Author Archive
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Planning changes needed to speed up 4G
The Government must streamline the planning process for new telecoms infrastructure to boost rural businesses and safeguard farmers and their workers, the National Farmers' Union said yesterday. The NFU has written to the Communities & Local Government and Culture, Media & Sport departments calling for changes to planning rules to speed up the roll-out of 4G mobile broadband and improve mobile phone services. The Union's chief rural affairs adviser, David Collier, says: “One in fifty people in ...
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EU fisheries deal secured
A deal to reform the Common Fisheries Policy has been agreed by EU Member States and is expected to become law later this year. After lengthy negotiations, the new Common Fisheries Policy should radically transform fishing practices in Europe, with reforms including: A ban on the practice of discarding perfectly edible fish. A legally binding commitment to fishing at sustainable levels. Decentralised decision making, allowing Member States to agree the measures appropriate to their fisheries. The ban on discarding in ...
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Waste food campaign poses disease threat
The National Pig Association (NPA) has warned that recycling human food by feeding it to pigs must take place only under strictly-controlled conditions, otherwise there is a risk of outbreaks of notifiable diseases such as foot-and-mouth, classical swine fever and African swine fever. The warning comes as "Pig Idea" environmental campaigners are calling for more left-over foods to be fed to pigs as swill. While feeding pigs properly-treated and tested foods such as unsold bread and vegetables ...
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RICS launches Expert Witness Accreditation scheme
The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) has launched an Expert Witness Accreditation Service (EWAS) for the built environment sector. The scheme, which is open to all property professionals, is intended to raise standards in a sector that has not previously been subject to professional regulation. According to the RICS, the new service will operate as an industry benchmark for experts in the built environment, as it will involve robust evaluation and assessment against clear criteria and ...
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CMM makes “fantastic contribution” to Enviro-Entrepreneur Bootcamp
CMM managing director, Graham Allen, has been recognised for his "fantastic contribution" to the 2013 Enviro-Entrepreneur Bootcamp, held last month in Nottingham. This major event is hosted by the Nottingham CleanTech Centre (NCTC), for anyone with a cleantech business idea. According to Dr Nick Gostick managing director of Inntropy, which runs the Centre, feedback from the event was the best so far - one participant summed up: "The most useful and inspiring opportunity I’ve had in years". Planning ...
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Review of tariff for non-domestic Renewable Heat Incentive
Office blocks, factories and community centres could be among a number of buildings across the UK to benefit from more cash for renewable heat under proposals set out by the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC). The DECC is consulting on increasing the non-domestic tariff levels for heat generated by ground source heat pumps, large biomass and solar thermal kit accredited under the Government’s Renewable Heat Incentive scheme (RHI). The scheme, which was launched in 2011, ...
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Thousands to benefit from “Make Things Do Stuff” campaign
The Government has launched "Make Things Do Stuff", a programme aimed at inspiring a generation of young people to create, rather than just use, digital technologies. The campaign, led by Nesta, Nominet Trust and Mozilla, will bring together technology companies such as Facebook and 02 Telefonica alongside grassroots organisations that are already providing digital skills to young people across the UK. Speaking at the launch, Chancellor of the Exchequer, George Osborne, said: "By offering digital training to ...
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“Sharp turnaround” for consumer services sector
Business activity in the UK service sector improved over the three months to May and optimism rose, according to latest research from the Confederation of British Industry (CBI). Notably, consumer services experienced a "sharp turnaround" in business volumes: sectors such as hotels, bars, restaurants and travel and leisure saw business volumes rise at their fastest pace since August 2007 and overall, profitability rose for the first time since November 2007, despite employee costs continuing to increase. However, ...
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Solar industry fights Chinese anti-dumping proposals
The UK's Solar Trade Association (STA) recently joined forces with ministers in efforts to impress upon the European Commission the damaging impact of proposed anti-dumping duties on Chinese solar panels. As the deadline for responses to a consultation on anti-dumping arrived, a letter written by the STA to Trade Commissioner, Karel de Gucht, had been signed by 15 European trade associations across 12 countries. STA chief executive officer, Paul Barwell, comments: “Jobs, growth and carbon and renewables ...
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SME manufacturer confidence at 12 month high
Growth prospects amongst England's small and medium-sized (SME) manufacturers is at a twelve month high according to the latest Manufacturing Advisory Service (MAS) barometer, which reveals nearly two thirds (64%) of companies questioned are expecting to increase sales over the next six months. There is equally positive news on recent performance, with 47% of the 700 respondents reporting a rise in sales turnover (up 4% on the previous quarter), whilst 93% are looking to take staff ...
