Sep122017

Meeting of the Government Import Substitution Commission

Russia

Localising component production for research, testing and manufacturing equipment in photonics and microelectronics.

Excerpts from the transcript:

Meeting of the Government Import Substitution Commission

Dmitry Medvedev: Despite all the challenges, Russia has been quite successful overall in promoting import substitution. The pace of progress in critical areas has even exceeded our initial projections. I’m talking about the agriculture, engineering, fuel and energy complex, and radio electronics.

However, a lot has yet to be done to increase the share of Russian manufacturers in the value-added chain and to improve the competitiveness of products made in Russia.

Photonics is one promising area. We continue to pay close attention to this sector. This industry could become a key development driver for modern science and technology. Its products are widely used in research, the defence industry, micro electronics, engineering, medicine and many other areas. The market for civil photonics products is usually estimated at 60 to 70 billion roubles.

We started working on this sector in 2014 by updating all the industry-specific instruments, introducing new areas, such as quantum and optical materials, radio photonics, nano photonics and bio photonics. Permanent industry-specific councils were established within the Ministry of Industry and Trade and the Ministry of Education and Science. An intergovernmental programme was approved to designate and select priority projects that would benefit from government support. This programme is expected to be launched this year.

The programme is also part of a new programme for scientific and technical development.

We have successful projects in this area, including the Skolkovo Quantum Centre, and research in radio electronics by the Foundation for Promising Research. Initiatives to this effect are underway in Sarov and in a number of other areas.

In addition, we have the task to minimise Russia’s dependency on fibre optic imports in the short-term and eliminate this dependence completely in the future. All the prerequisites for achieving this goal are in place. What matters the most is that Russia has unique infrastructure in terms the distance it covers, which makes our country one of the largest markets for fibre optics. It is for this reason that it is essential that Russian manufacturers dominate this market.

Of course, there are other areas as well, including solar power and laser technology.

Our goal is to localise in Russian the manufacturing of components and materials used in photonics. It goes without saying that they should be competitive both in terms of quality and price, and also be relevant in the market.

Sep122017

Press release: Landowners warned to be vigilant of fraudsters

DEFRA

Organised criminals are known to be targeting sites in the West Midlands where they are either requesting to store waste which has been baled or claiming they will use the site for other means like vehicle storage, and then filling the site with baled waste instead.

Landowners are being duped by these criminals with the promise of payment for storage, but even if an initial cash payment is made, the further promised monies don’t appear. Instead their land is filled up with the waste and they are left with clean-up costs that can run into the hundreds of thousands of pounds, or potentially a fine or custodial sentence leaving them with a criminal conviction on their record if the waste is not moved or disposed of in an appropriate manner.

The waste bales are being transported using curtain sided lorries and unloaded from the lorries using fork lift trucks. We would urge transport companies and plant hire companies to also be vigilant and not become part of this illegal activity.

Marc Lidderth, Environment Manager said:

A number of recent vehicle stops in the West Midlands found HGVs attempting to dispose of potentially illegal waste. These vehicles were stopped and the waste sent back to the original locations. The Environment Agency and police are investigating but we are unable to give any details at this time as it may damage any further investigations.

The storage of any baled or processed waste is not allowed without an environmental permit being in place. We are sending this warning to landowners, hauliers and plant hire companies to remain vigilant and to prevent them becoming a victim of this scam.

Waste companies, local authorities and businesses all have a responsibility to check what happens to their waste. We have specialist teams who work in partnership with the police and agencies like HMRC to tackle waste crime. This specialist crime unit uses intelligence to track and prosecute organised crime gangs involved in illegal waste activity.

If you or your company are approached or have any information about those involved in this scam please contact the Environment Agency via their incident hotline on 0800 80 70 60 or anonymously online via Crimestoppers or by calling 0800 555 111.

Sep122017

Press release: Landowners warned to be vigilant of fraudsters

Environment Agency

Organised criminals are known to be targeting sites in the West Midlands where they are either requesting to store waste which has been baled or claiming they will use the site for other means like vehicle storage, and then filling the site with baled waste instead.

Landowners are being duped by these criminals with the promise of payment for storage, but even if an initial cash payment is made, the further promised monies don’t appear. Instead their land is filled up with the waste and they are left with clean-up costs that can run into the hundreds of thousands of pounds, or potentially a fine or custodial sentence leaving them with a criminal conviction on their record if the waste is not moved or disposed of in an appropriate manner.

The waste bales are being transported using curtain sided lorries and unloaded from the lorries using fork lift trucks. We would urge transport companies and plant hire companies to also be vigilant and not become part of this illegal activity.

Marc Lidderth, Environment Manager said:

A number of recent vehicle stops in the West Midlands found HGVs attempting to dispose of potentially illegal waste. These vehicles were stopped and the waste sent back to the original locations. The Environment Agency and police are investigating but we are unable to give any details at this time as it may damage any further investigations.

The storage of any baled or processed waste is not allowed without an environmental permit being in place. We are sending this warning to landowners, hauliers and plant hire companies to remain vigilant and to prevent them becoming a victim of this scam.

Waste companies, local authorities and businesses all have a responsibility to check what happens to their waste. We have specialist teams who work in partnership with the police and agencies like HMRC to tackle waste crime. This specialist crime unit uses intelligence to track and prosecute organised crime gangs involved in illegal waste activity.

If you or your company are approached or have any information about those involved in this scam please contact the Environment Agency via their incident hotline on 0800 80 70 60 or anonymously online via Crimestoppers or by calling 0800 555 111.

Sep122017

Press release: Landowners warned to be vigilant of fraudsters

HM Government

Organised criminals are known to be targeting sites in the West Midlands where they are either requesting to store waste which has been baled or claiming they will use the site for other means like vehicle storage, and then filling the site with baled waste instead.

Landowners are being duped by these criminals with the promise of payment for storage, but even if an initial cash payment is made, the further promised monies don’t appear. Instead their land is filled up with the waste and they are left with clean-up costs that can run into the hundreds of thousands of pounds, or potentially a fine or custodial sentence leaving them with a criminal conviction on their record if the waste is not moved or disposed of in an appropriate manner.

The waste bales are being transported using curtain sided lorries and unloaded from the lorries using fork lift trucks. We would urge transport companies and plant hire companies to also be vigilant and not become part of this illegal activity.

Marc Lidderth, Environment Manager said:

A number of recent vehicle stops in the West Midlands found HGVs attempting to dispose of potentially illegal waste. These vehicles were stopped and the waste sent back to the original locations. The Environment Agency and police are investigating but we are unable to give any details at this time as it may damage any further investigations.

The storage of any baled or processed waste is not allowed without an environmental permit being in place. We are sending this warning to landowners, hauliers and plant hire companies to remain vigilant and to prevent them becoming a victim of this scam.

Waste companies, local authorities and businesses all have a responsibility to check what happens to their waste. We have specialist teams who work in partnership with the police and agencies like HMRC to tackle waste crime. This specialist crime unit uses intelligence to track and prosecute organised crime gangs involved in illegal waste activity.

If you or your company are approached or have any information about those involved in this scam please contact the Environment Agency via their incident hotline on 0800 80 70 60 or anonymously online via Crimestoppers or by calling 0800 555 111.

Sep122017

News story: Home Office sets out police pay award for 2017 to 2018

HM Government

The government recognises the extraordinary efforts of the police over the past year, and in light of independent recommendations made by the Police Remuneration Review Body (PRRB) and the Senior Salaries Review Body (SSRB), we will award police officers a pay award worth a total of two per cent to each officer in 2017 to 2018.

This will consist of:

  • a 1% increase to base pay for all ranks
  • an additional one-off non-consolidated payment to officers at federated and superintending ranks
  • a 1% increase to the London Weighting payment
  • a 1% increase to the Dog Handlers’ Allowance

Home Secretary Amber Rudd said:

The tireless work and contribution of police officers in responding to some of the most challenging situations our country has faced for a very long time has been extraordinary.

This award strikes a fair balance for police forces, officers and taxpayers. We want to reward and attract the very best police officers within the resources we have, whilst making the right decisions for the economy overall.

This award strikes a fair balance for police forces, officers and taxpayers. We believe it is affordable within the current police funding settlement. The independent pay review body and the police’s independent inspectorate have both highlighted the potential for further efficiencies in the police, forces have increased their reserves from £1.4 billion in 2011 to £1.8 billion in 2016, and police spending has been protected in real terms since 2015.

Policing remains a very attractive career. Applications rates for police officer roles are high. For example, this summer, more than 1500 people applied for 300 Humberside police officer jobs.

Officers benefit from a competitive pay and benefits package. The starting salary is between £19,971 (no qualifications) and £23,124 for constables, rising to £38,382 within 7 years of joining.

Officers who have not reached to top of their pay scale receive annual incremental pay of at least 2% in addition to any annual pay awards depending on rank, experience and securing a satisfactory performance grading.

They are entitled to membership of a defined benefit pension scheme, which is among the best available in the public or private sectors. Members benefit from employer contributions of 21.3% of their pay towards their pensions on top of their own contribution. All contributing members are able to take their pension by age 60, with the majority able to take a pension sooner.

The PRRB highlighted in its report the potential for further efficiencies to be made within policing.

Further information about police welfare, pay and wellbeing is available on the Home Office media blog.