Gardens
Sold down the plot: Allotments at risk?
Last weekend’s news reported a concerning story that the Deputy Prime Minister granted councils the authority to sell allotments to finance spending.
Regulation
Gardener arrested for ‘knife’ possession
Armed police arrested a gardener returning from his Manchester allotment on account of his gardening tools, which were mistaken for weapons.
Regulation
Employment Rights Bill: House of Lords amendments
The Employment Rights Bill has reached its conclusion in the House of Lords, with a series of amendments having been mutually agreed upon.
Natural Capital
Proposed BNG exemptions undermine nature recovery and biodiversity market
Research reveals the scale of current claimed exemptions, raising concerns for the intended nature recovery and viability of the biodiversity unit market if BNG requirements are removed for small sites.
Regulation
British growers and traders support of UK-EU Plant Deal
EU Relations Minister, Nick Thomas-Symonds met New Covent Garden Market traders in London to talk about the import and export issues faced since 2020.
Environment
First hosepipe ban in Yorkshire
Effective on Friday, Yorkshire will be the first UK county to implement water usage restrictions due to the prolonged period of dry weather.
Regulation
New round of capital grants for sustainable farming practices & environmental improvement
Defra’s £150m in capital funds cover a wide range of on-farm projects, such as tree planting, flood prevention and water filtration to help farmer profitability and the environment.
Regulation
Phased introduction of worker’s rights legislation pushed back to 2027
The Department for Business and Trade confirmed that some of the more contentious measures would not come in for at least two years.
Economy
New UK Trade Strategy to boost exports
The Government has launched its new trade strategy which aims to boost UK services exports and strengthen anti-dumping defences to protect the country from the global tariff wars.
Gardens
Europa Nostra to aid Victoria Tower Gardens impasse
London Parks and Gardens welcomes assistance from Europe’s largest civil society heritage network to resolve the Victoria Tower Gardens deadlock.
Regulation
Inheritance Tax reforms a ‘lose-lose’, says HTA
The Horticultural Trades Association warns that proposed reforms to inheritance tax will cost 1,300 sector jobs, slash investment and drain treasury tax revenues.
Regulation
MPs highlight support for UK Environmental Horticulture
A breakfast briefing, organised by the Environmental Horticulture Group relayed the importance of the UK’s environmental horticulture and landscape sector, as well as the key challenges and opportunities relevant to policy considerations.
Regulation
UK and EU have agreed new trade deal
The Prime Minister confirmed a new agreement with the European Union promises improved alignment on sanitary and phytosanitary, including plants.
Regulation
HTA calls for UK-EU leaders to negotiate an SPS agreement ahead of key summit
Timed ahead of the London Summit and the RHS Chelsea Flower Show, the HTA highlights the crucial opportunity to ease trade burdens.
Regulation
A united “NO” by creative industries to unauthorised use of data for AI training
Anti Copying in Design Chair & Co-founder, Dids Macdonald OBE, joined representatives from the creative industries ahead of the Report Stage of the Data (and Users) Bill in the House of Commons.
Environment
Panel event boosts momentum for Green Spaces Bill
Hosted at the Garden Museum in London, a live-broadcast panel on the future of urban and rural green spaces took place, focusing on the proposed Green Spaces Bill.
Regulation
Employment Rights Bill will put brakes on hiring
Survey of HR Directors of leading retailers reveals the scale of concerns about the impact of the Employment Rights Bill, which will be debated in the House of Lords today.
HTA
Plants in Parliament
Organised by the Horticultural Trades Association, the “Plants in Parliament” event was attended by around 100 MPs, Peers and their teams, highlighting key industry issues.
Regulation
WaterUK calls for higher water charges for large gardens
Trade body, WaterUK is calling for compulsory water metering which would result in higher charges for high consumers of water, such as homes with larger gardens.
Regulation
Trade bodies call for urgent action to safeguard horticulture and fresh produce industry
The Horticultural Trades Association, the Fresh Produce Consortium, and British Potato Trade Association urgently call on the Cabinet Office, Treasury and Defra to secure UK’s horticulture and fresh produce industries.
