speed limit from 40mph to 30mph is below:
Biggar Road
Calder Road
Frogston Brae
Glasgow Road (East section)
Glasgow Road (West section and Old Liston Road)
Gogar Station Road
Hawes Brae and Bankhead Road
Hillhouse Road
Lang Loan (section at the junction with Lasswade Road)
Renters should not be restricted by landlords from keeping pets
More in Housing
Scottish Green MSP Maggie Chapman lodged amendments to the forthcoming Housing (Scotland) Bill that would make it easier for people in privately rented properties to keep pets and service animals.
Currently, if a renter wants to keep a pet, they must make a request to their landlord who then has 42 days to respond. New proposals by the Greens would reduce the response time to 14 days, making the process fairer for renters, and taking no response at all from landlords as permission.
Further amendments would also see an exemption for assistance animals, with no permission needed to keep them.
These changes to the Bill are backed by charity organisations such as Dogs Trust, Cats Protection and Sight Scotland.
Ms Chapman said:
“Pets are part of the family, and in some cases, are working to keep people safe every day.
“Dogs, cats and other animals are important for many people’s physical and mental health, and they play an important role in decreasing loneliness. In a world where many feel isolated, having a pet for companionship in return for our care can make us feel valued and get us out of the house more often too.
“Renters have every right to keep pets in the homes they pay for without having to ask permission from landlords. Too often, requests are ignored or delayed which leads to uncertainty and stress for people with pets, or people hoping to have one. That is why I want to amend the Bill so that faster responses are given, and permission granted automatically if no response is received.
“Guide dogs and service animals that detect seizures and other health conditions play a crucial role in the health and wellbeing of many. They are vital companions which landlords should not be able to forbid from living in homes where they are needed.
“Every step the Scottish Greens are taking in this Bill is to boost renters’ rights to live in the homes they pay for and fully utilise the space, without having landlords call all of the shots. I hope my colleagues from across the Parliament will join me and support these changes to improve renters rights and lives overall.”
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
First Chest Pain Centre in Hong Kong receives national accreditation QMH began preparations for establishing the Chest Pain Centre in 2023, aligning with the Policy Address initiative to establish Hong Kong’s first chest pain centre at QMH according to national accreditation standards, aimed at improving the diagnosis process and treatment outcomes for cardiovascular patients. QMH experts subsequently visited various chest pain centres on the Mainland to learn from their experience and processes in managing cardiac patients. Mainland experts were also invited to Hong Kong to exchange insights in preparation for developing operational procedures. Hong Kong’s first chest pain centre at QMH commenced operations in November 2024. Following national accreditation standards, the centre has improved the diagnosis process for acute high-risk cardiac patients, including those with acute myocardial infarction, while promoting national chest pain centre certification as an international standard. These standards encompass standardised management, treatment efficiency improvement, and interdepartmental collaboration.
The Chief Executive of the HA, Dr Tony Ko, said, “QMH’s successful accreditation according to national standards validates its professional expertise in acute cardiac care and strengthens the HA’s ongoing commitment to enhancing cardiac services in public hospitals. The HA maintains a patient-centred approach, continuously improving healthcare service quality through multidisciplinary collaboration, streamlined treatment processes, and innovative technology adoption.”
Dr Ko added that QMH Chest Pain Centre’s successful experience will serve as an important reference for developing similar services across other HA clusters. The HA will continue to invest resources to enhance service efficiency and quality, providing better healthcare services for the public.
The China Chest Pain Centre Accreditation Committee recently sent experts, including the Chairman of the China Chest Pain Centre Expert Committee, Professor Huo Yong, and the Chairman of the China Chest Pain Centre Executive Expert Committee, Professor Xiang Dingchen, to conduct an on-site evaluation at QMH. The experts affirmed QMH Chest Pain Centre’s appropriate timing control for patient examinations and treatments, standardised and efficient overall processes, and reasonable patient care pathways, reflecting that the centre meets all certification requirements for proper handling of acute cardiac patients.
The Hospital Chief Executive of QMH, Dr Theresa Li, thanked the Mainland expert team and the Health Bureau for their support in establishing Hong Kong’s first chest pain centre and obtaining national accreditation. Dr Li said, “Every step in the treatment process is interconnected and affects patient outcomes. The accreditation standards strictly regulate each component, requiring close cooperation between different departments to ensure smooth implementation. With the completion of QMH’s new building, both hardware and software capabilities have been enhanced, which we believe will help patients secure golden treatment time and improve survival rates and post-operative recovery.”
Dr Li also expressed gratitude to the various hospital teams for their efforts in establishing and achieving accreditation for the Chest Pain Centre.
The HA will continue to optimise services and, drawing from QMH’s experience, establish a second chest pain centre at Prince of Wales Hospital according to national accreditation standards. The goal is to build a chest pain treatment network in Hong Kong to improve diagnostic efficiency, enhance treatment effectiveness, and increase patient survival rates. Issued at HKT 16:00
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:
The Hospital Authority (HA) Convention 2025 begins today for three consecutive days (May 26 to 28) at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, in both in-person and online formats. This marks the first time the convention has been extended to three days, making it the HA’s largest-scale event to date. Approximately 190 overseas, Mainland and local distinguished speakers will exchange expertise on various healthcare topics with over 8,000 participating healthcare professionals and academics, achieving record-high participation levels.
The HA Convention this year is focusing on the HA’s core values, namely People-centred Care, Professional Service, Committed Staff and Teamwork. Topics include healthcare development, smart hospitals, artificial intelligence, organ transplantation, cancer management, and innovation technology in support of staff training. The HA convention aims to promote the sharing of knowledge and experience on clinical advances and approaches to modern healthcare service, and facilitate exploration and discussion of contemporary concepts among healthcare professionals and stakeholders.
The convention was officially opened this morning by Vice-Minister of the National Health Commission of the People’s Republic of China Professor Cao Xuetao; the Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Chan Kwok-ki; the Secretary for Health, Professor Lo Chung-mau; the HA Chairman, Mr Henry Fan; and the HA Chief Executive, Dr Tony Ko.
In his address, Mr Chan said that the HA has been continuously reforming and enhancing service efficiency and quality through its professional team and robust management system. Notably, the Institute for Medical Advancement and Clinical Excellence (IMACE), which brings together different areas of expertise from Hong Kong’s healthcare sector, was formally established this May.
“The HA will be very much involved in the IMACE’s research work, collaborating with other major public and private healthcare institutions to collect data and cases for detailed deliberations on clinical practices in the screening, diagnosis, treatment and management of various diseases, evaluating the efficacy of various medical options, and devising clinical guidelines and standards for healthcare professionals. This collective effort aims to enhance Hong Kong’s healthcare service standards for the benefit of patients throughout Hong Kong.”
In his welcome address, Mr Fan said that 2025 marks the commencement of an era of reformation at the HA. A key initiative is supporting the Government’s public healthcare fees and charges reform aimed at rationalising public hospital services, reducing wastage and misuse, and enhancing support for patients with financial difficulties.
Mr Fan said, “2025 is a crucial year for the HA’s reform initiatives. Facing challenges such as an ageing population, an increase of chronic diseases, and rising medical costs, the HA needs to undergo fundamental reforms to meet public needs, enhance service efficiency, and maintain the sustainability of the public healthcare system while building a public healthcare system that meets the needs of the community that enhances the well-being of citizens.”
Additionally, the HA established the Review Committee on the Management of the Public Hospital System last year, proposing 31 recommendations to strengthen governance, enhance accountability, and foster a culture of safety. Building on this foundation, in order to advance reform, the HA further established a high-level Governance and Structure Reform Committee (Reform Committee) last year to provide strategic guidance, oversight, and reform advice to promote the sustainable development of healthcare services.
Mr Fan continued, “Among the many topics that the Reform Committee will be looking into, remuneration structure, financial management and clinical management are particularly crucial. This includes introducing the concept of ‘more contribution, more gain’, with remuneration commensurate with performance and contributions to provide motivation for colleagues, reviewing the financial management system to achieve cost savings, and utilising modern technology to optimise clinical outcomes.”
Delivering his keynote address at the opening ceremony, “Advancing Sustainable Excellence”, Dr Ko reviewed the HA’s 35 years of experience and shared his vision for a sustainable, patient-centred public healthcare system.
“With a rapidly ageing population, swift medical technological advancements, and unpredictable threats of global pandemics, we must remain proactive in driving bold reforms. Digital transformation is central to our strategy in addressing rising healthcare demands. The HA is committed to enhancing digital innovation, integrating big data and artificial intelligence (AI) technologies to improve service efficiency and performance while enhancing both patient and healthcare staff experiences,” Dr Ko said. He said that the HA Go mobile application continues to stand as a transformative patient empowerment platform, significantly improving patient experience through technology. “HA Go now has over 3.1 million registered users, empowers patients with easy access to self care and direct interaction with healthcare services. HA Go streamlines the patient journey through offering seamless features such as outpatient appointment management, registration, payments, digital queuing updates, all accessible within a few clicks. The platform also provides patients with options for medication delivery services, which embodies our patient-centred service mission”, Dr Ko said.
He emphasised, “While technology advances, staff remain the irreplaceable core of quality healthcare services. We are committed to providing our staff members with opportunities for personal growth and professional development. The HA sponsored more than 2,600 staff members to participate in training programmes in various places in 2024/25. Through immersive exchange and training initiatives, our healthcare professionals have gained valuable exposure to diverse clinical practices and perspectives. Such experiences foster mutual learning and encourage broader horizons for all staff.”
In addition to retaining and cultivating existing personnel, Dr Ko said that it is equally important to reach out to new talent from outside. The HA actively recruits non-locally trained doctors and nurses. As of mid-March this year, nearly 300 non-locally trained doctors have joined the HA team, nearly double in comparison to last year. Following the Nurses Registration (Amendment) Ordinance 2024, more than 100 non-locally trained nursing candidates have also been employed, further reinforcing Hong Kong’s clinical capabilities. Over 240 individuals have taken part in expanded clinical exchange programmes, while more than 100 Chinese Medicine practitioners in the HA received training from Mainland experts.
Dr Ko stressed that the HA must highlight the deep collaboration with counterparts in the Mainland, which is vital to the growth and evolution of the local healthcare landscape. A key area of collaboration is enhancing services for major diseases such as cardiac illnesses and strokes. To drive integrated and high-quality care, the HA is establishing chest pain centres and national stroke centres, harmonising treatment protocols and elevating outcomes through national accreditation. The first chest pain centre in Hong Kong at Queen Mary Hospital has been established according to national accreditation standards, further optimising treatment options for cardiovascular patients.
“In line with the Chief Executive’s policy direction to enhance Hong Kong’s healthcare standards, the first batch of public hospitals, including Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital and Prince of Wales Hospital, have been awarded accreditation status under the China’s International Hospital Accreditation Standards (2021 Version). To ensure consistent quality improvement across hospitals throughout the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, three additional acute hospitals will embark on their accreditation journey in 2025-26, further strengthening their international presence and raising the quality and safety of healthcare services.”
In conclusion, Dr Ko said, “We are living in an era of profound transformation. Let us uphold the spirit that ‘reform is an ongoing journey’, embrace technological innovation, sustain healthcare excellence, optimise resource allocation, and enhance service efficiency and quality to swiftly respond to the community’s evolving needs.” He expressed confidence that with the determination of all members of the HA and the support from the community and partners, the HA will collectively shape a brighter, more sustainable future for in public healthcare.
The Highland Council is now accepting expressions of interest for the Regeneration Capital Grant Fund for 2026-27.
The Fund supports locally developed place-based regeneration projects that involve local communities, helping to tackle inequalities and deliver inclusive growth in deprived, and fragile communities across Scotland.
The Regeneration Capital Grant Fund (RCGF) is delivered in partnership with the Scottish Government and COSLA. This year, for the first time, RCGF will streamline the funding previously delivered through the Vacant and Derelict Investment Programme (VDLIP) and the Regeneration Capital Grant Fund (RCGF) into one dedicated fund.
Chair of the Economy and Infrastructure Committee, Councillor Ken Gowans said: “The Highland Council has been successful in securing Regeneration Capital Grant Fund grants from the Scottish Government since it was established in 2014. The fund is an incredibly competitive challenge fund. We can only submit applications for projects that are suitably well developed and can demonstrate that they will start in 2026-27.
“Due to the tight timescale I would encourage any organisations or groups with eligible projects to act now and submit an expression of interest form to our CRF Team by the deadline of 13 June 2025.”
Since the grant fund opened in 2014, 19 projects from The Highland Council region have received funding. Among the most recent projects that have secured grant funding are Knoydart Bunkhouse (£560,000) John O’Groats Mill (£1.5M) and Glenurquhart Hall (£602,500).
Applications must be submitted by The Highland Council. For more information on the application process and the appropriate forms, please email the Community Regeneration Fund Team: RCGF@highland.gov.uk with information on your proposed project. Anyone interested has until 13 June 2025 to submit their online form.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday emphasized the transformative growth of India’s railway sector over the past decade, underscoring the expansion of metro services and the introduction of semi-high-speed trains like the Vande Bharat Express.
Addressing a public event in Dahod, PM Modi announced the launch of a new Vande Bharat Express connecting Ahmedabad to Veraval, further strengthening connectivity in the state. He noted that Vande Bharat trains now run on nearly 70 routes across India, reflecting the country’s rapid strides in modern transport infrastructure.
“The progress of India’s railways is directly linked to our technological advancements. Today, coaches and locomotives are manufactured domestically, reducing our dependence on imports,” the Prime Minister said.
PM Modi stated that India has emerged as a global exporter of railway equipment, exporting metro coaches to Australia and train coaches to England, Saudi Arabia, and France. He also added that Mexico, Spain, Germany, and Italy are among the countries importing railway-related components from India.
“Passenger coaches made in India are being used in Mozambique and Sri Lanka. Our locomotives are now reaching multiple countries, a testament to the growing strength of the ‘Make in India’ initiative,” he said.
The Prime Minister said that a strong railway network not only enhances passenger convenience but also accelerates industrial and agricultural growth. Highlighting Gujarat’s development, he said that several parts of the state, which earlier had only narrow-gauge and slow-moving trains, have now been brought into the mainstream with expanded connectivity.
PM Modi announced the inauguration of new railway routes, including a key express service between Dahod and Valsad, which he said would greatly benefit the tribal regions of the state.
Focusing on local development, the Prime Minister said the newly set-up rail factory in Dahod will manufacture 9,000-horsepower locomotives, some of the most powerful engines in India. He informed that each locomotive produced will carry the name ‘Dahod’, turning the city into a key manufacturing hub.
“Hundreds of locomotives will be built here in the coming years, creating large-scale employment opportunities for local youth,” he said.
He added that this development would also boost small-scale industries and MSMEs that supply railway components, paving the way for economic growth in surrounding regions.
“This transformation will benefit not just factory workers but also farmers, livestock owners, shopkeepers, and laborers, ensuring inclusive economic progress,” the Prime Minister added.
The Perth and Kinross Tourism Strategy and Action Plan 2025-2030, developed by the Perthshire Tourism Partnership, sets out a bold vision for the future of tourism in the region.
The strategy focuses on four key areas: area promotion and destination marketing, investment and infrastructure, market development and internationalisation, and industry growth and resilience. Together, these priorities aim to increase visitor numbers, attract inward investment, develop new tourism products and experiences, and support local businesses to grow and thrive.
With a strong emphasis on recovery following the COVID-19 pandemic, the plan outlines a clear path towards sustainable growth in the tourism sector, ensuring it continues to play a vital role in the economic and cultural life of Perth and Kinross.
Tourism monitoring data for 2023 revealed that the region welcomed 2.3 million visitors, generating £703 million in direct and indirect economic activity. The total economic impact for local businesses and communities was £641 million, supporting approximately 8,200 full-time equivalent jobs. Compared to 2022, this represents an 8.8% increase in economic impact, a 15.4% rise in visitor numbers, and a 1.5% increase in total visitor days and nights.
The strategy also explores other funding opportunities to support future investment in tourism infrastructure and services.
Councillor Eric Drysdale, Convener of Perth and Kinross Council’s Economy and Infrastructure Committee, said: “The Perth and Kinross Tourism Strategy and Action Plan 2025-2030 is an important blueprint for our region’s economic prosperity.
“By focusing on sustainable growth, we are not only enhancing our local economy but also ensuring that Perth and Kinross remains a vibrant and attractive destination for visitors.
“This strategy will help everyone involved in tourism in Perth and Kinross navigate the challenges ahead and seize new opportunities, ultimately benefiting our communities and businesses alike.”
The Perthshire Tourism Partnership, established in 2005, brings together tourism businesses, local associations, collaborative groups, and public sector agencies, including Perth and Kinross Council. The partnership plays a key role in shaping strategic direction and fostering collaboration across the tourism sector.
David Smythe, Chairman of the Perthshire Tourism Partnership, said: “I thank Perthshire Tourism Partnership members and the tourism industry leaders who all contributed to shaping the new Tourism Strategy, which sets a clear path forward for this economically vital sector in Perth and Kinross.
“Getting the tourism balance right through sustainable growth and focusing on the key themes is important to help keep our communities vibrant as they embrace the opportunities visitors bring to our lovely part of Scotland.”
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments 2
Press release
Bluetongue virus restricted zone to be extended to all of England on 1 July 2025
The bluetongue virus (BTV) restricted zone is being extended to cover the whole of England, ending movement restrictions for animals.
The Bluetongue Virus restricted zone will be extended from 1 July 2025 to cover the whole of England, ending movement restrictions for animals and allowing farmers to move cattle, sheep, all ruminants, camelids, throughout England without movement tests.
Bluetongue virus (BTV-3) is primarily transmitted by midge bites and affects cattle, goats, sheep, goats, deer and camelids such as llamas and alpacas. The impacts on susceptible animals can vary greatly – but in most cases seen since September 2024 clinical signs have been mild and animals have recovered.
The decision to extend the zone follows consultation between industry and scientists recognising that the area of England where disease has been found is now too large for movement restrictions to remain an effective and proportionate way of controlling the disease.
Many areas of England are now affected by BTV and safe and effective vaccines are available. Bluetongue serotype 3 (BTV-3) vaccines are now available and farmers are strongly encouraged to discuss their use with their private vet as vaccination is the most effective way to protect livestock from bluetongue.
This new approach is in alignment with the approach taken throughout the EU. This will also allow a renewed focus on resources on higher priority disease risks, which now presents a greater risk to industry, such as Foot and Mouth Disease and African Swine Fever.
UK Chief Veterinary Officer Christine Middlemiss said:
Through movement controls we have slowed the westerly spread of bluetongue until vaccines are available. We are now moving away from government imposed movement controls which are costly and disruptive to farming particularly those within the zones. An all-England restriction zone will allow livestock farmers currently impacted by burdensome restrictions to be on equal footing with rest of England.
We encourage all farmers and keepers to discuss the use of BTV-3 vaccines to protect their herds and flocks with their private vet as this is the most effective way of protecting susceptible species.
I urge all livestock keepers to report suspect disease. It is especially important to remember that foot and mouth disease and bluetongue can have similar clinical presentation.
BTV is a notifiable disease. Farmers should continue to monitor their animals frequently for clinical signs and report suspicion of disease immediately, they should also make sure their animals and land are registered with APHA so keepers can be kept informed and animals easily located
Suspicion of BTV in animals in England must be reported to the Animal and Plant Health Agency on 03000 200 301.
In Wales, suspected disease should be reported to the Animal and Plant Health Agency on 03003 038 268.
In Scotland, you should contact your local Field Services Office if you suspect bluetongue. In Northern Ireland please report to the DAERA Helpline on 0300 200 7840 or by contacting the local DAERA Direct Veterinary Office.
Restrictions on the freezing of germinal products within the restricted zone will remain
Home » Latest News » Managing Director takes the helm at Stour Environmental Credits Ltd
Stour Environmental Credits Ltd (SEC) has appointed Mariam Bajulaiye as its first Managing Director, as the Joint Venture company created by Ashford Borough Council and Canterbury City Council prepares to start trading in nutrient mitigation credits.
Mariam has joined Ashford-based SEC from her role as Principal Consultant at Resource Futures, where she managed a team of technical consultants to support UK councils on the implementation of new waste management policies, such as net zero strategies.
A Fellow of the Chartered Institution of Wastes Management, Mariam has more than 17 years’ experience of delivering waste and resource efficiency projects for the private sector, government agencies, local authorities, housing associations and social enterprises.
Expressing her “delight” at joining Stour Environmental Credits, Mariam said: “We look forward to working with mitigation providers and housing developers to enable thousands of much-needed new homes to be delivered across the River Stour catchment area.
“Stour Environmental Credits is a not-for-profit company, whose aim is to buy the benefit of a range of nutrient mitigation to sell on as credits to developers, to unlock the development of homes delayed due to concerns over the water quality in the Stour and at the Stodmarsh nature reserve downstream near Canterbury.
“I’m working at pace with the SEC Board to finalise our action plan and we look forward to announcing more details of this very soon via our website.”
SEC is gearing up to start trading in credits later this year. It went out to soft market testing in January and February 2025 to gauge the range of potential credit generating opportunities that are being developed by individuals and organisations. As a result, SEC is in discussions with the potential providers of land-use change based credits.
Following the considerable interest shown by companies looking to provide septic tank upgrades, SEC has advised them that we are moving into an open market tender. As the company is publicly owned, it is obliged to follow public procurement regulations.
SEC is liaising with potential mitigation providers on the technical and legal information required to be able to secure mitigation for credit provision, to satisfy Natural England, the Environment Agency, the local planning authorities and SEC itself, of the efficacy and longevity of the credits.
This will enable housing developers to have full confidence in the temporary and permanent credits provided for sale by the company.
SEC’s website is being developed to enable organisations to register their interest in nutrient neutrality mitigation online.
It is anticipated that a range of credits will become available later in 2025. We are working in collaboration with the local planning teams at Ashford Borough Council and Canterbury City Council on our timeline to market initial credits and the pipeline of credits that will be coming online. The plan is to make credits available in tranches.
If you have any specific queries please email admin@stourenvironmentalcredits.co.uk.
Finding solutions to the ‘Stodmarsh problem’
In July 2020, Natural England issued advice requiring new housing development in the River Stour catchment to demonstrate nutrient neutrality.
This followed concerns that high levels of phosphates and nitrates in the water were having harmful impacts on the Stodmarsh nature reserve further downstream.
The impact during the past five years has meant that councils, primarily in Ashford and Canterbury, and developers have not been able to build new homes within the River Stour catchment, which is having a negative impact on the Local Plan and new housing provision in the two districts.
SEC is tapping into some of the £9.8m of the Local Nutrient Mitigation Funding awarded to the catchment by Government. This funding is controlled by Kent County Council.
At the time SEC was founded, a report to Ashford Borough Council’s Cabinet warned: “Protecting the natural environment in our rivers remains a priority, however the nutrient neutrality constraints that have been placed on the council present a huge barrier to growth and our ability to address some of the wider social and economic challenges.
“A solution needs to be found swiftly that meets the local requirements without creating further uncertainty.”
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
News story
Over 30 arrests made in Northern Ireland people smuggler crackdown
33 illegal entrants and suspected people smugglers arrested as part of Home Office operation tackling abuse of the Common Travel Area.
The operation comes as part of a renewed crackdown on immigration crime as this government restores order to our borders through the Plan for Change.
A Home Office crackdown against people-smuggling gangs and people exploiting the Common Travel Area (CTA) has led to the arrest of 33 people, and the seizure of £17,000 in suspected criminal assets and the detention of a heavy goods vehicle related to an unpaid Clandestine Entrants Civil Penalty worth £144,000. Officers also issued civil penalties to the value of more than £10,000.
As part of the government’s latest initiative to take down the criminal gangs exploiting UK borders, Home Office Immigration Enforcement teams executed a three-day multi-agency operation tackling abuse of the CTA, descending on ports and airports in Northern Ireland, North West England and Wales.
The operation, the sixth of its kind, saw collaborative working between the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI), An Garda Síochána, the National Crime Agency (NCA), other UK police forces, Border Force and international partners to gather intelligence, trace offenders and take action against UK border breaches.
This operation builds on the success of previous enforcement activity in Northern Ireland by the Criminal and Financial Investigations team, part of Home Office Immigration Enforcement.
Since July 2024 over 60 arrests have been made and over £405,000 of criminal cash seized in the crackdown on abuse of the CTA, protecting migrants at risk of exploitation and disrupting criminality that threatens the public’s safety.
This latest success comes alongside the announcement that nearly 30,000 people with no right to be here have been returned under this government, including a 23% increase in enforced returns and a 14% increase in foreign criminals deported since the election.
It also follows a series of measures introduced by this government to tackle organised immigration crime under the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill, which will enable smarter, faster and more effective interventions to protect UK border security; and make it easier to detect, disrupt and deter those seeking to engage in and benefit from organised immigration crime.
Minister for Border Security and Asylum, Dame Angela Eagle said:
This government is using every tool at its disposal to take down the criminal gangs who exploit vulnerable people in order to make quick cash. We are breaking down the criminal networks at their root with enforcement visits and arrests up by 38%.
The government’s Plan for Change will ensure that criminal networks who abuse our borders face the full force of the law, which is exactly why we have introduced the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill giving law enforcement new counter-terror style powers to smash the people-smuggling gangs.
Alongside robust legislation at the heart of this mission, the Border Security Command is coordinating our efforts to reduce irregular migration by working alongside our international partners to restore order to our borders.
Home Office Immigration Enforcement Deputy Director Ben Thomas said:
Our team alongside law enforcement agencies are dedicated to breaking down the business model of criminal gangs who put lives at risk every day, the strength of our partnership and success of this operation serves as evidence.
Criminal networks seek to bypass robust border checks through fraudulent means and trap vulnerable people into further illegal activities.
The success of this operation marks a significant step up in enforcement activity leading to the arrest of 33 criminals who attempted to abuse the Common Travel Area and undermine the UK’s border security.
I would like to thank my team and partners across the country for their around the clock dedication to root out the criminal gangs and bring them to justice, protecting those they exploit and the citizens of the UK.
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
Press release
Moth X Human by Ellie Wilson inspired by Wiltshire nature reserve
Data from Parsonage Down National Nature Reserve is used by composer violinist Ellie Wilson for her Moth X Human performances at Bradford and Southbank Centre.
Moth X Human by Ellie Wilson will be played at Bradford City of Culture 2025 and the Southbank Centre with imagery created by Northern School of Art students.
Moths are rather unassuming creatures, often playing second fiddle to their insect cousins, butterflies. But in a new work being premiered next month, they are far from that. In fact they have been instrumental in creating the immersive soundworld that forms the basis of composer Ellie Wilson’s piece.
“Moth X Human” is an instrumental piece, based on moth activity data collected last summer, much of it from Natural England’s Parsonage Down National Nature Reserve near Salisbury.
The piece will have its first airing in Bradford during the UK City of Culture celebrations on 7 June and then will also be played at the Southbank Centre in London on 5 July, as part of a New Music Biennial.
Classically trained Ellie said the idea to use insect activity to create music that explores declining biodiversity came to her at breakfast one morning and from there she was introduced to the UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology which had created a system with high-resolution cameras to capture images of moths and record their species.
The numbers of moths visiting Parsonage Down National Nature Reserve by Salisbury were used to create this instrumental. Image by Northern School of Arts.
Ellie chose two lots of data on which to base her composition. One was from Parsonage Down, where over the course of four hours, 80 different moth species were recorded on 1 August, including elephant hawk, burnished brass, water veneer and ruby tiger moths. The second was from monoculture farmland, where pesticides have been used and on the same night. Just 19 different species were recorded.
The species were each given a unique sound or note to create the 12-minute long piece that is played alongside live musicians.
Ellie said:
At some points the moths create short melodic fragments and these can be heard later in the piece as repeating motifs in the cello and piano.
By contrast, the end of the piece uses data from a poor habitat, audibly demonstrating declining biodiversity due to human interference.
Natural England’s senior reserve manager for National Nature Reserves in Wiltshire, Stuart Hales, said:
National Nature Reserves are our most important places for nature, so it’s exciting to see Parsonage Down providing inspiration for the arts, in addition to being crucial for conservation.
We hope that this fabulous project helps connect people with nature through the power of music to bring it to a whole new audience.
Students from the Northern School of Art have created more than 100 moth designs, which are being animated to complement the music during the performances.
Be sure to catch the premiere of Moth x Human as part of New Music Biennial 2025 – a festival presented in partnership by PRS Foundation, Southbank Centre, and Bradford 2025 UK City of Culture. Free tickets available now for Bradford (6 to 8 June) and Southbank Centre (4 to 6 July).
OCM is a unique producer and charity that works to develop and present the highest quality and most innovative new music and sound-based live events, to engage diverse local and national audiences with our work, and to deepen understanding and appreciation of musical cultures from within the UK and worldwide. OCM’s raison d’être is to bring music, artists and audiences together in ways that encourage and create memorable and meaningful experiences for all. See OCM.
PRS Foundation and Southbank Centre’s New Music Biennial is a critically acclaimed free festival of new music, presenting a unique snapshot of contemporary music in the UK today. 20 pieces of new music will be performed across two festival weekends at Bradford 2025 UK City of Culture (6 to 8 June 2025) and London’s Southbank Centre (4 to 6 July 2025), broadcast on BBC Radio 3 and available for download from NMC Recordings. You can find out about all 20 New Music Biennial commissioning organisations and composers at New Music Biennial. PRS Foundation’s New Music Biennial is generously supported by Southbank Centre, Bradford 2025 UK City of Culture, BBC Radio 3, Arts Council England and NMC Recordings. You can find out more at PRS Foundation. Moth X Human will be presented in Bradford and London, in collaboration with Bradford 2025 UK City of Culture, London’s Southbank Centre and PRS Foundation’s New Music Biennial.
UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (UKCEH) is a leading independent research institute dedicated to understanding and transforming how we interact with the natural world. With over 600 researchers, we tackle the urgent environmental challenges of our time, such as climate change, pollution, and biodiversity loss. See CEH.
The Northern School of Art is a specialist art and design school based in North East England. The higher-education campus in Hartlepool, Durham, delivers a wide range of Art, Design and performance-based degrees across undergraduate and postgraduate study. The School, established 150 Years ago, and is rated TEF Gold. The School is also well-known for its further education campus, providing a range of diplomas, A-level and Foundation study across the art, design and performance disciplines, rated Ofsted Outstanding. Find more information at Northern Art.
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
Press release
Next phase of Hull water project brings boost to wildlife
The next phase of Hull’s Dynamic Drains project gets underway – helping to transform the city’s urban watercourses.
The new mural created on Northern Powergrid’s electricity sub station
Unloved green spaces have been revamped into a new park as the next phase of an exciting project to transform a city’s urban watercourses gets underway.
Hull’s Dynamic Drains aims to improve the city’s urban watercourses, boost wildlife habitats and encourage people to connect with their natural environment.
The latest developments along Holderness Drain in the east of the city includes a new park between Portobello Street and St John’s Grove, a new piece of striking wildlife artwork co-designed by local children that has transformed Northern Powergrid’s electricity substation, and easier access to fishing.
The city’s wildlife and history trail has also been expanded, with wildlife mascots Wendy the water vole and Percy the perch taking walkers from East Carr Road all the way to King George Dock and the Humber Estuary.
Along the way people can find out more about the local history at each of the 12 bridges crossing the drain and spot some wildlife native to the location.
Hull’s Dynamic Drains is a partnership project with the Environment Agency, Groundwork Yorkshire, Yorkshire Wildlife Trust and Hull City Council.
The £500,000 pilot phase of the project to bring improvements along Beverley and Barmston Drain was completed last year.
Encouraging people to connect with nature
The Environment Agency’s Dan Jagucki said:
We’re delighted to have rolled out the exciting Hull’s Dynamic Drains project to Holderness Drain.
This partnership work has already created new green spaces to enjoy and is encouraging people to connect with nature in what is a largely urban environment.
Bringing together a local artist with local children – supported by Northern Powergrid – and transforming an old building into a new striking mural has really helped to bring the project to life for the community.
Pupils from Archbishop Sentanu School with the mural they helped to design. Credit: Katie Cawthorne.
So far the £235,000 project, largely funded by the Environment Agency, has included:
A new piece of public artwork at Preston Road created by artist Mike Sprout. With permission and support from Northern Powergrid, the walls of a previously dull electricity substation have been transformed into a wildlife themed mural. With support from Mike and Yorkshire Wildlife Trust, the mural was co-designed by children from Archbishop Sentanu School, Woodlands Primary School and The Hut Youth Centre (Child Dynamix), with some children even helping with the painting.
The expansion of the city’s history and wildlife trail, which was originally created during the Beverley and Barmston Drain pilot project. The new trail takes people from East Carr Road to King George Dock and the Humber Estuary. The wildlife mascots Wendy the water vole and Percy and perch tell people about the history and wildlife of the area.
Designed and delivered by Groundwork Yorkshire a new linear park has been created between St John’s Grove and Portobello Street. A winding footpath leads people through an avenue of trees including apples, pears and plums to pick, with stone seats for people to use. Four new bins have also been provided by Hull City Council along the path to help reduce littering.
Access for fishing on the drain has been made easier and safer with the installation of two flights of fishing steps in the new park, soon to be complemented by two new fishing platforms on the opposite bank at Flinton Grove.
One of the new signs as part of the history and wildlife trail. Credit: Groundwork Yorkshire.
Project shows ‘nature finds a way to thrive’
Yorkshire Wildlife Trust’s David Craven said:
It’s easy to assume the drains through a major city are brown and lifeless, but this project shows that nature finds a way to thrive.
We hope the ongoing success of Dynamic Drains encourages everyone from school children to commuters to stop and look around them at the wildlife in their community.
The introduction of fruit trees and public art only further the strong sense of community that is being brought together.
Peter Murphy, Operations Director for Groundwork Yorkshire, added:
Working on Hull’s Dynamic Drains programme has been so rewarding, bringing a multi-disciplinary team together to deliver community engagement, landscape design and contract management, resulting in meaningful improvements to the land along these important blue-green corridors.
Future plans to roll out the project further
Future plans for work on Holderness Drain includes more tree planting along the trail and two new pocket parks at Saltshouse Road and Maybury Road.
Hull’s Dynamic Drains also has plans to continue working across the city on its other urban waterways.
Councillor Charles Quinn, portfolio holder for Environment at Hull City Council, said:
Hull’s Dynamic Drains is a very important and exciting local environmental project. As a port city on the Humber estuary, water has always defined Hull’s identity.
Residents have told us how much they appreciate the transformation of the drain bank. It has made a significant improvement to people’s safety, especially the children going to and from Archbishop Sentamu Academy.
Plus, it has improved people’s access to local nature, improved leisure opportunities like fishing, and boosted general fitness with improved accessibility for walking and cycling.
Cathryn Harper, Customer Service Manager for Northern Powergrid, said:
This is the second time we’ve supported the Dynamic Drains team with local projects.
After being part of a successful project to restore a section of Beverley and Barmston drain near our Clough Road depot, it was a yes when they approached us about decorating the Preston Road substation.
Local residents were just as enthusiastic when we went out to check they were happy with the initial designs, but I think it’s fair to say the stunning end result has surpassed everyone’s expectations!
A photograph by Patrick Chilaisha, which will be on display in Lusaka next month
Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) is playing a role in establishing Zambia’s first-ever international photographic festival, which aims to give a platform to African photography within the continent.
The first Bakashimika International Photography Festival, taking place in the capital Lusaka between 12-18 June, is currently the only international photography festival in southern Africa.
Bakashimika will showcase bold, innovative work that reflects contemporary African narratives; spotlighting both emerging and established photographers from Zambia and neighbouring countries.
With 20 exhibitions and more than 40 photographers from Angola, Congo, Zimbabwe, Nigeria and South Africa, as well as Zambia, the festival will celebrate photography as a powerful tool for storytelling, cultural expression, and connection.
Bakashimika is being supported through Anglia Ruskin University’s QR impact planning funding, recognising the festival’s potential to shift the creative and cultural landscape in the region.
Dr Kerstin Hacker from Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) has been researching visual self-governance in Zambia since 2008 and has collaborated with Geoffrey Phiri, former Chairperson of the Zambian National Visual Arts Council, to organise exhibitions and workshops for emerging photographers in the country since 2016.
“Currently there are no international networking opportunities for photographers and lens-based artists in southern Africa, let alone Zambia itself. This festival is about creating space for southern African stories, promoting south-to-south engagement, achieving global visibility, and nurturing the next generation of African photographers.
“The festival will celebrate indigenous African visual storytelling and spark a new wave of creative talent and visual self-governance in Zambia. Bakashimika also aims to be a meeting place for Zambian, southern African and international photographers, educators and industry experts.”
Dr Hacker, Senior Lecturer in Photography at ARU
Alongside Dr Kerstin Hacker and Geoffrey Phiri, the festival is organised by Edith Chiliboy, the artistic director and a leading voice in Zambia’s photography scene, and Patrick Chilaisha, operational director of Bakashimika, who is shaping the festival’s digital presence.
The week-long celebration of lens-based art begins on 12 June and will include exhibitions, artist talks, workshops, screenings, and portfolio reviews. For further information, visit https://bakashimika.com
On 22 May 2025, the University of Aberdeen hosted the second World Energy Business Schools (WEBS) Conference, reaffirming its commitment to global collaboration on energy and sustainability challenges.
Building on the success of the inaugural event in 2024, this year’s conference – entitled ‘Strengthening Global Ties for a Sustainable Future’ – brought together academics from across Europe and Australia to share research and foster partnerships aimed at advancing the energy transition.
While the first conference laid the groundwork for collaboration between the University of Aberdeen, Curtin University (Australia), and the University of Calgary (Canada), the 2025 event expanded the network, drawing participation from seven universities:
University of Aberdeen, Scotland
University of Dundee, Scotland
Curtin University, Australia
University of Insubria, Italy
University of Southern Denmark
University of Groningen, Netherlands
University of Stavanger, Norway
This broader engagement marks a significant step in the evolution of the WEBS initiative, reinforcing its potential as a platform for international cooperation in research and education on energy and sustainability.
Although held primarily online, the event also welcomed in-person attendees at the Sir Duncan Rice Library in Aberdeen, with School Director of Research, Professor Keith Bender, serving as host. The one-day conference featured a full schedule of presentations grouped around four key thematic areas:
Sustainable Workers and Firms
Public and Private Environmental Policy
Energy Transitions
Finance and Policy in Sustainable and Circular Economies
Presentations addressed diverse topics, ranging from workforce sustainability and peer effects in low-carbon housing adoption, to friend-shoring, circular economy challenges and financial risks in the context of climate change. A highlight of the day included cross-national insights into renewable energy governance, corporate sustainability, and collaborative consumption strategies in business-to-business networks.
The WEBS 2025 Conference underscored the value of sustained dialogue among business schools in energy-active regions. As global energy systems evolve, the WEBS network provides a forum for collaborative research, joint funding bids and PhD training opportunities.
With two successful conferences now completed, the WEBS initiative is poised to become a leading academic network driving forward interdisciplinary insights and policy-relevant research on the future of energy.
The Business School at the University of Aberdeen looks forward to continuing this important collaboration in the years ahead. Academics, researchers, and graduate students interested in energy, sustainability, and global collaboration are encouraged to engage with the WEBS network.
Whether through joint research projects, future conference participation, or knowledge exchange, WEBS offers a growing platform for impactful interdisciplinary work. For further information or to express interest in future events, please contact the Business School at bs-research@abdn.ac.uk.
Water Taxi CI secures sea link subsidy between Jersey & Alderney for 2025
Water Taxi CI Operating under Go-Sail.je will operate a subsidised passenger sea link service between Jersey and Alderney for the summer season following the outcome of a tender process which commenced at the start of 2025.
The Economic Development Committee has confirmed that the company will operate four rotations per week on Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday (one rotation per day) from the 26th May to 29th September inclusive.
“We are delighted that the tender process for the Jersey – Alderney route has proved to be competitive and that we were able to identify a provider to operate this largely unexploited route. We envisage that the service will complement our island’s offering,support our hospitality sectorand strengthen our transport links, and we look forward to assessing the value of this new route to our island, both socially and economically.”said Stuart Clark, Chair of The Economic Development Committee.
The service will be monitored during the season to assess demand for the route with a view to continuing the service in 2026.
Funding has been committed by the States to reduce the price per ticket in the opening weeks of service, fares will be £78 one way for May and June for all customers. A fare of £93 one-way for adults and £82 one-way per child up to 15 years of age inclusive will be applicable for July, August and September.
Max Boleat, Founder of Water Taxi CI is quoted as saying:
“We are delighted to have been selected to operate this new inter-island link. We have been operating the route on a private charter basis for a number of years and have a well-established customer base that will be excited to continue using the service, along with a wealth of interest from tourists for weekend breaks. Our new vessel “Atlantic Isle” accommodates 12 passengers in comfortable forward-facing seating and has been specifically chosen to support this new inter-island link. We look forward to sharing our new vessel with everyone & undertaking berthing trials in Alderney this week and getting the service underway. We would also like to take the opportunity to invite any local Alderney businesses that will benefit from the new passenger link to engage with our management team to explore opportunities for driving tourism towards Alderney from Jersey.”
Bill Sadler, Jersey Harbour Master said:
“We welcome the introduction of this new direct route between Jersey and Alderney, which represents a positive step forward in strengthening inter-island connectivity. Supporting safe and efficient maritime links is a core part of our role, and we look forward to working with Max and his team to ensure a smooth and successful launch of the service. This new connection will not only benefit residents and visitors, but also contribute to the broader economic and social ties between our islands.”
