Author Archives: HM Government

From 1 April 2017, the fees for applying to register lasting powers of attorney (LPA) and enduring powers of attorney (EPA) reduce from £110 to £82, with the fee for resubmitting an LPA for registration reducing from £55 to £41.

The Biomechanical Associations and Efficacy of Injectable Therapies in Tendinopathy (BEFIT) study is funded with a grant from the Higher Education Funding Council for England and brings together university academics and MOD collaborators to investigat… read more

Instead of paying in advance, a new ‘Pay on Invoice’ process will streamline the way we manage a range of applications.

We are committed to reducing the regulatory burden and improving the process for licence applications.

From 1 April those making applications will no longer need to attach proof of payment making the end-to-end process simpler, easier and quicker.

The benefits of the new process include removing the need to work out complex fees and reducing the chance of applications being rejected for incorrect payment details.

Additionally the simplified payment process should result in fewer delays and make it easier for companies to reconcile financial records and accounts.

Overall the process is aimed at saving companies time and money.

Richard Humphreys, MHRA’s Deputy Director of Finance said:

We have listened to our customers and launched this new project in order to make the process of payment much easier and quicker.

We hope the new process will reduce the regulatory burden and reduce unnecessary delays.

As with everything we do, we welcome your feedback.

If you have any questions please get in touch by emailing sales.invoices@mhra.gsi.gov.uk

There have been no changes to our payment terms and invoices must be settled on receipt of invoice. Penalty fees can be incurred for non-payment, details of the penalties are set out in the Fees Regulations. Non-payment may also result in suspension of any licence or authorisation, followed by legal proceedings for unpaid amounts, as a debt due to the Crown.

More information can be found here

A high-volume pump used during major flood events will be tested in Somerset next week (4 to 6 April 2017) as part of Exercise Wessex Flare – a 3-day training exercise run by the Environment Agency.

The 24-inch diameter steel and alloy diesel pump is capable of pumping 1,650 litres of water per second – the equivalent of filling 20 baths in a second. It will be loaded onto an 8-wheel lorry at its base in Bawdrip village, and transported to the remote North Drain pumping station several miles away.

A team of incident operatives and experienced pump specialists from across the country will then attach the 12-tonne pump to 40 metres of pipework over a period of at least 8 hours before setting it in motion.

Operations manager Robbie Williams said:

Flooding can have a devastating impact on people’s lives and homes. We care about our communities and want to do whatever we can to help prevent this type of incident. Using pumps to manage water levels and reduce the impact of flooding is one of the many ways we can do this, alongside temporary defence barriers.

Preparing and practising pump deployment helps to ensure we act more quickly and effectively. It’s also an opportunity to develop knowledge and skills so people can confidently operate this type of heavy machinery nationwide, with the help of the military and other groups.

The exercise builds on Exercise Wessex Teal where Wiltshire-based soldiers were trained to deploy temporary defence barriers. Some of those soldiers will be on hand to watch the pump in action and learn how it works. The Environment Agency’s new Incident Command Unit (ICU) will also be on-site streaming live images of the exercise back to the Agency’s Bridgwater incident room.

The ICU serves as a mobile incident room and temporary headquarters for staff out in the field, enabling better site management, situational awareness and visibility in flood risk communities.

It is important everybody is aware of their own flood risk. People can find out how to get ready and check their flood risk on GOV.UK or calling Floodline on 0345 988 1188.