An extensive programme of testing is being carried out around Bridlington in a bid to find out sources impacting on bathing water quality.

The Environment Agency has started weekly spot sampling at a number of points in Bridlington Bay, including at permitted effluent discharges, the harbour and the Gypsey Race to try and get a better understanding of the water quality.

It also plans to do a day of intensive sampling across a full tidal cycle at numerous set points along Bridlington North and South Bays to provide a better understanding of bathing water quality.

The monitoring is in addition to the weekly compliance sampling already taken from each bay as part of the Environment Agency’s national bathing water quality sampling.

Bathing water quality at North Bay is classified as ‘Good’ but South Bay dropped from ‘Good’ to ‘Sufficient’ in the 2018 season.

The samples collected from the harbour and Gypsey Race will aim to identify their connectivity with the bathing water quality in the bay.

Claire Campbell, of the Environment Agency, said: “We are carrying out a monitoring programme in Bridlington to look at bathing beaches and the things that affect water quality.

Where bacteria levels are high in a sample we will undertake further analysis to try and identify the source of the bacteria.

Over time we will build a data set to better understand what impacts on bathing water quality, from people, birds and dogs to combined sewers, drains, tides, as well as the weather and industrial processes.

We will also continue to work with landowners, partners including local authorities and Yorkshire Water to make improvements where we can.

Ms Campbell added that the public also has a part to play in keeping bathing waters clean, including by not feeding seagulls, cleaning up after dogs and disposing of litter correctly. She said:

Everyone has a part to play in protecting and improving our great bathing waters. If we continue to work together to reduce pollution, we can improve water quality and ensure our bathing waters and coastal communities continue to thrive.

The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, the Rt Hon Julian Smith MP has reappointed Judith Thompson as Northern Ireland Commissioner for Victims & Survivors for 12 months until August 2020.

Julian Smith, Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, said:

I have decided to renew the Commissioner’s term for 12 months, in order to provide immediate continuity of this essential role and allow Stormont’s political leaders – once they are back up and running – to determine the long term future of this role.

Notes to Editors

In August 2015 Judith was first appointed by the First Minister and deputy First Minister as Commissioner for victims and survivors of the conflict in Northern Ireland. This role was established by legislation in 2006 and its principle aim is to promote the interests of victims and survivors.

The Commissioner has six statutory duties:

1. The Commissioner shall promote an awareness of matters relating to the interests of victims and survivors and of the need to safeguard those interests.
2. The Commissioner shall keep under review the adequacy and effectiveness of law and practice affecting the interests of victims and survivors.
3. The Commissioner shall keep under review the adequacy and effectiveness of services provided for victims and survivors by bodies or persons.
4. The Commissioner shall advise the Secretary of State, the Executive Committee of the Assembly and any body or person providing services for victims and survivors on matters concerning the interests of victims and survivors.
5. As soon as reasonably practicable after receipt of a request for advice; and on such other occasions as the Commissioner thinks appropriate; The Commissioner shall take reasonable steps to ensure that the views of victims and survivors are sought concerning the interests of victims and survivors.
6. The Commissioner shall make arrangements for a forum for consultation and discussion with victims and survivors.

Ms Thompson’s biography can be found on the Commissioner for Victims and Survivors website

CPANI Code of Practice

This reappointment was made in accordance with the Code of Practice issued by the Commissioner for Public Appointments for Northern Ireland.

Political Activity

All appointments are made on merit and political activity plays no part in the selection process. However, the Commissioner for Public Appointments for Northern Ireland requires the political activity of the appointees to be published. Judith Thompson has not declared any political activity in the last five years.

Statutory Requirements

This appointment has been made by the Secretary of State under the provisions of the Northern Ireland (Executive Formation and Exercise of Functions) Act 2018, as amended by the Northern Ireland (Ministerial Appointment Functions) Regulations 2019. 

The Defence and Security Accelerator (DASA) invites all those with an interest in ‘A Joint Effort’ advanced materials to a showcase event for the ‘A Joint Effort’ competition on 8 October 2019. The UK suppliers will be showcasing the progress of their innovation projects, which are in development through the Phase 1 competition.

Phase 1 of ‘A Joint Effort’ launched in November 2018 as a parallel call between the UK (Materials for Strategic Advantage programme within the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory) and Australia (Defence Science and Technology Group, Next Generation Technology Fund and Small Business Innovation Research for Defence) and was managed by DASA. We awarded funding for suppliers under each of the four challenges:

• Challenge 1: Integration of composites
• Challenge 2: Adhesives for structural joining
• Challenge 3: Joining high temperature structures
• Challenge 4: Improving armour systems

This event will give you the opportunity to see presentations from and interact with the UK Phase 1 suppliers: BAE, BMT, Foresight Innovations, Imperial College of London, TWI Limited, University of Surrey and Zentraxa.

We are particularly interested in your attendance at this event if you have an interest in procuring the technologies or have complementary programmes of work.

This event will also give you the opportunity to hear further details of Phase 2. For any suppliers interested in forming a collaboration to enter Phase 2, please see here for further information about the online collaboration space.

Representatives of the Dstl Materials for Strategic Advantage programme will be present at the event and welcome discussion on the wider work of the programme. Members of the DASA team will also be available for further discussion.

To attend the event

To participate in this demonstration event, please register on the Eventbrite page. Please note that places for this event are limited.

Find out more about the A Joint Effort competition.

On 30 August 2019 we wrote to Responsible Officers at awarding organisations recognised to offer reformed Functional Skills qualifications.

Our letter outlines our expectation that standards will be maintained from legacy versions of Functional Skills, how we expect standards to be aligned across awarding organisations and how we intend to collect standards data.

During the visit the Minister announced that the UK has extended its English language training for members of the Senegalese Armed Forces (SAF). The programme will continue to ‘train the trainer’, with further groups of Senegalese troops upskilled so they can lead language courses for other SAF personnel.

Over the last three years, the UK has so far trained 680 Senegalese personnel, readying them for deployment to international peacekeeping operations.

Armed Forces Minster Mark Lancaster said:

The UK has always been a key partner in West Africa and we have maintained strong, generational relationships across the area. It is beneficial for all our friends and partners in the region that we continue to support peace, development, and prosperity.

Senegal plays a vital role in peacekeeping missions across Africa and soon our troops will work side by side with them as part of the UN mission in Mali. By extending this training, we’re supporting our Senegalese partners to fulfil their important international commitments.

Starting his six-day trip in the Ghanaian capital Accra, Mr Lancaster met the Vice President of Ghana Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, Minister for National Security, Albert Kan-Dapaah, and Deputy Minister of Defence, Derrick Oduro. He highlighted the long tradition of partnership between the UK and Ghana, and reaffirmed the UK commitment to countering terrorism in West Africa and strengthening the Ghanaian Armed Forces.

Whilst in country, the Minister also had lunch with a number of Ghanaian veterans, re-stating the enormous gratitude of the British Government and people for the contribution of the Ghanaian soldiers who served the British Army during the Second World War.

Mr Lancaster then travelled to Senegal for a meeting with his Senegalese counterpart, Mr Sidiki Kaba. He welcomed the growing UK and Senegal defence relationship, demonstrated by the Royal Marines providing important training to the Senegalese Navy’s Marine Special Forces.

The Minister also commended the vital role that Senegal plays in the UN Mission in Mali, supporting some of world’s most vulnerable people. The UK has recently announced that it will be committing an additional 250 troops to the operation. The British troops will work alongside the 1,200 Senegalese troops and over 300 police officers currently deployed.

Finishing the West Africa visit in The Gambia where the Minister met President Adama Barrow and other members of his Government and the country’s Armed Forces. He then visited the Gambian Armed Forces Training School. The UK is committed to building its defence relationship with The Gambia and, for the first time in over a decade, both nations undertook a three week joint exercise in June 2019 focussing on infantry skills.