During the week of 16 April 2018, the UK will host the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting . The week will begin with a series of forum events – with a focus on the themes of business, people (civic society), young people and women – and will cul… read more
Bluefin tuna is a prohibited species for UK registered commercial fishing vessels.
Atlantic bluefin tuna is recognised as an endangered species by the WWF and the IUCN Red List.
Within EU waters, it is prohibited for commercial or recreational vessels to catch or target bluefin tuna unless authorised to do so by an EU member state. The UK has no specific quota to catch bluefin tuna and as such does not currently issue authorisations to UK recreational vessels.
Bluefin tuna is a prohibited species for UK registered commercial fishing vessels and if caught as a by-catch must be returned to the sea, alive and unharmed to the greatest extent possible.
Bluefin tuna caught as a by-catch which are dead must be reported to the Marine Management Organisation (MMO) by contacting the local MMO office, landed whole and unprocessed. Bluefin tuna landed as a result of this requirement must not be sold or given away unless it is for scientific research following approval from the MMO.
More information on bluefin tuna on the MMO blog.
Scottish adventurer Chris Ramsey from Aberdeenshire and his wife Julie, the first participants to enter the world-famous Mongol Rally in an electric vehicle, have arrived at the UK Pavilion at the International ‘Future Energy’ Astana Expo.
Their visit comes as the UK and Kazakhstan mark the 25th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic relations.
Whilst at the Expo, the couple will be guests of the UK Pavilion which is supported by the Department for International Trade and has the theme ‘We are Energy’, exploring new ways to harness the various sources of energy that surround us and secure a greener future.
To date, 355,557 people have visited the UK Pavilion which is showcasing the nation’s world-leading expertise in new technologies across the energy sector as well as helping British businesses build contacts in Kazakhstan.
Chris will also speak at the UN’s ‘Options and Solutions for a Clean Energy Future’ environment forum at the Expo and meet with Kazakh government officials to promote electric vehicles and charging technology.
Chris Ramsey, founder of Plug In Adventures, said:
After the 9000km drive from Goodwood to Astana in a 30kw Nissan LEAF, I am wholly committed to demonstrating the huge capability of electric vehicle technology and the positive impact this can have on our planet.
I am very much looking forward to being a part of the UK Pavilion, which comes as bilateral relations between Kazakhstan and the UK reach their 25th year. I hope that my journey can help to promote sustainable trade opportunities between our two countries in the years to come.
International Trade Minister, Greg Hands said:
I have seen first-hand the hugely inspiring UK Pavilion at the Astana Expo, promoting our vision for future energy to more than 355,000 visitors from across the globe. As an international economic department, the Department for International Trade has been a key supporter of the Astana Expo in bringing together countries around the world to develop sustainable energy solutions.
Through his latest adventure, Chris and his team have helped to showcase the UK’s ongoing commitment to world-leading innovation and sustainable technology.
In July this year, the government reaffirmed its commitment to clean energy innovation when it announced a £20 million investment to help develop electric vehicles capable of returning electricity to the grid.
The new investment will support vehicle-to-grid projects as part of the government’s Industrial Strategy and create a smarter energy system, while increasing the numbers of electric cars on UK roads.
Chris is the founder of Plug In Adventures, a venture borne from a combined passion for adventure and electric vehicles. Comprising of a group of electric vehicle enthusiasts based in Scotland, its aim is to engage and champion the cars to the public.
Their participation in the Mongol Rally is not the first driving adventure for Plug In Adventures; in 2015 they drove from John O’Groats to Land’s End and back again and in 2016 they completed the North Coast 500, a 516-mile route around the Scottish Highlands.
The pair is tackling the arduous 16,000km journey from Goodwood to Ulan-Ude, Siberia in a Nissan LEAF which is manufactured in the car maker’s Sunderland Plant. Through participating in the rally alongside some 340 other petrol and diesel cars, Chris is hoping to raise awareness of the capabilities of electric vehicles and the important role they will increasingly play in reducing carbon emissions.
Pictures of Chris, his car and the UK Pavilion can be found on dropbox.
The UK is participating at the Astana Expo which runs for 3 months, ending 10 September. The UK Pavilion shows the UK at its creative best and is sharing the UK’s brilliant scientific and engineering expertise across the energy and mining industries.
The UK Pavilion at Astana promotes the UK as a business partner of choice and a hub of academic excellence.
115+ countries are participating with 5 million visitors expected to pass through the gates of the Expo
Astana Expo is a ‘Specialised Expo’. Such Expos were established by the Bureau International des Expositions in 1988. They are global events dedicated to finding solutions to precise challenges of humanity, such as ocean protection (Expo Yeosu 2012) or the future of energy (Expo Astana 2017).
read moreA new adviser to support young people as they leave the care system has been appointed as part of the government’s drive to improve the lives of vulnerable children.
Mark Riddell MBE has been appointed as the National Implementation Adviser for care leavers, and will work closely with local authorities as they drive forward the new duties introduced through the Children & Social Work Act (2017).
The role includes helping councils to develop a stronger local offer of support for care leavers, offering Personal Adviser services for all care leavers up to age 25 and delivering on their special responsibilities as a ‘corporate parent’ – principles set out in the Act.
He will have a particular focus on supporting those councils that have had their leaving care services rated as inadequate or requiring improvement by Ofsted.
Robert Goodwill, Minister for Children and Families, said:
Young people leaving care are one of the most vulnerable groups in society and we are determined that they should get the high quality support they need to help them make the transition into adulthood.
I am delighted that Mark has taken up this post and look forward to working closely with him as we continue our drive to improve the experiences and outcomes of care leavers across the country.
Mark Riddell MBE said:
I am delighted to be offered the post and am passionate about improving support for care leavers. Young people leaving care face many challenges as they prepare for independence, and crucial to making that transition successful is the support from their ‘corporate parents’, the local authority.
I look forward to the challenge of working with these councils as they bring in the positive changes introduced by the Children & Social Work Act.
Mr Riddell brings with him a wealth of experience working with care leavers. Prior to accepting this position he was the leaving care manager in Trafford, the first local authority judged by Ofsted to have Outstanding care leaver services.
He also acted as an informal adviser to the Department for Education on the development of the care leaver strategy, which sets out the additional support provided by local and central government to help care leavers succeed.
read moreI am greatly concerned by the recent series of actions by the Cambodian authorities which culminated in the arrest of the opposition leader Kem Sokha early yesterday morning.
Together with harsh restrictions on independent broadcasters, the enforced closure of the National Democratic Institute and, from today, of the Cambodia Daily newspaper, these measures imperil multi-party democracy and free debate.
I urge the Cambodian government to take immediate steps to restore prospects for a free and fair national election in 2018 and to build on the encouraging progress we saw at Cambodia’s nationwide commune elections just three months ago.
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