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PRESS RELEASE : International agreement to support Vietnam’s ambitious climate and energy goals [December 2022]
The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 14 December 2022.

Leaders from Viet Nam, the United Kingdom and the European Union have today announced an ambitious new Just Energy Transition Partnership.

Leaders from Viet Nam and the International Partners Group, including the European Union, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, the United States, Italy, Canada, Japan, Norway and Denmark have today (14 December) agreed a bold Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP).

The Partnership will support Viet Nam to deliver on its ambitious Net Zero 2050 goal, accelerate the peaking of its greenhouse gas emissions and transition away from fossil fuels to clean energy.

The JETP will mobilise an initial $15.5 billion of public and private finance over the next three to five years to support Viet Nam’s green transition.

The Partnership will support Viet Nam in working towards a number of ambitious new targets:
- Bringing forward the projected peaking date for all greenhouse gas emissions in Viet Nam from 2035 to 2030.
- Reducing peak annual power sector emissions by up to 30 percent, from 240 megatons to 170 megatons, and bringing forward the peaking date by five years to 2030.
- Limiting Viet Nam’s peak coal capacity to 30.2 gigawatts down from a current planning figure of 37 gigawatts.
- Accelerating the adoption of renewables so that renewable energy accounts for at least 47 percent of electricity generation by 2030, up from the current planned generation share of 36 per cent.
The successful delivery of these ambitious targets will result in around 500 megatons (0.5 billion tonnes) of emissions saved by 2035.

Initial contributions to the Viet Nam JETP include $7.75 billion in pledges from the IPG together with the Asian Development Bank and the International Finance Corporation. This is supported by a commitment to work to mobilise and facilitate a matching $7.75 billion in private investment from an initial set of private financial institutions coordinated by the Glasgow Financial Alliance for Net Zero (GFANZ), including Bank of America, Citi, Deutsche Bank, HSBC, Macquarie Group, Mizuho Financial Group, MUFG, Prudential PLC, Shinhan Financial Group, SMBC Group, Standard Chartered.

Over the next 12 months, Viet Nam will work with the support of partner countries to develop and adopt the Viet Nam JETP Resource Mobilisation Plan, which will enable the implementation of the JETP funding and strategy.

Viet Nam is the third country to launch a JETP, following the successful launch of the South Africa JETP at COP26 and the Indonesia JETP at this year’s G20 Leaders’ summit. As a rapidly growing economy, Viet Nam’s JETP will demonstrate that economic growth can be decoupled from fossil fuel energy consumption.

The Viet Nam JETP builds on the UK-launched G7 Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment (PGII), which aims to narrow the infrastructure investment gap in developing countries. G7 leaders agreed in June 2022 to move forward in negotiations with several countries on JETPs, which are a core delivery mechanism of the PGII.

Ensuring the transition away from fossil fuels is ‘just’ lies at the centre of the JETP. A just transition will not only help Viet Nam meet climate goals but also secure a resilient and prosperous future for its people, reducing the impacts of pollution and supporting economic growth and new jobs. It is vital that the whole civil society is involved in the green transition at all stages and no one is left behind.

UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said:

The JETP model is a game changer in the fight against climate change – using international aid to unlock billions of dollars of private finance.

Viet Nam is a dynamic, emerging economy at the heart of South East Asia. The investment we are making today means the country can cut its emissions while simultaneously creating new jobs and growth.

Together we will deliver a cleaner, greener future for Viet Nam and our planet.

President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen said:

I am delighted that we have sealed a new Just Energy Transition Partnership with Viet Nam during this important week for EU-ASEAN relations. With investments from international partners, Viet Nam can boost renewable energies and enhance its energy security and autonomy. We will help Viet Nam to start reducing its greenhouse gas emissions five years earlier than planned, and dramatically reduce its coal power use. This Partnership will help Viet Nam to build a 21st century power sector, energising its economic growth and bringing environmental and health benefits to its citizens.

Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said:

Just Energy Transition Partnerships are a model for how contributors can work together with partners like Viet Nam to take action towards cleaner sources of energy. Canada will continue to be a committed partner for the clean energy transition and coal phase-out in Viet Nam, which is in all our best interest for an inclusive, clean energy future in the Indo-Pacific region”.

French President Emmanuel Macron said:

France and the European Union are pursuing their strong commitment to climate change mitigation by supporting the acceleration of a just energy transition in Vietnam. France’s contribution, which is part of a long-standing bilateral cooperation, will support energy planning, capacity building and grid development, in parallel with the development of renewable energy. Our collective contribution must support Vietnam’s commitment to a sustainable development trajectory, phasing out coal, in order to limit global warming to 1.5°C. This partnership must implement a just transition that involves and benefits civil society.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said:

The JETP with Viet Nam will support ambitious climate targets and a substantial increase of renewable energies by 2030 as a joint effort to keep 1.5 °C in reach. The Partnership is about working hand in hand with Viet Nam to make sure that the necessary transition will be just and inclusive. Germany will actively support Viet Nam in achieving the newly set goals.

Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida Fumio said:

Japan has been supporting Viet Nam‘s decarbonization through renewable energy-related projects and welcomes Viet Nam‘s ambition to further accelerate just energy transition towards net zero by 2050. Japan is proud to be a member of the Just Energy Transition Partnership, which will promote support for low emission and climate resilient development in Viet Nam, in coordination with partner countries, and with further private sector engagement.

Norway’s Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre said:

Norway is proud to be part of the Just Energy Transition Partnership and support Viet Nam’s effort to speed up the energy transition. We believe this can mobilize much needed private capital to accelerate the ambitious transition from coal to renewable energy.

President of the United States, Joe Biden said:

Today, Viet Nam has demonstrated leadership in charting an ambitious clean energy transition that will deliver long-term energy security. The United States is proud to be a partner in this effort. Viet Nam’s historic commitment will catalyze investment and economic growth and create tremendous opportunity for the Vietnamese people, while advancing the fight against the global climate crisis.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres said:

With today’s agreement, Viet Nam is pioneering a new framework of collaboration to deliver a fair, inclusive energy transition towards renewables. These Partnerships are a crucial tool to unlock the emissions cuts our world needs in the 2020s.

We need all hands on deck to realize an energy transition that is global, sustainable, just, inclusive and equitable. The United Nations stands ready to continue supporting these Partnerships and all other cooperative efforts.
14/12/2022
PRESS RELEASE : World Trade Organisation’s USA Trade Policy Review, December 2022 – UK statement [December 2022]
The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 14 December 2022.

The UK’s Permanent Representative to the WTO in Geneva, Ambassador Simon Manley, gave a statement during the USA’s 15th WTO Trade Policy Review.
Muchas gracias, Señor Presidente. May I join others in warmly welcoming the United States’ delegation, led by our distinguished colleague Ambassador María Pagán, and her colleagues both from here and in DC to this, their 15th Trade Policy Review. Thank you very much also to our distinguished Discussant Ambassador Spencer. I’m glad to see that they both got the memo about the dress code for this morning, President. There is still time to pick up your Santa suit so that this afternoon you can all be colour-coordinated.

Let me start with a word about the ties that bind the UK and the United States of America. Normally, we don’t just sit next to each other – and I realise we are a bit further apart this morning. Our nations have a deep and unique relationship grounded in shared history, values, and ambitions. We do more together than any other two countries in the world, with exceptional cooperation at every level of society, culture, defence, intelligence, and the economy.

Our Heads of Government have made clear their commitment to open societies and open markets as the best way to deliver tangible benefits to ordinary citizens. And of course, picking up the Ambassador’s comments, we have stood side by side once again over these last nine months in support of our Ukrainian friends in their fight for their freedom – and ours.

We have worked together to support our businesses to trade and ensure our consumers enjoy a greater variety and range of products and services. In parallel, the UK is also strengthening ties with individual states to deepen our overall trade and investment relationship.

Chair, the US is at the heart of this Organisation and its leadership is paramount to the survival and the success of the WTO. As the former US Trade Rep and World Bank President Bob Zoellick said, “It is in the self-interest of the major developed states – and in the global interest – to be, with others, architects of the future.” Since the creation of the GATT 75 years ago this year, the US has always had a crucial role in shaping the global trading system.

We welcome the US recognition that trade can, and indeed should, be a force for good. We support President Biden’s emphasis on democracy and open societies, and we believe that free and fair trade lies close to the heart of these. So today I want to say to our US friends that the WTO needs the US, more than ever. US leadership – visible leadership – is crucial to global prosperity and to the effective functioning of this Organization. So I urge the US to join us in setting out ambition and engagement across all the WTO dossiers.

And we don’t have to look so far back to see that an engaged United States is beneficial to this organisation. The US played a critical role during MC12 in reaching the conclusion of that historic first stage of the fisheries subsidies’ negotiations, for which we should all be thankful. We also appreciate the constructive role it played in helping to secure agreement on the Ministerial Declaration on the Emergency Response to Food Insecurity – such a crucial issue to members across this Organization.

One area where the United Kingdom – like, I suspect, others here this morning – believes we need to make more progress is the dispute settlement system. Without a fully-functioning dispute settlement system we are all left unable to fully realise the benefits of the agreements we have negotiated. We welcome the US’ initiative to convene an informal process on Dispute Settlement reform.

But we must now deliver on our mandate given by our Ministers to achieve a fully and well-functioning system as soon as possible, and by 2024. To get there, it’s incumbent upon all of us to come together with focus, with urgency, and with pragmatism, in order to reach an agreement on meaningful reform. Needless to say, the United States of America has a key role to play to help find a solution that can command the support of all Members of this Organization.

Chair, since their last TPR in 2018, the world has faced some of the biggest challenges of our time. We are all still grappling with the economic and health impacts of the pandemic which highlights just how important it is to keep trade flowing and supply chains open. And our future is more than ever endangered by climate change.

COP 27 in Sharm el-Sheikh has given us all more to do. We all face the challenge of transitioning to a greener economy and ensuring the sustainability of our supply chains. I want to salute the Biden Administration, on behalf of our Government for its ground-breaking Inflation Reduction Act this past August, and its far-sighted environmental provisions. At the same time, our US colleagues will know that my Government, like others here, have serious concerns about some of the policies in the Act which will inadvertently harm British businesses and impact global supply chains in batteries, electric vehicles and wider renewables.

It is in all our interests to ensure that we don’t disrupt trading links in key industries that are essential for us all if we want to reach net zero. We are in touch with the US Administration about our concerns and I fervently hope a way through can be found. We should all work together to ensure we can achieve our shared ambitions for a greener and more sustainable future in a way that preserves the multilateral trading system and respects WTO rules.

Let me also emphasise that in our advance written questions, we paid particular attention to asking the United States about procurement barriers, including Made in America initiatives and Buy American policies. We look forward to continuing to work with the US Administration to ensure fair and transparent government procurement, through the WTO Government Procurement Agreement and in our bilateral engagement.

Chair, let me just highlight just one of the many examples of the recent successes in our bilateral relationship supporting businesses, consumers and workers on both sides of what we call ‘the pond.’

In early October we saw British lamb shipped to the US for the first time in 25 years after we worked together to lift the long-standing US ban on imports of British lamb. This means that over 300 million lucky US consumers will now be able to enjoy the UK’s succulent world-renowned lamb for the first time in a generation – washed down, I hope with a glass of fine Californian Zinfandel.

And we were pleased to see our US-UK Dialogues on the Future of Atlantic Trade mentioned in the United States’ Government Report. The dialogues in Baltimore and Aberdeen earlier this year identified a range of collaboration opportunities including digital trade, support for SMEs and protecting labour and environmental standards. We look forward to future engagement with the United States on our shared priorities.

Chair, more than 80 years ago, our two great nations issued the Atlantic Charter, outlining our joint vision for the future of the world amidst the chaos of the Second World War. In that Charter, President Roosevelt and Prime Minister Churchill promised to respect their existing obligations and advance the enjoyment by all States, no matter how big or small, of access to the trade on equal terms. Today, this promise needs to be upheld more than ever, not just by the US and UK, but by all of us who care about our common future. Thank you very much.
14/12/2022
Helen Whately – 2022 Speech on Government Funding for Research into Motor Neurone Disease

The speech made by Helen Whately, the Minister of State at the Department of Health and Social Care, in Westminster Hall, the House of Commons on 13 December 2022.

It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Mundell. I begin by thanking the hon. Member for Kingston upon Hull East (Karl Turner) for securing this debate. I too pay tribute to Doddie Weir, an incredible man who sadly passed away at the end of November. My thoughts are with his wife Kathy, and their sons, Hamish, Angus and Ben.

I had the good fortune to meet Doddie during an online roundtable—online because it was during the pandemic—and I was inspired by his campaign for a brighter future for people living with MND. His charity, the My Name’5 Doddie Foundation, works tirelessly to raise funds for research and provide grants to people living with this cruel condition.

During the pandemic, and again since, I also met with my Mid-Kent MNDA branch as a constituency MP. Those meetings are vivid in my mind. The first call I had with them had literally everybody on the call in tears, as we talked about the experiences of those suffering with MND and their carers—usually family members—and how they were seeing their loved ones losing a bit of themselves day by day to MND. It is such a cruel disease, as the hon. Gentleman said. I am thankful to him and to several other Members of Parliament who have campaigned for research funding and actively lobbied me and other Ministers on that point.

Chris Evans (Islwyn) (Lab/Co-op)

I refer Members to my entry in the Register of Members’ Financial Interests, and I am a biographer of Don Revie. This is an important debate, because Don, who played for Hull City during his playing career, passed away from motor neurone disease in 1989. Like Doddie Weir and Rob Burrow, he played sport at a high level. If the Government are going to invest in research, will they look at the fact that sportsmen seem to be more likely than the rest of the population to develop motor neurone disease?

Secondly, I urge the Minister to tell GPs to ensure that people are tested for motor neurone disease early in their journey, because the problem is that it is one of the last things people test for. In the case of Don, he believed that the pain in his back was caused by slipped discs—tragically, it was motor neurone disease. I ask the Minister to look into those two asks.

Helen Whately

The hon. Member makes two really important points. As he says, several prominent sportsmen who have been effective campaigners have sadly been affected by the disease, and there is a potential relationship with head injuries. He also made a point about the challenge of diagnosis, which I will take away.

The hon. Member for Kingston upon Hull East rightly talked about the tenacity of campaigners such as Rob Burrow and how effective their visible campaigning has been at raising awareness of MND. The disease affects a significant number of people, with around 5,000 suffering from it right now. Sadly, we know that people do not live very long with MND, so a really significant number of people across the country are being affected over time. It is incredibly cruel for the individuals who suffer.

I heard the request of the hon. Member for Kingston upon Hull East for a meeting, and I will come to some of the plans to address his calls in a moment. As I said, MND has a huge impact on those who have been diagnosed, and it is devastating for them and their families. We have made real progress in research, but we are yet to learn why motor neurones die off. There is still no cure for the disease and only one drug is licensed in the UK to treat MND, which is why the Government committed back in November 2021 to make at least £50 million available for MND research over the next five years.

Before I go into more about research, I want to say something about how we are supporting people living with MND, which is a degenerative condition—often rapidly so—that requires complex and anticipatory care. For that reason, the majority of services for people with MND are specialised and commissioned nationally in the 25 neurological treatment centres across England. In the absence of a cure, we want to make sure that people with MND have access to the best health and care support available to meet their complex needs. It is really important for people suffering from MND and their carers to have specialised and targeted support, including devices to help people with MND to be able to continue to communicate effectively for as long as possible, as well as other types of care.

Since November 2021, we have invested £790 million in the National Institute for Health and Care Research biomedical research centres, which bring together experts to translate scientific breakthroughs into treatments for patients. At the Sheffield centre, researchers have already pioneered evidence-based interventions to manage the symptoms of MND. In September, the Sheffield researchers published promising clinical trial results for the drug tofersen. Professor Dame Pamela Shaw, the director of the NIHR Sheffield BRC, said:

“I have conducted more than 25 MND clinical trials and the tofersen trial is the first trial in which patients have reported an improvement in their motor function.”

I want to emphasise that because, until now, it has been very hard to be optimistic about developing a cure for MND or even effective treatment. The trial is, in fact, grounds for optimism against this cruel disease.

In June, the Government and charity partners invested in a £4.25 million collaborative partnership on MND, which includes LifeArc, the MND Association, the My Name’5 Doddie Foundation and MND Scotland. The Government are supporting groundbreaking research undertaken by the UK Dementia Research Institute. Seven of its 50 research programmes are dedicated specifically to MND, with world experts undertaking discovery science, translational and clinical research to drive medical progress.

There has already been work going on to invest in MND research, but I heard the impatience of the hon. Member for Kingston upon Hull East and have heard from other hon. Members. Indeed, my hon. Friend the Member for Northampton South (Andrew Lewer), who is here today, has also lobbied me and other Ministers on the desire for greater pace and so that money goes towards research quicker and then translates more quickly into treatments.

To that point, yesterday, we announced at the Department of Health and Social Care, together with the Secretary of State for BEIS, how we will deliver the full £50 million research commitment, which will build on our existing investments and successes to more rapidly fund MND research. In that regard, £30 million of Government funding will be invested immediately through specialist research centres and partnerships with leading researchers. That will include £12.5 million to the UK Dementia Research Institute to support groundbreaking research specifically into MND, a further £8 million investment into early-phase clinical research for MND via the NIHR biomedical research centres and £6 million for a translational accelerator that connects the DRI capabilities with those of the Francis Crick Institute, the Laboratory of Molecular Biology and the new MND collaborative partnership. We are investing a further £2 million in the MND collaborative partnership, which will specifically focus on data for MND research.

Andrew Lewer (Northampton South) (Con)

I am triggered by the reference to Francis Crick, who was also from Northampton, so there is quite a connection here, also given my great privilege to be the chairman of the all-party parliamentary group on motor neurone disease. I am grateful to the hon. Member for Kingston upon Hull East (Karl Turner) for having this debate, but particularly grateful to the Government for listening, making some really important announcements and pushing this forward. It has been received with great pleasure by the research community and MND sufferers. I hope the Minister will accept my thanks for that. I look forward to working further with her in taking this forward, now that we have the new announcements.

Helen Whately

It is good to hear from my hon. Friend. Credit goes to him for his campaigning, both personally and as chair of the APPG on motor neurone disease, together with that of other Members of Parliament, to push for investment to get out to the frontline on research. I look forward to working with him further so we can ensure this investment in research makes a difference for people suffering from MND and their carers, and for those in the future.

I have just mentioned the MND collaborative partnership, which is a mechanism by which the many initiatives that I just described will come together. The first meeting of this virtual institute took place at the end of November, and I am looking forward to hearing about further progress now that the funding is in place. The remainder of the committed £50 million of MND funding is available for researchers to access via the NIHR and the Medical Research Council. Government will support researchers in coming forward with ideas for new research via a joint highlight notice between NIHR and the Medical Research Council on MND. That will allow our funding to be responsive to progress in science and ensure breakthroughs reach patients in the quickest possible time. Further to that, the Secretary of State will shortly host leading researchers and patient groups at a roundtable to discuss MND research and help researchers make the best bids as quickly as possible. That addresses the call for a meeting from the hon. Member for Kingston upon Hull East.

Karl Turner

I am grateful to the Minister and I welcome everything that she has helpfully just announced. However, my researcher spoke yesterday to the association and it still requests that meeting. It is the only ask. I accept what she says about roundtables and all sorts of other things going on behind the scenes, but the association wants a meeting with the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care and the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy. Perhaps it is difficult to get them together, so there could be separate meetings. That is the only thing the association has asked me to ask for today, so it would be remiss of me if I did not push her to request that meeting after she leaves here.

Helen Whately

The hon. Member’s request is very clear. As I said to him a moment ago, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care will meet researchers and patient groups at a roundtable about this issue. If that is not the same meeting as the one he wants, I am very happy to take that point away and find out exactly what meeting he wants and how we can make sure that it takes place as well as the planned meeting.

I have heard from my hon. Friend the Member for Northampton South over the past few weeks about red tape getting in the way of research, which we clearly do not want to be the case. To help cut red tape, research funders from NIHR and the Medical Research Council are working together so that MND proposals will go to the right scheme at the early idea stage and so that applications can be considered before they even have full sign-off from their universities and institutions.

We are also building on our recent announcement of £790 million for the NIHR biomedical research centres by putting in MND funding, so that it gets quickly to the most promising researchers already working on MND.

To sum up and return to where we started, there is no doubt that MND is a cruel disease that takes people before their time and, as it does so, takes them bit by bit from their loved ones. As yet, there is no cure. However, I say “as yet” because I have hope, and we have real grounds for optimism with the clinical trials. We also have £50 million going into MND research. I have outlined today how we are accelerating that funding to go to the frontline of research and to develop the treatments that will make a difference to MND sufferers, whether here and now or in the future.

In no small part, that is thanks to the late Doddie Weir and his family, Rob Burrows, Ed Slater, Kevin Sinfield, and all the other MND campaigners and carers who have worked so hard to raise awareness of MND and push for more action on MND research. I can assure them that their efforts are not in vain. I personally take inspiration from all their tireless work, which reinforces the Government’s commitment to fund and support research into MND. We owe it to people with MND, future sufferers, and all the campaigners and researchers to push ahead with the groundbreaking research that will help to develop effective treatments and, indeed, cures for this cruel disease.

14/12/2022
Karl Turner – 2022 Speech on Government Funding for Research into Motor Neurone Disease

The speech made by Karl Turner, the Labour MP for Kingston upon Hull East, in Westminster Hall, the House of Commons, on 13 December 2022.

I beg to move,

That this House has considered Government funding for research into motor neurone disease.

It is an absolute pleasure to serve under your chairship, Mr Mundell. MND is a devastating, debilitating and untimely life-limiting disease. We saw that just two weeks ago with the tragic loss of Doddie Weir, to which you have referred. Doddie was a giant of a man, both on and off the field, but the MND Association estimates that in the UK six people a day die of MND. A third of them die within 12 months of diagnosis, but it is now more than a year since the Government pledged—in response to the tireless efforts of campaigners and following meetings between me and the then Business Secretary, the right hon. Member for Spelthorne (Kwasi Kwarteng)—to invest £50 million. We met the Secretary of State that day with campaigners, and he gave an assurance to us all that immediate action, meaning immediate money, would be forthcoming. It was not.

Jim Shannon (Strangford) (DUP)

I thank the hon. Gentleman for bringing forward this important issue. I have a close working relationship with MND campaigners back home, and ahead of the debate they got in touch to point out the lack of adequate care and provision in Northern Ireland. The Department of Health back home needs help to improve the standard for accessing clinical trials, and the same applies for people across the UK. Does the hon. Gentleman agree that it is imperative that people in all parts of this great United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland are able to gain from research and be involved in clinical trials? We all stand to gain from that.

Karl Turner

I agree with the hon. Gentleman, who is an incredibly impressive campaigner on the issue. I pay tribute to him. He is knowledgeable on the subject, and he raises it both publicly in debate and privately with Ministers when given the opportunity. I commend him for that.

I very much welcome the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care commenting at the weekend that the money will be fast-tracked into the hands of researchers, but I am sorry to say that it feels as though the Government have dragged their feet. They have been dragged kicking and screaming to this point by the impressive dedication of MND campaigners—not least Rob Burrow, who is a rugby league legend—and it is disappointing that we have had to wait 12 months for anything. This debate was secured, then there was talk in the media that there would be funding available, but campaigners are entitled to be a little concerned and a little nervous about where and when that money will be forthcoming.

I pay tribute to the campaigners. I have briefly mentioned Rob Burrow; for all his brilliance on the pitch, the whole rugby league community has been blown away by his determination to raise awareness of MND. It is his tenacity that has brought us to where we are today. I have to be honest that I knew very little about MND. I am a rugby league fanatic; I support both of the rugby league teams in Hull. I am bound to say, being the Member for east Hull, that I support the red and whites a bit more than the black and whites on occasion. Rob is the person who brought this to my attention. Special mention should also be given to Rob’s former teammate and best pal, Kevin Sinfield, who has completed seven ultra-marathons in seven days to raise about £1.5 million for MND charities. That is an incredible effort from an incredible campaigner and man.

This debate was secured before the Secretary of State announced the money at the weekend. I want to mention that I have spoken with the MND Association at length, and my office has spoken with it in preparation for this debate. It has one single ask. It desperately needs a meeting with the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care and the Secretary of State for BEIS, so that it can get a timeline and some understanding of when the money will be made physically available. It is no good promising money and then not delivering it. The promise was made more than 12 months ago—nothing has been forthcoming.

I am quite annoyed at the fact that the debate was secured, and all of a sudden there is discussion in the media that the money is coming. People are asking me whether it means 50 million quid last year and 50 million again this year. The reality is that it is 50 million quid, which is much needed—the association and campaigners are grateful for it—but they need to know when and how the money is going to be made available.

I am going to rest there; I do not think I have anything further to add. It is a simple ask: will the Minister agree to speak to the Secretaries of State concerned and put the meeting together as quickly as possible, so that we can move forward?

14/12/2022
PRESS RELEASE : Training for Ukrainian judges begins under UK legal supervision [December 2022]

The press release issued by the Attorney General’s Office on 14 December 2022.

A training programme for Ukrainian judges set to conduct trials for war crimes has begun as part of UK efforts to secure justice for the country’s citizens.

A training programme for Ukrainian judges set to conduct trials for war crimes has begun as part of UK efforts to secure justice for the country’s citizens.

More than 90 judges will undergo the UK funded sessions, which are being held in the region under the supervision of Sir Howard Morrison KC, a former Judge at the International Criminal Court. Sir Howard was appointed by the former Attorney General in March to act as an independent advisor to the Prosecutor General of Ukraine, now Andriy Kostin, as part of a wider package of support for the war-torn country.

Attorney General Victoria Prentis KC said:

Ukraine is navigating a horrifying catalogue of war crimes, with 50,000 cases recorded so far – the UK is committed to helping them secure justice.

The training for judges is an important step in making sure those who are committing unthinkable atrocities against innocent civilians are held to account.

We are throwing the full force of our support – including some of the UK’s finest legal minds – to make sure that happens.

The training is just one part of a £2.5m justice and accountability package of UK assistance directly to Ukraine. In May, the UK, the US and EU, established the Atrocity Crimes Advisory Group to directly support the War Crimes Units of the Office of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine – to assist in streamlining coordination, avoiding duplication, and providing advice and practical assistance.

The package also includes the deployment of Mobile Justice Teams to the scene of potential war crimes, forensic evidence gathering and support from UK experts in sexual violence in conflict.

A further £1million was pledged in funding for the International Criminal Court, whose work includes an investigation into the brutalities being committed by Russian forces as the ongoing conflict continues.

Sir Howard Morrison KC said:

The first sessions have now taken place, they had a focus on international and humanitarian law with an emphasis on trying war crimes cases and producing a full judgment in an international court of law.

The judges are of course very experienced in Ukrainian domestic law, but many have never tried war crimes before, and it is specialised business.

Andriy Kostin is doing an excellent job and faces a task almost unparalleled in modern history as he prepares to take the Russian forces responsible for these abhorrent crimes to trial during a live conflict.

At the G7 justice ministers meeting in Germany this month, the UK co-signed the Berlin declaration in a pledge of ‘unwavering solidarity to Ukraine”.

14/12/2022
PRESS RELEASE : New over £650m support package for Ukrainians sees increased ‘thank you’ payments for longer-term hosts [December 2022]
The press release issued by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities on 14 December 2022.

Thousands of families who opened their homes to Ukrainians fleeing Putin’s illegal war will now receive a package of further support.
- Homes for Ukraine hosts to receive £500 a month as a ‘thank you’ for ongoing support after Ukrainian’s first year of sponsorship
- £150m additional funding for local authorities across the UK to help support Ukrainian guests move into their own homes and reduce the risk of homelessness
- Councils in England to get new £500m fund to acquire housing stock for those fleeing conflict (including from Ukraine and Afghanistan) and reduce homelessness
- New potential hosts urged to come forward and apply to re-match existing guests through the scheme
Thousands of families who opened their homes to Ukrainians fleeing Putin’s illegal war will now receive a package of further support, as government urges new potential hosts to come forward and apply for re-matching.

Over 100,000 Ukrainians have sought sanctuary in the UK through the Homes for Ukraine scheme, one of the fastest, biggest and most generous visa programmes in British history.

Now, in recognition of their ongoing support amidst the rising cost-of-living, all sponsors will receive an increased ‘thank you’ payment of £500 a month for guests who have been in the country for over a year.

‘Thank you’ payments will also be extended from 12 months to two years, so that guests who may not yet be ready to move into independent accommodation can stay in sponsorship for longer where sponsors are willing to extend arrangements.

In cases where sponsorships can no longer continue, councils in all parts of the UK will receive help to house Ukrainians through a one-off pot of government funding worth £150 million, as well as a new £500m Local Authority Housing Fund in England. Local Authorities are best placed to understand the support needed for local communities and, as is typically the case for various local authority funding, they will also be able to use this £150 million of funding to support other people at risk of homelessness.

This housing £500m fund will be reserved for councils in England to obtain housing for those fleeing conflicts (including in Ukraine and Afghanistan) and is expected to provide up to 4,000 homes by 2024, reducing the impact of new arrivals on existing housing pressures and eventually providing a new and permanent supply of accommodation for local communities.

Secretary of State, Michael Gove said:

“I am immensely proud of this country’s dynamic and heart-warming response to the aggression of Putin’s war.

“We have stood firm with Ukraine but we owe special thanks to the tens of thousands of families across the UK who opened their homes and their hearts to Ukrainians fleeing war.

“In recognition of their ongoing support, I’m pleased to confirm that they will see their ‘thank you’ payments uplifted for their second year of sponsorship”

Minister for Housing and Homelessness, Felicity Buchan said:

“I am proud that the people of Britain continue to stand by our Ukrainian friends. Our brilliant sponsors and our local councils are at the very heart of this country’s response to Putin’s appalling war in Ukraine.

“Hosting a Ukrainian family is a massive commitment and from the amazing sponsors I’ve met, I also know that the rising cost of living is putting additional pressures on both household and local finances. That is why we are increasing ‘thank you’ payments to keep this incredibly successful programme going.

“But our work is not done yet. The crisis in Ukraine continues and I urge anyone who is able to, to come forward and volunteer as a sponsor.”

The Association of Ukrainians in Great Britain said:

‘Ukrainians everywhere are grateful to the government and the British people for opening their homes and hearts to Ukrainians fleeing their homes as a result of Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine. We welcome today’s announcement, which recognises the commitment of sponsors during difficult economic times, and will provide additional support and reassurance to Ukrainian families as they rebuild their lives and seek to overcome the trauma of war.’

So far over 100,000 visas have been issued through the Homes for Ukraine scheme, and 22,000 Ukrainian guests have arrived in Scotland, 6,000 in Wales, and 700 in Northern Ireland, including those sponsored directly by the Scottish and Welsh Governments.

In some cases, where guests ‘rematch’ with new sponsors – these sponsors will be eligible for the increased payment if the guest is in their second year here in the UK.

In light of wider pressures on the public finances and to reflect the fact that a fraction of Ukrainian arrivals return to Ukraine, after arriving in the UK, the Government is having to take tough decisions including to reduce the council tariff to £5,900 per person for arrivals entering the UK from 1 January 2023.

Councils will continue to receive the previous year one amount for any Ukrainian already in the UK. Local Authorities will continue to receive separate funding in 2022-23 for the Ukraine education tariff under the rates and terms previously set out (a per child tariff of £3,000 for early years, £6,580 for primary and £8,755 for secondary and payments calculated on a pro-rata basis); and the Ukrainians families will also continue to receive government support on skills training, job centre access and welfare payments.

The £500m Local Authority Housing Fund can be used by councils in England to buy housing stock, build new homes, convert existing non-residential properties, and refurbish delipidated housing or empty homes into accommodation for families. Due to the unique challenges presented by the different groups this money will be used to target the specific needs of each cohort in a particular area.

We always anticipated that a proportion of sponsorships would fail, or would come to an end due to changing circumstances. Our wider package, together with the £2bn funding provided for homelessness and rough sleeping at the 2021 Spending Review and the £50m top-up to the Homelessness Prevention Grant this year, are designed to help prevent potential homelessness numbers rising as rapidly as they otherwise could have done. The UK Government will continue to work with the Ukrainian government, the devolved administrations, local authorities and charities and voluntary groups to support guests and sponsors under the Scheme.

All arrivals in the UK have the right to work, and to receive benefits and access public services from day one. According to the latest figures from the ONS, 56% of Ukrainian adults surveyed who had arrived in or before June were in work. 66% of those out of work are intending to look for work in the next month and 17% were already in the private rented sector. The Government is keen to ensure that Ukraine guests receive the support they are entitled to while they are in the UK, and in particular are helped into employment and suitable accommodation, as soon as possible.
14/12/2022
PRESS RELEASE : Welsh community groups receive over £1m in UK Government Funding [December 2022]
The press release issued by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities on 14 December 2022.

Projects in Denbighshire, Pembrokeshire and Ceredigion will receive a share of £150 million in the latest round of the UK Government’s Community Ownership Fund.

The UK Government has supported community venues across Wales that were at risk of being lost forever with £1.1 million of levelling up funding from The Community Ownership Fund.

The UK Government’s £150 million Community Ownership Fund helps community groups take ownership of local institutions falling into disrepair and give them a new lease of life so they can continue to provide vital services, create more opportunities for local people and boost local economies

The five projects celebrating newly-successful bids in Wales include a social enterprise in Pembrokeshire, a 180 year old village shop in Llandyrnog and a group that has taken over a former hotel to offer vital support to people with chronic and life limiting conditions.

Levelling Up Minister Dehenna Davison said:

I want to see the places that local communities cherish survive and thrive for future generations – that is levelling up in action.

Whether it’s town halls or the village shops that mean so much to rural communities, the Community Ownership Fund is breathing new life into Welsh institutions by putting them into the hands of local people.

Welsh Secretary David TC Davies said:

Last year we launched three new funds – the Levelling Up, Community Renewal and Community Ownership funds – which have so far seen more than 175 projects right across Wales given more than £165m for schemes ranging from improvements to road infrastructure in the Rhondda to money for Gwynedd locals to help buy their community pub.

These five latest Welsh recipients of the Community Ownership Fund are fantastic projects that will make a huge difference to their local areas.

Levelling up is at the centre of the UK Government’s ambitions and communities across Wales will be transformed over the coming years as this funding continues.

Dr Alan Axford OBE, HAHAV’s Chair of Trustees said:

We are amazed and delighted to have been awarded such a substantial grant from COF. This investment will be transformational, enabling us to protect, Plas Antron – our ‘Living Well Centre’. The building makes such a difference to the quality of life for hundreds of people across Ceredigion each year, many of whom are isolated and vulnerable.

Without the COF grant, Plas Antaron was at risk of being lost with time rapidly running out for us to secure the funding required to finalise the purchase.

We would like express our sincerest thanks to the UK Government, The Welsh Government, and everyone locally who has assisted in fundraising towards this vital project, for their life-changing support.

Successful projects confirmed include:
- The ‘Haverhub’ in Pembrokeshire, a social enterprise nestled in the heart of the historic Quay Street and Riverside Quarter, will take ownership of their building so they can provide a variety of educational courses for local people.
- Over £170,000 will help dedicated volunteers at the Aberystwyth and District Hospice provide vital support to people with chronic and life limiting conditions and their carers. The grant will give the local community the funds they need to buy their premises outright.
- The doors of an 180-year old village shop in Llandyrnog will fly open once again to warmly welcome local people. The shop will act as a community hub for the village and support people’s mental health with £200,000 in funding
- In Ceredigion, the Aberporth Village Hall will be rebuilt brick by brick into an environmentally friendly community hub to act as a one-stop-shop for tourists and local business.
The move forms part of the government’s drive to level up local communities across the country, create more opportunities for local people and boosting local economies as a result.

Combined with Round 1 projects, this additional funding takes the overall total to £16.74m for 70 Community Ownership Fund projects, with £1.6m so far allocated to Wales.
14/12/2022
Mark Harper – 2022 Comments on Migrant Deaths in Channel

The comments made by Mark Harper, the Secretary of State for Transport, on Twitter on 14 December 2022.

My thoughts are with those involved in the distressing incident in the Channel this morning.

I thank HM Coastguard for coordinating a huge search and rescue operation with the Royal Navy, the Home Office, Kent Police and others.

14/12/2022
Keir Starmer – 2022 Comments on Migrant Deaths in Channel

The comments made by Sir Keir Starmer, the Leader of the Opposition, on Twitter on 14 December 2022.

Heartbreaking that more lives have been lost in the Channel.

Thanks to the emergency services for everything they do.

14/12/2022
NEWS STORY : Three Dead in Migrant Crossing in the English Channel

STORY

Three people have been confirmed dead after a vessel carrying migrants got into difficulties in the English Channel overnight. Over 40 others on board were saved, many of whom had entered the water, and have been taken to safety. The UK coastguard and the French navy were involved with the rescue, with the Home Secretary Suella Braverman saying that she was being constantly updated on the “distressing incident”.

RESOURCES

Comments Made by the Home Secretary, Suella Braverman

Comments Made by Opposition Leader Keir Starmer

Comments Made by Transport Secretary Mark Harper

Joint Statement by UK and French Governments

EXTERNAL NEWS LINKS

BBC News Story

14/12/2022