Mar142017

News story: Defence Secretary announces 1,500th signing of Armed Forces Covenant

MOD
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Building materials supplier Travis Perkins were revealed as the 1,500th signatory during the third annual Partnering with Defence employer conference at the Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre in London today.

Speaking at the conference, Sir Michael said:

By signing the Covenant, Travis Perkins joins firms across Britain committed to ensuring those who serve or have served our country are better supported.

Reaching this milestone also shows growing recognition of the unique skills and experience that reservists and former service personnel offer their organisations.

Amongst their commitments, Travis Perkins has pledged to provide Armed Forces personnel and veterans with a variety of work experience placements in their centres, branches, and stores across the country and are supporting members of the Royal Engineers in gaining NVQ qualifications for their construction skills.

Travis Perkins currently employs nine reservists and other members of the Armed Forces community across the country.

Maria Walding, a Compliance Manager at Travis Perkins, who is an Army Cadet Force adult volunteer, said:

The Travis Perkins Group has fully supported and values my role as a Reservist. I am proud to say I work for a company that consistently gives military personnel the chance to use their existing skills and build a lasting career outside of the military.

Travis Perkins CEO John Carter said:

As a business, Travis Perkins has long recognised the valuable skills and attributes those with a serving background can contribute, not only to our own workforce but also to the wider economy.

We are delighted to not only be here to celebrate the Group’s commitment and ongoing support of the Armed Forces in our signing of the Armed Forces Covenant, but incredibly proud and honoured to be recognised along with our community of ex forces and serving colleagues, as the 1500th organisation to do so.

Travis Perkins joins a growing number of businesses that are making tangible pledges to the Armed Forces community.

Earlier this week Defence Minister Mark Lancaster also announced that the UK’s main broadband providers including Virgin Media, Sky, Talk Talk, BT, EE and Plusnet, representing 95 per cent of Britain’s broadband market, had committed to waiving fees on contracts that personnel had to cancel when posted abroad or to another part of the UK, often at short notice.

Since 2013, the Covenant has helped to deliver these key improvements for the Armed Forces community:

  • A new agreement with mortgage lenders allowing personnel posted abroad to rent out their homes without facing higher mortgage costs or having to change their mortgage;
  • Fairer mobile phone contracts, freezing the accounts of Armed Forces personnel and their families posted overseas and removing cancellation fees;
  • Better deals in motor insurance, allowing personnel to keep their no claims bonuses and avoid cancellation fees when posted overseas at short notice;
  • Employer networks in a wide range of sectors to support Service leavers through their transition to new careers;
  • Better access to banking, such as savings accounts to Service families posted overseas;
  • Tackling commercial disadvantage previously experienced by the Armed Forces community in relation to credit rating and access to mortgages on offer. For example, if their Service overseas forces them into a situation where they will need to rent out their home, members are now free from the need to switch to a ‘buy to let’ mortgage;
  • Better access to mentoring, work placements and employment opportunities for personnel leaving the Services;
  • Increased funding and sponsorship of military charities and sports events such as the Invictus Games;
  • Flexible paid or unpaid leave for mobilised Reservists;
  • Employment support for Veterans, Reservists, Service spouses and partners, as well as support for Cadets;
    Discounts and special deals for individuals and their families.

The Armed Forces Covenant is a promise by the nation, enshrined in law, ensuring that those who serve or have previously served in the Armed Forces, and their families, are treated fairly and not disadvantaged by their service.

Mar142017

SNP probed on ministers’ indyref ‘ring around’

HM Government
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14 Mar 2017

JCChoice

A series of parliamentary questions have been tabled to establish the extent of a Scottish Government minister “ring around” following Nicola Sturgeon’s referendum announcement.

It was reported today that ministers spent the day contacting companies and trade bodies to discuss the new break-up plans.

This is despite the SNP saying it is focused on the day job, and that areas like education and health are its “priority”.

According to reports, one recipient of a phone call said the minister in question was keen to “allay fears” surrounding a new vote, and that it might not happen until after Brexit was concluded.

On the same day, it emerged a school in education secretary John Swinney’s local area was appealing to parents to come in and help with maths tuition, such was the shortage of teachers.

And today, figures have revealed accident and emergency departments across the country – including at Scotland’s newest flagship hospital – continue to miss targets.

Scottish Conservative deputy leader Jackson Carlaw said:

“This is a farcical use of government ministers’ time when they are supposed to be focused on the day job.

“Schools are having to ask parents to come in and fill teaching gaps, people are waiting too long at A&E and Police Scotland is in crisis.

“Yet the SNP thinks the best use of senior ministers’ time is to embark on a ludicrous ring around of businesses to put down a marker on independence – surely more appropriately a job for SNP party apparatchiks?

“Nicola Sturgeon’s statement that her government’s priority is matters such as education is now exposed as a lie.

“The SNP should reveal exactly who spent time on these calls, who they were to, what was said, and exactly what the nationalists thought would be achieved by making them.”

Reports of the ring around are here:

https://order-order.com/2017/03/14/snp-ring-around-played-down-referendum-chances/

Below is a list of questions submitted today by Scottish Conservative chief whip John Lamont:

TATSG to publish a record of all phone calls made between Scottish Government Ministers and the Scottish Chambers of Commerce, CBI Scotland and other business organisations in the week leading up to – and including – 13 March 2017.

TATSG to release all correspondence between Scottish Government Ministers and the Scottish Chambers of Commerce, CBI Scotland and other business organisations in the week leading up to – and including – 13 March 2017.

TATSG to publish a record of all meetings between Scottish Government Ministers and the Scottish Chambers of Commerce, CBI Scotland and other business organisations in the week leading up to – and including – 13 March 2017.

TATSG to publish all minutes of discussions between Scottish Government Ministers and the Scottish Chambers of Commerce, CBI Scotland and other business organisations in the week leading up to – and including – 13 March 2017.

TATSG to publish a record of all phone calls made between Scottish Government Ministers and financial organisations in the week leading up to – and including – 13 March 2017.

TATSG to release all correspondence between Scottish Government Ministers and financial organisations in the week leading up to – and including – 13 March 2017.

TATSG to publish a record of all meetings between Scottish Government Ministers and financial organisations in the week leading up to – and including – 13 March 2017.

TATSG to publish all minutes of discussions between Scottish Government Ministers and financial organisations in the week leading up to – and including – 13 March 2017.

TATSG to publish a record of all phone calls made between Scottish Government Ministers and the NHS, Royal Colleges and other medical stakeholders in the week leading up to – and including – 13 March 2017.

TATSG to release all correspondence between Scottish Government Ministers and the NHS, Royal Colleges and other medical stakeholders in the week leading up to – and including – 13 March 2017.

TATSG to publish a record of all meetings between Scottish Government Ministers and the NHS, Royal Colleges and other medical stakeholders in the week leading up to – and including – 13 March 2017.

TATSG to publish all minutes of discussions between Scottish Government Ministers and the NHS, Royal Colleges and other medical stakeholders in the week leading up to – and including – 13 March 2017.   T

ATSG to publish a record of all phone calls made between Scottish Government Ministers and the SPA, Police Scotland and other justice stakeholders in the week leading up to – and including – 13 March 2017.

TATSG to release all correspondence between Scottish Government Ministers and the SPA, Police Scotland and other justice stakeholders in the week leading up to – and including – 13 March 2017.

TATSG to publish a record of all meetings between Scottish Government Ministers and the SPA, Police Scotland and other justice stakeholders in the week leading up to – and including – 13 March 2017.

TATSG to publish all minutes of discussions between Scottish Government Ministers and the SPA, Police Scotland and other justice stakeholders in the week leading up to – and including – 13 March 2017.

TATSG to publish a record of all phone calls made between Scottish Government Ministers and colleges, universities and other education stakeholders in the week leading up to – and including – 13 March 2017.

TATSG to release all correspondence between Scottish Government Ministers and colleges, universities and other education stakeholders in the week leading up to – and including – 13 March 2017.

TATSG to publish a record of all meetings between Scottish Government Ministers colleges, universities and other education stakeholders in the week leading up to – and including – 13 March 2017.

TATSG to publish all minutes of discussions between Scottish Government Ministers and colleges, universities and other education stakeholders in the week leading up to – and including – 13 March 2017.

TATSG to publish a record of all phone calls made between Scottish Government Ministers and farming organisations, rural affairs bodies and other agricultural stakeholders in the week leading up to – and including – 13 March 2017.

TATSG to publish all correspondence between Scottish Government Ministers and farming organisations, rural affairs bodies and other agricultural stakeholders in the week leading up to – and including – 13 March 2017.

TATSG to publish a record of all meetings between Scottish Government Ministers and farming organisations, rural affairs bodies and other agricultural stakeholders in the week leading up to – and including – 13 March 2017.

TATSG to publish all minutes of discussions between Scottish Government Ministers and farming organisations, rural affairs bodies and other agricultural stakeholders in the week leading up to – and including – 13 March 2017.

TATSG to publish a record of all phone calls made between Scottish Government Ministers and charities and third sector stakeholders in the week leading up to – and including – 13 March 2017.

TATSG to publish all correspondence between Scottish Government Ministers and charities and third sector stakeholders in the week leading up to – and including – 13 March 2017.

TATSG to publish a record of all meetings between Scottish Government Ministers and charities and third sector stakeholders in the week leading up to – and including – 13 March 2017.

TATSG to publish all minutes of discussions between Scottish Government Ministers and charities and third sector stakeholders in the week leading up to – and including – 13 March 2017

Mar142017

Guidance: Groundwater activity exclusions from environmental permits

DEFRA
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Updated: Added a new de minimis exclusion (section 2.7). It explains when you can discharge groundwater that meets drinking water quality standards onto ground.

Use this publication to find out about groundwater activity exclusions for:

  • accidents and natural causes
  • very minor discharges – also called ‘de minimis’
  • risks to human health or the environment
  • disproportionate cost for land contamination

Mar142017

Guidance: Groundwater activity exclusions from environmental permits

DEFRA
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Updated: Changes to ‘Very minor discharges exclusion – also called de minimis’ (section 2) to explain that you need to assess whether a ‘class of case’ exclusion applies.

Use this publication to find out about groundwater activity exclusions for:

  • accidents and natural causes
  • very minor discharges – also called ‘de minimis’
  • risks to human health or the environment
  • disproportionate cost for land contamination