Research Projects

Bowing to pressure from many lobby groups, the Department for the Environment and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) has announced that it will make available some £4.3 million for bee health research and to support beekeepers.  Apiarists have been warning for several years that the bee keeping industry is in danger imminent collapse.  The impact on UK agriculture is predicted to be of major economic significance with most fruit and cereal crops pollinated by bees.  Hives, especially in the south have been hit by two main threats; the bee spider mite which reached British hives some 3 years ago from Europe where it has been endemic for some time, and sudden hive collapse.  The latter threat which results in the death of complete colonies is seen as a major and poorly understood problem. 

The environment secretary, Hilary Benn, speaking at a Royal Society of Chemistry meeting on food security, said nearly £2.3m would be used over the next two years to support the work of the National Bee Unit in its efforts to help England’s beekeepers deal with the problems facing their bee colonies.  

Nuclear skills at risk

The short-term funding cycle for nuclear decommissioning is threatening the UK’s nuclear skills base, the science and engineering union Prospect has warned.

Responding to the publication of the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority’s business plan, the union said the authority’s failure to prioritise skills was a mistake. National secretary Mike Graham said the nuclear industry and the prospect of new build represented a potential source of new research and development jobs.  But the short-term nature of the plan, and its requirement for at least 3 per cent savings on the 2007 comprehensive spending review, means that staff face an uncertain future.

The Prospect secretary called for the government to implement a new funding regime that would take into account the long-term planning required for the industry.

Read Complete Regional Report >> English

 

About the Author Miles Shepherd Miles Shepherd is a global advisor and International Correspondent for PMForum and PM World Today in the United Kingdom. He is also managing director for MS Projects Ltd, a consulting company supporting various UK Government agencies, nuclear industry organisations and other businesses.  Miles has over 30 years’ experience on a variety of projects in UK, Eastern Europe and Russia.  His PM experience includes defence, major IT projects, decommissioning of nuclear reactors, rail and business projects for the UK Government and EU.   Past Chair and Fellow of the Association for Project Management (APM), Miles is also past president and chair of the International Project Management Association (IPMA).  Additional information about Mr. Shepherd can be found at  http://www.pmforum.org/ambassadors/ambassadors.htm#Shepherd.   Miles Shepherd is based near London and can be reached at miles.shepherd@msp-ltd.co.uk.

Back to Table of Contents