HM Government

On 9 July 2017, visitors to Burton’s famous regatta had an opportunity to find out about the planned £17 million improvement works to the town’s flood defences. Staff from the Environment Agency were at the event to discuss the scheme and also spread awareness about being more flood resilient.

Burton has flooded regularly over the centuries. Ten years ago during summer the defences were put to the test when England and Wales suffered its worst ever flooding, with 414mm (16 inches) of rain between May to July, the most since records began in 1766.

The planned works to the Burton flood defences will see improvements to the 9km of existing defences that already protect more than 7,000 homes and businesses in the town, with a further 3,358 properties set to benefit. The work, due to start in October 2018, with a completion date of March 2020, will enable further transformation of the town centre to allow it to become more sustainable.

Mark Swain, who heads the Environment Agency’s Staffordshire flood risk team, said:

Burton is a major transport and business centre. The defences have prevented flooding for 100 days in the last 30 years. The cost to families and businesses if those defences had not been there would have been astronomical.

But we can’t afford to rest on our laurels; we’re working with our partners and the people of Burton to protect thousands more homes and businesses for the future.

That’s why it was so important for us to be at the regatta, explaining our plans and how everyone can do their bit to reduce flood risk.

As well as the plans for the new works and how to become more resilient, visitors to the regatta were also able to find out how the Environment Agency’s remote-control survey boats work and what is being done across Staffordshire to protect people and properties from flooding.

2017 Full time language training 2013 – 2017 FCO, Director, Asia Pacific 2009 – 2013 Manila, Her Majesty’s Ambassador and Non-Resident Ambassador to Palau, the Marshall Islands and Micronesia 2006 – 2009 FCO, Head, Far Eastern Department 2003 – 2006 New Delhi, Counsellor (Economic) and Director of Trade & Investment 1999 – 2003 Guangzhou, Her Majesty’s Consul-General 1998 – 1999 FCO, Deputy Head, China Hong Kong Department 1997 – 1998 FCO, Head of Section, Hong Kong Department 1996 – 1997 FCO, Head of Section, European Union Department (Internal) 1992 – 1995 Beijing, Second later First Secretary (Economic and Political) 1989 – 1991 Full time language training (Mandarin) 1988 – 1989 FCO, Assistant Desk Officer, Middle East Department read more

On Friday 23rd June 2017 the VMD held an Information Event for the pharmaceutical industry. Those able to attend saw presentations covering the following topics: Update on EU Exit Update on the new Regulations and the Great Repeal Bill Industry perspe… read more

Mr Cairns will visit Japanese electronics company Panasonic Manufacturing on the outskirts of Cardiff which has had a presence in Wales since 1974.

Alun Cairns said:

My visit to Panasonic is a continuation of my commitment to engage with global companies based here in Wales and to offer the reassurance that Wales will still be the same outward looking, ambitious country it has always been after we leave the EU.

Panasonic is an important inward investor in Wales. We want to work closely with businesses from every part of the world to demonstrate the huge potential available to them here in Wales, and to give them the certainty they need to invest and grow.

Panasonic has a long standing history in Wales and has developed and manufactured a vast array of product lines including microwave ovens, vacuum cleaners and mobile solutions over the years. Its Cardiff site employs over 400 staff members and offers the ability to provide testing services to external companies.

Mr Cairns said:

Panasonic is a synonymous with expertise and has a strong manufacturing history. We are proud to have them here in South Wales, employing our local skillset and contributing to local economic growth.

Japan is one of the UK’s key economic partners and our second largest inward investor. We want to see our partnership continue to grow and flourish.

ENDS

In October 2016, the government selected a new north-west runway at Heathrow as its preferred scheme for delivering new airport capacity in the south-east.

In February a consultation on a draft Airports National Policy Statement (NPS) was launched, which set out the reasons for this preference, along with the mitigation and compensation measures the government expects the promoter to put in place if planning permission is to be granted.

The consultation closed on 25 May and the work to analyse the over 70,000 responses is progressing well. I would like to thank all of those who contributed their views.

This government is fully committed to realising the benefits that a new north-west runway at Heathrow would bring, in terms of economic growth, boosting jobs and skills, strengthening domestic links and – critically – increasing and developing our international connectivity as we prepare to leave the European Union.

The timing of the election, in particular the need to re-start a Select Committee inquiry into the draft Airports NPS means we now expect to lay any final NPS in Parliament in the first half of 2018, for a vote in the House of Commons.

I will provide a further update to the House after the summer recess on our next steps following analysis of the consultation responses.

Today (13 July 2017) I am also publishing a response to the consultation held earlier this year on a new night flight regime for Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted. I am fully aware that noise is a major concern for those living near these airports, and that night noise is widely regarded as the most disturbing impact of aviation. While advances in new technology mean that aircraft are generally getting quieter, the limits governing night noise at these airports has not kept pace with these developments.

The new rules we are publishing today will encourage the use of quieter aircraft at all 3 airports by reducing the amount of noise these airports are legally allowed to make, and will give local residents a 5 year guarantee about the level of noise that they will be exposed to. This decision strikes a balance between managing the impacts on local communities by locking in the benefits offered by recent technological developments, with the economic benefits of night flights.

This decision should be seen as a signal that this government takes this issue very seriously, which is why we expect a ban on scheduled night flights of 6.5 hours at an expanded Heathrow. We will also explore whether there is more we can do – including considering further legislation – to incentivise the industry more generally to invest in the quietest aircraft and operate them in the quietest way.

Strong international links are critical to the future prosperity of our country, with a world-class hub airport and thriving aviation sector central to this. We are committed to realising the economic and social benefits aviation has to offer, while taking seriously the need to balance this with managing the local and environmental impacts of aviation.