Work starts on building 50MW North East Lincolnshire solar farm
According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, the solar farm would be landscaped with trees, hedgerows and wildflowers leading to a claimed 71% increase in biodiversity.Chris Tucker, senior project manager at Aura Power, said: "We're excited to see this project come to life and look forward to working closely with the community during construction to minimise any disruption. "This solar farm is part of a broader mission to deliver clean, reliable, and affordable energy across the UK."The firm is offering £20,000 a year to local community projects over the 35 year life of the solar farm.Listen to highlights from Lincolnshire on BBC Sounds, watch the latest episode of Look North or tell us about a story you think we should be covering here.
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Times
20 minutes ago
- Times
More than 600,000 graduates are claiming benefits
More than 600,000 graduates are claiming benefits, according to newly released official figures. In response to a parliamentary question from the Conservative MP Neil O'Brien, the UK Statistics Authority revealed that between March to May this year 639,000 people with a level six qualification — equivalent to a degree with honours — or above were claiming universal credit, making up 12 per cent of those being paid the benefit. The figures came from the Office for National Statistics' Labour Force Survey, which also found that 88 per cent of graduates were in employment last year compared with 68 per cent of non-graduates. There was an economic inactivity rate of almost 10 per cent among graduates and an unemployment rate of 3 per cent. The median real-terms salary for graduates aged under 65 was £26,500, the study found — an increase of £500 compared with the previous year. Graduates were more likely to be in work according to the survey, which was released last month. The unemployment rate was 5.6 per cent for non-graduates. The inactivity rate — a person outside the labour force who has not been seeking work — stood at almost 30 per cent for non-graduates. These figures include the long-term sick, students and people who have taken early retirement. The Conservative Party said that graduates were suffering because of Labour's policies. Helen Whately, the shadow work and pensions secretary, said: 'Today's graduates face the triple jeopardy of low-value degrees, a labour market crippled by Labour's job taxes and competition with AI for entry-level roles. 'The government needs to grip this challenge. Their failure to reform welfare and economic mismanagement threatens the future of a new generation. Meanwhile, the taxpayer is footing the bill for unpaid student loans and graduates on benefits.' The annual survey by the Higher Education Statistics Agency revealed that Medicine and dentistry graduates earned nearly £10,000 more than the average university leaver after 15 months, at £37,900. The lowest salaries were paid to graduates from media, journalism and communication subjects, at almost £25,000. The number of graduates on universal credit will fuel concern over so-called 'Mickey Mouse' degrees with high dropout rates and poor job prospects. Before Labour took office, Rishi Sunak promised a crackdown on courses that were 'ripping young people off' by offering degree places that did not increase their long-term earnings potential. He said that one in eight university places would be scrapped. At the time, Labour criticised Sunak's remarks, accusing his government of 'trashing' the sector. Since taking office Bridget Phillipson, the education secretary, has increased tuition fees to £9,535 — the first increase in eight years — and increased maintenance loans. A government spokesman said: 'We remain committed to our principles to reform the welfare system — those who can work should work, and if you need help into work the government should support you.'
The Guardian
23 minutes ago
- The Guardian
Trainers' chief backs radical alternative to government's gambling tax plan
A radical alternative to Treasury plans to 'harmonise' the rate of tax paid on online sports betting and high-risk casino gaming products received support from one of racing's key stakeholder groups on Monday when Paul Johnson, the chief executive of the National Trainers' Federation, said proposals from the Social Market Foundation thinktank, which will be published on Tuesday, 'have the full backing of the NTF'. The Social Market Foundation report – titled The Duty to Differentiate: How gambling tax reform can raise revenue for the government, reduce harm to the public and save British horse racing – was written by Dr James Noyes, a senior fellow at the SMF, with a foreword by Alex Ballinger MP, a member of the all-party parliamentary group for Gambling Reform. In a sharp contrast to the Treasury's proposal for a unified rate of duty, Noyes argues that online gaming, on slots and other fixed-margin casino products such as roulette, is 'under-taxed' at its current rate of 21% of gross profits, pointing out that 'in some European jurisdictions, tax on remote casino is closer to 40%, and in some US states it is over 50%'. The report suggests that the tax rate on gaming products should be raised to as high as 50%, while in one chapter Noyes also proposes changes to the regime around betting tax and the Levy system, which returns money to racing from off-course betting. Online operators at present pay an additional 10% of their gross profits on racing turnover in Levy, which represents, as Noyes points out, 'a de facto horse-racing betting duty of 25%' when combined with the current 15% charge for betting duty. He suggests a change to the ratio of duty to Levy, combined with an extension of the Levy to bets on overseas racing, would improve significantly the proportion of overall betting turnover that is returned to the sport. The SMF report notes that Martin Cruddace, the chief executive of the major racecourse group Arena Racing Company, recently proposed an inversion of the rates charged for Levy and betting duty, but suggests that this 'does not go far enough' to address 'systemic underfunding'. It proposes that a reduction to 5% of gross profits for racing bets alone, alongside an increase to 20% for the Levy, 'would ensure fiscal neutrality for the betting industry, while fundamentally reorienting the distribution of revenue in favour of the sport'. Johnson was among several representatives of racing's key stakeholder groups who met Noyes last week to discuss the SMF proposals, and said on Monday that the report is 'a sensible and informed piece of work that could be a route for the government to resolve the issues that have beset the sport in recent years and which are affecting our ability to compete with other jurisdictions'. He added: 'Whilst our immediate priority has been to ensure that the Treasury does not inflict a significant blow on racing via tax harmonisation, we are aware that success here does not resolve the challenges faced by the sport at present, or undo some of the damage inflicted in recent years. 'The SMF proposes a tax solution that is mindful of the very different social and economic aspects of different types of gambling, and which seeks to support a sport that means a great deal to the British public.' In his foreword to the SMF report, Ballinger, the Labour member for Halesowen, said that 'as the Treasury considers changes [to the tax regime around gambling], it is vital that they reflect the real impact of gambling on people's lives', and describes its 'practical' proposals as 'smart, fair ideas that deserve serious attention'. Ballinger said: 'The evidence is clear: some gambling products – like online slots – cause far more harm than others', adding: 'These harms carry huge costs, from personal debt and family breakdown to rising pressure on public services. Our tax system should reflect this.' The British Horseracing Authority released research on Monday which suggests that tax harmonisation at a rate of 21% could lead to an industry-wide revenue loss of 'at least £330m in the first five years' and put '2,752 jobs at risk in the first year alone'. The BHA has also launched an online petition which calls on the government to 'rethink' its plans on gambling taxation. The Betting and Gaming Council (BGC), the main body representing the gambling industry in the UK, said on Monday that arguments for a hike in gaming taxes were 'naive'. 'Some naively argue that tax increases should target gaming while sparing sports betting or carving out horse racing,' a BGC spokesperson said. 'But the reality is our members don't ringfence products in that way, these are integrated businesses. Any tax rise, whether on betting or gaming, affects the whole operation. That means less money available for sponsorship, media rights and support for sports like racing, which is especially vulnerable to changes in the customer offer.' The Goodwood Cup is the feature event on the opening afternoon of Glorious Goodwood on Tuesday, when the locally trained Sunway (3.05) could prove to be a decent each-way alternative to Aidan O'Brien's Illinois, the runner-up in last year's St Leger, in the two-mile Group One contest. Illinois has progressed steadily since his near-miss in the Doncaster Classic and put up a career-best to finish a seven-length runner-up behind Trawlerman in the Gold Cup at Ascot last time. Sign up to The Recap The best of our sports journalism from the past seven days and a heads-up on the weekend's action after newsletter promotion He is also Ryan Moore's pick for Tuesday's race ahead of his three-year-old stable companion, Scandinavia, but he looked a little ill-at-ease on the undulations at Chester in May and does not have as much to spare on ratings as an early price of around 6-4 might suggest. Scandinavia, meanwhile, will be making his third start at a staying trip in the space of six weeks, and at around 14-1, Sunway makes plenty of appeal to spring a surprise. Goodwood 1.20 Tony Montana (nap) 1.55 Zavateri 2.30 Kinross 3.05 Sunway 3.45 Dream Composer (nb) 4.20 Naval Light 4.55 Dash Of Azure 5.30 Cinque Verde Beverley 2.10 Blue Yonder 2.45 Rosso Levanto 3.20 Jeddaal 4.00 Haberdash 4.35 Believe In Glory 5.10 Catch Cunningham 5.47 Mayberry Moon Ffos Las 5.42 Neptune Legend 6.15 Shetakesthegold 6.50 Sundiata Keita 7.25 Zilfee 8.00 Fifty Sent 8.30 Zooks Ripon 6.00 Al Shaham 6.30 A'Ali G 7.05 Silver Chamber 7.40 Canaria Queen 8.10 Ferrari Gold 8.40 Homeland David Menuisier's colt has not raced beyond 12 furlongs since finishing just a length and a half behind Illinois in the St Leger, and remains unexposed at staying trips. He was also less than a length behind Los Angeles in last year's Irish Derby during a run of five straight starts at Group One level, and a sharp two miles around Goodwood could be the ideal track and trip for Sunway to register a first success at the highest level since his juvenile campaign. Goodwood 1.20: Tony Montana did not appreciate the drop back to a mile for the Royal Hunt Cup last month and is better judged on his two-length second behind an unexposed rival over track and trip in May. That was his first start for eight months and he is just 4lb higher now, while a draw in stall six is also in his favour. Goodwood 1.55: Eve Johnson Houghton's unbeaten Zavateri was an 18-1 shot for the July Stakes last time but his one-length win was backed up by a decent time. The market may be underestimating him again at around 7-1 to defy a 3lb penalty. Goodwood 2.30: The veteran Kinross has form figures of 1-2-1-3 in the last four renewals of this race and looked as good as ever when finishing a close second in a Group Three at Haydock last time. Goodwood 3.45: The eye-catcher at the likely prices is Dream Composer at around 20-1. Last year's Dash winner at Epsom rarely runs a bad race over this course and distance and is back down to his last winning mark.
Telegraph
23 minutes ago
- Telegraph
Starmer appoints diversity tsar to advise on knighthoods
Sir Keir Starmer has appointed a diversity tsar to make sure the honours system reflects the 'full richness' of British society. Moni Mannings, the founder of a network that aims to empower people of colour, will head a new committee tasked with ensuring that honours are handed to people 'from all walks of life'. Announcing her appointment on Monday, the Cabinet Office said she would help deliver an honours system that was 'representative of the United Kingdom'. Ms Mannings, a qualified solicitor, received an OBE for services to cultural philanthropy, business and charity last year. She is the founder of EPOC, a network that seeks to boost the number of people of colour on company boards. She currently serves on the board of the Co-operative Group, whose supermarkets decided to stop sourcing goods from Israel earlier this year after identifying it as one of 17 'countries of concern'. The list, which also featured Iran, included places where the company believed there to be 'internationally recognised' human rights abuses and violations of international law. At the time, Debbie White, who chairs the Co-op board, said the policy was a 'clear demonstration of our co-operative values in action, where the voices of our members have been listened to and then acted upon'. 'We are committed, where we can, to removing products and ingredients from our shelves which are sourced from those countries where the international consensus demonstrates there is not alignment with what happens in those countries and our co-operative values and principles,' she said. The new honours, diversity and outreach committee will include a member of each of the 10 existing expert panels that recommend people for gongs in specialist areas such as sport, education and political service. The idea is to help these committees deliver an honours system that is 'representative of UK society' through a programme of 'policy improvements and interventions'. The diversity and outreach committee's work will be 'guided by the Prime Minister's strategic priorities for the honours system', with the members advising 'how these are reflected in each honours list '. Ms Mannings will serve as its independent chair for five years, with her term ending in July 2030. In a statement, she said: 'I am delighted to accept my appointment as the independent chair of this new committee. 'The honours system is one of our nation's most visible mechanisms not only for celebrating individual contribution but also of promoting our society's values. 'Recognising excellence from all walks of life isn't just a symbolic act – it is how we tell our national story. I would be privileged to play a role in ensuring that the honours system reflects and celebrates the full richness of our society.'
