Baroness Williams, Minister of State for Countering Extremism and Minister for Equalities, today announced that Professor David Main has been appointed as chair of the Animals in Science Committee (ASC).

Professor Main will take up the appointment with the ASC on 1 March 2019, succeeding Dr John Landers who has served as ASC Chair for five years.

Baroness Williams said:

I am delighted to welcome Professor Main as the next chair of the ASC and I am confident that the knowledge and experience he will bring to the role will greatly benefit the Animals in Science Committee. I would also like to thank Dr Landers for his expertise and commitment during his time leading the committee.

The UK has one of the most comprehensive animal welfare systems in the world to ensure animal testing is carried out humanely and only when necessary. Under Professor Main’s leadership the ASC will continue to play a vital role in ensuring the government receives transparent, independent advice on the use of animals in science.

Professor David Main is Professor of Production Animal Health and Welfare at the Royal Agricultural University and formerly Professor of Animal Welfare, University of Bristol.

A veterinary surgeon, Professor Main has research interests in welfare assessment, intervention strategies to improve welfare, and animal welfare education. He has been involved in several large collaborative projects including AssureWel that introduced welfare outcome assessment into UK certification schemes and EU WelNet, a network of welfare scientists that provided welfare advice to the European Commission.

Professor Main said:

I look forward to taking up the role of Chair to the Animals in Science Committee and to working with committee members to continue this important work.

I would like to pay tribute to my predecessor Dr Landers who has led the committee since its inception in 2013. We hope to build on its already excellent achievements in this field.

The ASC is an independent public body sponsored by the Home Office. It provides independent advice about issues relating to the use of animals in scientific procedures within the context of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986.

Environment Agency introduce restrictions on fishing in England in response to the international decline in migratory salmon stocks.

Environment Agency’s national salmon and sea trout byelaws, applicable in England, have been confirmed by Defra. This means that the byelaws will become law and come into force on 1 January 2019.

The Environment Agency are introducing these restrictions on fishing in England in response to the international decline in migratory salmon stocks. Salmon stock numbers are currently among the lowest on record and are below sustainable levels in many rivers.

The byelaws will become law on the 1st January 2019 and will see the following restrictions being implemented:

• Closing all commercial net fisheries for ‘At Risk’ and ‘Probably At Risk’ rivers (some fishing for sea trout will still be allowed). This will include all drift net fisheries;

• Mandatory catch and release by anglers on the rivers that are classed as ‘At Risk’ to be introduced in June 2019. These are the Cumbrian Calder, Dorset Stour and Yealm;

• Mandatory catch and release by anglers on the rivers that are listed as ‘Recovering Rivers’. These are rivers where salmon were effectively wiped out and small populations have re-established in recent years with improvements in water quality on mostly heavily polluted post-industrial catchments. Examples of these are the Mersey, Yorkshire Ouse;

• Renewal of the 1998 Spring Salmon Byelaws. These protect the larger, early running salmon, and do not involve any new measures.

The new byelaws come into force following an Environment Agency consultation, which sought views on how to better manage salmon fishing in England and the Border Esk.

As part of new byelaws there will be voluntary catch and release expectation for salmon caught rivers classed as ‘Probably at Risk’ to ensure catch and release levels greater than 90%.

Reducing the taking of salmon by rods and nets is only one part of the Environment Agency’s larger programme to protect salmon stocks. Actions taken by the Environment Agency and its partners that contribute to protecting salmon stocks include removing barriers, improving water quality and agricultural practices, and addressing unsustainable water abstractions.

Kevin Austin, Environment Agency’s Deputy Director for Agriculture, Fisheries and the Natural Environment said:

It is only through continuing to take concerted action, and through the co-operation of others, that we will successfully protect this iconic fish for future generations.

We are not implementing these changes lightly and have consulted widely with those affected. There is no single solution to protecting salmon stocks; reducing the catch of salmon can only partly contribute to the recovery of salmon stocks.

The MDP bids farewell to Assistant Chief Constable Paul McLaughlin who retires later this month, after serving for more than 34 years with the force.

Paul joined the MDP in 1984, following an early career in the Merchant Navy. His first MDP posting was as a beat patrol officer at the Royal Navy Armament Depot (RNAD) in Beith, Ayshire, moving to the Clyde Marine Unit as a police coxswain 5 years later. In 1992 Paul was promoted to Sergeant and transferred to RNAD Coulport.

After successfully gaining a National Police Trainer qualification at the Scottish Police College at Tulliallan, Paul moved to the MDP’s Police Training Centre at Wethersfield, where he was consequently promoted to Inspector and, in March 1999, became Head of PTC, on temporary promotion to Chief Inspector rank.

In July 2001 Paul was substantively promoted to Chief Inspector and returned to Scotland, stationed at RNAD Coulport as an Operational Shift Commander. Two years later, Paul moved back to MDP HQ taking up position as Head of the International Policing and Secondments Office. This involved overseeing and briefing on the operational arrangements for deployments to locations such as Kosovo, Pitcairn Islands, Kenya, Bosnia and Iraq.

In 2004 Paul was promoted to Superintendent, as Head of Learning and Development (HoLD), with full responsibility for the delivery of police training in the force. At the time the MDP had agency status along with the Ministry of Defence Guard Service (MGS), known as the Ministry of Defence Police and Guarding Agency (MDPGA), and Paul was therefore ultimately responsible for coordinating, developing and integrating all MGS staff training and development needs in addition to those of MDP staff.

From 2008 to 2010 Paul was Senior Police Officer at AWE Aldermaston, before returning to MDP HQ to lead the review and restructure of HQ staffing, following which he took up post as Head of the new Operational Capability Centre (formerly the PTC). In 2012 Paul was promoted to Chief Superintendent and took up post as Nuclear Commander at Abbeywood, where he set up and led a new Nuclear Command structure.

At the beginning of 2014, Paul was appointed Temporary Assistant Chief Constable for Force Operations and, following successful completion of the National Chief Police Officer Strategic Command Course (SCC), was substantively promoted to ACC in 2016. During his time as ACC Paul has led on a range of change/improvement projects including infrastructure reorganisation, increased capability, programme planning, the Force complement reset and as strategic lead on both critical and routine operational and business incidents.

Reflecting on his MDP career, Paul said:

Looking back, I’m really happy with the choices I made during my MDP career. I’ve been fortunate to have experienced some challenging command positions, in addition to leading on key strategic change programmes. The successful outcomes of some of my work are still prevalent in the Force today and it’s that contribution, coupled with the resulting benefits to our staff, that gives me the greatest pleasure and which I’ll remember most.

What is important to me, in just about every single thing I’ve ever done in my career, is that I’ve gone into my work with the right intentions and that goes a long way. I consider myself as a stalwart ambassador for all things MDP and as I look forward to my retirement on leaving the force, it’s the people that I will miss most, every element of my success has been influenced one way or another by the MDP workforce. I will look back with fond memories, thank you.

Chief Constable Andy Adams commented:

Paul’s career has been exemplary and his boundless enthusiasm to get the job done is an example to many. He has been an outstanding MDP officer and I know that everyone in the force will join me in wishing him all the very best for a happy retirement with his family.