Released by: Minister for Better Regulation and Fair Trading
Used-car buyers are being urged to check a vehicle’s history before purchase after NSW Fair Trading issued 28 fines in a month and a man was sentenced to a nine-month intensive corrections order for unlicensed motor dealing and odometer tampering.
During the crackdown, NSW Fair Trading issued 54 penalty notices in relation to car sales and repairs valued at more than $100,000. While more than half were for odometer interference, other offences included the non-supply of goods and services, and unlicensed vehicles and sales.
Additionally, Andrew Rodney Leech pled guilty to operating without a motor dealer’s licence and odometer tampering. Between 2020 and 2022 Leech sold 16 vehicles while unlicensed, online with one car having an odometer that had been wound back by more than 200,000 kilometres.
Buyers of used vehicles are being urged to research the car’s history to ensure it has no outstanding finance, has not been written off in a crash, and has accurate odometer readings.
The NSW Government offers a free vehicle registration check where prospective buyers have access to a NSW-registered vehicle’s previous three annual odometer readings, as well as basic details like vehicle make, registration and insurance history.
Across the motor vehicle industry in 2024, NSW Fair Trading took disciplinary action against 21 licensed motor vehicle dealers and repairers, resulting in 10 licence cancellations, 13 disqualifications including three permanent, and one suspension.
For more information on consumer protections relating to purchasing a used vehicle visit the NSW Fair Trading website.
To check registration, including odometer reading visit the website of Service NSW or the Service NSW App.
Quotes to be attributed to Minister for Better Regulation and Fair Trading Anoulack Chanthivong:
“Odometer tampering is used by unscrupulous sellers to increase the value of a vehicle leaving the buyer with a vehicle which is not in the condition advertised, and likely to require repairs at cost and inconvenience to the buyer.
“Sellers of used cars who reduce the number of kilometres displayed on the vehicle can be fined $1,100 per offence, and if taken to court can receive a penalty of up to $55,000 per offence.
“Any buyer of a used car from any source, whether that be online like Facebook Marketplace or through a licenced car dealer, should do their homework including visiting the Service NSW website to run a free history check on the car they wish to purchase.”
Some of the busiest hospitals in Australia have significantly reduced the time people are waiting for treatment to commence in emergency departments.
Liverpool ED – which receives more than 90,000 presentations each year – has halved average time to treatment for triage 2 emergency patients, from 18 minutes to 9 minutes over the past year.
Westmead ED – which receives close to 80,000 presentations each year – has reduced average time to treatment for triage 2 emergency patients by over a third, from 15 minutes to 9 minutes.
Nepean ED – which receives close to 90,000 presentations each year – has seen the percentage of patients transferred from paramedics to ED staff on time increase from 65.1 per cent to 82.2 per cent. This figure also indicates significant a improvement to ambulance access at the hospital.
Triage 2 emergency cases are categorised as people with an imminently life-threatening condition.
People in this category could be suffering from chest pain, difficulty breathing, stroke, or severe fractures.
Meanwhile, Gosford ED – which receives almost 80,000 presentations each year – has seen a reduction in wait times for non-urgent conditions from 86 minutes to 72 minutes.
It follows the Minns Labor Government’s investment of half a billion dollars to relieve pressure on NSW EDs – designed to create more pathways to care outside the hospital, as well as improve patient flow inside the hospital – which includes:
$171.4 million to introduce three additional virtual care services helping 180,000 avoid a trip to the ED;
$100 million to back in our urgent care services to become a mainstay and key instrument of the health system in providing a pathway to care outside of our hospitals for an estimated 114,000 patients;
$70 million to expand ED short stay units to improve patient flow to reduce ED wait times by nearly 80,000 hours;
$15.1 million for an Ambulance Matrix that provides real time hospital data to enable paramedics to transport patients to emergency departments with greater capacity and reducing wait times;
$31.4 million to increase Hospital in the Home across the state allowing over 3,500 additional patients each year to be cared for in their home rather than a hospital bed; and
$53.9 million to improve patient flow and support discharge planning by identified patients early on that are suitable to be discharged home with the appropriate supports in place.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Health Ryan Park:
“I don’t want us to get ahead of ourselves because these figures while encouraging, will fluctuate.
“Our EDs continue to grapple with record pressure and demand, and we mustn’t forget that.
“These reduced wait times are a testament to the hard working health staff in some of the busiest hospitals in one of the busiest health systems in the world.
“I want to remind people who struggle to find a GP, you can ring HealthDirect on 1800 022 222 where you will speak with a registered nurse who can direct you to an urgent care service or clinic.
“It’s free and it could save you waiting unnecessarily in an ED.”
Released by: The Premier, Minister for Planning and Public Spaces
The Minister for Planning and Public Spaces has declared a further 18 housing proposals State Significant Developments (SSDs) following the second round of recommendations from the Housing Delivery Authority.
The new housing proposals, if approved, could deliver more than 8600 much-needed new homes.
At its first two meetings, the authority has declared 29 proposals with more than 15,000 potential homes as state significant.
The Housing Delivery Authority (HDA) has been established by the Minns Labor Government with a strong mandate to speed up assessment timeframes.
This is part of the Minns Labor Government’s plan to build a better NSW with more homes and services, so young people, families and key local workers have somewhere to live and in the communities they choose.
The HDA is now accepting expressions of interest for major residential developments above $60 million in metropolitan areas and $30 million in regional NSW.
To date, the authority has received over 200 expressions of interest since it first invited proposals in January 2025. At its latest meeting, a further 39 proposals were examined.
The authority is prioritising high-quality housing projects with detailed plans that can be submitted within nine months and can begin construction within 12 months of approval.
All proposals declared as an SSD will have their development applications assessed by the Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure.
Without needing to be approved by councils, this can cut approval times and speed up the delivery of new homes.
These complex proposals often require greater resources and planning capabilities and as a result, the projects can get stuck in council planning systems for years.
The HDA offers proponents a new State Significant Development pathway, with the option of concurrent rezoning and assessment.
The SSD applications will be publicly exhibited before they are determined, and the planning department will seek input from councils.
The HDA builds on the Minns Government’s recent reforms to the planning system to speed up the delivery of more homes, including:
The development of the NSW Pattern Book and accelerated planning pathway for those who use the pre-approved patterns.
The largest rezoning in NSW history around transport hubs.
The largest ever investment in the delivery of social and affordable housing in NSW.
$200 million in financial incentives for councils that meet the new expectations for development applications, planning proposals and strategic planning.
$450 million to build new apartments for essential workers including nurses, paramedics, teachers, allied health care workers, police officers and firefighters.
Once a project has been declared SSD, the proponent will be issued Secretary’s Environmental Assessment Requirements (SEAR). Proponents then have nine months to prepare their Environmental Impact Statement or the SEARs will be revoked.
Clear advice and guidance will be provided to all applicants by the department on the next steps to take with their development proposal. This advice includes an alternative planning pathway for major housing projects that may require a concurrent rezoning but do not satisfy the criteria of the HDA pathway.
Recommendations from the HDA are published as required under the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 before the SSD declaration. For more information visit the Housing Delivery Authority webpage.
Premier of New South Wales Chris Minns said:
“We are fast-tracking quality housing proposals to help deliver homes our state desperately needs.
“These major projects could deliver thousands of homes for young people, families and workers.
“The Housing Delivery Authority is a major change that is already making it easier and faster to get started.
“Without our changes to increase housing supply, Sydney risks becoming a city without a future because it’s simply too expensive to put a roof over your head.”
Minister for Planning and Public Spaces Paul Scully said:
“The Minns Labor Government established the HDA to reduce the time it takes for proposals to progress through a planning pathway, and it is pleasing to see the that the first two HDA meetings have delivered quality proposals that will now develop detailed proposals.
“So far, 29 proposals amounting to more than 15,000 potential homes have been declared state significant.
“The quality of proposals recommended to me by the HDA shows that developers are hearing the message, we’re looking for major housing developments that can get out of the ground quickly.”
Source: United States Senator John Kennedy (Louisiana)
Watch Kennedy’s commentshere.
WASHINGTON – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) urged United Kingdom Prime Minister Keir Starmer not to move forward with his plan to hand over the Chagos Islands, including the U.S.-U.K. military base on Diego Garcia, to Mauritius in a speech on the Senate floor. Starmer will travel to Washington this week to meet with President Trump.
Key excerpts of the speech are below:
“Now, there is one other thing you need to know. Mauritius is very close to China. Mauritius has a very lucrative trade agreement with China, and you’ll not be surprised to learn that, after all of this has been developing, China all of a sudden is Mauritius’s best friend. Do you know why? Because if Prime Minister Starmer does this, Mauritius is going to own the base. They are going to own the base.”
. . .
“I don’t care what Prime Minister Starmer promises you. The only reason he is doing this is because he feels guilty because the United Nations has said that the United Kingdom should be ashamed of its history and ashamed that it at one time owned colonies.
“People of the United Kingdom can feel what they want. That is none of my business. But we have got an American military base there, and it is very important to defend the Indian Ocean against China. . . . I am sorry he feels guilty. He needs to go buy an emotional support pony, but he doesn’t need to give away an American military base.”
Background
The U.K. had previously announced on Oct. 3, 2024, that it had reached a deal with Mauritius to cede the sovereignty of the Chagos Islands. This deal between the U.K. and Mauritius would jeopardize the security of a key U.S.-U.K. military base on Deigo Garcia by potentially exposing the island to Chinese espionage efforts, according to a report from the Policy Exchange.
Negotiations between the U.K. and Mauritius followed a years-long pressure campaign from the United Nations to get England out of the Chagos Islands. The Biden administration also reportedly pressured the U.K. to enter the deal with Mauritius before the American and Mauritian elections took place—an idea Prime Minister Keir Starmer initially endorsed.
On Oct. 23, 2024, Kennedy wrote to then-Secretary of State Antony Blinken seeking answers about the Biden administration’s involvement in the deal between the U.K. and Mauritius.
Kennedy also penned this op-ed in Oct. 2024 arguing that the Biden administration owes the American people an explanation for its decision to allow this deal between the U.K. and Mauritius to move forward.
On Jan. 15, 2025, Starmer announced that he wanted President Trump and his administration to weigh in on any deal struck between the U.K. and Mauritius regarding the transfer of the Chagos Islands, including the transfer of the U.S.-U.K. shared military base on the island of Diego Garcia.
Kennedy published this op-ed in Jan. 2025 welcoming the U.K.’s change of heart after Starmer announced that he would include the Trump administration in the ongoing negotiations with Mauritius.
As a congressman, National Security Advisor Mike Waltz has criticized the Oct. 2024 deal, saying, “Should the U.K. cede control of the Chagos to Mauritius, I have no doubt that China will take advantage of the resulting vacuum.”
As a senator, Secretary of State Marco Rubio has similarly condemned the deal and said it “poses a serious threat to our national security interests in the Indian Ocean and threatens critical U.S. military posture in the region.”
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
Press release
Secretary of State for Northern Ireland meets Tánaiste in Dublin
The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Rt Hon Hilary Benn MP met with the Tánaiste, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Trade and Minister for Defence, Simon Harris TD, this evening at Iveagh House, Dublin.
Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Rt Hon Hilary Benn MP and the Tánaiste, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Trade and Minister for Defence, Simon Harris TD.
The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Rt Hon Hilary Benn MP, and the Tánaiste, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Trade and Minister for Defence, Simon Harris TD, met this evening [Wednesday 26 February] at Iveagh House, Dublin.
The discussions marked the first official in-person engagement between the two following the formation of the new Irish Government.
Speaking afterwards, the Secretary of State said:
It was a pleasure to meet with the Tánaiste this evening in Dublin, to congratulate him in person, and wish him well in his new role. The UK’s relationship with Ireland is of great importance and I look forward to continuing to work closely with the Tánaiste, and the whole Irish Government, to further enhance the partnership between our two countries.
We had a warm and productive discussion, focusing on the strength of the bilateral relationship, our shared commitment to the Good Friday Agreement, and the importance of upholding political stability in Northern Ireland. I also outlined the importance of the Northern Ireland Executive’s work to reform and modernise public services, an issue that is so important to people, as I set out in my speech at Ulster University last month.
In addition, the Tánaiste and I discussed progress in discussions between our two governments in seeking an approach to addressing the legacy of the past in Northern Ireland that all communities can have confidence in.
We agreed on the importance of a continuing strong and close relationship between the UK and Irish Governments as we work together on a range of issues. This will be reaffirmed by the first UK-Ireland Summit next month between the Prime Minister and Taoiseach.
Source: United States Senator for Maine Susan Collins
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) introduced the Fair Milk Pricing for Farmers Act. This bipartisan legislation would require manufacturers to report dairy processing costs every 2 years, which would help dairy farmers make sure that their prices accurately reflect the costs of production.
“Maine’s dairy farmers work hard to produce high-quality milk, but they often don’t have clear information on how processing costs affect the prices they receive for their product,” said Senator Collins. “This bipartisan bill would increase transparency across the dairy industry by requiring processors to report the costs of turning raw milk into products like cheese, butter, and yogurt, giving farmers the information they need to advocate for fairer pricing.”
“New York dairy farmers deserve to be paid a fair price for their milk, and they need a milk pricing system that they can count on,” said Senator Gillibrand. “Requiring manufacturers to report dairy processing costs on a biennial basis will give dairy producers, processors, and cooperatives the data they need to ensure that their prices accurately reflect the costs of production. After successfully championing dairy pricing reforms in the last Congress, I look forward to supporting New York’s dairy industry by passing this vital bipartisan bill.”
The Fair Milk Pricing for Farmers Act is endorsed by the International Dairy Foods Association, the National Milk Producers Federation, and Northeast Dairy Farmers Cooperatives.
“Timely authorization for regularly updated cost of processing surveys will provide dairy processors and producers the transparent data to ensure that the Federal Milk Marketing Orders accurately reflect ‘make allowances’ for manufacturing dairy products,” said Michael Dykes, D.V.M., President and CEO of the International Dairy Foods Association. “This is critical to ensuring more accurate milk pricing, supporting continued investment in dairy, fostering innovation to meet consumer preferences, and driving overall demand for milk. IDFA is grateful to Senators Gillibrand and Collins for their leadership to advance this issue on behalf of the entire dairy industry.”
“We thank Senators Kirsten Gillibrand, D-NY, and Susan Collins, R-ME, for once again writing bipartisan legislation to require USDA to conduct mandatory dairy manufacturing cost surveys every two years,” said the National Milk Producers Federation. “Regular studies on the costs of processing raw milk into manufactured dairy products would make future dairy pricing conversations more accurate and based on better information, allowing future adjustments to reflect market conditions. We look forward to working with the bill’s sponsors to enact it into law this year, as soon as possible.”
“The Northeast Dairy Farmers Cooperatives (NDFC), representing dairy farmer families in New York and New England, supports the Fair Milk Pricing for Farmers Act,” said Northeast Dairy Farmers Cooperatives. “We commend Sens. Gillibrand (D-NY) and Collins (R-ME) for their prodigious leadership in introducing this legislation, which will empower the USDA to conduct mandatory, auditable surveys every two years. This will ensure accurate cost data to stabilize dairy programs and support systems.”
Senator Collins has long been a champion for fair market practices in the dairy industry. Senator Collins is an original cosponsor of the DAIRY PRIDE Act, bipartisan legislation that would combat the unfair practice of mislabeling non-dairy products using dairy names by requiring non-dairy products made from nuts, seeds, plants, and algae to no longer be mislabeled with dairy terms such as milk, yogurt, or cheese.
Additionally, Last September, Senator Collins, along with Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), James Risch (R-ID), and Peter Welch (D-VT), sent a letter to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and U.S. Department of Agriculture urging the Departments to carefully consider any changes to the upcoming Dietary Guidelines for Americans that could add plant-based imitation products into the dairy category, despite their nutritional differences.
Source: United States Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont)
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.) today introduced Mr. Harold Howrigan, a Vermont dairy farmer and Board Member of the National Milk Producers Federation, as he testified before the Senate Agriculture Committee. Senator Welch highlighted obstacles facing farmers and producers and asked witnesses about how President Trump’s illegal federal funding freeze has impacted rural economies and Vermont’s specialty crop growers.
“Farmers are the lifeblood of our local rural communities, and nobody works harder,” said Senator Welch. “Mr. Howrigan is here from the dairy capital of the United States of America: Sheldon, Vermont. And we are glad to have him, Harold, and his wife, Bet—she’s an elementary teacher—are the sixth generation on their family farm…I am delighted to have you here representing Vermont dairy, it’s just wonderful, and we’re going to see a great farmer.”
Watch Senator Welch’s full remarks below:
Read key excerpts from Senator Welch’s exchange with witnesses:
Senator Welch asked witnesses: “I’m just shocked that where there have been agreements made—and we have farmers in Vermont who under the Inflation Reduction Act, made an agreement—and in response to that agreement borrowed money. And then did the work they promised to do—it might be solar, it might be streambed protection—and now got an email saying the federal government’s going to stiff them. You know, what I so admire about farmers: a promise made is a promise kept. I mean, this is like impossible for the folks who do this farming to imagine that you have an agreement and then it’s violated. So, my hope is that the committee would weigh in here and insist that these deals that have been signed—and where our farmers now have put the money out, done the work, and are getting stiffed—that we really strongly object and call on the administration to reverse that.
“I just want to ask some questions about specialty crops…My view is we need more, not less of the specialty crops. A lot of our specialty crop farmers got really hurt by the floods we had in July of 2023 in July of 2024, and our crop insurance program really needs to be improved…My question is, what can we do to provide specialty crop growers the support they need to ensure the continuation of their family farms with all the changes in weather?
Dr. Tim Boring, Director of the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development responded: “I think that’s an excellent question…I think we need more certainty for specialty crop growers. I think so much of the questions, the issues we’re talking about today come down to providing more certainty for producers. And, in some ways, better evaluating the impacts of what these crops are, not only for farms but for the rural economies that process so many of them, that the communities that they feed. We’ve touched on some points around revisions to crop insurance, certainly. We need better management tools so that we can deal with increasingly extreme and erratic weather. I think there’s promise about looking at how we broaden out conservation practices and the impact of resiliency there.”
Sen. Welch: “I think we need to have more emphasis on them, because the real opportunity is, it’s local, it’s nutritious. The people in the communities really support it, and it’s an entry point for some younger farmers that doesn’t have as many financial barriers.
“You know, just as an example, the USDA has a specialty crop block grant program, and Vermont received $334,000. That’s not a lot of money in the scheme of things, but it did a lot in Vermont. With a $56,000 grant, one USDA recipient in Vermont was able to expand the market opportunities for 60 local farmers. And a lot of this is like the farm stand type of situation. This is tiny compared to the $6.3 billion that we spend on the commodity crop program…So, tell me, how has the federal funding freeze affected our specialty crop growers?
Dr. Boring: “It creates uncertainty. And I think that’s the biggest question of what those risk mitigation tools are going to be into the future of the reliability and access to markets when crops might be harvested later this fall. There’s uncertainty on the research front as researchers are working on this. So, in essence, uncertainty.”
■■■
Mr. Harold Howrigan and his family are sixth-generation dairy farmers. His four family farms in Fairfield and Fairfax, Vermont, milk 1,400 herds and crop around 3,400 acres in Northern Vermont. The family also has a large maple sugaring operation. Mr. Howrigan serves as treasurer of the New England Dairy Promotion Board and is also a board member of Dairy Management Inc. and United Dairy Industry Association. He was recently inducted into the Vermont Agricultural Hall of Fame. Read Mr. Howrigan’s full testimony here.
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
Press release
British Ambassador presents credentials to Paraguayan Government
HMA Danielle Dunne presented her credentials to President Santiago Peña as the new British Ambassador to Paraguay.
Danielle Dunne, British Ambassador to Paraguay, presents credential letters to Paraguayan President Santiago Peña
In a protocol act held this morning at the Government Palace, Her Excellency Danielle Dunne, Ambassador of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland to Paraguay, made the official presentation of her credentials to Paraguayan President, Santiago Peña.
Foreign Minister, Rubén Ramírez Lezcano, together with other national authorities and diplomatic representatives of Paraguay and the United Kingdom, attended the ceremony. On the occasion, President Peña also received the credential letters of the United Arab Emirates ambassador, Arsaghira Wabran Hamad Mubarak al-Ahbabi.
Next, Ambassador Dunne went to Panteón de los Héroes, a memorial site in the city of Asuncion, to make a floral offering to the Paraguayan national heroes on the occasion of the next commemoration of the Heroes Day in country.
During the meeting, Ambassador Dunne reaffirmed the United Kingdom’s commitment to continue strengthening bilateral ties with Paraguay, through an approach oriented to the development of bilateral trade, the fight against climate change and sustainable development.
Danielle Dunne has been appointed Ambassador of His Majesty King Charles III in succession of Mr. Ramin Navai, who moved to another destination within the British diplomatic service. Mrs. Dunne arrived in the country in early 2025 and served as director of the Western African anti -terrorism network and Sahel in Abuja, Nigeria, before arriving in Paraguay.
Anyone who needs to make their first appointment with a psychiatrist may expect a bit of a wait. Our new research shows Australians are waiting an average 77 days for this initial appointment. But some were waiting for at least eight months.
We also showed people are waiting longer and longer for these appointments over the past decade or so, particularly in regional and remote areas. And telehealth has not reduced this city-country disparity.
Our study is the first of its kind to look at the national picture of wait times for a first appointment with a psychiatrist. Here’s why our findings are so concerning.
What we did
We analysed data from the Medicare Benefits Schedule from 2011 to 2022. This allowed us to analyse trends in wait times without accessing individual patients’ medical records.
The particular dataset we used allowed us to look at the time from a GP referral to the first appointment with a private psychiatrist.
A first appointment with a psychiatrist is crucial as it may lead to an official diagnosis if there is not one already, or it may map out future treatment options, including whether medicine or hospital admission is needed. Depending on the situation, treatment may start immediately, then be reviewed at subsequent appointments. However, with a delayed initial appointment, there’s the risk of delayed diagnosis and treatment, and symptoms worsening.
We focused on wait times for initial outpatient appointments with private psychiatrists, and looked at wait times for face-to-face and telehealth attendances separately.
We did not include wait times to see psychiatrists at public hospitals. And we couldn’t see what psychiatry appointments were for, and how urgent it was for a patient to see a psychiatrist at short notice.
What we found
We found wait times for the first psychiatry appointment after a GP referral had increased steadily in the past decade or so, especially since 2020. In 2011, the mean waiting time was 51 days, rising to 77 days by 2022.
Waiting times varied substantially between patients. For example, in 2022, 25% of the wait times for a face-to-face appointment were under ten days. But 95% of wait times were under 258 days. This means the longest wait times were more than 258 days.
For telehealth services in 2022, the equivalent wait times ranged from 11 to 235 days.
Wait times also varied by location. People in regional and remote areas consistently had longer wait times than those living in major cities, for both in-person and telehealth services.
The disparity remained over time, except for in-person services during the early years of the COVID pandemic. This is when rural areas in Australia had fewer lockdowns and less stringent movement restrictions compared to major cities.
Why didn’t telehealth help?
Our study did not look at reasons for increasing wait times. However, longer waits do not appear to be due to increased demand, considering the total number of visits has not gone up. For example, we showed the total number of visits for combined in-person and telehealth first appointments was 108,630 in 2020, 111,718 in 2021, and 104,214 in 2022.
But what about telehealth? This has widely been touted as a boon for regional and remote Australians, as it allows them to access psychiatry services without the time and expense of having to travel long distances.
Telehealth took off in 2020 due to COVID. There were 2,066 total first psychiatry visits between 2011 and 2019, increasing to 12,860 in 2020. But in 2022, there were 27,527.
However, we found the number of telehealth visits offset the number of face-to-face visits, and the total visits remained stable in recent years. As telehealth still takes up psychiatrists’ time, it did not help to reduce wait times.
What are the implications?
The national rise in wait times over the past decade or so is concerning, especially for high-risk patients with severe mental disorders, such as schizophrenia, severe depression and bipolar disorder. Any delays in treatment for these patients could cause substantial harms to them and others in their communities.
Our results also come at a time of increased pressure on mental health services more broadly including:
long wait times for people with a mental health concern to be admitted from the emergency department to a hospital ward
Now, more than ever, we need to pay continued attention to access and distribution of psychiatric services across Australia.
Yuting Zhang has received funding from the Australian Research Council (future fellowship project ID FT200100630), Department of Veterans’ Affairs, the Victorian Department of Health, and National Health and Medical Research Council. In the past, Professor Zhang has received funding from several US institutes including the US National Institutes of Health, Commonwealth fund, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, and Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. She has not received funding from for-profit industry including the private health insurance industry.
Ou Yang does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Amnesty International have today welcomed the Scottish Government’s agreement to review the human rights checks conducted by Scottish Enterprise, following a Scottish Parliament debate brought by the Scottish Greens in which MSPs from a range of parties expressed concerns about Scottish Enterprise grants to arms companies.
Commenting after the debate, Neil Cowan (Scotland Programme Director at Amnesty International UK) said:
“Today’s debate made clear that is simply not acceptable to continue to award Scottish Enterprise grants to companies involved in the manufacture and sale of arms to states accused of grave human rights abuses, including Israel.
So we strongly welcome the fact that the Scottish Government have listened to Amnesty’s long-standing call, and the call of many others including MSPs from a range of parties, and agreed to conduct a review of the human rights checks in place at Scottish Enterprise. It has long been clear that, with no company ever failing one of the checks, they are not credible and require overhaul.
It is now essential that the Scottish Government sets out what that review will involve, with it being critical that it includes independent input, review and analysis, and that it is focused on meeting Scotland’s international obligations.”
an advisory badge on the front page of the FGS for days when there was a heightened risk of rapid flooding
RFG updates on heightened risk days
The service made use of new convective weather forecasting (nowcasting) capability from the Met Office’s Expert Weather Hub combined with information from the FFC’s hydrometeorologists.
During the trial:
there were over 1,700 signups to the service
the RFG badge appeared on the FGS on 52 days
RFG updates were issued on 19 days
a total of 55 RFG updates were issued – and downloaded over 16,000 times
Rapid Flood Guidance trial research
We undertook a programme of research during the trial to understand:
how engaged and satisfied responders were with the RFG service
to what extent the RFG service improved the response to rapid flooding
To do this we used:
an in-trial feedback form
post-event short surveys – sent out after an event to RFG users in the relevant geographical areas
a post-trial online survey – sent out to all registered RFG users at the end of the trial
post-event and post-trial interviews with RFG users
Our research included 655 individual engagements with RFG users.
User satisfaction
The research showed that users were very satisfied with the RFG service.
84% rated their experience as positive.
Users said that the RFG:
provided an extra level of information and detail – allowing them to focus their efforts on high-risk areas
was easy to use and understand
used language which was clear and concise
was easy to access through email and SMS
Improved response to rapid flooding
The trial results show that the RFG service has improved the response to rapid flooding.
When we asked users if the RFG updates helped them over and above any other information they had at the time:
88% agreed that it improved their situational awareness of the emerging situation (43% strongly agreed)
74% agreed that it helped them communicate the flood situation to others (33% strongly agreed)
60% agreed that it helped them make operational decisions ahead of flood events (24% strongly agreed)
30% agreed that is helped them in other ways (12% strongly agreed)
Typically, the RFG was being used:
to alert relevant departments like highways and welfare services
to inform others, either directly or as part of a summary of multiple sources of information
in combination with other sources of information, particularly the National Severe Weather Warning Service (NSWWS)
in combination with responders’ local knowledge to understand the potential impacts
Value of the service
The research showed that benefits that can be attributed to the RFG include:
financial
improved public, staff and patient safety
better human resource and task allocation
We were able to identify case studies to illustrate the value of the RFG, including:
an emergency planning officer deciding not to stand up tanker operations – saving the council money and reducing unnecessary fatigue for staff
a response officer packing extra personal protective equipment (PPE) – and communicating the RFG to his team so they were prepared for the day ahead
fire and rescue using the RFG information to plan an evacuation of a mobile home site at risk of flooding in good time
mountain rescue coordinating volunteers so that their time was used effectively – and ensuring they could travel safely to where they were needed
a hospital coordinator being able to schedule investigative and maintenance work better – and allocate tasks more efficiently
Looking to the future
The research showed that there is an appetite for a continuation of the service.
94% would sign up to receive the RFG in future, if it was made available.
Users see potential for it to be incorporated into their operational procedures and processes. However, they would be reluctant to do this until:
there is confidence that the RFG will become a permanent service
there is more clarity on how the RFG fits in with existing severe weather and flood warning services
FFC Head of Centre, Russell Turner said:
I’m really excited to see how the RFG has helped the responder community make improved decisions – and that they have continued to engage with the trial so positively. It shows the responder community is keen to tackle this difficult issue. We are already using the results from the trial to develop the RFG further, as part of the FFC’s commitment to improving our services – and we hope to be running an updated service during summer 2025.
An RFG service for summer 2025
We are developing plans for a summer 2025 RFG service, incorporating what our users have told us in the trial. These are likely to include improvements to:
user customisation, including local authority (rather than regional) level sign up
clarity and readability of content
mapping
In addition to the RFG service, further investments are planned in the science and forecasting of rapid flooding and its impacts.
Further details of the 2025 service will be communicated when they are available.
Part of a wider investment in improved forecasting
The RFG trial service is part of the Surface Water Flood Forecasting Improvement Project (SWFFIP) which is:
The Isle of Wight Council is moving to the next stage in the process relating to the proposed closure of five primary schools, driven by a significant decline in pupil numbers and the need to address surplus places.
After a further public consultation on school places, which ended on 3 February, a report published today (Wednesday) recommends these closures to tackle more than 2,300 empty primary school places across the Island.
The proposals will be discussed, and a final decision will be made at the next Cabinet meeting on Thursday, 6 March 2025.
Councillors are being asked to consider the following recommendations:
The closure of Cowes Primary School, Arreton St Georges CE Primary School, Brading CE Primary School, Wroxall Primary School, and Oakfield CE Primary School, all effective from 31 August 2025.
The creation of a 12-place primary resourced provision for children with Autism Spectrum Condition (ASC) at The Bay CE School (Primary).
These decisions are part of the council’s plan to improve education for all children on the Island in line with its draft education strategy published last summer.
The Island currently has space for 10,724 primary-aged children. As of November 2024, there were 2,311 unfilled school places, up from 1,898 in October 2023.
Schools affected by infant class size rules face particular challenges, as they may have limited ability to save money by changing staffing structures or the use of physical space.
For example, a school with an intake of 60 that only admits 32 pupils must still employ two teachers and maintain two classrooms, even though the budget for that year group may have nearly halved.
Councillor Jonathan Bacon, Cabinet member for children’s services, said: “Nobody proposes the closure of a school lightly, but the number of births on the Island has now reached its lowest level since 1941.
“In 2028, only 890 children will start reception, 514 fewer than started in September 2018. The overall number of primary pupils is forecast to decrease from 9,300 in 2017 to 7,640 in 2027 — the second largest decrease in pupil numbers across the country.
“Our goal is to provide schools that deliver high-quality education and are financially sustainable. While some surplus places provide flexibility, too many can severely impact schools’ finances.
“Schools are funded based on pupil numbers, and fewer pupils mean less funding. For primary schools in 2025/26, this equates to about £4,887 per child per year. If a class with a capacity for 30 pupils only has 20, this results in a potential loss of £48,870 per year.
“The current number of primary school places is unsustainable, leading to inefficient use of resources. By reallocating these resources, we can better focus on improving educational outcomes for local children.
“The council must consider the needs of the children, both now and in the future, when making its final decision on how to address the oversupply of places.
“Our children are the future, and we need a workforce that can adapt and innovate. A high-quality education is essential for building a better future.
“The recommendations in this report offer the best chance for long-term educational improvement and financial stability for schools.”
Not a penny of public money should go to companies arming genocide.
More in External Affairs
The SNP has used a wrecking amendment to keep grants for arms companies complicit in Israel’s genocidal assault on Gaza.
The Scottish Government has rightly and strongly opposed the bombing and collective punishment of Gaza. Despite this, since the war began, it has given over £1 million to companies that have armed Israel via Scottish Enterprise.
“The humanitarian crisis in Gaza is one of the worst in the world, and this was an opportunity for our parliament to take concrete steps to ensure that Scotland is playing no part in it. It is deeply disappointing that the SNP chose to block action.
“The Scottish Government is right to support a ceasefire in Gaza, but it is simply hypocritical for them to continue backing companies who are enabling and profiting from the atrocities that have been inflicted by Israeli forces.
“When Russia invaded Ukraine the Scottish Government rightly took action against companies who were supporting Putin and his war machine, with measures that went far further than arms companies. It is time for them to do the same for Israel.
“Not a penny of public money should be given to companies that are profiting from genocide or war crimes whether they are being carried out by Russian forces or by Israel.”
As part of the debate the SNP agreed to review the human rights checks which are applied by public bodies to grant applicants. To date, no company has ever failed one of the existing tests, including many of the world’s biggest arms companies.
Ms Slater added:
“We welcome the SNP’s commitment to review the human rights checks that are applied, but it should not have taken our debate to make them do that.
“The new tests need to be far more robust than anything we have had to date, as no human rights check worthy of the name would allow grants to companies that are complicit in genocide.”
Fares in Scotland are already among the most expensive in Europe.
More in Transport
The Scottish Parliament’s vote to keep peak rail fares and an above inflation hike is a ‘hammer blow’ for commuters who deserve cheaper, accessible travel options, say the Scottish Greens.
The party used opposition debate time for a motion calling for the Scottish Government to halt the inflation-busting rail fare hikes due in April, and to permanently remove peak rail fares.
The SNP and Liberal Democrats joined forces to stop the motion, backing an SNP amendment that blocked it.
Scottish Greens spokesperson for transport Mark Ruskell MSP said:
“I am deeply disappointed that MSP’s across the chamber voted to oppose our motion and to keep these punishing fares in place.
“This is another hammer blow to workers, students and commuters who are already struggling with rising bills in every corner of their lives.
“Fares in Scotland are already among the most expensive in Europe. We badly need action to cut the cost and make rail travel more affordable for all.
“We need to stop financially penalising people who have no say in the times they have to catch the train.
“ScotRail is publicly owned. We need to use that control to build a modern green railway and encourage people to leave their cars at home.
“If we are serious about cutting emissions then we need to boost public transport, and rail is a crucial part of that.
“Travelling by car should never seem like the only option available, because it costs both people and planet in the long run.”
Stuart Road Primary Academy will be the first school in Plymouth to make traffic restrictions during morning and afternoon drop-off and pick-up times permanent, following a successful 18-month trial.
The ‘Safer School Streets’ measures improve safety for all road users, make it easier for families to walk, cycle or scoot to school and create a healthier street environment with cleaner air, by closing roads to school-run and through traffic during these peak times.
They were widely welcomed by parents and local residents when they were introduced by Plymouth City Council in partnership with Sustrans in 2023. Surveys carried out by Sustrans have shown that the number of children walking to the school has increased by 37 per cent and those being driven to school has fallen by 45 per cent since the scheme was put in place.
Councillor John Stephens, the Council’s walking and cycling champion, said: “The school, parents and nearby residents called on us to put these closures in place due to inconsiderate and dangerous parking and we are really pleased they have had a positive impact.
“We work hard to encourage families to leave the car at home where possible and promote active travel (including schemes such as walk and stride and walking buses). Making sure local roads and footways are safe and accessible is a huge part of this.
“We have also made a commitment to create cleaner, greener streets and reduce our carbon emissions.
“Safer School Streets are a great way to reduce congestion and improve air quality around the school gates, make school journeys safer and healthier and tackle some of the school-run traffic issues experienced by neighbours. We hope other schools trialling these measures will see similar success.”
Headteacher Britta Nicholls said: “Staff, pupils and parents are thrilled that after several years of campaigning, we finally have permanent road closure status. This means that families can safely walk, scooter or cycle to Stuart Road Primary for daily drop off and collection without the fear of vehicles.
“This move also underpins the school’s healthy lifestyle commitment through encouragement of daily exercise by walking to school instead of using a car. Through the reduction of vehicle usage during busy school times, families benefit from reduced air pollution and enjoy the social advantage of walking to school in groups.
“We would also like to say a huge thank you to Sustrans for their tireless support and championing Stuart Road’s campaign for safer school streets with a fantastic end result.”
Every weekday during term time, the road outside the school (Palmerston Road) is closed from 7.50am to 8.50am and then from 2.45pm to 3.45pm. There will be no changes to these timings.
Families are encouraged to walk, cycle or scoot to school or, if they need to drive to work, to ‘park and stride’ – where they park a five or 10 minute walk from the school and go the rest of the way by foot.
Access is maintained for local residents and businesses, parents and children with disabilities, the emergency services, deliveries and other service vehicles.
The measures have been trialled for 18 months under an Experimental Traffic Regulation Order. The permanent Traffic Regulation Order will be advertised in the local press and on street. The school community and local residents are being made aware the scheme is being made permanent.
The decision was signed today and can be viewed on our decisions page. It may be subject to call-in for scrutiny.
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
Press release
UK sets out biodiversity commitments to protect nature
Commitments set out during conference as COP16 negotiations resume in Rome on delivering global nature goals
The UK has today (Wednesday 26 February) outlined its commitment to the implementation of UN COP15 biodiversity framework by publishing its National Biodiversity Strategy & Action Plan (NBSAP) – showing how we intend to meet all the global targets and goals .
The resumed session of the 16th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP16) in Rome, Italy, will focus on unresolved items from Calì, Colombia in October 2024, including an international strategy to mobilise finance for nature and the mechanism to review global progress against the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF).
A partnership between Defra, the Scottish Government, the Welsh Government and Northern Ireland’s Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, the NBSAP commits the UK to achieving all 23 of the Global Biodiversity Framework targets at home and outlines how its four countries will work together to fully implement each of these, including commitments to:
Expand protected areas to at least 30% of the land and seas
Reduce pollution from all sources to levels that are not harmful to biodiversity
Enhance biodiversity and sustainability in agriculture, aquaculture, fisheries, and forestry
Ensure sustainable, safe and legal harvesting and trade of wild species
The NBSAP draws on commitments made by the UK, its Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies – which make a significant contribution to global biodiversity – to summarise our collective ambition to work together to address biodiversity loss.
Achieving these goals to halt and reverse biodiversity loss by 2030 will be part of the global pathway towards a world living in harmony with nature by 2050.
Nature Minister Mary Creagh said:
“The UK continues to drive progress on nature protection and restoration both at home and across the world.
“It’s never been more important to tackle the nature and climate crises, and that’s why we will continue to press for concerted action to ensure full implementation of the Global Biodiversity Framework.
“There is more work to do with our international partners, and the UK will be at the forefront of negotiations in Rome.”
Ruth Davis, the UK’s Special Representative for Nature, said:
“We need urgent action to address the nature crisis and that means working to halt biodiversity loss both internationally and at home.
“The launch of the NBSAP is a signal of the UK’s commitment to match international co-operation on nature with domestic activity to protect and enhance our natural world.
“We will continue to play our part in achieving our international nature targets, while working with other nations to make a difference across the globe.”
Natural England Chair Tony Juniper said:
“Nature underpins our economy, health and security. We rely on ecosystems for food, water and air, for resilience in the face of climate change and in sustaining our physical and psychological wellbeing.
”Just five years remain for us to meet the ambitious but critical Global Biodiversity targets agreed by world leaders at COP15. It is crucial that we ramp up action and work together to protect and restore our natural environment, including for the benefit of future generations.
“The Plan published today sets out how international commitments will translate into action on the ground across the UK and we look forward to working with government and our many partners to deliver what’s needed to recover nature.”
The Plan published today sets out how international commitments will translate into action on the ground, so that we can deliver the changes needed to recover nature.”
The UK is also supporting other countries to ensure that this global agreement is implemented, including by sharing technical and scientific expertise with partners all around the world, and supporting work to halt and reverse nature loss across the globe.
The Government is committed to protecting and restoring nature, and has launched a rapid review of the Environmental Improvement plan so that we can now meet our domestic and international targets and re-establish the UK as an international leader on the environment, as part of the Plan for Change.
We will honour the UK’s international commitments to deliver 30by30 – protecting 30% of the UK’s land and sea by 2030 – to ensure that at least 30% of the Earth’s land and ocean is being effectively conserved and managed by 2030, and to playing our part in achieving the global 30by30 target adopted at the UN Biodiversity Summit COP15 in December 2022.
Additional information:
Blueprint for halting and reversing biodiversity loss: the UK’s National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan for 2030, jointly published by Defra, the Scottish Government, the Welsh Government and Northern Ireland’s Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, summarises the UK’s response to the GBF to drive action at UK level to change the global picture.
In December 2022, 196 Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity came together to agree the GBF, which consists of four goals and 23 targets, with the overall mission of halting and reversing biodiversity loss globally by 2030 to put nature on a path to recovery for the benefit of people and planet,
The UK will also support other countries to deliver the National Biodiversity Strategy, from sharing technical and scientific expertise with partners all around the world, to supporting work to halt and reverse nature loss across the globe.
Plans for a new crossing over Cot Hill in Plympton have been given the go-ahead following public consultation.
The crossing, near the Marshall Road junction, will help people (including those with disabilities) to walk and cycle across this busy road.
It will create a safer pedestrian and cycle route between Saltram Park and Underwood Recreation Ground, further enhancing the National Cycle Network.
In addition to the crossing, the scheme will include a dropped kerb crossing on Marshall Road, a raised table crossing on Dudley Road and a wider, shared-use path on Cot Hill.
Double yellow lines will also be introduced on the eastern (uphill) side of Cot Hill between Marshall Road and Dudley Road to help prevent obstructive parking.
The improvements will be entirely grant-funded by National Highways through Sustrans.
Councillor Mark Coker, Cabinet Member for Strategic Planning and Transport, said: “These improvements will make a big difference for people walking and cycling along this busy route. They will make it easier and safer for them to travel between Saltram and other parts of Plympton, including Underwood Recreation Ground, as well as alleviate problem parking in the area. Helping people to walk and cycle more improves their health and wellbeing, while also reducing traffic congestion and the carbon emissions it creates.”
The decision was approved today and can be viewed on our decisions page.
Construction is planned to take place in the summer.
The Government of Jersey wants to see the Havre des Pas Lido evolve into a vibrant, inclusive, and year-round public asset. This historic and iconic coastal destination will serve the diverse needs of the island community, including families, recreational swimmers, fitness enthusiasts, and social groups, while enhancing Jersey’s appeal to residents and visitors alike.
The Government of Jersey invited expressions of interest, EOIs, for the operation of the Swimming Pool and Associated Facilities at Havre des Pas, St Helier. EOIs were submitted in December 2024 and each submission was handled with strict confidentiality.
Interested parties were required to detail their vision for the site, including:
initiatives for community engagement, particularly sporting and youth activities
operational hours and maintenance regime
anticipated investments and employment generation
catering proposals and event plans.
Next Steps
All parties who submitted EOIs were notified of the receipt of their submission in January 2025. They will be invited to present their proposal to a selection panel in April. The panel will score and rank each EOI and will make a recommendation to the Assistant Minister for Infrastructure, Connétable Simon Crowcroft of St Helier, for the award of a 9-year lease to the successful bidder.
MOTORISTS are being warned that overnight road closures will be in place on part of Leicester’s busy inner ring road next week.
Leicester City Council will be closing Burleys Way Flyover for up to five nights while essential maintenance work is carried out, and damaged bridge parapets – the safety barriers on the edge of the flyover – are replaced.
The full closure is due to be in place overnight from 8pm for five consecutive nights from Monday 3 March. The flyover will reopen to traffic from 6am on each day to help minimise disruption.
A short, well-signposted diversion will be in place via Burleys Way and St Matthews Way during the works.
The works – which will also include clearing drainage channels, minor carriageway repairs and refreshing road markings – will cost £24,000 and are being funded from the city council’s annual highways maintenance budget.
A Leicester City Council spokesperson said: “These overnight closures are required while essential maintenance and repair work is carried out to Burleys Way Flyover. The work will be carried over five nights to help minimise disruption to traffic on this busy route.”
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
Speech
UK urges Russia to respect the Geneva Conventions and ensure the humane treatment of Prisoners of War: UK statement to the OSCE
UK Counsellor, Ankur Narayan, cites multiple independently-verified sources documenting Russia’s widespread use of torture against Ukrainian prisoners of war, a clear violation of its obligations under the Geneva Conventions.
Thank you, Mr Chair. This month marked eleven years since Russia began its illegal annexation of Crimea. Earlier this week marked three years since its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, enabled by Belarus. Each week, this Forum has executed its mandate by recording the related breaches of OSCE commitments and violations of international law.
At last month’s FSC Opening Session, the Russian Delegation called on us to “create favourable conditions for the fulfilment of the [FSC’s] mandate … including the Code of Conduct”. We agree.
As Russia knows, paragraphs 30, 31 and 34 of the Code of Conduct compel States to ensure that their armed and security forces abide by international law. As Russia knows, Paragraph 34 explicitly references the Hague Conventions and the Geneva Conventions. As Russia knows, I will only cite independently-verified, internationally-respected sources.
Mandate after mandate, the UN has consistently reported that the torture of Ukrainian prisoners of war by the Russian authorities is widespread and systematic. In recent months, assessments have only worsened. The Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine has concluded that Russia’s use of torture against POWs and civilian detainees amounts to “crimes against humanity”.
The OHCHR continued to document the “widespread use of torture and ill-treatment”, including sexual violence, against civilians and Ukrainian prisoners of war held by the Russian Federation. The OHCHR also documented the continued efforts of family members to obtain information about the fate and whereabouts of civilian detainees and POWs in captivity.
Mr Chair, Russia must abide by its Geneva Convention obligations. This means it must treat all civilian detainees and prisoners of war humanely. It must also allow immediate unimpeded access by the ICRC.
The UK condemns Russia’s exploitation of Prisoners of War for political and propaganda purposes. We are deeply concerned that Russia has detained two British nationals Mr James Anderson and Mr Hayden Davies on false charges of so-called mercenaryism. They are not mercenaries. They are Prisoners of War. Ukraine has confirmed that both are members of Ukrainian Armed Forces. They must be provided all the rights and protections afforded to Prisoners of War under the Geneva Conventions. We demand Russia respects its obligations under International Law.
The Code of Conduct commits us to act in solidarity if OSCE norms and commitments are violated. As catalogued by the OSCE Moscow Mechanisms, ODIHR and UN, there is irrefutable independent evidence of Russia violating international law, including international humanitarian law. As per paragraph 1 of the Code, such breaches are a “direct and legitimate” concern for us all.
That is why we call on Russia to respect the Geneva Conventions and ensure the humane treatment of Prisoners of War. That is why Russia must also release all civilians who have been arbitrarily detained – including the three Special Monitoring Mission staff. Thank you.
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
A modelling study published in Nature suggests that Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) may withstand climate extremes.
Dr Alessandro Silvano, Oceanographer, University of Southampton said:
“AMOC will control extreme weather events, sea level rise and temperature over many areas, including Europe, and communities will need to adapt to changes, especially in case of collapse. This new study shows that what will happen is still not completely clear and a more “global approach” is needed, an approach that looks at the ocean as one large scale system where changes on one side of the planet can control what happens on the other side.
“Whether an AMOC collapse could occur is one of the most pressing questions for the scientific community. Especially if this can happen over the next century. Some studies suggest the AMOC might be approaching a tipping point, others instead suggest AMOC to be more resilient to change in CO2 concentrations, melting of the Greenland Ice Sheet and changes in the precipitation. Therefore, at present, there is a debate about a potential collapse, while an AMOC weakening seems likely.”
Dr René van Westen, Postdoctoral Researcher, Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute, (KNMI), said:
“The press release for this paper slightly oversells the point that the AMOC is ‘able to withstand future global warming’. In fact, the study still supports the conclusion that the AMOC is expected to severely weaken under extreme climate change, which is in line with the results from the latest IPCC report.
“The study’s results should certainly not be interpreted as showing that AMOC is a resilient system, given it finds that the AMOC still reduces to (very) weak strengths under human-caused global warming.
“In principle it is possible that all the AMOCs reached their collapsed state by the end of the 150-year long simulation. This can only be tested by continuing the simulation much longer to reach an equilibrium state, the simulations are too short to verify this. Nevertheless, the authors clearly demonstrate that the AMOC does not fully collapse (i.e. to 0 Sv strength) under 4xCO2 and show a prominent role for the Southern Ocean and Indo-Pacific Ocean.
“The study is still an exciting contribution to the literature. One of its key strengths is the inter-model comparison analysis under both 4xCO2 and hosing set-up. The authors show a clear relation in 34 different CMIP6 and demonstrate why the AMOC remains in a (very) weak state.
“It also demonstrates an important role for Southern Ocean dynamics, also suggested by previous research. However, Southern Ocean dynamics can only be adequately captured with high-resolution climate models in which large swirls (i.e., ocean eddies) are resolved. None of the 34 climate models used in this study have such a high resolution. It would be very interesting to see whether the proposed mechanism remains robust when resolving these swirls.
“The key message of this paper is that the AMOC may be partly stabilised by ‘remote’ (i.e. outside the Atlantic Ocean) feedback processes. It is therefore good to consider these remote feedback processes when analysing the AMOC in future work. This will help to understand the future AMOC trajectory under climate change.”
Prof Stefan Rahmstorf, Head of Research Department, Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, said:
“This new paper does not (and does not claim to) contradict other modeling studies about future AMOC changes and their climatic impact.
It has been well-established since the 1990s that the AMOC has a smaller, shallower part which is driven by the winds, meaning that a part remains once the density-driven (thermohaline) overturning has stopped. However, that wind-driven part is not nearly as important for climate as the part driven by differences in sea-water density. It is the latter which has a tipping point.
In previous studies about the risk of future AMOC collapse, the wind-driven part also persists since the winds won’t stop blowing, so this is not new information. The new study investigates the remaining wind-driven overturning in more detail, which is a valuable contribution to the scientific literature. It does not, however, change the assessment of the risk and impact of future AMOC changes in response to human-caused global warming.
A false impression of contradicting our and other results may however easily arise from their different usage of the word ‘AMOC collapse’. To the new paper, this word implies zero or negative overturning in the North Atlantic north of the equator below 500 m, while in previous studies this term has been used for states with greatly weakened AMOC. The new study has used the same models as previous studies and its findings change nothing about the climate risk of a major AMOC weakening, which remains significant and would have global ramifications.”
Dr Joel Hirischi, Associate Head of Marine Systems Modelling, UK’s National Oceanography Centre (NOC), said:
Does the press release accurately reflect the science?
“Yes, it does. As it stands, the only bit that could be confusing is the statement saying that “…AMOC can only collapse if a Pacific meridional overturning circulation (PMOC) develops”.
“It would be clearer to say that for the AMOC to stop, the Southern Ocean upwelling must be entirely compensated in the Pacific Ocean.
“The authors clarify this later in the press release but it would be better to say this upfront.
Is this good quality research? Are the conclusions backed up by solid data?
“I enjoyed reading this article and I find the research to be of excellent quality. The work and methodology are closely related to an earlier study by the same authors in Geophysical Research Letters but the key message about AMOC stability is new.
“The authors used a large number of numerical models and the key results are robust across a range of model solutions. This enhances my confidence that the key findings of the study are robust.
How does this work fit with the existing evidence?
“This latest work fits nicely in the ongoing debate as to whether the AMOC is likely to shut down or not as climate warms. During the last two years, several studies have re-ignited the debate about whether the AMOC is likely to shut down, suggesting that the AMOC is more likely to shut down than we previously expected. This study provides a counterbalance and provides evidence for stabilising AMOC mechanisms linked to winds in the Southern Ocean.
“Direct observations of the AMOC do not suggest that the AMOC is shutting down and the results from this study are consistent with a view that the AMOC is not in immediate danger of shutting down.
Have the authors accounted for confounders? Are there important limitations to be aware of?
“The numerical models used in this study test the impact of a very strong greenhouse gas forcing (4xCO2) or a freshwater hosing north of 50N in the Atlantic. Neither the CO2 forcing nor the hosing on their own can cause the AMOC to shut down.
“In our warming world, both global CO2 concentrations and freshwater discharge into the North Atlantic, are increasing in parallel. It is not obvious how both effects put together would combine. The possibility of non-linear, amplifying AMOC interactions possible. To test that would require a new set of numerical experiments where CO2 and freshwater forcing are applied at the same time.
“The models used in the study typically have a low spatial resolution (in the order of 100km). Important features, such as ocean mesoscale eddies are missing and sharp temperature and salinity fronts are not realistically simulated. How strongly this affects the findings reported in this study, we do not yet know.
What are the implications in the real world? Is there any overspeculation?
“The study highlights the importance of the wind-driven Southern Ocean upwelling to understand the AMOC and its stability. Observations in the North and South Atlantic, where the AMOC is currently being observed may not be enough to decide where the AMOC is heading and knowing the amplitude and variability of the wind-driven Southern Ocean upwelling could be key.
“The authors are careful and their results should be considered when discussing the probability of a future AMOC shut down. The applied perturbations are large: 4xCO2 is higher an anomaly than what we will get – even in a pessimistic outlook. The freshwater discharge (0.3 Sv = 300000 m^3/s) applied during 100 years is roughly equivalent to melting about 1/3 of the Greenland ice sheet. Both perturbations are large compared with what we will likely experience in the real World.”
Sofia Palazzo Corner, PhD Researcher at the Centre for Environmental Policy, Imperial College London, said:
“This paper investigates the AMOC response to extreme climate change and finds that as waters continue to be pulled to the surface by wind in the Southern Ocean, so must waters sink elsewhere.
“This leads to two important results: an AMOC that weakens but doesn’t shut down completely, and the formation of a new overturning circulation in the Pacific: a PMOC.
“Though AMOC here shows resilience to complete collapse, ocean circulation definitely does not show a general resilience to climate change. Even a weakened AMOC will result in major impacts to global and regional climate, and the formation of a new overturning circulation in the Pacific is an extraordinary and dramatic change to global ocean dynamics.
“What’s unambiguous is that increasing carbon emissions are increasing the risk of major changes in global ocean circulation, including the AMOC. This study takes an extreme case to investigate the interactions between the Atlantic, the Southern Ocean and the Pacific, and finds that although the AMOC does not collapse completely, there is significant weakening, and a major transformation in the Pacific Ocean to accommodate the new balance between rising and sinking waters.
“These results are a signal to pay increased attention to other parts of the global ocean which may hold clues to the trajectory of AMOC in the 21st century.”
Prof Jonathan Bamber, Director of the Bristol Glaciology Centre, University of Bristol, said:
“This paper presents a careful and thorough analysis of how the AMOC responds to both extreme greenhouse gas and freshwater forcing that could result from accelerated fossil fuel consumption and increased melting of the Greenland Ice Sheet. Their analysis is based on examining 34 state of the art climate models and strongly suggests that the AMOC is not close to a tipping point for present-day and near-future climate. That is good news. While they find no evidence for a switch off or collapse of the AMOC they do find a weakening in all cases and this, alone, should be cause for concern. Because the AMOC is responsible for so much of the oceanic poleward heat transport, changes in its strength have a huge impact on the climate of northwest Europe and globally.
“A collapse of the AMOC would be devasting for civilisation so it is understandable that there has been a lot of focus on whether this might happen in the near future but a weakening of the AMOC should also be of concern. While it might not grab the headlines in the same way and its impact is a little more complicated to explain, it is still extremely important to model, understand, monitor and predict.”
Dr Lee de Mora, Marine Ecosystem Modeller, Plymouth Marine Laboratory, said:
“The Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation is hugely important to the global climate, influencing heat transport, carbon drawdown and deep water formation. Despite its importance, the future of the AMOC is not yet fully understood.”
“On one hand, the climate models from Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6 (CMIP6) universally projected a weakening in the AMOC as temperatures increase, but they did not project a full collapse to zero at any warming level. On the other hand, some experiments have suggested that the AMOC is too stable in those CMIP-style models, and the real AMOC may be more prone to collapse.”
“This paper from Baker et al. identifies AMOC-stabilizing mechanisms in the Southern Ocean and Pacific Ocean that may explain why the CMIP6 models have a stable AMOC”.
‘Continued Atlantic overturning circulation even under climate extremes’by Baker et al. was published in Nature at 16:00 UK time on Wednesday 26 February.
DOI:10.1038/s41586-024-08544-0
Declared interests
Dr Alessandro Silano “None”
Dr. René van Westen “None”
Prof Stefan Rahmstorf “None”
Dr Joel Hirischi “None”
Sofia Palazzo Corner “No interests to declare. I’m a PhD student funded by the Grantham Institute, and research assistant funded by ESM2025.”
Prof Johnathan Bamber “I am a member of the Advisory Committee for Earth Observation of the European Space Agency and a member of the European Space Science Committee, which receives funding from a number of national space agencies. I also receive funding from the European Commission.”
Dr Lee de Mora “LdM was supported by the UK Natural Environment Research Council through The UK Earth System Modelling Project (UKESM, grant no. NE/N017951/1) and by the UK Natural Environment Research Council through the TerraFIRMA: Future Impacts, Risks and Mitigation Actions in a changing Earth System project, Grant reference NE/W004895/1.”
Despite the costs of providing essential services continuing to rise, flexibility from a three-year Council Tax strategy and additional funding from the Scottish Government meant that Councillors were able to agree a budget for each of the next three years which prioritises services for the most vulnerable, avoids further public sector job cuts, and invests in community empowerment and business growth. All with a lower Council Tax increase than originally proposed.
The agreed Council Tax increase for 2025/26 is 9.5%. This follows a freeze in the current year. For people living in a Band D property, this represents a £2.56 weekly increase, or £11.11 more a month. Provisional increases have also been agreed of 9.5% for 2026/27 and 6% for 2027/28.
Key investments agreed:
Protecting vital services for residents in the greatest need – the budget prioritises vulnerable residents, with almost £7 million to maintain health and social care services, plus £1 million over two years to support innovation and provide new models of delivering care in our communities.
Protecting frontline jobs – no further job cuts are required as part of the budget decisions made today, with over £2 million being put back into Education and Learning to reverse proposed reductions in teacher numbers and £400,000 to prevent further cuts to teams supporting vulnerable children and families. Council officers are continuing to deliver on phase 2 of the leadership savings agreed last year.
Empowering communities – the budget includes £1 million to support community resilience, £1 million for Culture Perth and Kinross services, and almost £150,000 in community sports.
Council Leader, Councillor Grant Laing, said: “Community groups are an essential part of delivering on local ambitions, and I’m proud that this budget creates more opportunities than ever before to put them at the heart of local decision-making. From additional funding for Bloom groups and Community Councils, to investing in community resilience and community sports, there’s lots we have been able to do.
“We’ve also listened to the community members who have campaigned in support of their rural libraries, and allocated money over two years to allow Culture Perth and Kinross to maintain current premises and opening hours. But, this funding is contingent upon the energy and commitment shown by those supporters now being directed towards working with CPK to plan and implement sustainable futures for those libraries.”
Additional key investments include:
Economic growth – £9 million over four years in the Commercial Property Investment Programme to make more units available for new and growing businesses, particularly in rural Perth and Kinross.
Environmental initiatives – £200,000 to provide practical support to Bloom and biodiversity groups to accelerate the delivery of the biodiversity aims of our Grow Wild approach to greenspaces. And, another £200,000 to deliver a new round of the Green Living Fund for community projects.
Public transport – almost £170,000 to extend the offer for free bus travel on the first Saturday of every month for another year, adding extra free travel for Clean Air Day in June and for an additional free Saturday in December in the peak Christmas shopping season. Plus, almost £70,000 for rural bus services and community transport initiatives.
Tackling poverty – adding £2 million to target anti-poverty initiatives, including continuing school holiday food and fun activities, and investing in efforts to tackle poverty in rural areas.
Councillor Laing added: “One of our key priorities is to tackle poverty head-on. We are investing in job creation and growth schemes, such as apprenticeships and rural employability programs, to provide more opportunities for our residents. Additionally, we are adding £2 million to our anti-poverty funding and allocating £600,000 to the Financial Insecurity Fund and Scottish Welfare Fund. This will ensure that we can support those facing financial challenges and help them access the discounts and benefits they are entitled to.
“Our Welfare Rights Team does a fantastic job in helping maximise income for households in financial need. By investing further in this team, we can support even more households and ensure that everyone in our community has the resources they need to thrive. “With this ambitious budget, we are not only addressing immediate needs but also laying the foundations for a resilient and thriving community. Together, we are building a brighter future for Perth and Kinross.”
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
Speech
Respect for Sudan’s sovereignty and territorial integrity is vital for a sustainable end to this war: UK statement at the UN Security Council
Statement by Ambassador Barbara Woodward, UK Permanent Representative to the UN, at the UN Security Council meeting on Sudan.
President, nearly two years since the start of this war, and once again I cannot fail to be struck by the reports of death and destruction.
More violence. More families ripped apart. More children starving.
Last month, my Foreign Secretary visited Adré and heard first-hand about the suffering faced by women. The suffering of sexual violence, of rape, of hunger, who had fled the conflict.
It does not need to be this way.
The parties to the conflict can take actions now to end the suffering.
And I’d like to highlight three priorities.
First, we urge the parties to end their military ambitions and focus on creating the conditions for peace, including through full co-operation with UN and African Union mediation efforts.
We share the Secretary-General’s deep concern at the announcement by the Rapid Support Forces and affiliated civilian actors and armed groups of a political charter that expresses an intention to establish a governing authority in areas of their control.
Deepened divisions risk even further destabilisation in Sudan and the region.
Respect for Sudan’s charter rights, its unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity is vital and will be necessary for a sustainable end to this war.
In April, my Foreign Secretary will invite Foreign Ministers from some 20 states and international organisations to London, for discussions focused on supporting a peaceful way forward for the Sudanese people.
Second, both parties must facilitate the rapid and unimpeded passage of humanitarian relief to people in need.
The decision by the Sudanese Armed Forces to keep the Adré border crossing open is welcome.
But with over 30 million people in humanitarian need, it is simply not enough.
We urge the SAF to open Adré permanently, and authorise the use of further regional border crossings.
We call on both sides to lift unnecessary bureaucratic impediments which are delaying aid deliveries by weeks, and to provide humanitarian actors with security guarantees to operate safely.
Third, we reiterate the Council’s calls for the Rapid Support Forces to end their siege on El Fasher and cease all attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure.
We call on both parties to protect civilians, in line with their obligations under the Jeddah Declaration.
Mr President, the parties to the conflict should act now to end this suffering.
A new initiative to unite Scotland together against extremism.
First Minister John Swinney will convene a pivotal gathering of Scottish society to work together and unite Scotland against the “increasingly extreme far right”.
Representatives from key organisations across Scotland including churches, trades unions and charities will be invited to attend a gathering in April, alongside the leaders of Scotland’s parliamentary parties.
Speaking at a press conference at Bute House, following the passage of the 2025-26 Budget, the First Minister said the new gathering will be an opportunity renew public trust in politics and unite Scotland in a common cause – “for democracy and respect.”
The First Minister said:
“At the start of the year, I warned that failure to pass the budget would send a signal that Parliament and politics could not deliver. That failure would only serve the interests of an increasingly extreme far right and leave devolution dangerously exposed.
“But the budget has passed, and a different story can be told. Yesterday’s vote demonstrated that partnership and collaboration are possible. And that is something precious, something vitally important itself.
“But we must do more. It is time to come together to draw a line in the sand. To set out who we are and what we believe in.
“The threat from the far right is real. But that leaves me all the more convinced that working together is not only the right choice, but the only choice.
“That is why I want to share a new initiative to bring Scotland together in common cause. I want us to work together to agree a common approach to asserting the values of our country, to bringing people together and creating a cohesive society where everyone feels at home.
“It was a mobilisation of mainstream Scotland that delivered our parliament a quarter of a century ago. And I have no doubt, it is only by mobilising mainstream Scotland that we can protect those things we care most about, those things that are most important to us today.”
Background
The First Minister will write to all party leaders and the leaders of civic organisations with the details of the upcoming gathering in due course.
Groundbreaking research from the University of Aberdeen has been recognised in the autumn 2024 RSE Research Awards open call.
Ten researchers from the University will share the £686,000 total funding alongside a number of other Scottish higher education institutions. Recipients will use the funding to further their research across a diverse range of topics including international child protection laws, real estate advertising and biological diversity.
The Aberdeen researchers who received the funding are:
Dr Jesse Barker, whose research project Out of frame: Ecomedia in Spain examines how Spanish media has engaged with environmental themes amid a history of civil war and dictatorship.
Dr Vasilis Louca, who will use hydrophones to record the diversity of underwater sounds emitted by aquatic plants and invertebrates in Scottish wetlands, with the aim of understanding how sound diversity reflects actual levels of biological diversity in these ecosystems.
Dr Miracle Israel Nazarious with collaborators Professor Javier Martin-Torres and Dr Bartosz Kurjanski. Their project will advance a novel liquid sampling and ion analysis technology specifically designed for long-term deployments. The technology could have benefits from monitoring the quality of our local water supplies, to investigating the role of liquid environments such as rivers, lakes and oceans on Earth’s climate.
Professor Katarina Trimmings, whose project Cross-border protection of children: The 1996 Hague Child Protection Convention will investigate the legal challenges surrounding the protection of children in cross-border situations involving transnational families.
Dr Rainer Schulz, who will examine strategies of real estate agents when they advertise residential properties on local listings platforms.
Dr Arianna Zampollo and Professor Beth Scott, whose collaborative project with the CNR Institute of Marine Sciences in Italy will study the impacts of blue renewable energy (wind farms and floating solar panels) on hydrodynamics and nutrient dispersion in Scottish and northern Adriatic coastal waters.
And Professor Marian Wiercigroch’s project, Advanced modelling techniques for energy transition technologies, will explore the cutting edge nonlinear structural dynamics experimental methods for offshore wind turbine monitoring, which support the GB Energy agenda.
The RSE’s Research Awards Programme runs twice a year in spring and autumn. It aims to support Scotland’s research sector by nurturing promising talent, stimulating research in Scotland, and promoting international collaboration. Aberdeen is one of 10 of the 19 Scottish higher education institutions successful in this round of funding.
Professor Nick Forsyth, Vice-Principal (Research) said: “The University of Aberdeen has been at the forefront of groundbreaking interdisciplinary research for more than 500 years and these projects are testament to the commitment and ambition of our researchers. Recognition in this latest round of RSE funding demonstrates the global impact of work undertaken at the University and my congratulations go to our researchers for this exceptional achievement.”
RSE Vice President, Research, Professor Anne Anderson OBE FRSE said: “The RSE’s Research Awards Programme is crucial in supporting Scotland’s vibrant research community. These awardees will drive forward knowledge, address global challenges, and make valuable contributions to Scottish society. On behalf of the RSE, I congratulate these outstanding researchers and their international collaborators, and I look forward to following the outcomes of their work.”
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
News story
Recruitment for Policy Officer
Policy Officers work on the development and implementation of policy and legislation on veterinary medicines.
We have a vacancy for a Policy Officer.
Job Title
Policy Officer
Grade
SEO
Salary & Pension
£44,500 per annum with Pension Scheme
Annual Leave entitlement
Commencing at 25 days
Role
As a Policy Officer, you will be responsible for contributing to the development and implementation of policy and legislation on veterinary medicines including medicated feeds, specified feed additives, antimicrobial resistance (AMR), and residues. This includes work on fees and charges.
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments 3
News story
World Trade Organisation 2nd Trade Policy Review of Ukraine – Joint Statement
At the second Trade Policy Review of Ukraine, the UK and Members from across the WTO reiterated their unwavering solidarity and support for Ukraine in a joint statement at the World Trade Organization.
We, the delegations of the undersigned WTO Members, on the occasion of the Second Trade Policy Review of Ukraine in the WTO, held on 26 and 28 February 2025, reiterate our full support for and solidarity with the people of Ukraine. We express our deep sadness at the devastating human losses and profound suffering caused by Russia’s ongoing war of aggression against Ukraine, which continues for the fourth year in gross violation of international law and the Charter of the United Nations.
We reaffirm our commitment to Ukraine’s sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity and call for the Russian Federation to immediately, completely and unconditionally withdraw all of its military forces from the territory of Ukraine within its internationally recognized borders.
Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine continues to have devastating global and regional impacts, including on Ukraine’s economy and ability to trade. The destruction of significant parts of Ukraine’s transport routes, port infrastructure, and grain storage facilities as well as the mining of millions of hectares of agricultural land is impeding Ukraine’s ability to produce, export, and import. We are gravely concerned about the consequences of this destruction for Ukraine and for global trade, in particular with regard to the supply to international markets of a number of key commodities produced by Ukraine, including agricultural and food products, fertilisers, and critical minerals. We are also deeply concerned by reports of attacks on civilian vessels transporting agricultural goods from Ukrainian Black Sea ports and millions of tonnes of grain being plundered by Russia from illegally occupied regions of Ukraine using falsified phytosanitary certificates and hiding vessels’ data. These actions violate the principles and values of the WTO.
Ukraine is one of the world’s top exporters of key agricultural commodities such as wheat, maize, barley, soybeans and sunflower oil. We recognise Ukraine’s determination, despite Russia’s war of aggression, to ensure global food security and supply to some of the most vulnerable parts of the world, particularly developing countries and LDCs. In this regard, the “Grain from Ukraine” initiative, which has already helped to feed 20 million people in 13 countries, continues to be an important tool to help to respond to world hunger. We praise Ukraine’s achievement of maintaining under difficult conditions food exports by its Black Sea corridor to global markets and commend the ongoing functioning of the EU Solidarity Lanes and their contribution to global food security and Ukraine’s economy. This benefits all countries, notably the most in need. In this context, it is necessary to ensure free, full, and safe navigation in the Black and Azov Seas and that sea routes and ports are not threatened or blocked by threat of or use of force.
We underscore the need to reach, as soon as possible, a comprehensive, just, and lasting peace in Ukraine, in full respect of Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, based on the principles of the Charter of the United Nations. We welcome Ukraine’s efforts aimed at achieving peace, including through the principles laid out in the Peace Formula and Joint Communiqué on a Peace Framework adopted at the Summit on Peace in Ukraine on Bürgenstock. We reiterate that the Russian Federation must bear the legal consequences of all of its internationally wrongful acts, including making reparation for injury and loss, including for any humanitarian, economic, and environmental damage caused by such acts.
We will continue work to support Ukraine and to facilitate its exports and supply chains for the benefit of global food security. We encourage all WTO Members to do likewise in a manner commensurate with their capacity, including by facilitating the use of infrastructure, as well as facilitating and simplifying customs procedures. Within the capacity of each WTO Member, we will continue to provide assistance to Ukraine to alleviate the suffering of the Ukrainian people. We will also continue to look for practical ways to help and assist Ukraine in its reconstruction efforts, economic recovery, activities, and projects to overcome the negative consequences of Russia’s war of aggression.
Albania, Australia, Canada, Chile, European Union, Georgia, Iceland, Japan, Republic of Korea, Liechtenstein, Montenegro, New Zealand, Republic of Moldova, Norway, Separate Customs Territory of Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu, Switzerland, United Kingdom and Ukraine
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
Press release
Bristol debt recovery business which didn’t hand over money is shut down
Insolvency Service investigation found that Encore Capital Group Inc Ltd failed to fully hand over the money it collected
Encore Capital Group Inc Ltd cold-called businesses and potential customers and then collected debts which they did not fully hand over.
In some instances, they falsely claimed to be regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).
The company was shut down following a winding up hearing at the High Court in London on 25 February 2025.
A Bristol-based debt recovery company which collected debts for businesses and individuals but failed to forward on all the money has been shut down.
Encore Capital Group Inc Ltd, which traded as Encore Debt Recovery, cold-called businesses and individuals offering to recover commercial and consumer debts in return for an up-front fee or a percentage payment.
In some instances, they falsely claimed to be regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) – which they were not – and said they had been appointed by a court to make debt collections.
Encore was subject to a winding up hearing held at the High Court in London on 25 February 2025.
Edna Okhiria, Chief Investigator at the Insolvency Service, said:
Our investigation found many aspects of Encore’s operations that were not legitimate, namely money not being fully forwarded after a debt collection and false claims to being FCA regulated.
Encore continued to bank the money they collected, while ignoring emails and phone calls from those they had been contracted by to recover the debts.
The Insolvency Service is grateful to those who came forward with their complaints, whose information and evidence helped us to shut down this scam business, protecting the public and economy from further financial harm.
The apparent services offered by Encore included debt collection and County Court Judgement (CCJ) enforcements.
The Insolvency Service identified at least 27 complainants during the investigation who said the company had collected debts on their behalf, or from them, but had failed to forward some or all the money received.
Encore also failed to cooperate with the investigation despite having a legal requirement to do so and did not produce any trading or accounting records, despite repeated requests.
Encore did not have a presence at its registered office or obtain proper authorisation to use that address, despite it being a legal requirement to have an address at which official correspondence can be received.
As well as the Insolvency Service, complaints about Encore were made to Action Fraud and Citizen’s Advice.
All enquiries concerning the affairs of the Encore Capital Group Inc Ltd should be made to the Official Receiver of the Public Interest Unit:
The Insolvency Service can investigate complaints about corporate abuse by live companies. This may include serious misconduct, fraud, scams or dishonest practice in the way the company operates. Further information on our live investigations can be found here
This is the council’s response to the latest announcement from Unite the Union on escalation of strike action.
“This escalation of industrial action will mean greater disruption to residents – despite the fair and reasonable offer that the council made to Unite the Union. To the small number of workers whose wages are impacted ongoing by the changes to the service (of whom there are now only 40) we have already offered alternatives, including highly valuable LGV Driver Training for career progression and pay, and other roles in the council equivalent to their former roles. No worker will lose the sums Unite are claiming.
“Residents of Birmingham want and deserve a better waste collection service and the restructure that Unite is opposing is part of the much-needed transformation of the service.
“Our door is still open, and we would encourage Unite to come back to the table.
“We thank residents for their continued understanding and patience so far and will continue to provide up-to-date information about our plans during the industrial action.”
Additional information –
The transformation of the service means the restructuring of waste operations in line with national practice. Well over 50 councils across the country operate a waste service with a driver and two loaders so we are moving in line with national practice.
The current structure was created as part of the settlement agreement following the 2017 bin strikes and is not industry standard.
The restructure is a crucial part of our need to become financially sustainable and all roles have been evaluated.
Claims that 150 people could lose £8,000 a year in pay are incorrect. The reality is that the number of staff that could lose the maximum amount (just over £6,000) is 17 people, they will have pay protection for six months in line with council policy.
We are aware of comments regarding health and safety concerns but all our routes and working practices are fully risk-assessed and we always advise our workers to report any issues on their rounds – health and safety is everyone’s responsibility.
At the start of our centenary year, Stoke-on-Trent is today taking a fresh vision for the city’s growth and prosperity to the heart of Government.
The prospectus document – called Future 100 – is based around five missions and sets out a bold set of actions that, together, aim to transform the city’s economy and unlock prosperity and opportunity for decades to come.
A delegation – made up of the city’s MPs, the council leader, and representatives from the business and voluntary sectors – will deliver the document to 10 Downing Street today.
The prospectus, which has the subtitle “Shaping Our City: Growth for All”, has been drawn up by a city coalition including prominent politicians, business leaders, academics, and figures from the health and voluntary sectors. It is supported by Stoke-on-Trent’s three MPs as well as the city council.
It celebrates Stoke-on-Trent’s history as a hive of innovation and industry, its enviable position at the heart of the UK’s transport network, and its strengths in key growth sectors – including createch and advanced manufacturing.
But it also acknowledges the barriers to growth caused by historic Government underinvestment, national industrial decline in the 1980s and 1990s, and more than a decade of austerity cuts.
This creates a Stoke-on-Trent “paradox”: the fact the city’s economic growth has outstripped the national average over recent years, but deeply-rooted economic and social problems mean too many communities lack opportunity and are not able to reap the expected benefits of this headline growth.
The City Prospectus offers radical solutions – aligning itself with national Government priorities and offering the city as a test bed and pioneer for new ways of delivering local services.
Its five missions come with a series of bold actions that will be taken locally, as well as specific targets by which progress will be measured.
The prospectus is pitched as a partnership offer with Government – making clear that targeted interventions and investment will be needed to fully realise Stoke-on-Trent’s potential.
A foreword to the document – co-signed by Councillor Ashworth and the city’s MPs – says: “Stoke-on-Trent already has a dynamic, diverse and highly-integrated economy; a rich cultural heritage; and an indomitable sense of community spirit.
“The city is a strategic hub, connecting labour, goods and services across the region and the UK. With Government support and investment, we can overcome current challenges to create a city that is prosperous, inclusive and sustainable, delivering economic and social benefits locally and nationally for decades to come.
“We invite the Government to partner with us to unlock this city region’s full potential, transform our citizens’ lives and unleash a new era of creativity and innovation.”
The five missions listed in the City Prospectus are:
Securing economic growth
Delivering clean energy, sustainable transport and an improved local environment
Regenerating the city
Removing barriers to opportunity
Improving the health and wellbeing of the population
The economic targets include achieving a local economy worth £9 billion a year by 2030, with 5,000 more people in employment and a 10 per cent increase in the value of locally-contracted supplies.
Environmental targets include tripling the amount of locally-generated renewable energy and increasing bus passenger journeys by a third in the next five years.
The city aims to have completed or be building 5,000 new homes, redeveloped 150 hectares of brownfield land and seen five heritage buildings removed from the “at risk” register.
The attainment gap will have been closed with the national average, with a 2.5 percentage point increase in the number of working-age residents with Level 3 or higher qualifications.
The city is also targeting a five percentage point drop in the proportion of children living in poverty, and a two-year boost to healthy life expectancy.
The Prospectus invites the Government to support the city’s work through specific, targeted interventions linked to the local missions and targets. That includes investment in critical growth enablers like transport infrastructure, heritage restoration and the city’s highly-successful Family Matters programme, which has driven down the number of children in care.
It suggests the Government could make Stoke-on-Trent a national incubator for public service reform based on higher educational attainment, and a national test best for a new model of educational inclusion aimed at enabling more children to learn in mainstream schools.
And it calls for innovations to unlock development, such as a revolving land fund to reclaim brownfield sites and help to kickstart council-house building.
Jane Ashworth, leader of Stoke-on-Trent City Council, said: “Stoke-on-Trent is already a nationally important engine of innovation and growth.
“But well-known obstacles have held back this growth. Austerity and chronic underinvestment in vital infrastructure have constrained our economy and mean opportunity has been unevenly spread.
“For too many of the people who live here, the headline growth in the city’s economy has felt like little more than a number of a spreadsheet.
“This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to create something better.
“The City Prospectus is a radical yet achievable plan to tackle our economic, social and environmental challenges at the same time; to transform the way we deliver services; and to make Stoke-on-Trent not just an engine of growth, but one which provides high quality homes, jobs, skills and opportunities for people across North Staffordshire and beyond.”
Gareth Snell, MP for Stoke-on-Trent Central, said: ‘To deliver for our city and our country, we need a clear plan from Government and we need to be able to turn that into local actions.
“Labour’s missions focus on economic growth, city regeneration, removing barriers to opportunity and improving health and well-being. These are exactly the same priorities I want to see delivered in Stoke-on-Trent, so forging a new partnership with Government is the best way to ensure we all succeed.
“The Future 100 prospectus sets a series of ambitious targets and outlines what Stoke-on-Trent can contribute. But it also sets out the additional help and resources that the city will need to achieve those goals.”
Allison Gardner, MP for Stoke-on-Trent South, said: “Our city, shaped by its rich industrial history, has always been a place of hard work and innovation.
“The same spirit that built our city can lead it into a new chapter, driving the country forward once again.
“Stoke-on-Trent stands strong and proud, despite having been let down previously by the central Government. With the support of this Labour Government, our potential is limitless.”
David Williams, MP for Stoke-on-Trent North, said: “The Future 100 prospectus represents a bold and ambitious vision for Stoke-on-Trent’s next century, rooted in our city’s rich history of creativity, resilience, and innovation.
“For too long our city has not received the investment we deserve. We were hit hard by austerity and post-industrial decline stifled economic growth.
“The Future 100 prospectus represents a turning point, ensuring real investment in our transport infrastructure, beloved community assets, business growth and in improving opportunity for all.
“This is a moment for real transformation for our city, one where we seize the opportunity to build a thriving, sustainable, and inclusive future for all. With targeted investment and strategic action, we can unlock Stoke-on-Trent’s full potential, creating lasting economic and social benefits that will shape generations to come.
“I am grateful for the council’s leadership on creating this bold vision for our city, and I look forward to working with the Government, the council and other partners to turn the vision into a reality.”