A 47-year old man from Ruddington, Nottingham, has been fined more than £500 for fishing without a licence at the Grantham canal, Nottingham, on 26 September 2018.

The case was brought to Luton Magistrates Court by the Environment Agency on 28 March 2019 where Christopher Hepworth Bourne of Packman Drive, Ruddington, pleaded guilty and was ordered to pay a total penalty of £523.47. An annual fishing licence would have cost him just £30.

The penalty includes a fine of £360, costs of £127.47 and a victim surcharge of £36 after Hepworth Bourne was found in breach of the Salmon and Freshwater Fisheries Act (1975).

Following the verdict, Peter Haslock, East Midlands Enforcement Team Leader for the Environment Agency, said:

This case shows how seriously the courts take these offences and we hope it will act as a deterrent to any angler who is thinking of fishing without a licence.

We would also like to remind anglers who wish to buy their licence online of the importance of buying it directly from GOV.UK as they will receive a reference number allowing them to go fishing on the same day.

Customers who use third-party sites may be charged more and might not get added to the official database as quickly.

All of the money raised from fishing licence sales is used to protect and improve fish stocks and fisheries, benefitting anglers and, for those caught cheating the system, we will always prosecute.

Every year across the country, thousands of anglers are prosecuted for not having a fishing licence. As well as cheating other anglers, fishing illegally can carry a hefty penalty. Getting caught without a licence could land a fine of up to £2,500.

Any angler aged 13 or over, fishing on a river, canal or still water needs a licence. A 1-day licence costs from just £6 and an annual licence costs from just £30 (concessions available). Junior licences are free for 13- to 16-year-olds. Licences are available from GOV.UK or by calling the Environment Agency on 0344 800 5386 between 8am and 6pm, Monday to Friday. Alternatively you can purchase a licence from your local Post Office branch.

The Environment Agency carries out enforcement work all year round and is supported by partners including the police and the Angling Trust. Fisheries enforcement work is intelligence-led, targeting known hot-spots and where illegal fishing is reported.

The Community Pharmacy Contractual Framework (CPCF) sets out the terms for the provision of NHS pharmaceutical services in England, including the funding paid to pharmacy contractors. 

The negotiations will support the delivery of the NHS Long Term Plan’s vision for the future of primary care, in which all providers work together, making the best use of their unique skills for the benefit of patients. 

As set out in the NHS Long Term Plan and GP contract, the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) will want to explore with the Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee (PSNC) the possible roll-out of a national minor illness service through NHS 111 and the piloting of referrals to community pharmacy from other settings, such as general practice and the online platform NHS.UK. 

In opening the negotiations, DHSC has now shared proposals for the CPCF for 2019 to 2020 and beyond with the PSNC. A series of regular meetings will now take place between DHSC, NHS England and the PSNC to discuss this further.  The negotiations are confidential, meaning the department will not be able to provide further information about the negotiations until they come to a close. 

Interim arrangements from 1 April 2019 were agreed last month. These arrangements have maintained the current funding level of £2.592 billion per year and will continue until they are replaced by the substantive arrangements being negotiated. 

Secretary of State for Health and Social Care Matt Hancock said: 

Community pharmacies are at the heart of the NHS and are crucial for our prevention agenda to help more people stay well, a core part of the NHS Long Term Plan.

I am pleased we are beginning discussions with the Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee on the future Community Pharmacy Contractual Framework, guided by our new Public Health Minister Seema Kennedy.

As part of the Long Term Plan for the NHS we want to see pharmacies deliver a wider range of more efficient services and give patients more control over their care and personal health. The start of these negotiations signals an important step in delivering that ambition.

PSNC Chief Executive Simon Dukes said:

PSNC is pleased to be able to begin these negotiations, the outcome of which will be absolutely critical for all pharmacy contractors in England.

There are going to be some difficult conversations over the coming months but our negotiating team includes experienced PSNC members from both the independent and multiple sectors, so contractors can be assured that we will be well equipped and absolutely committed to getting the best possible deal for community pharmacy.

Our priority is to seek a sustainable future for community pharmacy to enable us to better utilise the skills and knowledge of pharmacy teams to help people stay well in the community.

12 week consultations launched in England and Wales to seek views on reforms to agricultural tenancy legislation

Plans to modernise and update agricultural tenancy legislation have been published today (Tuesday 9 April) as part of a public consultation and call for evidence.

The proposals build on the work of the Tenancy Reform Industry Group (TRIG), which has provided advice on the key policy priorities for the tenanted sector as we leave the EU.

The consultations in England and Wales set out proposals to remove existing barriers to productivity improvements and help bring about structural change, improving the overall competitiveness and sustainability of the tenant farming sector.

The options that are being explored include:

• Enabling tenants of Agricultural Holdings Act (AHA) agreements to hand over their lease to new tenant farmers on their retirement, encouraging earlier succession planning.
• Incentivising more landlords to let new Farm Business Tenancies of 10 years or more, giving tenants greater security to invest and grow a sustainable businesses.
• Removing barriers which may currently dis-incentivise landlords and tenants from investing and making improvements to their AHA rented holdings. For example, there is currently the risk that agreed tenant interest payments made on investments can be lost during the rent review process.

As the existing legislation on agricultural tenancy applies to England and Wales, two consultations will run for 12 weeks in both countries.

Farming Minister Robert Goodwill said:

We are seeking views on how we can open up more opportunities for the next wave of tenant farmers, breathe new life into the sector and step up farming productivity.

We are exploring a number of options to reboot the sector, such as encouraging earlier succession planning and having more flexibility in current tenancy agreements.

The policy framework for agricultural tenancies needs to be fit for the future, and I welcome all views on the proposals set out in this consultation.

Views will be sought from farmers in tenancy agreements, agricultural landlords and the organisations which represent these groups, as well as professional advisers and financial organisations in the sector.

The government is also seeking to gather evidence on mortgage restrictions and repossession protections for farmland to better understand any issues that exist in this area.

Julian Sayers, Chairman of the Tenancy Reform Industry Group (TRIG) said:

The cross industry Group has worked closely with Defra to identify further legislative and other measures which will hopefully help to maintain and invigorate the tenanted sector.

We face a period of significant change across the whole farming industry to which both landlords and tenants must be in a position to adapt over the course of the next few years and beyond.

I therefore encourage all those with an interest in land tenure, which has such an important part to play in the future of many of our agricultural business, to respond to the consultation.

The deadline for responses is 2 July 2019.

All queries regarding this consultation can be directed to agriculturaltenancies@defra.gov.uk

Mark Field, Minister for Asia and the Pacific, was the first UK minister to meet with Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina since elections in December.