19 June marks the International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict. Since the launch of our campaign to Prevent Sexual Violence in Conflict in 2012, the UK has raised awareness of the horror and scale of sexual violence around the world as well as the need for accountability; for victim support; and for action to tackle stigma. The UK has actively supported work in all these areas and we know our assistance has had a real impact. We have also funded ground-breaking research to improve the global understanding of sexual violence-related issues; to inform policy-making; and to provide guidance to those working in the field.

Lord Ahmad, as the Prime Minister’s Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict, co-hosted an event in New York with the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict, Pramila Patten, to highlight the plight and rights of children born of war. Together, they launched UK-funded research by the London School of Economics Centre for Women, Peace and Security which shines a light on an issue which does not receive enough attention, and which challenges policy makers to improve our response and support to these survivors.

The voices of survivors are a central theme for our preparations ahead of the UK-hosted international meeting in November 2019, 5 years on from the 2014 Global Summit to End Sexual Violence in Conflict. This meeting will seek real commitments from governments and international organisations to secure justice for survivors and end impunity; advance accountability mechanisms; tackle stigma, and develop new ways to prevent and address sexual violence.

In 2014, the UK told the world that it was “Time to Act”. In 2019, we will show the world that we have acted, but are determined to do more.

Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict: Written Ministerial Statement:

Cancer patients in England are at increased risk of suicide compared to the general population, according to new figures from Public Health England (PHE).

The first national study of its kind in England reveals cancer patients have a 20% increased risk of suicide, with the highest risk seen within the first 6 months of diagnosis.

The findings of the study, presented at PHE’s Cancer Services, Data and Outcomes Conference, show cancers with poorer prognoses are associated with the highest risk, including:

• mesothelioma
• pancreatic cancer
• oesophageal cancer
• lung cancer
• stomach cancer

The reasons are complex and not fully understood, but may include fear of pain or treatment side-effects.

The study, in collaboration with University College London, looked at adults diagnosed with malignant cancer over a 20-year period from PHE’s National Cancer Registration and Analysis Service (NCRAS), compared with mortality data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS). It identified 2,491 cancer patients whose cause of death was recorded as suicide or an open verdict.

Advances in care and treatment mean more people with cancer are surviving and living longer; however, this study suggests many are struggling with their diagnosis.

This highlights the need for emotional support – including targeted psychological screening – to be integrated early into cancer care, alongside diagnosis and treatment. It is important for health professionals to consider the risk of suicide to help avoid potentially preventable deaths.

Dr Jem Rashbass, Cancer Lead at Public Health England said:

Receiving a cancer diagnosis can be devastating, which is why it’s so important for every patient and their carers to get the support they need. This study shows how critical the first 6 months are to quality of life and reducing the risk of suicide.

Health professionals play a vital role in offering emotional support to cancer patients at this most difficult time. It is important that they recognise the signs of depression, especially when their patients may often have many other physical needs.”

Andrew Kaye, Head of Policy at Macmillan Cancer Support, said:

Being told you have cancer is like being plunged into the unknown and can be an incredibly difficult and frightening time. That’s why it’s so important that people are given the right support to find their best way through from the moment they’re diagnosed.

Empowering people with cancer to have difficult conversations about how they are feeling and providing vital support are critical to avoiding potentially preventable deaths. Mental health should be taken just as seriously as physical health when looking at a patient’s holistic needs.

Countryside Stewardship (CS) Mid Tier agreement holders who claimed in 2017 for their revenue payment will receive a bridging payment by the end of June if they have not been paid by 21 June 2018.

A bridging payment is an interest-free loan to customers in advance of their full year payment. Customers will receive 75% of the current estimated value of their CS 2017 revenue claim. When the full payment is processed and made, the amount paid through the bridging payment will be held back.

While some 82% of 2017 CS claimants have already received a payment for the important environmental work on their farms, bridging payments are being made to ensure that the remaining 18% of farmers and land managers are not left out of pocket for the work and time they have invested.

Letters and emails are being sent to farmers and land managers awaiting payments this week, with a reminder to make sure bank account and contact details on the Rural Payments Service are up-to-date so that bridging payments can be made successfully.

The Rural Payments Agency (RPA) is administrating the payments on behalf of Natural England. This comes ahead of administration work on agri-environment schemes transferring to the RPA later this year.

The government has today (Wednesday 20 June) announced a number of new appointments and re-appointments to the independent Low Pay Commission (LPC).

Kate Bell, Simon Sapper and Martin McTague will replace John Hannett, Brian Strutton and Peter Donaldson. Kay Carberry, Professor Sarah Brown and Clare Chapman have all been re-appointed to their previous roles.

The appointments are for 3 years, with the option of reappointment.

Business Minister Andrew Griffiths said:

It is important that the lowest paid are fairly rewarded for their contribution to the economy and the National Minimum Wage has been making millions of workers better off since it was introduced.

The independent Low Pay Commission gives the government expert and impartial advice which is essential to this ongoing success.

I would like to thank the outgoing commissioners for the contribution and welcome the 3 new commissioners. They bring a wealth of experience to the commission and I am delighted to have them on board.

1. The Low Pay Commission is an independent body that advises the government about the National Living Wage and the National Minimum Wage.
2. Biographies of the new commissioners:

   * Kate Bell has been the Head of Economic and Social Affairs Department at the Trade Union Congress (TUC) since July 2016. Before joining the TUC, Kate worked as Head of Policy and Public Affairs for a local authority and for the charities Child Poverty Action Group and Gingerbread. Kate will join the LPC an employee commissioner
   * Simon Sapper is a senior leader with over 30 years’ experience in high profile campaigning, regulatory and membership organisations across public, private and voluntary sectors. Simon will join LPC as employee commissioner
   * Martin McTague is the director of Politics NE Ltd/Pical CIC (Public Policy Consultancy). He is also the Managing Director of A3C Solutions Ltd an IT company. He is also a policy director at the Federation of Small Businesses. Martin will join LPC as an employer commissioner
   * Kay Carberry was a Low Pay Commissioner from 1 November 2012 to 30 November 2017. She was Assistant General Secretary of the TUC before retirement at the end of February 2016 having previously been the first head of the TUC’s Equal Rights Department, set up in 1988. Kay will be re-joining as employee commissioner.
   * Professor Sarah Brown became a Low Pay Commissioner on 26th March 2015. She is a Professor of Economics at the University of Sheffield and a director of the Institute for Economic Analysis of Decision-making (InstEAD) at the University of Sheffield. Her research interests lie in the areas of labour economics, household finances and applied microeconometrics. Sarah continues as an independent commissioner.
   * Clare Chapman is a non-executive director and Remuneration Committee Chair at Kingfisher PLC. Prior to this Clare has held executive roles leading HR in some of the world’s largest enterprises including Quaker Oats, PepsiCo and Tesco’s. Her most recent role was as Group People Director for BT. Between 2007 and 2011 Clare was the Director General of Workforce for the NHS and Social Care. Clare has also served on a number of expert bodies, including the Good Work Commission and the Modern Apprenticeship Taskforce. Clare continues as an employer commissioner.

3. LPC is an advisory non-departmental public body, sponsored by the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy.
4. The other Low Pay Commissioners are:

   * Interim Chair (independent) – Bryan Sanderson (current)
   * Commissioner (employer) – Neil Carberry (current)
   * Commissioner (independent) – Professor Richard Dickens (current)

Natamycin (E235) is a polyene antibiotic of the polyene macrolide group used in the food industry as an antifungal preservative for cheeses and sausages. Natamycin is believed to be effective by binding to ergosterol in the fungal cell membrane which limits fungal growth.

Regulation (EU) 2015/647 amended Annexes II and III to Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 regarding the use of certain food additives and specifies that natamycin may only be used for the surface treatment of uncut hard, semi-hard and semi-soft cheese having a maximum surface concentration of 1 mg/dm2 (not present at a depth of 5 mm).

There were two revised EN ISO standards published in May 2018 describing the determination of natamycin in cheese rind:

EN ISO 9233-1:2018 – Cheese, cheese rind and processed cheese – Determination of natamycin content – Part 1: Molecular absorption spectrometric method for cheese rind (ISO 9233-1:2018)

EN ISO 9233-1:2018 supersedes EN ISO 9233-1:2013 describing a method for the determination of the natamycin mass fraction in cheese rind and the natamycin content in the surface-area in cheese rind using molecular spectrometry.

The method takes a weighed sample of the cheese and dissolving in a methanol/water mixture. The fat from the cheese in solution is precipitated by cooling the methanol/water mixture and the precipitate is removed by filtration. The natamycin in the filtrate can then be determined using molecular spectrometry for the natamycin mass fraction above 0.5 mg/kg in cheese rind and the surface-area related natamycin mass in cheese rind content above 0.03 mg/dm2.

EN ISO 9233-2:2018 – Cheese, cheese rind and processed cheese – Determination of natamycin content – Part 2: High-performance liquid chromatographic method for cheese, cheese rind and processed cheese (ISO 9233-2:2018)

EN ISO 9233-2:2018 supersedes EN ISO 9233-2:2013 describing a method for the determination of the natamycin mass fraction in cheese, cheese rind and processed cheese as well as the natamycin content in the surface-area of cheese rind using high performance liquid chromatography coupled to an ultraviolet-visible (HPLC-UV) spectrometer detector.

The method takes a weighed sample of the cheese and dissolving in a methanol/water mixture. The fat from the cheese in solution is precipitated by cooling the methanol/water mixture and the precipitate is removed by filtration. The natamycin in the filtrate can then be determined using HPLC-UV for the natamycin mass fraction above 0.5 mg/kg in cheese, cheese rind and processed cheese and the surface-area related natamycin mass in cheese rind content above 0.03 mg/dm2.

EN 15662:2018 – Foods of plant origin – Multi-method for the determination of pesticide residues using GC- and LC-based analysis following acetonitrile extraction/partitioning and clean-up by dispersive SPE – Modular QuEChERS-method

EN 15662:2018 supersedes EN 15662:2008 and describes a method for the analysis of pesticide residues in foods of plant origin, such as fruits (including dried fruits), vegetables, cereals and processed products using gas chromatography coupled to a mass spectrometer detector (GC-MS) or coupled to two mass spectrometers in tandem (GC-MS/MS) and/or liquid chromatography coupled to two mass spectrometers in tandem (LC-MS/MS).

The method applies the Quick, Easy, Cheap, Effective, Rugged, and Safe (QuEChERS) modular approach. The food is shaken in acetonitrile solvent with a small quantity of water to extract the pesticide residue. The acetontrile/water extract is separated from the food by partition using buffering salts. The acetonitrile/water extract requires further clean-up to enable injection onto a gas or liquid chromatography system and this is done by adding bulk sorbents to absorb impurities and magnesium sulphate to absorb water in a process known as dispersive solid phase extraction (D-SPE). The use of an internal standard allows quantification of the pesticide residue and it is added to the extract after the initial addition of acetonitrile.

Further information on food legislation can be found on the Government Chemist website:

Food and feed law: Compendium of UK food and feed legislation with associated context and changes during October to December 2017 – Government Chemist Programme Report