Barclays Economic Update: UK Manufacturing PMI Decreased to 60.4 in Jul’21

According to data published by IHS Markit⁄CIPS, seasonally adjusted UK manufacturing purchasing managers’ index (PMI) decreased to 60.4 in jul’21 from 63.9 in jun’21.

In jul’21, the manufacturing sector maintained its growth phase with an increase in new order intakes from both domestic and overseas markets. Moreover, a rise in client confidence was reported due to the re-opening of the UK economy.

However, the industry faced challenges due to a shortage in raw materials, staff and skills, as well as rising prices during jul’21. Over 72% of manufacturers reported an increase in average input costs.

The data further indicated that the UK manufacturing sector’s outlook remained positive in jul’21, with 63% of companies expecting output to increase over the remaining 2021. Positive sentiments were linked to improved market conditions and reduced uncertainty surrounding both the post-brexit and post covid-19 trading environment.

NHS England Vaccine Offer:

NHS England would like to offer large employers is all of, or a combination of, the following:

• The opportunity to provide their unvaccinated staff (all ages) the chance to have a conversation with local health professionals, so that they can confidentially ask questions or raise concerns they may have about the vaccination – which might include fears about their future fertility, the ingredients in the vaccine, potential after effects etc.
• The opportunity for all age groups to be vaccinated as near as possible (or preferably at) their work location
• The opportunity to share our messaging/social media assets via their internal staff comms networks
• Please get in contact with vanessa.tracey@nhs.net and howard.wheeler@cabinetoffice.gov.uk to take up with offer.
• A toolkit is also being developed and we will circulate this to members when it is ready.

Guidance for ‘reasonable excuse’ exemptions from self-isolation

Self-isolation remains an essential tool in our national efforts to reduce the spread of coronavirus. In the small number of situations where the self-isolation of close contacts would result in serious disruption to critical services, a limited number of named workers may be able to leave self-isolation under specific controls for the purpose of undertaking critical work only.
Please read the guidance outlining how to request a ‘reasonable excuse’ letter. The guidance includes further details about eligibility, the process, and a list of the critical sub-populations that may have a reasonable excuse to leave self-isolation to attend critical work.
The guidance also includes a link to an online request form for ‘reasonable excuse’ letters.
If you need more information or have a query about submitting this request form, please email emergencies@defra.gov.uk.

New posters for businesses to display on continuing COVID-19 actions

Now that the Government has lifted all restrictions under step four of the roadmap, businesses are reminded to remove any outdated COVID-19 secure posters they may still have on display.

Updated workplace posters are available on the coronavirus resource centre reminding businesses and customers about the new workplace guidance and behaviours that people should still adopt.

Absence tracking survey

Since some businesses are experiencing concerning rates of absence, we ask that you complete the attached absence tracking survey and send it to foodsupplyinformation@defra.gov.uk on a daily basis – or whatever frequency is most feasible with your reporting processes. Even if your business is not directly affected, your responses and information are essential for our understanding of how absence is changing over time – we are asking for minimum data returns to reduce the reporting burden on you.
Your data will be securely stored and processed by Defra analysts, and treated as commercially sensitive – only anonymous summary outputs will be produced. We are grateful for your cooperation

Groceries Code Adjudicator: On 30 September 2021, Mark White, the Groceries Code Adjudicator (GCA) will hold his first Annual Conference online.The Conference will focus on improving fairness for suppliers, and will include:

• A chance to hear from Mark White about his priorities as Adjudicator.
• An insight into suppliers’ views from the GCA Annual Survey.
• A panel discussion about the Code featuring Ian Wright – FDF CEO, senior retailer representatives, and Code experts.
• An opportunity to meet retailer Code Compliance Officers.

To register for the GCA Annual Conference and to receive further updates please sign up here.

DHSC to confirm how products will be identified as HFSS for the promotions policy.

• There will not be additional labelling requirements required. It is expected that retailers will need to assess whether each of the products they stock is within the categories in scope of the restrictions and, if yes, they will need to assess whether it is considered HFSS by calculating its NPM score. If the products are deemed in scope, then it will be the responsibility of the retailer to ensure that they comply with the restrictions on promotions as set out in the regulations.
• Therefore, we expect retailers to be responsible for ensuring the products they are promoting are compliant. To assist retailers and minimise the burden of this assessment, DHSC will provide guidance to help businesses implement the restrictions. There may be some instances where retailers may need to ask manufacturers to provide the NPM score or further information for their products, given that retailers may not always have all the nutrient information needed to calculate the NPM score for branded products. Manufacturers may therefore choose to provide NPM scores to retailers if they wish to promote a product that is in a product category within scope but that is not HFSS due to its NPM score.
• Any such information provided by a manufacturer to a retailer should be accurate and should not be misleading. If information provided to a retailer is considered misleading an enforcement authority may take enforcement action against the manufacturer under separate legislation (for example, they may consider their powers under section 14 of the Food Safety Act 1990, which prohibits selling food not of the nature or substance or quality demanded).

 

Having trouble viewing this email? View the content as a web page.   HSE eBulletin   HSE eBulletin Issued: 9 August 2021 HSE is currently carrying out a formal consultation exercise on amendments to the Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations 1992, which closes at midnight on Sunday 15 August. Please read below for further information.   Changes to the Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations 1992 (PPER) HSE is consulting on changes to the PPER 1992. We encourage you to draw the attention of your stakeholders and other interested parties to this consultation which closes at midnight on Sunday 15 August. The aim of the consultation is to understand the impact on stakeholders and businesses of extending the scope of the employers’ duties under the PPER to workers and not only employees. The consultation can be accessed here. Why is the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) making changes to the regulations? In November 2020, a judgment was handed down in the judicial review action in the High Court brought by the Independent Workers Union of Great Britain (IWGB) against the Secretaries of State for Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) and the Department for Work and Pension (DWP), which decided that the government had failed to properly transpose Article 8(4) and 8(5) of EU Directive 89/391/EEC  (“the Framework Directive”) and Article 3 of EU Directive 89/656/EEC  of 30 November 1989 (“the Personal Protective Equipment Directive”) into UK law. The Framework Directive sets out the minimum standards for health and safety through a series of general principles, and the Personal Protective Equipment Directive (“PPE Directive”) sets out the minimum health and safety requirements for the use of personal protective equipment in the workplace for workers. The UK implemented the PPE Directive through the Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations 1992  (“PPER”) which places duties on employers to their ‘employees’ in regard to PPE. The High Court found that the PPE Directive required these duties to be extended to ‘limb (b) workers’ and not only ‘employees’. Therefore, HSE is making amendments to the PPER in order to align with the court’s judgment. What does this mean? Employers will have a duty to provide limb (b) workers with the same health and safety protections in respect of PPE as they do currently for employees. Options on how to achieve the extension of the provisions to workers in the legislation will not be presented during the consultation as the key legislative changes are being made to align with the court decision. For any enquiries, please contact ppeconsultation2021@hse.gov.uk Thank you, Personal Protective Equipment Policy Team Health and Safety Executive   Get latest news and updates from HSE across a range of industries and topics by subscribing to our eBulletins here.