Directors’ Weekly News – 23rd October 2017

Dear All,

Detailed below is the Weekly News for 23rd October.

Have a good week.

Gordon Polson – Director

 

 

Economic News

Barclays Economic Report: The headline unemployment rate remained stable at multi decade lows of 4.3% in aug’17as compared to jul’17. The number of unemployed people continued to decline for the tenth consecutive month by 52k (3m⁄3m), in line with the average pace of decline since the start of 2017. The drop was driven by the older categories (aged 50 and over), while in previous months younger workers had dominated in terms of unemployment decline. In terms of regions, unemployment rate in England declined slightly, 0.1% to 4.3%. Northern Ireland and Wales declined 0.6% and 0.3%, respectively, to 4.7% and 4.0%. However, Scotland experienced a marginal increase to 4.1% from 3.8%. Claimant count for the month of aug’17 declined by 0.2k, suggesting that the unemployment rate is likely to remain low over the coming months.

Headline and core average weekly earnings stood higher than expected but remain relatively subdued at 2.2% and 2.1% (3m⁄y) in aug’17. The services sector and in particular the finance sector were the main drivers for both core and headline earnings growth, although manufacturing experienced some acceleration in earnings as well. While the KPMG?REC survey suggest some pick up in real wages (report shows growth in permanent starting salaries accelerating at the fastest pace since oct’15), the BOE agents survey points to wages growth largely unchanged in the coming months. With CPI increasing to 2.9%(y⁄y) in aug’17, real core average weekly earnings reported fifth consecutive negative figures. Real core average weekly earnings growth is expected to remain in negative territory for the rest of 2017, weighing on consumption.

Other News

Food statistics pocketbook published: Defra has published its Food statistics pocketbook 2017. It provides a selection of information covering the economic, social and environmental aspects of the food industry. Data comes from surveys run by Defra and the Office for National Statistics and from a wide range of other sources including government departments, agencies and commercial organisations. It shows that total consumer expenditure on food, drink and catering in 2016 was £203bn and the value of food and drink exports was £20.1bn. Summary figures are available at this link https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/food-statistics-pocketbook-2017/food-statistics-in-your-pocket-2017-summary

An Acrylamide in Food– Regulatory and Industry Update Symposium  will be held on 16 November 2017 from 9:30-17:00, in Reading. Details are available on the link provided below.

Speakers will present acrylamide updates under the following headings:

  • Regulatory
  • Industry
  • Academia
  • Analysis

Q & A session with Expert panel

http://www.rsc.org/events/detail/28727/acrylamide-regulatory-and-industry-update-symposium

 

HSE: Managing Health Risks in Manufacturing: An HSE and EFF Master Class 2nd November: How a business manages health risks is increasingly under the spotlight and HSE are placing greater emphasis on the management of health risks to drive improvements.

The new HSE health strategy sets out a proactive approach that will see inspectors increasing their focus on of the management of health risks.

Guest speakers at the Master Class, held at ETC Venues, Marble Arch, Garfield House, London, include Sayeed Khan, Chief Medical Adviser for EEF and Clare Forshaw, Head of Centre for Health, HSL: HSE’s Health & Safety Laboratory.

Hear directly from HSE to find out what they will be looking for and how you can demonstrate that you are actively managing the health risks in your business.

You will also leave with practical tools to identify and prioritise risk and benchmark your current performance against others using a new and innovative health maturity tool.

Book your place on the course now

For further dates and additional information email training@hsl.gsi.gov.uk or contact the Training & Conferences Unit at HSL directly on 01298 218806.

HSL Course: Workplace Healthy Lungs Summit 2017 22 November 2017

Book Course

HSL is to run a 1 day course on Workplace Healthy Lungs Summit 2017. QEII Centre, Broad Sanctuary, Westminster, London, SW1P 3EE

Lung disease remains a serious problem in the workplace. This Summit will describe what HSE is doing about it, what you can do about it, and what science and evidence can tell us.

Benefits of Attending

  • Hear about HSE’s position on occupational lung disease – what the regulator is going to be doing and what they expect others to do
  • Get a better understanding of how to achieve effective control of exposure in practice
  • Understand the business case for improved control of risk and hear directly about the human consequences of failure
  • Engage with others facing the same challenges – learning from those within your sector and from other sectors regarding good practice and how to engage others for behaviour and attitude change

Who Should Attend

  • Employers
  • Health and safety professionals, occupational health advisors and consultants.
  • Trade and sector bodies, unions, manufacturers of respiratory risk solutions and services.
  • Key industry sectors – construction, manufacturing (including stone-working, ceramics, and bakeries) and quarries.
  • Academics and professionals working on workplace lung disease.

Conference Fee: From 22nd September the standard registration rate is £425pp.

Location: Queen Elizabeth II Centre, Broad Sanctuary, Westminster, London, SW1P 3EE

Contact: HSE Training and Conferences on +44 (0) 203 028 3704 or HealthyLungs@hsl.gsi.gov.uk

 

FDF seminar: What is the health challenge and what does it mean for your business? How can food and drink manufacturers tackle public health issues?

Every day brings new media headlines and customer enquiries about food and health. Is it all about sugar and ‘hidden nasties’? Can food manufacturers play a positive part in improving the health of the nation? What should a responsible company aim to do? And what can you say on pack without falling foul of the advertising codes and nutrition and health claims legislation. FDF will aim to answer these questions with this one-day event including speeches from our experts, practical case studies and panel discussions.

Learn about:

·         Sugars reduction guidelines and what will the government be focusing on next

·         Practical advice & manufacturers’ experiences on how to approach reformulation

  • The dietary concerns beyond sugar in the UK and what this means for food producers
  • Extended restrictions on marketing to children that came into force in 2017
  • When can you claim reduced fat or increased fibre – the FDF best practice guidance on comparative claims

Who should attend?

  • Nutritionists, dietitians and nutrition managers
  • Health and wellbeing professionals
  • Food policy colleagues
  • Communications and public affairs, marketing
  • Product development / R&D

Speakers include:

  • Dr Alison Tedstone, National Director of Diet, Nutrition and Obesity, Public Health England
  • Jennifer Arthur, Director of Nutrition & Innovation, Leatherhead Food Research
  • Claudine Cognat, Research and Development Technologist, Macphie UK
  • Bridget Benelam, Nutrition Communications Director, British Nutrition Foundation
  • Anna Taylor, Executive Director, Food Foundation
  • Will Smithard, Strategic Projects Director, UK Active
  • Alexa Hoyland, Senior Nutrition Manager, Kellogg’s
  • Dr Glenys Jones, Communications Manager & Project Research Lead, Association for Nutrition
  • Kate Arthur, Head of Nutrition, and Rachel Cranston, Media Marketing Manager, Alpro UK
  • Ed Morrow, External Affairs Manager, Royal Society for Public Health
  • Charlie Parker, Nutrition & Scientific Affairs Manager, IGD
  • Andy Taylor, Regulatory Policy Executive, CAP, Advertising Standards Authority

Thursday 2 November 2017, 9am start Food and Drink Federation, 10 Bloomsbury Way, London WC1A 2SL FDF Member: £200, Non-Member: £250 including breakfast, lunch and refreshments. All prices exclude VAT

Register here