The UK Hydrographic Office (UKHO) has officially handed over marine geospatial data to the Guyanese Government after a campaign of hydrographic surveying.

Delegates from the UKHO presented the data to government officials at a special event to celebrate the completion of the survey. Two workshops were held to brief ministers and provide technical support for applications of the data, which will help Guyana support the development of its marine economy.

The data, which was collected over a period of four months between 2016 and 2017, will initially be used to update nautical charts of the Demerara River. This will enable ships to confidently reduce under-keel clearance and maximise cargo-carrying capacity, paving the way for increased import and export activity.

Simultaneously, the UKHO will present Guyana with other key data sets – such as information about the composition of the seabed – which can be used to support disaster management and support maritime infrastructure, such as the development of ports. Actions like these can help Guyana to protect its marine environment and sustainably harness economic resources to support the country’s marine economy.

The surveying work and subsequent data handover forms the latest effort undertaken under the Commonwealth Marine Economies (CME) Programme, delivered on behalf of the UK government by the UKHO, the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (Cefas) and the National Oceanography Centre (NOC).

Rear Admiral Tim Lowe CBE, National Hydrographer and Deputy Chief Executive of the UKHO, said:

As a country with extensive mineral resources and agricultural exports, Guyana provides the perfect example of how marine geospatial data can empower developing nations through greater knowledge and understanding of their marine environments.

The extremely shallow waters around Guyana’s coastline and rivers have previously proven a real barrier to maritime trade and prevented the nation from fully benefiting from its considerable natural economic and environmental resources. However, by cultivating a greater understanding of its waters, the data will allow Guyana to overcome the challenges it has previously faced, enabling mariners to navigate confidently and safely with larger cargoes.

But the benefits don’t end just at navigation. These data sets could be used to scope out potential coastal developments, support the protection of the marine environment and help the creation of disaster models that help Guyana prepare for severe weather events or mitigate the potential risks of oil and pollution spills in the area.

The work carried out by UKHO and its partner organisations is expected to leave a lasting legacy in Guyana of growing self-sufficiency in marine research needs, laying the groundwork for future development and long-term prosperity.

Following the data handover, UKHO will continue to offer technical support and training, and will provide a complete suite of hydrographic surveying equipment which will enable Guyana to undertake systematic surveys of its own waters and eventually produce its own charts.

Commenting on the work carried out by the UKHO, Mr Greg Quinn, British High Commissioner to Guyana, said:

I believe this work undertaken by the UKHO is of immeasurable importance in helping Guyana as it develops its ‘blue’ economy. Guyana has a huge potential for economic development based on greater, and better informed, use of their marine resources. By providing this up-to-date and accurate survey data for two of the country’s major rivers, Guyana will be able to benefit from increased trade and reduce the loss of lives at sea.

This programme is but the latest example of cooperation between Guyana and the UK during a relationship which has spanned the decades since independence. The next step, which we are just embarking on with the support of the Government of Guyana, through the CME Programme is the development of a Maritime Economy Plan which will help Guyana make even more effective and sustainable use of its marine and coastal resources.

Julian Braybrook, in an interview with with BMTA, the British Measurement and Testing association, talks about the role that the Office of the Government Chemist can play for laboratories in need of advice in measurement and testing matters.

Julian also gives an overview of his objectives for the role, the impact of EU exit in the current UK enforcement infrastructure and existing mechanisms for combating food fraud.

For more information on the work the Government Chemist does, or to ask for advice on measurement issues contact:

Published 22 November 2018

Construction of the first phase of a Natural Flood Management (NFM) scheme to help reduce flooding to communities in Nottinghamshire has now started in Lowdham.

The Environment Agency has teamed up with Trent Rivers Trust and Nottinghamshire County Council on the £77,000 project which will help to reduce flood risk to over 170 properties in Lowdham and Lambley.

The project, which has benefitted from £75,000 of Government funding, is expected to be completed by October 2019. It is part of a national £15million NFM programme, which, in addition to delivering flood risk reduction and environmental enhancements, aims to contribute to the growing evidence base for NFM.

Working across 15 sites upstream of Lowdham, the measures involve constructing leaky wooden barriers to help reduce the amount of water that enters the Cocker Beck by slowing and storing water within the existing ditch network, to reduce the rate that flood water travels to the downstream communities. The barriers will also help to trap sediment to improve the water quality downstream.

Environment Agency Area Flood and Coastal Risk Manager, Paul Lockhart, said:

We’re delighted to have secured a Natural Flood Management scheme with our partners, Trent Rivers Trust and Nottinghamshire County Council, for the village of Lowdham. This scheme will allow us to manage flood risk using innovative solutions that are sustainable and cost-effective and, as part of the project, we will be looking at how the measures are contributing to flood risk reduction.

Nottinghamshire County Councillor John Cottee, Chairman of Communities and Place Committee, said:

We’ve been working hard to develop and promote schemes to protect properties from flooding in dozens of our towns and villages as we know flooding devastates lives. Natural Flood Management is now recognised as a more sustainable approach to reducing flood risk and it also delivers lots of other environmental benefits too. It’s great that we’re working in partnership with local land owners, Trent Rivers Trust and the Environment Agency, to deliver this scheme.

Trent Rivers Trust Project Manager, Alan Graham, said:

The Trent Rivers Trust are excited to be working with local landowners to reduce flood risk downstream in Lambley and Lowdham. By working closely with landowners we have been able to design interventions which not only slow the flow and allow natural infiltration, but will improve water quality and increase valuable habitats without having an adverse effect on farm business.

Both companies gather, collate and analyse information on the advertising activity of companies across the UK and overseas.

The decision comes following the Competition and Markets Authority’s (CMA) in-depth investigation of the deal, which received provisional clearance in October 2018.

An independent CMA inquiry group found that, although Nielsen and Ebiquity sell advertising intelligence products to UK and international customers, the design of their products, how they are used, and the fact that very few customers switch between the companies means they don’t closely compete.

The clearance decision also took into account the changing advertising landscape, in particular the rapid increase in online advertising, which has put pressure on both companies as they provide intelligence on traditional media.

All information relating to the merger inquiry can be found on the case page.

Published 22 November 2018

The vast contribution engineers make to society was in the spotlight as Westminster Abbey played host to a special national service today (22 November 2018) to celebrate the engineering profession and its work in inspiring the next generation.

The service, the first of its kind, was led by The Very Reverend Dr John Hall, Dean of Westminster, to mark the government’s Year of Engineering and the bicentenary of the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE). The event was jointly organised by HM Government, ICE, and the Royal Academy of Engineering (RAEng).

Representatives from across the engineering community, engineering charities and government gathered together to celebrate great British engineers past and present, including Thomas Telford and Robert Stephenson, who are buried at the Abbey, and the inspiring engineers working at the forefront of innovations that will shape our future.

Students from local schools were also invited to attend, with the service providing a chance to reflect on how industry and government have joined forces throughout 2018 to bring engineering to life for young people from all backgrounds – and the importance of this continuing in 2019 and beyond.

The service included personal testimonies from engineering ambassador Roma Agrawal MBE, Associate Director at AECOM and famed for her work on The Shard, and Colonel Deborah Porter, Deputy Commander of the Defence Medical Group, on how engineering had changed their lives and enabled them to help and inspire others through their work.

Secretary of State for Transport Chris Grayling said:

In a year which has seen government and industry join forces to raise the bar for inspiring the next generation of engineers, what could be more fitting than to come together to celebrate the contribution that engineers have made and will continue to make to all of our lives?

The Year of Engineering has been a chance to show young people across the UK all that this profession has to offer them – and to spread the message that engineering needs talented young people from all walks of life to tackle some of the biggest challenges we face.

I hope today’s service serves as an important reminder not just of our proud engineering history but of the role young people will play in writing its next chapter.

Andrew Wyllie CBE, ICE President, said:

This special occasion gives ICE an opportunity to celebrate its bicentenary and to thank its members for the positive impact they have made to all our lives. Civil engineers have transformed people’s lives for the better and will safeguard the future for their families. As we come together to celebrate the passion, creativity, and commitment which exists across all engineering, we also recognise the importance of inspiring and nurturing a new generation of engineers.

Professor Dame Ann Dowling OM DBE FREng FRS, President of the Royal Academy of Engineering, said:

Engineering expertise will be critical to tackling the global challenges we face in the years to come. Engineers will play a central role in addressing the effects of climate change and rising sea levels, and in ensuring that our growing population will have access to food, water, clean energy and affordable healthcare. We hope future generations will be inspired by the opportunities engineering offers to shape their world, to discover new ways to improve lives in the future and to help meet the needs of the twenty first century and beyond.

Find out about the Year of Engineering, including activities, events, videos and school resources.