Eleven new sector champions, who will help to tackle the issues disabled people face as consumers, have been announced by the Minister for Disabled People, Work and Health today (21 February 2017).

The champions, who represent a range of different sectors and businesses, from gaming to retail, will use their influential status as leaders in their industries to promote the benefits of being inclusive to disabled people.

There are currently more than 11 million disabled people in the UK and the spending power of their households – ‘the purple pound’ – is almost £250 billion. But many businesses are missing out on this potential customer base by having everyday products and services which aren’t available to disabled people – who, as a result, are regularly excluded from experiences and opportunities that many others take for granted.

The sector champions will amplify the voices of disabled customers and employees within their own industries, increasing accountability and challenging inequality. They will also be able to highlight specific changes and improvements that will make a difference to the millions of people who often miss out.

The Minister for Disabled People, Work and Health, Penny Mordaunt, said:

As a public advocate for accessibility, these champions will help businesses realise the value of disabled consumers and the importance of catering to every customer’s needs.

These industries must become fully inclusive. Not being able to access the high street, products and services, transport or simply to access a loo jars with our national values: it must change.

The new sector champions will drive improvements to the accessibility and quality of services and facilities in their sector, helping to showcase best practice and show other businesses the merit of making disabled customers a priority.

The sector champions are:

• Helen Drury, Corporate Responsibility Manager at Intu (retail)
• Suzanne Bull MBE, CEO of Attitude is Everything (music)
• Huw Edwards, Public Affairs Director at UKActive (leisure)
• Chris Veitch, Co-founder of Access New Business (tourism)
• Robin Sheppard, Chairman of Bespoke Hotels (hotels)
• Dan Brooke, Chief Marketing & Communications Officer at Channel 4 (media)
• Sam Phillips, CMO at Omnicom Media Group (advertising)
• Michael Connolly, Regional Training and Standards Manager at OCS ltd (transport – airports)
• Jane Cole, Managing Director at Blackpool Transport Services (transport – buses)
• Trudie Hills, Disability Manager, Lloyds Bank (banking)
• Dr Jo Twist OBE, CEO of UKIE (gaming)

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Britain and Estonia share much in common. From our belief that healthcare should be offered to all, regardless of background, to the importance we place on the defence of western values and democracy.

And it is in that spirit of shared values and friendship that I come to Tallinn today.

The message I bring with me is a simple one – Britain will always prioritise the important relationship between our two nations, now more than ever as we seek a strong partnership with the EU even after we leave its institutions.

Our deep relationship extends back decades, starting during the War of Independence in 1918 when the UK sent a Royal Navy flotilla to secure Estonia’s freedom.

The British servicemen who gave their lives in that conflict are commemorated in the Estonian Defence Forces military cemetery in Tallinn.

And that strong military partnership continues today. Not only are we fully signed up members of NATO, but we are also two of only 5 countries that meet the spending target of 2% of GDP on defence.

Our troops fought together under the NATO banner in Afghanistan, and are now working together to defeat Daesh in Iraq and Syria.

And you need look no further for an indication of the importance Britain places on our relationship than the fact that in April this year, we will be deploying 800 UK troops to Tapa.

That collaboration will be of no less importance when we leave the European Union, because in the face of growing concern about the threat to security across the continent we must bolster our efforts to defend the western world.

So our servicemen and women will continue to work proudly alongside yours in the years ahead, providing vital reassurance and deterrence along NATO’s eastern border.

But our relationship runs further than our important shared interests in defence.

Estonia is one of the top travel destinations in the world and last year around 115,000 tourists visited Estonia from the UK.

In that context, I understand that the 15,000 Estonians currently living in the UK want certainty about their rights once the UK leaves the EU. And while Estonians’ existing rights are not affected the British government wants to get a deal done to secure long term rights quickly that protects the rights of all EU citizens living in the UK, and British citizens living in the EU. Indeed we would have liked to have come to such an agreement already, and have been clear it will be an absolute priority once formal negotiations begin.

It’s in no one’s interest to see any new barriers to trade. The UK is Estonia’s 4th biggest export partner in services, and trade between our two nations is worth more than €1bn a year.

The UK is important for the Estonian start-up community. Many have their headquarters in London, including the Estonian-founded money transfer firm TransferWise.

So as the Prime Minister outlined last month, Britain is seeking a new, strong partnership with the European Union. A partnership that maintains the close relationship we have with member states and builds further on them.

That partnership is one that will be to our mutual benefit. We are absolutely clear that we want the EU to succeed economically, politically and socially – and we want to remain a good friend and neighbour.

I’m confident that if we approach negotiations over the UK’s exit and new partnership with the EU in a spirit of goodwill, we can deliver a positive outcome that works for all.

Estonia and the UK will remain close partners. And my message to you, as the first UK Cabinet minister to visit Estonia since the UK voted to leave the EU, is that our important relationship will not diminish after our exit. Indeed, it will grow stronger still.

Following the declaration of famine in parts of South Sudan yesterday (Monday 20 February) – the first famine in the world for six years – there has been widespread media coverage including by the BBC, ITV, Sky, Guardian, Times, Financial Times and the Independent highlighting the worsening humanitarian crisis.

‎What is happening in South Sudan?

The situation in South Sudan is dire and almost half the population are in urgent need. Nearly 5 million people do not have enough food, 100,000 people are facing starvation and a million more are on the brink of famine. This is caused by prolonged conflict, ongoing violence and sexual atrocities which has displaced millions, and deteriorating drought which is threatening lives, and risks destabilising the region.

We are expecting the number of people facing the daily struggle of not having enough food to eat to rise even further.

The areas where famine has been declared have seen some of the most intense fighting between Government and opposition forces, and restrictions on access for humanitarian organisations trying to provide vital food, water and shelter for the most vulnerable people.

People are being forced to flee from their homes and almost 2,400 South Sudanese refugees are arriving in Uganda every day on average.

The UN has today launched an appeal for $1.6bn for South Sudan and has previously highlighted the growing risk of genocide and widespread atrocities if the conflict escalates. The world can’t allow that.

What has UK aid achieved?

Last year, UK aid in South Sudan:

• Reached 440,000 people with food
• Provided clean water and sanitation for 490,000 people
• Provided 660,000 people with health and medical support, including mothers and children
• Provided 130,000 people with shelter
• Treated 360,000 children against severe acute malnutrition.

In 2016, the UK’s support to Uganda provided:

• food for 650,000 people including 45,000 children
• shelter for 56,250 people
• blankets, water containers and sanitary towels for 64,000 people
• Vaccinations for 210,000 children.

What is the UK doing?

The UK has led the way in providing support to vulnerable people in South Sudan, giving over £500 million over the last three years to ensure millions get urgently needed food, water and medicine, as well as longer term support to provide much-needed education. We are helping more than 1 million children to go to school and supporting over 1,000 health facilities to cope with two years of civil war.

We are also providing support for the region, bolstering help for neighbouring countries such as Uganda – now the largest refugee-hosting nation in Africa with over one million refugees – to cope with the influx of South Sudanese families who have been forced to flee their homes. The vast majority (85%) of those arriving are women and children in dire need of assistance and protection.

This year, up to 400 UK troops will deploy to support the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), providing vital engineering and medical assistance to help improve security at UN camps and support UNMISS’s capacity to protect civilians and ensure humanitarian access, which is central to their mission.

We are working with the international community to support the African Union and region to pressure the Government of South Sudan to engage meaningfully in peace and in a genuinely inclusive dialogue. We are also working through the UN to ensure the Government are held to account and we are strong supporters of an arms embargo and placing sanctions on individuals who are driving the conflict.

International Development Secretary Priti Patel said:

This is an urgent and severe crisis, with almost half the population in desperate need.

Almost 5 million face the daily threat of going without enough food and water and 3 million people have been forced from their homes because of ruthless violence and widespread use of rape.

The UK is ensuring millions of people in South Sudan get urgently needed food, water and medicine, as well as longer term support.

The UK will not look the other way while people of South Sudan suffer: the Government of South Sudan must put an end to ethnic violence, allow humanitarian access and deliver long-lasting peace.

The international community now needs to step up alongside Britain to stop famine spreading and help support stability in South Sudan and the region, which is firmly in all our interests.

Find out more

For more information about how the UK is helping in South Sudan, please see: https://www.gov.uk/government/world/south-sudan

The following information summarises the work being carried out this coming week. It is correct as of the above date but could be subject to change due to weather conditions or unforeseen circumstances. All our improvement work is carried out with the aim of causing as little disruption as possible.

Various roads: routine inspections and maintenance for street lighting

Highways England is carrying out a programme of routine inspections of electrical and structural equipment across the region, which is planned for completion in Spring 2017. In addition there is a programme of maintenance which includes bulk lamp changes. Work will include inspecting equipment on the:

• A47 westbound Kings Lynn to Norwich and Norwich to Yarmouth, with traffic management but no full closures
• A12 southbound Brentwood to Chapel St Mary central reserve, with traffic management but no full closures
• A5 including underground cable testing

Work will include maintenance and bulk lamp changes on the:

• A1 between Wittering and Stibbington, with traffic management but no full closures
• A1 between Sandy and Biggleswade, with traffic management but no full closures

Various roads: barrier repairs

Highways England will continue repairs to barriers throughout the week, using lane closures to keep road users at a safe distance from the work. The work will take place at various locations, between 8pm and 5am. This week we are repairing barriers on the M11 in both directions from Monday 20 to Friday 24 February overnight, using lane closures while we are working between junctions 6 (M25) and 9 (A11). We are also repairing barriers on the A120 in both directions, between junction 8 with the M11 and Braintree (Marks Farm).

Various roads: litter picking and sweeping

Highways England will continue litter picking throughout the week on the M11. This will be done using a mobile slow-moving hard shoulder or lane closure. Work will also include sweeping the hard shoulder of the M11 during the day while we litter pick between junctions 6 (M25) and 9 (A11).

M1: technology repairs

Highways England will be working to repair and replace faulty power cables for signage technology on the motorway, including overhead sign lighting, on the M1. This will be done using lane and hard shoulder closures while we are working, between 9pm and 5am, from Monday 20 February to Friday 10 March. As part of this work, it will be necessary for slip roads to be closed overnight on some dates. Where slip roads are closed, drivers will be diverted to continue on the M1 to the next junction, exit and return to leave the junction from the opposite direction.

M11 and A120: structures maintenance

Highways England are carrying out routine maintenance work on bridges crossing the M11 between junctions 6 (M25) and 9 (A11) in both directions. They will also be doing similar work on the A120, between junction 8 with the M11 and Braintree (Marks Farm). These will be done during the day, with the hard shoulder closed while we are working.

M11 and A120 Stansted Airport: pothole filling

Highways England will be filling in potholes on the M11 between junctions 8 (Stansted Airport – Bishop’s Stortford) and 9 (A11) in both directions, and on the A120 between Braintree and junction 8 of the M11. This will be done using lane and hard shoulder closures while we are working, between 8.30pm and 6am, from Monday 20 to Friday 24 February.

M11: routine maintenance

Highways England will be doing routine maintenance of structures and technology boxes along the M11 during the day. These will be done with a hard shoulder closure, taking place between junctions 6 (M25) and 9 (A11).

A5-M1 Link (Dunstable Northern Bypass), Bedfordshire: major improvements

Highways England is building a new 2.9-mile, two-lane dual carriageway running from north of Dunstable and joining the M1 at a new junction 11a, south of Chalton. Main construction started in March 2015. Work is progressing well. The traffic management, including hard shoulder closures, safety barriers, signs, CCTV and average speed cameras, will stay in place throughout the construction work, which will be carried out in phases and should be finished in spring 2017.

Work on the M1and A5: there will be M1 lane closures between junctions 10 and 13 from Monday 20 February to Sunday 26 February between 10pm to 6am for overhead gantry works.

Work on the A5 and local roads: from Monday 20 to Sunday 26 February there will be traffic lights overnight on the A5 and A505 between 8pm and 6am for safety barrier installation and construction of a new footpath works. There will be temporary traffic lights on local roads and A5 between 9.30am and 3.30pm for verge and safety barrier work.

Cycle improvements schemes in Suffolk, Essex, Norfolk and Bedfordshire

Work is substantially completed on the building or improving of cycle paths at 16 locations across the East of England including on the A12, A120, A47 and A5.

The work included the installation of new and upgraded shared-use foot/cycle ways and toucan crossing facilities. The new or improved paths will make it safer and easier to cycle on or around major A-roads and will improve connections with the local and national cycle network.

The project is part of a country-wide initiative which will see Highways England deliver 200 projects over the next five years after the government set up a £100 million dedicated fund for cycling in its Road Investment Strategy.

Ongoing work for this week:

A12 Lowestoft – Station Road/Gunton St/Peters Avenue: there will be off peak three way lights upgrading the existing footpath works. The northbound bus stop opposite the works has temporarily been suspended, whilst the southbound bus stop has been relocated.

A5 Friars Wash: road surface repair

Highways England will be replacing the road surface on the A5 between Friars Wash and Chad Lane. This will be done on Monday 20 February and last for two weeks, working from 8pm to 6am. During the work the A5 will be closed between M1 junction 9 and Chad Lane. Access to and from the Premier Inn will be under escort by our site personnel for safety of our workforce. Diversion routes for traffic will be clearly signed as follows: Drivers heading southbound will be diverted to:

• head north on the A5 to the B4540 Luton Road/ Markyate Road, onto Front Street
• take the A1081 Luton Road towards Harpenden
• take the B487 Redbourn Lane, before joining the A5183 Dunstable Road to join the M1at junction 9

Drivers heading northbound from M1 junction 9 will be diverted to:

• take the A5183 Dunstable Road
• take B487 Redbourn Lane
• take the A1081 through Harpenden onto Front Street, north towards to Slip End
• take the B4540 Markyate Road/Luton Road back to join the A5 at Markyate

A12/A47 renumbering

Highways England is renumbering part of the A12 to become the A47. This work is being carried out as part of the improvements to the A47/A12 corridor. We will be replacing road signs that currently show the A12 to now show the A47. The work will last approximately 12 weeks to complete. The section of the A12 that currently runs from Lowestoft to Great Yarmouth will become the A47.

There will be off peak lane closures and two/three way traffic lights during the day and night throughout Lowestoft on the A12 installing sign faces and patches.

A14 Bury St Edmunds: junction improvements

Improvement works are being carried out on the A14 junction 45 Rookery Crossroads/Rougham. Works include construction of new eastbound slip roads, which are being funded by Suffolk County Council as part of the Bury St Edmunds Eastern Relief Road scheme. There is a 24 hour 40mph speed limit in place through the works for safety reasons, works are currently taking place overnight using lane closures in both directions. The works are due to take five months to complete.

A14 Cambridge to Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire: major improvements

Early preparatory construction work on the A14 Cambridge to Huntingdon scheme has been underway for a number of months and main construction has now started. We are currently carrying out a variety of tasks for which we need to close lanes or carriageway on the A1, A14 and some local roads, usually overnight between 8pm and 6 am unless otherwise stated. The work includes:

• creating safe crossing points for plant on a number of local roads
• installing access points to our construction compounds
• taking core samples of the existing A1 and A14 carriageways to help us plan construction
• clearing sites next to the live carriageway of vegetation
• installing CCTV and average speed cameras
• installing information boards

For this week, the planned closures are:

Full closures

Monday 20 February:

Full closure of A14 eastbound between junction 26 to junction 31.

Tuesday 21 February:

Full closure of A14 eastbound between junction 26 to junction 31.

Wednesday 22 February:

Full closure of A14 westbound junction 31 to junction 27.

Thursday 23 February:

Full closure of A14 westbound junction 31 to junction 27.

Friday 24 February to Monday 27 February:

Full closure of Grafham Road between 8pm Friday and 5am Monday.

Lane closures

Monday 20 February:

• A14 westbound between junction 24 and junction 26 lane 2 closed
• A1 northbound between Little Paxton to Brampton lane 1 closed
• A14 westbound junction 34 to junction 33 1 lane 1 closed
• M11 northbound between junction 12 and junction lane 1 closed

Tuesday 21 February:

• A14 eastbound between junction 24 and junction 26 lane 2 closed
• A1 northbound between Little Paxton to Brampton lane 1 closed
• A1 southbound between junction15 and junction 14 lane 1 Closure
• A14 eastbound between junction 18 and junction 20 lane 1 Closed
• M11 northbound between junction 12 and junction13 lane 1 Closed

Wednesday 22 February:

• M11 northbound between junction 13 and junction 14 lane 2 closed
• A14 eastbound between junction 24 and junction 26 lane 2 closed
• A1 northbound between Little Paxton to Brampton Lane 1 closed
• A1 southbound between junction15 and junction 14 lane 1 closure
• A14 eastbound between junction 18 and junction 20 lane 1 closed
• M11 northbound between junction 12 and junction13 lane 1 closed

Thursday 23 February:

• M11 northbound between junction 13 and junction 14 lane 2 closed
• A1 northbound between Little Paxton to Brampton Lane 1 closed
• M11 northbound between junction 12 and junction13 lane 1 closed

Friday 24 February:

• A1 northbound between Little Paxton to Brampton lane 1 closed
• M11 northbound between junction 12 and junction 13 lane 1 closed

A14 Cambridgeshire: drainage repairs

Highways England is undertaking investigations and repairs to the drainage system of the A14 between junctions 32 (Girton – M11 interchange) and 35 (Stoke cum Quy). There will be lane closures between 8pm and 6am while we are working overnight, with all works on weekdays only.

This week we are working on the A14 westbound direction with the inside lane closed between junctions 35 and 33.

A47 Dogsthorpe: junction improvements (Peterborough City Council)

Peterborough City Council is continuing its junction improvement work at the A47/A15 Dogsthorpe junction, Peterborough. The work will involve some overnight full closure and 24/7 lane closures on the A47. For more information, visit the Peterborough City Council website.

A47 Acle Straight: safety improvement works

Highways England will be working to improve safety along the A47 between Acle and Great Yarmouth. Works will start on Monday 20 February and last for two weeks, working from 8pm to 6am on weeknights only.

To keep road users at a safe distance from the works, we will close the A47 between the A1064 Acle Roundabout and the A12/A149 Vauxhall Roundabout. Access to and from the Vauxhall Holiday Park will be under escort by our site personnel for the safety of our workforce. There will be a clearly signed diversion route in place, whereby drivers heading eastbound on the A47 will be directed to:

• exit the A47 at the Acle Roundabout
• take the A1064 north-east towards Caister-on-Sea
• take the A149 south towards Great Yarmouth
• take the A149 Acle New Road to join the A12 at Vauxhall Roundabout

Drivers heading northbound on the A12 past Great Yarmouth will be directed to follow this diversion in reverse.

A120 and A12 Essex: essential maintenance work

We are completing essential maintenance work on the A120 and the A12 in Essex, which will be ongoing until May. This work will include resurfacing, safety barrier repairs, and bridge repairs, with work taking place between Braintree and Marks Tey, near Colchester, at Kelvedon, and at Wix. Unless detailed otherwise, work will be taking place between 8pm and 6am.

This week we are resurfacing the road and footpaths and replacing street lights, fencing and road signs on the A120 between Marks Tey and Marks Farm from Monday 20 to Friday 24 February, under night time (8pm-6am) temporary traffic signals at Marks Farm, Coggleshall and Marks Tey.

A120 Blackwater Bridge Bradwell Village – footpath will be accessible but reduced in width to 1.2m from Monday 20 to Friday 24 February to allow bridge deck investigative works. The works will only take place on a day time, but the pedestrian management will be in place for safety 24 hours a day.

We are repairing drainage on the A120 Wix bypass on nights from Monday 20 to Friday 24 February. There will be night time (8pm-6am) traffic lights in place and a 40mph speed limit while we are working. This work is expected to be complete by late April.

We are replacing the central reservation safety barrier on the A120 between junction 29 of the A12 (Crown Interchange) to Hare Green (between the B1029 and the A133). There will be narrow lanes westbound with a 50mph limit in place in both directions 24/7 throughout the works until mid-March. In addition there will be a lane 2 closure eastbound from Monday 20 to Friday 24 February overnight. Overnight westbound full closures from Monday 20 February -Great Bromley Junction and A133 link road. Diversion route via A131/A1232 to junction 29 for Temporary Barrier and narrow lanes to be relocated

We are repairing bridge joints on the A12 Ewell Bridge near Kelvedon. Bridge closed to pedestrians 24/7 until scheme is completed April 2017. Pedestrians who cross over Ewell Bridge westbound from its connection with Windmill Hill will be diverted head south on Windmill Hill to its junction with Highfields Lane, then along Highfields Lane, heading towards Kelvedon, before crossing Maldon Road Bridge to the junction with Ewell Hall Chase, and finally join Ewell Hall Chase to meet with the public right of way in the vicinity of Ewell Hall Farm. Pedestrians wishing to cross eastbound, the diversion is the reverse of the above.

Porter Park Bridge A12 north of junction 19: repairing bridge joints and water proofing, resurfacing of the carriageway and footpath. Closed to all vehicles. Diversion, (Southbound) B1137, A130, Essex Regiment way, Wheelers Hill, Leigh’s Road, Drakes Lane, Boreham Road, Waltham Road, B1137. The northbound diversion is the reverse of the southbound. Pedestrian access is maintained.

A428 Eltisley: street lighting and road markings

Highways England will be improving street lighting and road markings on the A428 through Eltisley. This will be done between Monday 20 February and Friday 31 March. During the works we will have traffic lights in place while we are working. As part of this work, it will be necessary for road to be closed overnight on some dates. Where the A428 is closed westbound, drivers will be diverted to take the A1198 northbound at Caxton Gibbet roundabout, then at Godmanchester follow the A14 westbound to junction 21 at Brampton Hut, then take the A1 southbound and follow the A1 southbound to Wyboston junction roundabout, where the diversion ends. Drivers heading eastbound will follow this diversion in reverse.

General enquiries

Members of the public should contact the Highways England customer contact centre on 0300 123 5000.

Media enquiries

Journalists should contact the Highways England press office on 0844 693 1448 and use the menu to speak to the most appropriate press officer.