Day to day life and muse postings and anything else I would like to share my world with you.
General anything that equals forty-two or majorly upsets my state of equilibrium e.g. less than or greater than forty-two.
New powers to stop parents avoiding paying child maintenance that they owe have been announced.
If a parent owes child maintenance, deductions to recover that debt can currently only be made from a bank or building society account held solely by them. So a small minority of parents are cheating their way out of supporting their children by putting their money into a joint account with a partner.
New laws will be brought in to allow deductions to be made from joint accounts in order to recover child maintenance arrears.
It is believed closing this loophole could stop a number of parents getting away with not paying their child maintenance each year – leading to more than £390,000 additional child maintenance being collected.
Minister for Family Support, Housing and Child Maintenance Caroline Dinenage said:
Our priority is for children to get the support they need. Only a small minority of parents try to cheat their way out of paying towards their children and this new power will be another tool to tackle those who do.
The government’s response to a public consultation on joint account deductions has been published today. This sets out how deduction orders against joint accounts will work and the safeguards that will be in place to protect the other holder of the joint account.
These include:
a deduction order only being imposed on a joint account when the paying parent does not have their own account, or there is not enough money in their own account
only funds belonging to the paying parent being targeted, as before a deduction order is made on a joint account, data on that bank account will be collected and bank statements examined to establish which money in the account belongs to the paying parent
existing safeguards already in place for deduction orders for child maintenance will apply to this new power, including the maximum deduction rate on regular orders being set at 40% of the paying parent’s weekly income
both account holders will be given the right to make their case before a deduction order is made
The new power will come into effect early next year.
More than 2 million public sector workers are set to receive unprecedented mental health support.
As part of her commitment to tackle the injustice of mental illness the Prime Minister commissioned an independent review of mental health and employers which has found that around 300,000 people a year are leaving their jobs each year due to mental illness – costing employers up to £42 billion annually.
The Prime Minister is today confirming that NHS England and the Civil Service – two of the country’s largest employers – will abide by the recommendations of the report.
As a result NHS and Civil Service employees will now be guaranteed tailored in-house mental health support. Alongside this, NHS England and the Civil Service will:
introduce a set of core and enhanced standards which will ensure employees have the knowledge, tools and confidence to understand and look after their own mental health – and the mental health of their colleagues
have support in place to help prevent mental illness being caused or worsened by work and equip those who have a mental illness to thrive
be held to account for delivering these standards by their relevant regulators so that employees can have faith they are being introduced effectively
Prime Minister Theresa May said:
I have made it a priority of this government to tackle the injustice of mental illness.
Vital to this is the need to have a comprehensive cross-government plan which transforms how we deal with mental illness not only in our hospitals or crisis centres but in our classrooms, shop floors and communities.
That’s why I commissioned this important review which starkly illustrates the cost of untreated mental illness - around 300,000 people with a long term mental health problem are losing their jobs each year.
And that has a big impact on businesses which are losing up to £42 billion each year as a result.
So we need to take action. That’s why I am immediately asking NHS England and the Civil Service – which together employ more than two million people – to accept the recommendations that apply to them.
With so many of our leading businesses leading the way in this area – and reaping the rewards as a result – I am sure that the private sector will follow suit.
It is only by making this an everyday concern for everyone that we change the way we see mental illness so that striving to improve your mental health – whether at work or at home – is seen as just as positive as improving our physical wellbeing.
The report from Lord Dennis Stevenson, a long-time campaigner for greater understanding and treatment of mental illness, and Paul Farmer CEO of Mind and chair of the NHS Mental Health Taskforce includes 40 recommendations for the public and private sector.
The Prime Minister is today writing to all metro mayors and key business groups including the CBI, IoD and Federation of Small Businesses to draw attention to the review and encourage them to implement the recommendations in their organisations and across their networks.
The government will consider the wider recommendations and respond in due course.
Environment Secretary Michael Gove has launched a call for evidence on how the littering of plastic, metal and glass drinks containers could be reduced
The government today invited views on how reward and return schemes for drinks containers could work in England by issuing a call for evidence.
More than eight million tonnes of plastic are discarded into the world’s oceans each year, putting marine wildlife under serious threat.
Up to 80% of this is estimated to have been originally lost or discarded on land before washing out to sea, and plastic bottles are a particular concern - with figures showing just 57% of those sold in the UK in 2016 collected for recycling.
This compares to a record 90% of deposit-marked cans and bottles that were returned to dedicated recycling facilities in Denmark, and a return rate of almost 80% of beverage containers in South Australia, both of which have a form of deposit return scheme.
To improve these numbers and increase recycling, Environment Secretary Michael Gove has asked organisations and individuals to share their views with the government on the advantages and disadvantages of different types of reward and return schemes for plastic, metal and glass drinks containers that could help reduce the number of bottles entering our waterways.
The call for evidence opened on 2 October for four weeks. On 27 October this was extended by three weeks to close on 20 November. This will allow as many people as possible to feed in their views on this important inquiry. Ministers have asked the Voluntary and Economic Incentives Working Group, set up as part of the Litter Strategy, to accelerate its work and report back early in the New Year - this timetable has not been altered.
Environment Secretary Michael Gove said:
We must protect our oceans and marine life from plastic waste if we are to be the first generation to leave our environment in a better state than we found it.
That means tackling the rise in plastic bottles entering our waters by making it simpler and easier to recycle and dispose of them appropriately.
Today we are launching a call for evidence to help us understand how reward and return schemes for plastic bottles and other drinks containers could work in England.
This approach has already seen great success in other countries such as Denmark in curbing plastic pollution and we want to hear people’s ideas on how we could make it work in England.
This adds to the progress we have already made in cleaning up our oceans by significantly reducing plastic bag use and drawing up one of the world’s toughest bans on plastic microbeads.
The evidence submitted will be examined by the government’s working group which includes brand and retail giants such as Coca Cola and Tesco.
This builds on successful waste initiatives already launched by the government, including the 5p plastic bag charge which has seen enormous success in changing consumer behaviour by reducing use by 83 per cent.
Some nine billion fewer carrier bags have been distributed since the charge was introduced, with more than £95million raised donated to environmental, educational and other good causes.
In addition, legislation for the government’s ban on microbeads - welcomed by campaigners as one of the toughest in the world – will be introduced later this year and we are now assessing how best to tackle other sources of microplastics from polluting the seas.
It is estimated that at least 5,000 deaths are caused every year in England because antibiotics no longer work for some infections.
As the Chief Medical Officer and experts around the world warn of a 'post-antibiotic apocalypse' and 'the end of modern medicine', Public Health England launches a major new campaign to help 'Keep Antibiotics Working'.
The campaign warns people that taking antibiotics when they are not needed puts them at risk of a more severe or longer infection, and urges people to take their doctor's advice on antibiotics.
Public Health England's ESPAUR report reveals that as antibiotic resistance grows, the options for treatment decrease. Worryingly, 4 in 10 patients with an E.coli bloodstream infection in England cannot be treated with the most commonly used antibiotic in hospitals.
Antibiotics are essential to treat serious bacterial infections, such as meningitis, pneumonia and sepsis, but they are frequently being used to treat illnesses, such as coughs, earache and sore throats that can get better by themselves.
Taking antibiotics encourages harmful bacteria that live inside you to become resistant. That means that antibiotics may not work when you really need them. It is estimated that at least 5,000 deaths are caused every year in England because antibiotics no longer work for some infections and this figure is set to rise with experts predicting that in just over 30 years antibiotic resistance will kill more people than cancer and diabetes combined.
The 'Keep Antibiotics Working' campaign urges the public to always trust their doctor, nurse or pharmacist's advice as to when they need antibiotics and if they are prescribed, take antibiotics as directed and never save them for later use or share them with others. The campaign also provides effective self-care advice to help individuals and their families feel better if they are not prescribed antibiotics.
Professor Paul Cosford, Medical Director at Public Health England, comments:
Antibiotic resistance is not a distant threat, but is in fact one of the most dangerous global crises facing the modern world today. Taking antibiotics when you don't need them puts you and your family at risk of developing infections which in turn cannot be easily treated with antibiotics. Without urgent action from all of us, common infections, minor injuries and routine operations will become much riskier. PHE's 'Keep Antibiotics Working' campaign helps to explain the risks of antibiotic resistance to the public. It is important for people to understand that if they are feeling under the weather and see their GP or a nurse, antibiotics may not be prescribed if they are not effective for their condition, but they should expect to have a full discussion about how to manage their symptoms.
Professor Dame Sally Davies, Chief Medical Officer, comments:
Without effective antibiotics, minor infections could become deadly and many medical advances could be at risk; surgery, chemotherapy and caesareans could become simply too dangerous. But reducing inappropriate use of antibiotics can help us stay ahead of superbugs. The public has a critical role to play and can help by taking collective action. I welcome the launch of the 'Keep Antibiotics Working' campaign, and remember that antibiotics are not always needed so always take your doctor's advice.
Health Minister Steve Brine said:
Following on from the global Call to Action conference held this month, we are asking people to help so we can make sure antibiotics keep working. This government is firmly committed to combatting drug resistant infections and refuses to allow modern medicine to grind to a halt – simple steps can make a huge difference.
Dr Chris Van Tulleken, TV and of infectious diseases doctor at University College London Hospitals, comments:
As an infectious diseases doctor, I see first-hand what happens if antibiotics don't work – and it's scary. Antibiotics are not just vital for treating serious bacterial infections, they're needed to help with other treatments like chemotherapy. Antibiotic resistance is a problem that will affect every one of us, so we all have a role to play. As GPs we are often asked to prescribe antibiotics by patients who think that they will cure all their ills. The reality is that antibiotics are not always needed so you shouldn't expect to be prescribed them by your doctor or nurse. Always take their advice and remember that your pharmacist can recommend medicines to help with your symptoms or pain.
Public Health England's new campaign is part of a wider cross-government strategy, involving the agricultural, pharmaceutical and healthcare sectors, which tackles the threat of antibiotic resistance by increasing supply and reducing inappropriate demand.
To help keep this precious resource in the fight against infections working, the public are asked to play their part and urged to always take their doctor, nurse or pharmacist's advice on antibiotics.
For further information on antibiotics, their uses and the risk of resistance, search 'NHS Antibiotics' online.
Thieves in Hawaii are stealing cans of Spam then selling them on the streets for quick cash to buy drugs, according to authorities.
Ra Long, who owns a convenience store in Honolulu, says shoplifters have typically targeted alcohol in the past, but recently more cans of Spam have gone missing.
"I mean you try to keep an eye on it, but if they run, you just can’t leave the counter and chase them," the shopkeeper told Hawaii News Now. "So you just got to take the hit."
Police in Honolulu said they had a report of a man lifting a case of the canned meat from a store earlier this month.
Kimo Carvalho, a spokesman for the Institute for Human Services, said people are stealing Spam because it is easy to sell: "It’s quick cash for quick drug money."
Hawaiians eat millions of cans of Spam a year, the nation’s highest per-capita consumption of the processed meat, which is a mixture of pork shoulder, ham, sugar and salt.
The state’s love affair with Spam began during the Second World War, when rationing created the right conditions for the rise of a meat that needs no refrigeration and has a long shelf-life.
Ann Kondo Corum, who grew up in Hawaii in the 1950s and has written several Spam-inspired cookbooks, has attributed Spam’s popularity partly to Hawaii’s large Asian population.
"Asians eat a lot of rice. Spam is salty, and it goes well with rice," she told The Associated Press.
Land Rover BAR have partnered with Seabin Pty to install the UK's first Seabin on the pontoon of the team's base in Portsmouth. The Seabin, an automated rubbish collection device, will sit alongside 1,000 oysters housed in protected cages on the dock, introduced as part of the Solent Oyster Restoration Project with Blue Marine Foundation and launched in 2015.
Each Seabin collects floating debris and micro plastics down to 2mm in diameter and has the capability to collect 83,000 plastic shopping bags or 20,000 plastic bottles per year. The team are expecting to remove half a tonne of debris from the waters around The Camber each year, as-well as removing pollutants such as oils and detergents.
Land Rover BAR was one of the early supporters during the initial Crowdfunding campaign that made the Seabin project possible and the UK's model is also the World's first commercial unit to be installed. The team are committed to protecting their 'pitch' and reducing their environmental footprint by working with exclusive sustainably partner, 11th Hour Racing, partners and suppliers to identify and communicate new innovative solutions to deliver further positive change.
Each Seabin has the capability to collect 83,000 plastic shopping bags or 20,000 plastic bottles per year (1/2 ton)
Partnership forms part of the team's ongoing goal to be the most sustainable sports team in the World
MDL Marinas, who installed the Land Rover BAR pontoon system, are supportive of the team's sustainability practices, "After designing and installing the Solent Oyster refuge equipment we're delighted to be helping with the installation of the Sea Bin. MDL is always striving to support new initiatives that remove pollutants in our waters and protect the local ecosystem. The SeaBin is a fantastic idea, and proven to do the job!" commented Dean Smith, Commercial Director.
Claire Perry's speech launching the Clean Growth Strategy
It is such a pleasure to be here today to launch our new Clean Growth Strategy. Not only because I am required to, under the Climate Change Act.
But also because I am genuinely proud of what we have achieved so far in the United Kingdom and incredibly excited about the huge opportunities for us ahead.
You may wonder why we have asked you to come to this iconic venue, scene of so much national success, this morning.
Well there are two reasons.
The first is because we are benefiting in this building from one of the UK’s biggest low-carbon combined heating, cooling and power facilities – brilliant technology that we want to see deployed much more widely.
And the second reason is… well you will have to wait for that.
Before I begin to detail all the steps we are taking, I want to thank a few people.
First, I want to thank my Secretary of State Greg Clark for his longstanding commitment to action on climate change.
From his time as Shadow Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change before the 2010 election, to his work across government, he has continued to champion the urgent need to cut emissions and seize the opportunity of clean growth and he deserves a huge amount of credit for this Strategy.
Second, I want to thank Nick Hurd, my predecessor in the department.
Nick put a massive effort into developing the policies in this plan, and I was really delighted I could take the baton from him [not just to steal all the glory] but because when I took on the Strategy, he had got it to a great place.
Thanks also to my amazing team at BEIS who have been working so hard for so long to put this Strategy together.
I also want to thank the Committee on Climate Change and their tireless chairman, Lord Deben.
You don’t realise until you sit in this ministerial chair, what a brilliant piece of legislation the Climate Change Act has proved to be, holding our feet to the fire as we consider every policy choice and empowering the Committee to keep us moving forward despite the short term political cycle.
Finally, I also want to thank all of you here today for your work cajoling, prodding, challenging, sometimes praising and, yes, criticising what we do.
We are not going to tackle the risks of climate change, nor grasp the opportunities of doing so unless we work together and I thank you for your commitment to this most important of issues.
You will know the gestation of our Clean Growth Strategy has been long, at times difficult and sometimes frustrating.
But we finally have a Strategy that is ambitious, broad and binding…
Sets out clear targets….
Harnesses the power of national innovation….
And re-affirms this government’s commitment to lead the way to a low carbon future.
So, today, in launching the Clean Growth Strategy I want to focus on three things:
First, to celebrate the extraordinary success the United Kingdom has achieved in delivering clean growth over the past two decades…
Second, as Greg said, to underline the enormous industrial opportunity for us that is emerging from the global transition to a low carbon economy - and how it will benefit us right across the UK.
And third to set out why this Clean Growth Strategy is distinctive and how it helps us meet the challenges we face.
As I said to start, the reason we are all here is the 2008 Climate Change Act, which had cross-party support and was a totemic piece of legislation. Because of that legislation we have to set out our strategy to meet the upcoming carbon budgets.
But we are also here because we want to be.
As the Prime Minister said in her foreword to our new strategy: “Clean growth is not an option, but a duty we owe to the next generation.”
And I think the UK should be very proud of our record in fulfilling that duty.
We were one of the first countries to recognise both the economic and security threats posed by rising sea levels and rising high temperatures.
And we have followed the guidance provided by that scientific understanding with action.
As Greg said, since 1990, we have cut emissions by more than 40 per cent while our economy has grown by two thirds over that time.
On a per person basis, this means that we have reduced emissions faster than any other G7 nation.
And not by sacrificing growth and competitiveness - we have led the G7 group in growth in national income over that period.
Let me just repeat that – we lead the G7 group of countries in cutting our emissions and growing our economy
Proving as false the view that we couldn’t protect the planet and raise prosperity at the same time.
Our world-first 2008 Climate Change Act set the pace for change, committing us to cut greenhouse gas emissions by at least eighty per cent by 2050.
And I’m pleased to tell you we are on track.
We over-performed against our first carbon budget, and are on track to do the same for the second and third. This is a fantastic achievement.
Our action at home is matched by our ambition to see action across the world.
This saw us playing a leading role in securing the agreement of 195 countries to sign up to the now historic Paris Climate Agreement…
It commits us to being among the largest contributors of international climate finance.
And it means that from the Prime Minister, Theresa May, downwards we continue to work across the world to ensure the Paris agreement and climate action are delivered and at the forefront of international action – UK leadership that has never been more needed than now.
I know many of you in this room are responsible for this incredible success.
A success which I don’t think we celebrate enough.
Well I promise to keep talking about it and to champion it on your behalf at every opportunity, home and abroad.
The commitments made by 195 countries in Paris also present an unparalleled economic opportunity.
We are seeing the start of a global shift toward clean solutions…
Low carbon ways to get from A to B…
…power and heat produced in way that helps the planet and helps people struggling with their bills…
…and heavy industry going carbon-light.
This shift offers UK businesses and innovators huge potential to shape the future of clean growth.
Because part of the reason why the UK is considered a leader in tackling climate change, is that we don’t just see it as a problem to be solved…
We see it is an opportunity, too.
So, by focusing on clean growth, we are presented with a win-win situation…
We can cut the cost of energy…
Drive economic growth…
Create high value jobs right across the UK…
And improve our quality of life.
This is precisely what our Clean Growth Strategy is about.
You will see a list of 50 major policies and plans in the Strategy Document today, with many supporting ones in the text behind them, and when implemented there will be real change
To give you just a few examples:
For businesses, the largest pool of contributors to emissions, we will help them improve how they use their energy, aiming to increase their energy productivity by at least twenty per cent by 2030, saving businesses £6 billion…
…we will establish an industrial energy efficiency scheme to help large companies cut their bills…
…and we will demonstrate international leadership in carbon capture, usage and storage, that we need to decarbonise and improve how we do business, including substantial new investment in leading edge innovation.
Our strategy will make a positive change to how we live.
We will make it easier for homeowners to make home improvements that can reduce their energy use…
…we will invest around £3.6 billion to upgrade around a million homes through the Energy Company Obligation by 2020, and extend that support to 2028…
…we will continue to support RHI (Renewable Heat Incentive)…
… we will work towards our aspiration that every home in the country will be rated Energy Performance Certificate as Band C by 2035…
And we will aim to upgrade as many private rented homes as possible where practical and affordable – helping many of those living in severe fuel poverty.
And, our Clean Growth Strategy will change the way we travel and make our air cleaner.
We have already said and reconfirm today we will end the sale of new conventional petrol and diesel cars and vans by 2040…
…it will invest £1 billion supporting the take-up of ultra-low emission vehicles, including helping consumers to overcome the upfront cost of an electric car…
…and we will make sure that those cars are powered by developing one of the best electric vehicle charging networks in the world.
Indeed you may have seen the hydrogen bus outside and we will continue to support different types of low carbon transport.
I get asked all the time – so what’s the magic bullet today?
And my answer is – we don’t have one. There is no one lever we can pull.
Instead we go through every major part of our economy and every part of government to set out ways to cut the emissions and drive innovation
Whether that’s investing in research and innovation for energy efficiency…
Or building new heat networks across the country to drive down the cost of keeping homes warm…
Whatever it takes, we are determined to make a difference.
And any set of actions that hopes to combat climate change has to cover all parts of the economy
And be focused on the next few decades, not the next few years, that is why the Clean Growth Strategy is a Strategy.
It has far-reaching goals and priorities, and sets the scene for other long-term plans government will be bringing forward like the upcoming 25 year plan from my colleagues at DEFRA, the DfT’s Road to Zero and our Industrial Strategy and its Sector Deals.
Our message is clear: this needs to be a priority for our government and the country for the years ahead, for future generations and not just us today.
And now is the right time to make these decisions because the benefits are huge.
The most recent research shows that the UK’s low carbon economy could grow over 10 to 12 per cent per year up to 2030 – four times faster than the growth of the UK economy as a whole.
By that estimate that would mean – in just 13 years – the UK’s low carbon economy would support up to 2 million more jobs and export up to £170bn low carbon goods and services each year.
And I’m not just talking about jobs in London and the South East…
This impact will be felt all over the country. We’ve already seen this happen, whether it’s the Siemens wind turbine blade factory in Hull or Nissan confirming that their Leaf electric car will be produced in Sunderland.
Like I said: a win-win situation right across the country, one that we are exploiting.
You may ask: what is different about this plan?
Well, it focuses areas of action where we get clear joint benefits:
cleaner air from low emissions vehicles…
…lower energy bills from improved energy efficiency…
… reducing waste and using resources efficiently…
…and creating a more biodiverse, resilient natural environment.
It is also a true cross-government approach – with real actions from buildings to transport, and from the natural environment to power generation.
And at the heart of our Strategy is a targeted focus on innovation.
Because I fundamentally believe that it is only through innovation that we can bring down the costs of low carbon technologies.
We want low carbon to mean low cost.
Because we need low cost to protect our businesses and households from high costs, including energy costs.
But – just as important – if we can develop the low cost, low carbon technologies here, we can capture the industrial and economic advantage from the global transition we are starting to see.
Finally, if we want to see other countries, particularly developing countries, follow our lead, we need low carbon technologies to be cheap.
So we have a new triple test to help us decide how to support new technologies:
First, does this deliver maximum carbon emission reduction?
Second, can we see a clear cost reduction pathway for this technology, so we can deliver low cost solutions?
And third, can the UK develop world-leading technology in a sizeable global market?
Of course, we can’t predict every technological breakthrough – if we’d have done that a few years ago, we would have been wrong – and not all of the choices we make will be the right ones.
That is the nature of working with such fast moving technologies.
But we are determined to create the best possible ecosystem for the private sector to invest and innovate.
If we get it right, we can see the benefits, just as we have on offshore wind, and the remarkable cost reduction we have seen where the costs have plummeted 50 percent in just two years.
And we have installed the biggest offshore wind base in the world.
To achieve these sorts of wins going forward and deliver the clean growth we need, it will require everyone to play their part.
This is not a job for central government alone.
It is a job for our devolved nations, local authorities, businesses and civil society working together; ambition and drive from every part of society and government is as important as diktats from Whitehall.
That is why we are delighted to celebrate in our document some of the amazing work that is taking place across the country.
And it is why we are setting up an annual ‘Green Great Britain’ Week, to celebrate the progress we have made, showcase UK technology and leadership, and inspire and motivate us to keep going, no matter the challenges, to deliver low carbon technology.
To meet our goals, we are going to need the full ingenuity, enterprise and determination of the British people working together.
So that answers the second question as to why we are here today.
Because we want to capture the spirit of cooperation and enterprise that gave us such an amazing performance at the 2012 Olympics from Team GB…
And use it to deliver a Green GB…
There won’t be medals on offer…
But the prize for all of us will be driving and capturing the benefits and opportunities for Britain and the world of our low carbon future.
An Asian hornet nest has been destroyed in the Woolacombe area and no further live Asian hornets have been sighted.
A recent outbreak of Asian hornets has been successfully contained by bee inspectors who promptly tracked down and destroyed their nest in Devon.
The hornets were first discovered in the Woolacombe area in September, but the National Bee Unit moved swiftly to find the nest and remove it.
No further live Asian hornets have been seen since the nest was treated with pesticide and removed earlier this month.
Nicola Spence, Defra Deputy Director for Plant and Bee Health, said:
I am pleased our well-established protocol to contain Asian hornets has worked so effectively in Devon.
We remain vigilant, however, and will continue to monitor the situation and encourage people to look out for any Asian hornet nests.
Members of the public are a vital tool in spotting Asian hornets and we urge people to report any potential sightings through the Asian hornet app or online.
This included a two mile surveillance zone in Devon, with bee inspectors scouring the area to track the hornets and the nest. The Animal and Plant Health Agency also opened a local control centre to coordinate the response between the various agencies and teams involved.
Asian hornets pose no greater risk to human health than a bee, though they are a threat to honey bee colonies.
The hornet prey on honeybees, disrupting the ecological role which they provide and damaging commercial beekeeping activities. This is why Defra takes quick action to identify and destroy their nests.
It is possible Asian hornets could reappear in the UK and members of the public alongside the nation’s beekeepers are urged to report any suspected sightings.
The ‘Asian Hornet Watch’ app is available to download from the Apple and Android app stores
