Author Archive
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Tractor weight and speed limits increased
Regulation to allow higher tractor speeds and heavier tractor and trailer combinations on Britain's roads will come into force from Spring 2015, the Government has announced. Under the changes, the maximum combination weight limit for tractors and trailers will increase from 24.39 tonnes to 31 tonnes, while the speed limit will increase to 25mph (40km/h), up from 20mph. The increase in combined weight means bigger tractors will be able to pull trailers without sacrificing cargo to meet the ...
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Basic Payment Scheme – last call to smallholders
Smallholders in England are reminded that they are rapidly approaching a key deadline to decide what approach to take to important EU rule changes. Around 18,000 Single Payment Scheme (SPS) claimants have less than five hectares and / or five entitlements, and may wish to consider transferring entitlements to another farmer before midnight on 21st October, as they prepare for the introduction of the new Basic Payment Scheme (BPS). They will ...
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EU helps fishermen combat Russian trade embargo
Fishermen affected by the food export ban to Russia will benefit from a change to EU law that allows mackerel and herring fishermen to "bank" a higher proportion of their quota this year and use it next year instead. The EU Fisheries Council has agreed to bank 25% of the 2014 quota, up from the standard 10%, and roll it over for use in 2015. The move is aimed at giving more time for the industry to ...
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Licence granted for sub-sea electricity interconnector
Norway has granted a licence for the installation of a sub-sea electricity interconnector with the UK. The project, known as NSN, should provide significant mutual benefits, improving energy security and bringing Norwegian renewable energy to Britain. According to Energy and Climate Change Secretary, Ed Davey, the new cable will allow the UK to import enough clean green hydroelectricity to power up to four million homes, backing up the UK's existing wind and solar power capacity. Subject to progress ...
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State-of-the-art GPS mapping devices for RPA inspectors
Advanced new GPS mapping devices will be used by Rural Payments Agency (RPA) inspectors this autumn. The new Leica CS25 device means the RPA has the most up-to-date technology available during inspections for measuring land. It also has increased digital connectivity. The RPA’s information and technology director, Ed Schofield, says: “We are giving our inspectors the latest GPS-based technology which will improve the quality and accuracy of our mapping, and which in turn will improve the accuracy of the payments our customers receive."
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Value of “Made in Britain”
New research from Cebr shows that products labelled "Made in Britain" command a considerably higher premium when sold abroad than those with no declared country of origin. According to the economic forecaster, when consumers in eight key export markets see the Union Flag on a product, their inclination to buy increases. This is especially true in new and emerging markets where two thirds of consumers (64%) would be more inclined to purchase a product carrying the Union Flag. When labelled ...
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£9.4m boost for low carbon heating
Almost £2.4 million of funding is on offer to 32 local authorities across England and Wales to support the development of heat network projects, through the Government’s Heat Networks Delivery Unit. Alongside this, a £7 million scheme has been launched offering firms the opportunity to compete for funding to develop new heat networks technologies such as recovering industrial heat, or energy from waste. The aim is to drive forward innovation by creating new technologies that work more ...
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Security updates needed post “Shellshock”
The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) is urging firms and individuals to make sure their IT systems are up-to-date. The warning comes after the identification of a flaw known as "Shellshock" which has been found in a software component called Bash. Apparently, Bash is a part of many Linux systems as well as the OS X operating system used by Apple Macs. The flaw potentially allows any computer with the vulnerability to be taken control of remotely. Security updates ...
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EY: tough times ahead for consumer oriented business
Real take-home pay will still lag behind pre-crisis levels in 2017, according to a new report on consumer spending from the EY ITEM Club. The respected economic forecaster reckons households are facing a lost decade of real wage growth and warns that consumer oriented businesses face a challenging environment as annual wage growth over the next three years remains well below the 4.5% to 5% rates typical before the crisis. According to the report, consumer spending growth ...
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Go ahead for Burbo Bank wind farm extension
Burbo Bank Extension offshore wind farm has been given development consent by the Department for Energy and Climate Change. With up to 69 wind turbine generators and associated offshore infrastructure, the wind farm will be located in the Liverpool Bay, north west of the Wirral coastline. It will cover an area of 40 km² and have an estimated generating capacity of up to 250 MW.
