Businesses and hauliers trading between Great Britain and the EU have been urged to ensure they meet necessary requirements before travelling to the border, as the Government warns that expected traffic could increase next week.

Exporters must provide the right documentation to hauliers, including export declarations and the extra certificates needed for products like plant and animal products, and hauliers heading to Kent must get a negative Covid test and obtain a Kent Access Permit before heading to port, or risk facing a fine and being turned away.

Since the end of the transition period the flow of lorries heading through Kent to the GB-EU border has been low. Over the last week there has been an average of 1584 lorries per day attempting border crossings, which is only around 40% of historical norms. This time last year, we were seeing an average of 4067 lorries crossing the border each day.

Compliance has also been relatively high with around 700 lorries turned away from the border since the end of the transition period – the majority of which were based on the lack of a negative covid test. We’ve also seen strong compliance with the requirement to obtain a Kent Access Permit with 18,000 issued in total so far.

The combination of low border traffic, and good compliance, has kept disruption at the border to a minimum.

However, we are seeing the volume of HGV traffic steadily increase by around 20% each day. As a result from next week we are expecting that volumes will reach their business as usual levels for this time of year, which equates to c. 5000-6000 vehicles per day. This means border and trader readiness is critical. By the fourth week of January we expect to see around 40,000 trucks heading to France each week.

These increased flows have the potential to cause significant disruption if traders and hauliers have not taken the necessary steps to comply with the new rules.

The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, Michael Gove said:

I’d like to thank hauliers, traders and our key industry partners for the hard work they have been putting in to make sure that they are compliant with the new rules.

The preparations they have made have paid dividends and disruption has been minimal so far, but the real challenge and potential for significant disruption starts next week when we expect that the number of lorries heading to the border may return to normal levels.

We have always been clear there would be changes now that we are out of the customs union and single market, so full compliance with the new rules is vital to avoid disruption, and the best way to ensure readiness is to follow the guidance on gov.uk and use the ‘Check an HGV’ service.

We stand ready to help keep goods flowing smoothly as we adjust to our new relationship with the EU and ensure we take advantage of the opportunities it brings.

Exporters must provide the right documentation to hauliers – including export declarations and the extra certificates needed for things like plant and animal products – to avoid goods being held up at the border.

Hauliers heading to Kent must get a negative COVID test within 72 hours of crossing and obtain a Kent Access Permit before heading to port. They can get the permit and find out what documents traders should give them by using the Check a HGV is ready service on GOV.UK.

Failure to secure either a test or Kent Access Permit will mean the driver cannot cross the border and will be fined £300. Around 150 fines have already been handed out due to non-compliance with the Kent Access Permit requirement, and for attempting to queue jump at the border.

For full details on what you need to do to comply with the new procedures, please visit www.gov.uk/transition.

Richard joined DIO in 2004 and has led the archaeology team for a number of years. He and his team look after around 770 Scheduled Monuments, parts of 10 World Heritage Sites, and other historical sites owned by the MOD.

These range from the remains of Roman villas to First World War training trenches. It is important to the MOD to protect these sites and monuments so the work of Richard and his team is vital to allow military training and historic preservation to co-exist.

The MBE is also in recognition of Richard’s role as co-founder of the award-winning Operation Nightingale. In 2011, he worked with The Rifles to arrange for wounded, injured and sick service personnel and veterans to take part in archaeological digs on the Defence estate. The project has only grown since then, with Richard and other archaeologists leading hundreds of participants in dozens of digs over the years.

Operation Nightingale gives participants the chance to spend time with people who understand their experiences while learning new skills, and its excavations have shed light on the history of several areas. For example, in 2013 the team excavated the remains of a Spitfire shot down in 1940 over Salisbury Plain. The pilot, Paul Baillon, was able to escape by parachute but was sadly killed in action mere weeks later. His daughter, Rosemary, attended the dig and Richard was able to talk her through the finds.

In 2019, Current Archaeology magazine named Richard their Archaeologist of the Year in recognition of his work on various excavations and for his role with Operation Nightingale.

Richard also spends some of his time educating people and promoting the importance of archaeology on the Defence estate through his work with the media, including as a contributor to Channel 4’s Time Team and the BBC’s Digging For Britain. He also advised Philip Pullman on archaeology for his popular series of novels, His Dark Materials.

Richard said:

I was flabbergasted when I heard the news; I genuinely thought that this might have been a practical joke by one of the veterans I had worked with over the last few years. It was a lovely surprise to hear at the end of what had been a trying year for everyone. I genuinely feel extraordinarily privileged to work in a discipline that still excites me, with people I admire, and in a landscape I adore. The award is a testament, I think, to the way that DIO looks to care for the historic estate with which we are entrusted. Additionally, the astonishing achievements of men and women I have seen on Op Nightingale are woven through all the work that I am most proud of and they are partners in this award.

Richard was nominated by his line manager, Richard Brooks, DIO’s Head of Technical Services. He said:

Richard has been DIO’s Senior Archaeologist for over ten years. He has contributed enormously to our understanding of the archaeology and heritage on the Defence estate and has worked extremely hard to protect it. He’s very well regarded in his field, having been named 2019’s Archaeologist of the Year, and has also done great work with the media explaining the importance of looking after Defence heritage. Perhaps most importantly, he is a huge part of Operation Nightingale which has genuinely changed the lives of many wounded, injured and sick service personnel and veterans for the better. Supported by others I nominated him for all of these reasons, and I’m thrilled to see him recognised for his work.

Dickie Bennett has known Richard for years, first as an Op Nightingale participant and more recently as Director of Breaking Ground Heritage. He said:

Richard is responsible for influencing the lives of so many veterans in such a positive way. It’s hard to lose your career or sense of being and have nothing to look forward too, but Richard found a way around that for many of us, showing us alternative routes in our lives that were just as fulfilling. I, amongst others, owe Richard a great deal of gratitude and I am proud to call him my mentor and friend.

Graham Dalton, DIO’s Chief Executive said:

I was delighted to hear of the award of MBE to Richard in the Queen’s New Year Honours list. Richard is an outstanding expert who ensures that DIO does all that it can to protect and to understand the archaeology of the Defence Estate. But he does much more too – bringing archaeology to life, and working with ex-service men and women so that they too can benefit from the insights that archaeology gives on how their predecessors lived and trained on today’s military land. A genuinely inspirational professional, and recipient of a well-deserved honour.

DIO is the part of the MOD which manages the military’s land and buildings.

Mr President, thank you for convening this timely debate. My thanks also to Secretary-General Guterres, Mr Faki and Mrs Johnson Sirleaf for clearly outlining the challenge.

We see, all too often, the devastating impact of conflict on a country and its neighbours. As the war in Syria rages on, over 9 million of its people cannot afford basic food supplies.

More than 6 million – including 2½ million children – are refugees far from home. On either side of the border, COVID-19 has only made their situation more precarious.

This fragility is a key challenge to the peace and security we all desire. By 2030, 80% of the world’s extreme poor will live in fragile states and regions.

While our attention is still on the health impact of COVID-19, we know its social and economic effects will magnify that trend.

We also know that sustainable development and economic growth are just not possible without peace.

Mr President, I want to highlight three key elements to maintain international peace and security: inclusion, partnership and an integrated approach to fragility and security.

To my first point: peace processes are often the domain of a small number of well-connected men. But we know that peace will not last, if half the population aren’t represented at the negotiating table.

Women and community leaders must have a seat from the start. Their meaningful participation can prevent conflict, support conflict resolution and maintain peace.

We need to protect and clear the path for women who speak up for their rights, their communities and their futures.

The UK has supported the International Civil Society Action Network to develop the Protection Framework for women peacebuilders.

As the Council’s penholder on the Women, Peace and Security agenda, we urge all member states to commit to its recommendations.

To my second point, the UN and African Union are stronger together as partners for peacebuilding.

The collaboration that delivered the Central African Republic peace agreement, and AU mediation in Sudan are just two examples of how our partnership promotes peace.

I commend the progress made by the African Union on Silencing the Guns, bolstering the African Peace and Security Architecture, the Panel of the Wise and FemWise.

Through the UN, the UK is helping train African peacekeepers, and we recently deployed 300 military personnel to MINUSMA.

I also welcome the recent extraordinary meeting of IGAD heads of state to discuss regional security concerns. However, resolution will come not only with discussion, but with difficult choices and action.

Thirdly, I want to state the importance of an integrated approach to prevent conflict. The recent Twin Resolutions on Sustaining Peace show the international community’s determination to address the causes before the guns start firing.

We have mechanisms to help us, like the African Union’s Continental Early Warning System, which the UK supports.

Effective interventions need to span humanitarian, development and peacebuilding operations. The UK worked with the OECD to develop the Recommendation on the Humanitarian-Development-Peace nexus, which will guide future interventions.

It is also important that the UN and International Financial Institutions continue developing their working partnership. We welcome the cooperation between the UN, World Bank, EU and Government of Burkina Faso that helped unlock $700 million of World Bank funding.

To sum up, the challenges to maintaining peace continue to grow and the costs of excluding women and failing to think holistically become ever more apparent.

But there is light. The UN has taken positive steps in its ability to maintain peace in fragile settings, including the Secretary-General’s reform agenda.

The UN’s capacity to prevent and respond to conflict has been bolstered through the Peacebuilding Fund, the Multi-year Appeal and the Peace and Development Advisors.

The Peacebuilding Commission is now a critical forum for international cooperation on fragile states and regions.

Crucially, we better understand the importance of inclusive peace-making and peacebuilding. We know we are more effective when we work with regional partners on complex challenges. And we know the value of tackling the drivers of conflict before a shot is fired.

In an evolving world, as we continue to adapt, our partnerships are our strength, inclusion is our security, and the prize is peace.

Extra support to help protect rough sleepers and renters from the effects of COVID-19 has been announced by the Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick today (8 January 2021).

Backed by an additional £10 million in funding, all councils in England are being asked to redouble their efforts to help accommodate all those currently sleeping rough and ensure they are swiftly registered with a GP, where they are not already.

This will ensure they can be protected from the virus and contacted to receive vaccinations in line with the priority groups outlined by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation.

Councils will also be asked to reach out again to those who have previously refused help, given rising infection rates and the colder winter months.

Renters will continue to be supported during the new national restrictions, with an extension to the ban on bailiff evictions for all but the most egregious cases for at least 6 weeks – until at least 21 February – with measures kept under review.

Communities Secretary, Rt Hon Robert Jenrick MP said:

At the start of this pandemic we made sure that the most vulnerable in society were protected. This winter, we are continuing in this vein and redoubling our efforts to help those most in need.

Our ongoing Everyone In initiative is widely regarded as one of the most successful of its kind in the world, ensuring 33,000 people are safe in accommodation. We are now going further and focusing on GP registration of rough sleepers.

We are also extending the ban on bailiff evictions – helping to protect the most vulnerable renters.

Court rules and procedures introduced in September to support both tenants and landlords will remain in place and regularly reviewed. The courts will continue to prioritise cases, such as those involving anti-social behaviour, illegal occupation and perpetrators of domestic abuse in the social sector.

Landlords continue to be required to give 6-month notice periods to tenants until at least 31 March except in the most serious circumstances.

Councils will work closely with local health partners to ensure those sleeping rough are able to access the COVID-19 vaccine in line with the priority groups outlined by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation.

This will be done through a GP, or by other means if mainstream provision is unsuitable, ensuring that the wider health needs of rough sleepers are addressed and assessed for clinical vulnerability to COVID, supporting them now and for the future.

Jon Sparkes, Chief Executive of Crisis, said:

These renewed efforts to protect people who are homeless in the pandemic will save lives.

It was truly a landmark moment when, back in March, everyone on the streets was offered somewhere safe to stay. It’s as important, if not more so, that today we see government leadership to protect all those sleeping rough. The highly infectious new strain of coronavirus alongside the cold weather makes this the most dangerous moment of the pandemic for those without a home.

What is very welcome here is the two-pronged approach – a continued commitment to getting everyone into safe accommodation but also now making sure people are registered with a GP so they can quickly access the vaccines. We know through our services that people facing homelessness often are not registered with a doctor’s surgery. Addressing this issue will be a lifesaving intervention and a step towards ensuring people who are homeless are protected in the longer-term.

Steve Douglas CBE, Chief Executive of St Mungo’s, said:

We and other homelessness charities called on government to provide an urgent and decisive response to support those sleeping rough who now face the double threat of severely cold weather and a continued health emergency.

We welcome this response and will work with our local authority and health partners to provide both the immediate accommodation and the health care advice that is needed to protect lives.

A new mediation pilot will further support landlords and renters who face court procedures and potential eviction from next month (February). It will offer mediation as part of the possession process to try and help landlords and tenants to reach a mutual agreement and keep people in their homes.

Helping to resolve disputes through mediation will enable courts to prioritise urgent cases, supporting landlords and tenants to resolve issues quickly without the need for a formal hearing. The mediation pilot will work within the existing court arrangements in England and Wales.

The protections for renters are on top of the comprehensive package of support the government has put in place to help households, including support for businesses to pay staff salaries and strengthening the welfare safety-net by billions of pounds.

This has helped to protect renters from the economic fallout of the pandemic by supporting them meet their outgoings, including paying their rent.

The government has also provided unprecedented support for rough sleepers during the pandemic. This £10 million investment builds on more than £700 million government spending on homelessness and rough sleeping this year alone.

Through Everyone In, by November we had supported around 33,000 people with nearly 10,000 in emergency accommodation and over 23,000 already moved on into longer-term accommodation.

Renters’ additional information

The package of support is reducing the number of evictions as applications to the courts for possession by private and social landlords were down 86% between July and September 2020, compared to the same quarter in 2019. No repossessions were recorded between April and end September 2020 compared to 14,847 in the same period last year.

The government has changed the law in England to ensure bailiffs do not enforce evictions for 6 weeks until 22 February, with no evictions expected to 8 March at the earliest. This will be kept under review.

The only exceptions to this are for the most egregious cases – anti-social behaviour, illegal occupation, death of a tenant where the property is unoccupied, fraud, perpetrators of domestic abuse in social housing and extreme rent arrears equivalent to 6 months’ rent.

Guidance to support landlords and tenants in the social and private rented sectors understand the possession action process and new rules within the court system in England and Wales is available.

For those renters who require additional support, there is an existing £180 million of government funding for Discretionary Housing Payments for councils to distribute to support renters with housing costs.

Rough sleepers’ additional information

A recent study published by the Lancet showed that because of this response 266 deaths were avoided during the first wave of the pandemic among England’s homeless population, as well as 21,092 infections, 1,164 hospital admissions and 338 admissions to Intensive Care Units.

The government has allocated £91.5 million to 274 councils in September to fund immediate support and interim accommodation for vulnerable people, as well as the £10 million Cold Weather Fund for councils to help to keep rough sleepers safe this winter.

This is alongside over £150 million to bring forward 3,300 long-term homes this year alone, alongside £112 million funding of the Rough Sleeping Initiative this year.

Councils have also received £4.6 billion in unringfenced grants to help them to manage the impacts of COVID-19, which we have been clear includes their work to support rough sleepers.