Phew: The department for international trade now has a chief economist November 25, 2016 The chief executive of the office of rail and road has gone off the rails – after the newly-established department of international trade poached him to as its new chief economist. The department, established after the Brexit vote, said today that Richard Price, who has run the office of rail and road for the past five [...]
Two thirds of chickens sold in supermarkets are infected with E.coli November 21, 2016 Scientists have found that two thirds of chickens in UK supermarkets are contaminated with E.coli. The study from Public Health England and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) claimed that 78 per cent of chickens sold in high streets in England contained an antibiotic-resistant E.coli strain. This figure dropped to 53 per [...]
Saharan dust storm to hit London tomorrow: Defra warns of risk to children, elderly people and adults with lung and heart problems December 16, 2015 Brace yourselves, Londoners: a dust storm is coming. The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has issued a warning that air pollution could be moderate or high as dust from the Sahara is expected to blow across parts of England and Wales. Children, elderly people and adults with lung and heart problems have been [...]
This is why we’re struggling to build on brownfield sites June 2, 2016 The soil in Britain is so contaminated that it is damaging construction efforts across the country, according to a report from the Environmental Audit Committee (EAC) out today. Around 300,000 hectares of UK soil are thought to be contaminated with toxic elements as a result of the country's industrial history, and London is one of the worst affected areas. The [...]
Environmentally friendly (or very stingy?) Brits ditch 5p plastic bags July 30, 2016 Britons appear to have taken a big step towards environmental friendliness. Either that, or we’re a stingy bunch, unashamed of walking out of a supermarket with a cold bottle of milk in one hand, a bag of oranges in the other and a loaf of bread squashed under an armpit. Let’s assume the former. Read [...]
The English wine industry uncorked another bumper year in 2015 May 30, 2016 The English wine industry gained more fizz last year as 37 new wine producers and vineyards opened over 2015, research from national accountancy firm UHY Hacker Young has found. A total of 170 wine producers have entered the domestic industry over the past five years, UHY Hacker Young said, while the popularity of boutique alcohol and locally-made products [...]
Now arriving in Downing Street: Who has Theresa May appointed to her first cabinet? July 14, 2016 New Prime Minister Theresa May has continued to build her first government, with a raft of key appointments. With Boris Johnson, David Davis and Liam Fox among the key arrivals yesterday, and a brutal purge kicking off this morning, who has May appointed across her cabinet today? Greg Clark takes on the new BEIS, swapping [...]
Business secretary Sajid Javid lays out measures to cut red tape by £10bn March 3, 2016 New comprehensive measures to help meet the government's commitment of cutting a further £10bn of red tape were announced today by business secretary Sajid Javid. While the UK already has the lowest burden of regulation in the G7 nations, according to the World Economic Forum, businesses across the country have been demanding more. Speaking at [...]
Toxic cloud returns: Defra warns of “high or very high” levels as Saharan dust mixes with Continental pollution April 9, 2015 London is bracing itself for another wave of pollution blowing over from the Continent – but this time it'll be mixed with Saharan dust. The capital is set to get the brunt of the bad air, with the government warning of “high or very high” levels of pollution from later today and into tomorrow. The [...]
The UK’s love affair with salmon and breakup with soup: Three charts showing how our festive shopping habits have changed December 18, 2015 If you're planning on sitting down to a breakfast of smoked salmon and scrambled eggs on Christmas morning, you won't be alone – after UK manufacturers reported a 25 per cent increase in salmon sales between 2013 and 2014. That's according to a release by the Office for National Statistics, anyway, which has published details [...]