The International Trade Secretary and President of the Board of Trade, The Rt Hon Dr. Liam Fox MP, joins ceramics producers in Derby today (Thursday 31st January) to discuss the industry’s priorities and to update them on the UK’s preparations for leaving the European Union. The ceramics industry is crucial to the health of the UK economy, with export sales of £550m every year and accounting for more than 22,000 jobs.

Dr. Fox will meet with the British Ceramics Confederation to outline measures the government is taking to ensure British ceramics are protected from dumping, which involves overseas firms selling their goods at below cost price to undermine the British market. Dumping is against World Trade Organization rules.

The UK will soon be responsible for delivering its own domestic trade remedies system through the new Trade Remedies Authority (TRA). The Department for International Trade has made significant progress to ensure the TRA will be ready for 29th March 2019, meaning that Government can continue providing a safety net to British industry.

The government is committed to ensuring that UK industry can continue to compete on a level playing field when we leave the EU, as well as helping them to realise opportunities to trade freely with new markets around the world.

The International Trade Secretary also joins local firms Denby Pottery, Royal Crown Derby and Paul Cummins to see first-hand the work they are doing to boost their exports around the world. His visit will see the arrival in Derby of the Export Hub, providing support and advice to businesses on their exporting journey.

International Trade Secretary, Dr Liam Fox MP said:

I am delighted to be here in Derby today at the invitation of the Prime Minister’s Trade Envoy, Pauline Latham OBE MP, meeting with representatives of one of the UK’s most treasured industries. It is one of my top priorities to ensure that fantastic ceramics producers like these are able to continue expanding into new and established markets as we open up our trade with the world, while remaining protected from unfair trading practices.

While ceramics is a vital industry in the East Midlands, exports on the whole have grown faster than any other region of the UK and my international economic department is working to translate this incredible success around the country.

Discussing the importance of free trade to their success, Sebastian Lazell, CEO of Denby said:

The main priority, not only for Denby and the ceramics industry but all UK exporters, will be Free Trade Agreements with key trading countries. Continued unimpeded trade, without substantial tariffs or non-tariff barriers, is essential for success.

Whilst Denby has been exporting for over 150 years, the seriousness and intensity of the International Trade agenda is now on a different level as the continued momentum of the business is highly dependent upon building a fast-growing International business to complement a healthy and vibrant UK core.

Christopher Oakes, Managing Director of Royal Crown Derby said:

Royal Crown Derby has been making luxury tableware in England since 1750 and whilst our first export was recorded in 1786, international sales have grown most rapidly in recent years and we now export to over 50 countries. This success is attributable to many factors including our diversification into the luxury hospitality sector, investment in product development and a growing demand for products which are still made entirely in Britain.

We’re delighted to welcome the International Trade Secretary, the British Ceramics Confederation and the export hub to our factory and visitors centre and we look forward to discussing how best to further boost export business against the current political backdrop and the attendant commercial and operational challenges.

Exports from the East Midlands increased by 10.9% in the last year – the biggest jump in the UK. The Midlands economy alone is worth more than £200 billion and is larger than countries such as Ecuador, New Zealand and Croatia.

Phil Craig, former Managing Director of Dounreay, scooped the coveted ‘Ally of the Year’ title at the Women in Nuclear (WiN) UK conference yesterday, for being a leading male advocate of gender balance and diversity.

Phil said it was an honour to have been recognised for putting people at the centre of the business:

I’m incredibly proud of all of the work that has been undertaken at Dounreay during my time there, specifically in relation to equality, diversity and inclusion.

All of this work, and the reason for this nomination, is because of the effort and commitment of the site staff, who are committed to delivering the mission but also to making a difference in the people agenda.

To have been part of that journey and to be recognised by them, is the most humbling part of all.

Gayle Rew, Chair of Magnox Women’s Network, scooped the ‘Mission Possible’ award for her help in building vital networks. Gayle said:

I am absolutely thrilled to have won the award and to gain the recognition for the progress that we have made in Magnox with our Women’s Network.

I am incredibly proud of what we have achieved since our first tentative steps two years ago, including hosting our own conference, raising awareness of the need for gender balance and growing our membership.

The WiN conference has been a great opportunity to meet with so many like-minded and inspirational people who are also working hard across our sector to improve gender balance and inclusion.

This year’s conference, held in London, focused on conscious inclusion. It saw workshop sessions and panel discussions including one with Anne Jenkins, Head of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion at the NDA, and Nikos Adamidis from NDA, who picked up last year’s inaugural ‘Ally of the Year’ prize.

Anne said:

WiN members have worked hard to help build a culture of inclusion within the industry and the awards are testament to the passion and commitment of everyone involved.

This year’s conference theme of conscious inclusion highlights the importance of understanding that organisational culture plays a crucial part in attracting, developing and retaining talent.

Progress is being made, however, sustained culture change takes time and there’s still a long way to go, but WiN have once again shown their passion and energy to support the industry in its ambitions to be an inclusive place to work.

Currently only 22% of the UK’s nuclear industry is female, and this number declines significantly at senior levels. There is strong evidence to suggest that an inclusive environment, with diverse teams, leads to better performance.

Employees from across the NDA group were shortlisted in the award categories including Sellafield’s Stephen Bewsher and Radioactive Waste Management’s (RWM) Liam Payne, for ‘Ally of the Year’, and Samantha King, of RWM, for ‘Mission Possible’.

Prioritising diversity and inclusion issues has been a major focus within the NDA group over past year in a bid to future-proof the business by attracting and retaining the right people with the right skills.

WiN Cumbria was named ‘best regional team’ at the annual Women in Nuclear (WiN) UK conference in London.

The team includes employees from Sellafield Ltd and other organisations based in Cumbria.

They were praised by WiN UK’s President, Jack Gritt, for establishing a powerful community of local organisations and individuals working together to achieve gender diversity within the Cumbrian workforce.

MP for Copeland, Trudy Harrison said;

I am absolutely delighted that the WiN Cumbria team is being recognised for its vital work to improve gender balance in industry.

I met with members of the team before the conference and the energy and passion they have for their mission is phenomenal.

In just a year they are already provided a national platform for our region as a vital contributor to the UK economy, and I look forward to continuing my work with them to build on this momentum.

Chair of WiN Cumbria and Sellafield Ltd employee, Claire Gallery-Strong said;

We are completely overwhelmed by this award after what has been a whirlwind year since our launch in March 2018.

We have a fantastic group of dedicated volunteers giving up their own time to ensure we progress in creating an inclusive and fair environment that helps attract, retain and build a diverse workforce of the future, for Cumbria and the UK.

I’d like to thank our employers and advocates, who have shown an incredible amount of support.

From building an influential community of businesses, individuals and advocates, providing training and mentoring, leading campaigns across the county to enhance visibility of role models, helping host the iconic suffrage flag and supporting the community when in need – we feel WiN Cumbria has become an integral part of Cumbrian industry.

We look forward to continuing our mission to create an inclusive and fair environment that helps attract, retain and build a diverse workforce of the future, for Cumbria and the UK.

WiN UK’s mission is to address the industry’s gender balance, to improve the representation of women in leadership, and to engage with the public on nuclear issues.

Recognising the unique contribution that the county makes to the nuclear sector, ‘WiN UK’ launched a dedicated Cumbria branch on International Women’s Day (8 March 2018).

The group is set to mark one year since its launch with a ‘first birthday bash’ , again on International Women’s Day (8 March 2019) at the Energus centre, Lillyhall.

It will gather businesses and individuals from across Cumbria to celebrate the achievements of the branch, and discuss what still needs to be done to progress gender balance in the nuclear sector.

To book a place or apply for a free ‘Golden ticket’ please contact WiN Cumbria at wincumbria@nuclearinst.com

Defence Minister Tobias Ellwood made the announcement today during a visit to a Norfolk biogas plant, where he officially opened the new site that will provide energy to the airbase.

Electricity will be fuelled by fermented locally grown crops, providing 95% of RAF Marham’s energy needs and saving the MOD nearly £300,000 every year.

The facility, built by Future Biogas, will generate 4.5 MVA of electricity every day, which can power 350,000 LED bulbs. This project has been delivered by the Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) with government and private sector colleagues.

Minister for Defence People & Veterans Tobias Ellwood MP said:

RAF Marham is leading the way as Britain’s first green military airbase. The biogas fuel is a truly green and sustainable solution, helping us tackle climate change, support the local economy and save taxpayer money.

I hope that this plant can act as a model and we can see more sustainable energy schemes rolled out across other military bases.

The process, known as Anaerobic Digestion, produces gas which is collected and used to power multiple generators that produce electricity and will reduce the Ministry of Defence’s carbon emissions by 14,000 tonnes of CO2 annually. The waste residue from this process can then be dried and used as fertiliser to help grow local crops.

The plans have been in development since February 2015 and DIO, the part of the MOD which manages the Defence Estate, has been hard at work with colleagues in Crown Commercial Service (CCS), Future Biogas and energy company EDF to develop an electricity supply that is green and sustainable as well as providing financial savings.

Sam Ulyatt, Crown Commercial Services, Buildings Strategic Commercial Director, said:

This is an excellent example of how CCS can work with forward-thinking public sector partners like DIO, and suppliers like EDF and Future Biogas, to source power supply solutions for the Royal Air Force which provide resilience and strong green credentials, while boosting the local economy and providing energy security for the UK.

Philipp Lukas, Future Biogas Managing Director, said:

It’s fantastic to see the UK military join the green revolution. If we are to combat the imminent global threat of climate change, everyone, from all walks of life, needs to transition to renewable, sustainable energy as quickly as possible.

The AD plant in Swaffham now powers a significant local institution. In doing so, it not only helps secure the energy supply of a strategic national asset, but also takes the pressure off the local electrical infrastructure, which has been really struggling to keep up with growing regional demand.

A feasibility assessment was undertaken by DIO to determine what benefits could be derived from this supply of clean energy. As well as saving money and reducing carbon emissions, it was determined that the new plant would increase power resiliency at RAF Marham by providing multiple pathways to electrical resources.

The project was sourced through frameworks put in place by the Crown Commercial Service, which helps the entire public sector to save time and money when buying common goods and services. CCS continues to work with the RAF on demand management and renewable energy.

The Charity Commission, the independent regulator of charities in England and Wales, has opened a statutory inquiry into The Bersam Trust (526452) to look into concerns over potential misconduct and mismanagement in the administration of the charity. The inquiry was opened on 14 January 2018.

The charity, which operates from the Salford area, has objects which include providing children with a strictly orthodox Jewish religious education and advancing orthodox Jewish practice.

The Commission has examined the charity’s annual accounts and obtained records from the charity’s bank account under section 52 of the Charities Act 2011. It found significant discrepancies between the financial activity recorded in the accounts and the values of funds entering and leaving the charity’s bank accounts, raising serious concern.

The Commission’s accountancy analysis also identified that comparative figures in the accounts do not match those in the previous year’s accounts and differences are not supported by explanation from the Independent Examiner.

The Commission has therefore taken protective regulatory action to freeze the charity’s bank accounts, under section 76(3)(d) of the Charities Act 2011.

The inquiry will examine the governance, management and administration of the charity and will focus particularly on:

• the financial management of the charity, and whether funds have been properly expended solely for exclusively charitable purposes and can be accounted for;
• whether loans involving the charity are in accordance with its governing document and have been properly accounted for;
• the trustees’ compliance with legal obligations for the content and preparation of the charity’s accounts and other information or returns;
• whether the trustees may have knowingly or recklessly provided the Commission with information which is false or misleading;
• if the trustees have avoided or adequately managed potential conflicts of interest, and if there has been any direct or indirect private benefit;

The Commission previously engaged with the charity in respect of regulatory concerns regarding governance issues, and provided regulatory advice and guidance to the trustees in the form of an action plan. The inquiry will also examine the extent to which the trustees have complied with previously issued regulatory guidance.

It is the Commission’s policy, after it has concluded an inquiry, to publish a report detailing what issues the inquiry looked at, what actions were undertaken as part of the inquiry and what the outcomes were. Reports of previous inquiries by the Commission are available on GOV.UK.

Ends

Notes to Editors

1. The Charity Commission is the independent regulator of charities in England and Wales. To find out more about our work see the about us page on GOV.UK.
2. Search for charities on our check charity tool.
3. Section 46 of the Charities Act 2011 gives the Commission the power to institute inquiries. The opening of an inquiry gives the Commission access to a range of investigative, protective and remedial legal powers.
4. Section 76(3)(d) of the Charities Act 2011 gives the Commission the power to order any person who holds any property on behalf of the charity, or trustee of it, not to part with the property without prior approval of the Commission. It is a temporary order and is reviewed on a regular basis in line with normal procedures.
5. Section 52 of the Charities Act 2011 gives the Commission the power to require a person by order to provide the Commission with information about a charity which is relevant to the discharge of the Commission’s functions.