Rural women encouraged to ‘realise ambitions’

Women working in Scotland’s rural sector will be encouraged to “identify their potential and realise their ambitions” in Perthshire next month.




The genomes are out of the bottle

World-leading livestock scientists from Scotland’s Rural College are set to give vets the lowdown on genomics to give them the knowledge that farmers need to optimise their breeding decisions.




Press release: Maintenance work starts on Shrewsbury flood defence

The existing flood defences consist of a flood wall that has a strong concrete core. The work being carried out is replacing the sandstone cladding that covers the main part of the wall, that helps protect homes and businesses from flooding.

Locals will know that the sandstone has recently been showing signs of wear and tear. So, the Environment Agency is pleased to replace the cladding, to make sure the flood wall is well maintained and is in keeping with the surrounding area.

While this work is happening there is no change to the standard of protection offered by the flood defence and the repairs taking place are mainly for aesthetic and public safety purposes. In the event that the demountable flood barriers at Frankwell are required, the repair works will not affect any aspect of the deployment and the flood defence will still continue to perform normally and effectively at times of flood.

The work is expected to take approximately 3 weeks to complete, and throughout the works, access for the public around the work and to the life buoys will be maintained.

Toby Whitehouse from the Environment Agency said:

We’re pleased to be able to carry out this work. While it is largely cosmetic as no work is needed on the main concrete core of the flood wall, we’re keen to make sure flood defences remain in keeping with the area.

We would like to thank Shropshire Council for arranging the path to be temporarily diverted and for allowing us access to the Theatre Severn car park to store equipment during the work.

The Frankwell flood alleviation scheme reduces the risk of flooding from the River Severn. The scheme consists of a series of permanent flood walls (700m) and demountable slats (155m) along the north bank of the Severn as it flows to the north of Shrewsbury Town Centre.




Press release: Maintenance work starts on Shrewsbury flood defence

The existing flood defences consist of a flood wall that has a strong concrete core. The work being carried out is replacing the sandstone cladding that covers the main part of the wall, that helps protect homes and businesses from flooding.

Locals will know that the sandstone has recently been showing signs of wear and tear. So, the Environment Agency is pleased to replace the cladding, to make sure the flood wall is well maintained and is in keeping with the surrounding area.

While this work is happening there is no change to the standard of protection offered by the flood defence and the repairs taking place are mainly for aesthetic and public safety purposes. In the event that the demountable flood barriers at Frankwell are required, the repair works will not affect any aspect of the deployment and the flood defence will still continue to perform normally and effectively at times of flood.

The work is expected to take approximately 3 weeks to complete, and throughout the works, access for the public around the work and to the life buoys will be maintained.

Toby Whitehouse from the Environment Agency said:

We’re pleased to be able to carry out this work. While it is largely cosmetic as no work is needed on the main concrete core of the flood wall, we’re keen to make sure flood defences remain in keeping with the area.

We would like to thank Shropshire Council for arranging the path to be temporarily diverted and for allowing us access to the Theatre Severn car park to store equipment during the work.

The Frankwell flood alleviation scheme reduces the risk of flooding from the River Severn. The scheme consists of a series of permanent flood walls (700m) and demountable slats (155m) along the north bank of the Severn as it flows to the north of Shrewsbury Town Centre.




Consultation outcome: Bovine TB Strategy review 2018: call for evidence

Updated: Added a brief summary of the number of responses we received to this call for evidence and what we’ve done with those responses.

We’re seeking information about evidence-based interventions (including epidemiological and regulatory/economic measures) for bTB control. This is part of the bTB strategy review’s evidence gathering phase and will only consider topics included in the review’s terms of reference. The review is not assessing the current bTB strategy, but looking at what should be prioritised in the future.

Responses must not be longer than 2 A4 pages (not including the list of references). Please indicate in your response whether you are responding as an individual or on behalf of an organisation.

In particular, we’d like to hear about:

  • research considering how to improve deployment of existing bTB control interventions
  • potential new approaches and tools/technologies to deal with bTB
  • approaches taken to control bTB in other countries
  • work on human TB that might be relevant to the review

Confidentiality and data protection

Information provided in response to this call for evidence, including personal information, may be subject to publication or release to other parties or to disclosure in accordance with the access to information regimes, for example the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOIA) and the Data Protection Act 1998.

If you want information, including personal data, which you provide to be treated as confidential, please say so clearly in writing when you send your response to the call for evidence and say why you need to keep these details confidential. If we receive a request for disclosure under the FOIA, we will take account of your explanation, but we cannot provide an assurance that confidentiality can be maintained in all circumstances. An automatic confidentiality disclaimer generated by our IT system will not, by itself, be regarded as a confidentiality request.

This call for evidence is being conducted in line with the “Consultation Principles” set out by the Better Regulation Executive guidance.

If you have any comments or complaints about the call for evidence process, please address them to: Consultation Co-ordinator, Room 629, Millbank, 17 Smith Square, London SW1P 3JR. Alternatively, please email: consultation.coordinator@defra.gsi.gov.uk.