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Andrew Murrison – 2022 Statement on Royal Navy Conduct Towards Women

The statement made by Andrew Murrison, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Defence, in the House of Commons on 31 October 2022.

I thank my right hon. Friend for his timely question. Before I get going, I would like to declare my interest as entered in the Register of Members’ Financial Interests: I am a serving reservist and, more particularly for this particular urgent question, I have two daughters who are currently serving in the armed forces.

I was concerned by the recent reports in the media that have prompted this UQ, little knowing that I would be answering it this afternoon. Allegations of bullying, harassment and sexual assault in the Submarine Service are and will be taken extremely seriously. Any activity that falls short of the highest standards in the Royal Navy is totally unacceptable and not a true reflection of what life should be. Sexual assault and harassment have no place in the Royal Navy and will not be tolerated.

The First Sea Lord has directed a formal investigation into these allegations, and this commenced on 24 October. This independent investigating team, led by a senior female officer, will thoroughly examine the allegations and report back very soon. It is understood that the named individual has agreed to meet the investigation team to provide her account. While this investigation will review specific allegations, Defence will also review the culture of the submarine community and report to Ministers in due course. The House will understand that it would be premature to offer any further comment or debate until those investigations are complete. However, anyone who is found culpable will be held accountable for their actions regardless of their rank or status.

While some of the incidents referred to in the media are historical, it is important to note the large-scale policy changes that were introduced across Defence in the past year. As a result, Defence will deal with incidents and allegations of sexual abuse better. The new policies will ensure zero tolerance of unacceptable sexual behaviour or of sexual exploitation and abuse within Defence. All allegations of sexual offences will be responded to, victims will be given greater support and there will be a presumption of discharge for anyone found to be engaging in this kind of behaviour.

These policies will ensure that Defence will deal with these types of incidents differently. They will build trust and confidence in Defence’s ability to deal with unacceptable behaviour and demonstrate that supporting people who are victims of unacceptable sexual behaviour is a top priority. The House should be reassured that the Royal Navy has taken and is continuing to take decisive action to address the allegations that have been brought to light and will report to Ministers when the investigations are complete, at which point I feel sure that there will be a further opportunity to explore the detail.

Mr Ellwood

Britain can be immensely proud of its Royal Navy, which over the centuries has helped to define who we are as a nation. Today it is globally recognised as arguably the best-trained, best-motivated and best-disciplined maritime force in the world. It is therefore deeply concerning to see more reports emerging of inappropriate behaviour against women, this time on the very submarines that provide our nuclear deterrent.

I welcome the statement and the First Sea Lord’s promise of another investigation. Only three years ago, the Ministry of Defence was obliged to commission its own study, the Wigston review, which admitted

“an unacceptable level of…behaviour and a sub-optimal system for dealing with it”.

The Defence Committee carried out a study last year, and over 4,000 female personnel replied to our survey run by my hon. Friend the Member for Wrexham (Sarah Atherton). Sixty-four per cent. of respondents said they had endured bullying, harassment, intimidation, discrimination or sexual abuse, and few had any faith in the mechanism through which these concerns could be addressed.

My Committee made two clear recommendations: first, the establishment of a central defence authority to provide a reporting system outside the chain of command and, secondly, the removal of the chain of command entirely from complaints of a sexual nature. Will the MOD now implement these recommendations and encourage others, both serving and retired, to share their concerns on safety?

Women have proudly served in our armed forces for over a century, and all roles are now open to women. To be fair, the majority leave with a positive view of their time in uniform. This is about a few personnel who bring the Submarine Service into disrepute. It is about a systemic failure of the chain of command, and the MOD must now accept its role and prioritise putting this right.

Dr Murrison

I thank my right hon. Friend again. He is correct to put matters in these terms. He has been robust and forthright, which I respect.

My right hon. Friend will know that the great majority of women serving in our armed forces today respond positively when asked about their experiences and say they would recommend the services to others. He will also be aware of the work done this year in response to his Committee’s report. I would like to say I have read it from cover to cover, but I have been in post for only a few hours, so he will forgive me for not doing so. I get the gist of it, and I will study it extremely carefully.

My right hon. Friend will know that the MOD has already accepted the great majority of the report. He and I have been around a long time, and I cannot think of a Select Committee report in recent times that has had so many of its recommendations accepted and carried out. He will be familiar with “Tackling Sexual Offending in Defence” and the two pieces of work on a zero-tolerance approach that have been published this year.

I congratulate my right hon. Friend, my hon. Friend the Member for Wrexham (Sarah Atherton) and their Committee. The great majority of the recommendations are being carried out or will be carried out.

31/10/2022
Jeremy Corbyn – 2022 Comments on Lula Winning Brazilian Election

The comments made by Jeremy Corbyn, the Independent MP for Islington North, on Twitter on 30 October 2022.

Congratulations to @LulaOficial on winning Brazil’s historic election.

This is a victory for social justice, Indigenous rights and the future of humanity.

The global struggle for equality, democracy and peace goes on. Lula’s triumph proves that, together, we can win.

31/10/2022
PRESS RELEASE : The United Kingdom will continue to stand with Somalia [October 2022]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 31 October 2022.

Statement by Ambassador James Kariuki at the Security Council meeting on the situation in Somalia.

Thank you, President.

This vote today sends a powerful message of Security Council support not just to UNSOM but to President Hassan Sheikh and all Somalis.

UNSOM has played an important role in Somalia since its inception. The recent strategic review found its mandate well aligned with Somalia’s national priorities. Its recommendations will enable the Mission to keep supporting Somalia through a new era.

The successful conclusion of the electoral process and the peaceful transition of power gives Somalia an opportunity to make progress in achieving its national objectives and in the fight against Al-Shabaab. We encourage all Somalis to work together and seize this opportunity.

The United Kingdom will continue to stand with Somalia and we commend President Hassan Sheikh’s determination to defeat Al-Shabaab.

Finally President, let me take this opportunity to thank SRSG Swan for his extraordinary leadership and commitment during this critical transition phase. And I also thank all colleagues for their engagement on this resolution, and to the work of my team. Thank you.

31/10/2022
Cambridge United Football Club – 2022 Statement on Disorder and Criminal Damage Caused by their Supporters

The statement made by Cambridge United Football Club on 31 October 2022.

Cambridge United is extremely disappointed to learn of a number of incidents by supporters at Saturday’s game against Peterborough United…

The first Cambridgeshire Derby in the league for 21 years was a hard fought match that was played in the right spirit and whilst the majority of fans from both sides helped contribute towards a tremendous occasion, a minority of supporters from both sides let our Clubs down.

Cambridge United strongly condemns the actions of the small group of so called fans who committed criminal damage at the Weston Homes Stadium. This behaviour is unacceptable and the Club has passed on its apologies to Peterborough United for the damage and inconvenience caused and will be addressing potential costs in due course. A Police investigation has opened and evidence has already been supplied from the Club’s supporter base.

The Club also condemns the offensive chanting that came from a section of the away end which made reference towards sex offences. Songs of such nature will not be tolerated and anyone found participating will be banned from future games.

We are also deeply disturbed by the chants from a section of Peterborough United supporters about Simon Dobbin, a Cambridge United fan who tragically lost his life in 2020 after being cruelly and senselessly assaulted, following a football match which left him with permanent brain damage.

We have today contacted Simon’s widow, Nicole, to offer our full support, whilst Peterborough United have also provided an apology to the family.

The Club is saddened that a great occasion was marred by such behaviour and Cambridge United will be working with Peterborough United and Cambridgeshire Police to identity those responsible. Any supporters found guilty are likely to face Club bans and criminal prosecution.

31/10/2022
Peterborough United Football Club – 2022 Statement on Their Supporters Mocking a Dead Fan

The statement made by Peterborough United Football Club on 31 October 2022.

On Saturday, the Weston Homes Stadium hosted the first league local derby between Peterborough United and Cambridge United for 21 years.

While the majority of the 12,766 crowd helped create a wonderful atmosphere and behaved themselves, a small minority of both sets of supporters let themselves down both inside and outside of the stadium.

The club are extremely disappointed that a small section of home supporters sang wholly inappropriate and disgusting chants about a Cambridge United supporter who sadly passed away in October 2020.

We would like to unreservedly apologise to the family of Simon Dobbin and we will be working with the authorities to try and identify the culprits because those people are not ‘supporters’ of this football club. We condemn these actions in the strongest possible terms.

The club would also like to condemn those who threw pyrotechnics during the game. There is no place for pyrotechnics inside the Weston Homes Stadium and those involved will be identified and action will be taken.

The club would also like to report extensive criminal damage within the away end (Deskgo Stand) on Saturday. The damage caused in the toilets, offices and the concourse area of that stand was on a level not seen before and the cost to repair this will be significant. The club are working with Cambridge United and the Police to review CCTV footage to identify those involved.

Unfortunately following the final whistle there was disorder outside of the stadium involving both sets of supporters. The club is reviewing CCTV footage to identify those involved and an investigation is set to be undertaken by the Police.

Interim Chief Executive Leighton Mitchell said: “It is important to note that the majority of supporters in attendance behaved well, but as seen too often at football matches, it is the minority that let themselves down and unfortunately that was the case on Saturday.

“The Football Club offer our sincere apologies to the family of Simon Dobbin. There is no place in society for what was chanted by a small section of so-called supporters and we will be working extremely hard to identify those involved.

“We are in conversations with Cambridge United about the substantial damage caused within the away end. Unfortunately, this damage is severe and will impact on the opening of that stand in the near future.

“We are disappointed that the actions of a small section of fans from both sides have overshadowed what should have been a wonderful occasion.”

31/10/2022
Lindsay Hoyle – 2022 Statement on the Attack on Paul Pelosi

The statement made by Lindsay Hoyle, the Speaker of the House of Commons, in the House on 31 October 2022.

Before we come to today’s business, I am sure that the whole House will want to join me in expressing our horror at the attack on Paul Pelosi, the husband of Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Paul is a stalwart support for Speaker Pelosi and I enjoyed getting to know him at the G7 Speakers’ conference in Chorley. All our thoughts and prayers are with Speaker Pelosi, Paul and their family. The incident demonstrates once again that we can never rest in our mission to keep parliamentarians, their families and their staff safe.

31/10/2022
PRESS RELEASE : Ending the grain initiative would unleash an “unprecedented wave of hunger and destitution” [October 2022]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 31 October 2022.

Statement by Ambassador Barbara Woodward at the Security Council briefing on the Black Sea Grain Initiative.

Thank you, President, and I thank Under-Secretary Griffiths and Secretary-General Grynspan for their briefings today.

The Black Sea Grain initiative is vital to global food security. The UN estimates that it has indirectly prevented 100 million people from falling into extreme poverty.

Over 60% of the wheat exported under the deal has gone to low and middle-income countries, including via the World Food Programme to Ethiopia, Yemen, and Afghanistan.

Russia’s suspension of this initiative over the weekend has meant over 100 ships blocked from seeking permission to enter Ukrainian ports to load grain.

An average of 100,000 tons of grain is exported each day under the initiative. This is enough to feed 5 million people for a month. The severe impact, should Russia’s suspension of the agreement continue, is clear.

Recognising the global food crisis, the UK has not placed sanctions on food or fertiliser exports from Russia to third countries. We have worked hard, and continue to do so, to ensure there are mitigations in place to avoid indirect impacts of sanctions.

And we note that there has been no decrease in Russian grain exports since the start of Russia’s war on Ukraine.
President, Russia claims it suspended participation in the grain initiative due to an attack on its Black Sea Fleet, falsely claiming those vessels were involved in implementation of the deal.

As we heard from Under-Secretary-General Griffiths, no military vessels or assets are involved in supporting this initiative.

And what Russia neglects to mention is that Russia’s Black Sea fleet is illegally occupying Ukrainian waters and bombing Ukrainian towns.

The global impact of Russia’s war on Ukraine has already been profound. Ending the grain initiative would unleash the “unprecedented wave of hunger and destitution”, of which the Secretary-General’s Global Crisis Response Group warned in June. We therefore urge Russia to renew its cooperation under the agreement so that shipments of grain can continue as before.

We call on Russia to work with all parties to renew the Black Sea Grain Initiative this month.

Thank you.

31/10/2022
James Cleverly – 2022 Statement on the Situation in Ukraine

The statement made by James Cleverly, the Foreign Secretary, in the House of Commons on 31 October 2022.

Mr Speaker, with permission I will update the House about the situation in Ukraine.

This morning Russian missiles again struck Kyiv and other cities, destroying critical national infrastructure and depriving Ukrainians of water and electricity.

Earlier today I spoke to our Ambassador in Kyiv and I heard again of the extraordinary resilience of Ukraine’s people in the face of Russian aggression.

At the weekend, Russia suspended its participation in the Black Sea Grain Initiative, which has allowed the export of 100,000 tonnes of food every day, including to some of the least developed countries in the world.

Putin is exacting vengeance for his military failures on the civilians of Ukraine by cutting off their power and their water supply, and on the poorest people in the world by threatening their food supplies.

Over 60 percent of the wheat exported under the Black Sea Grain Initiative has gone to low and middle income countries, including Ethiopia, Yemen, and Afghanistan.

It would be unconscionable for those lands to be made to suffer because of Putin’s setbacks on the battlefield in Ukraine.

I urge Russia to stop impeding this vital initiative that is helping feed the hungry across the world and agree to its extension.

Meanwhile, Russia’s suicide drones and cruise missiles are killing Ukrainian civilians, obliterating their homes, and even destroying a children’s playground.

A third of the country’s power stations were put out of operation in a single week.

None of this achieves any military purpose.

Putin’s only aim is to spread terror and to deprive Ukrainian families of shelter, light, and heat as harsh winter approaches.

I’m sure the House will join me in condemning his breaches of international humanitarian law.

I’m sure every Honourable and Right Honourable member will share my conviction that Putin will never break the spirit of the Ukrainian people.

And the House will share my incredulity over the glaring contradictions in Putin’s thinking.

He claims that Ukraine is part of Russia and Ukrainians are Russians but at the same time he calls them Nazis who must be bombed without mercy.

When he launched his invasion, he convinced himself that Russian forces would be welcomed into Kyiv and they would either support him or be too craven to stand in his way.

He could not have been more wrong.

The last eight months have shown the scale of his miscalculation.

They have shown the barbarity of his onslaught, including the mass rape committed by Russian soldiers in Ukraine.

The UK’s campaign to prevent sexual violence in conflict is more urgent than ever and I will host a conference on this vital subject next month.

And now the Kremlin is resorting to peddling false claims, churning out invented stories that say more about the fractures within the Russian government than they do about us.

It is also reprehensible that Iran should have supplied Russia with the Shahed drones that are bringing destruction to Ukraine, in violation of UN Resolution 2231.

On 20 October, the Government imposed sanctions on three Iranian commanders involved in supplying weaponry to Russia, along with the company that manufactures Shahed drones.

Earlier, Putin announced on 30 September that Russia had annexed four regions of Ukraine spanning 40,000 square miles – the biggest land grab in Europe since the Second World War.

Once again, this exposes his self-delusion.

Putin has declared the annexation of territory he has not captured – and what he had managed to seize he is in the process of losing.

On 12 October, 143 countries – three quarters of the entire membership of the United Nations – voted in the General Assembly to condemn the annexation.

Russia had just four supporters – Syria, Belarus, Nicaragua, North Korea – and when those regimes are your only friends, you know you really are isolated.

When 141 countries denounced Putin’s invasion back in March, some speculated if that was the ceiling of the international support for Ukraine.

The latest vote showed even more nations are now ready to condemn Russia.

But Putin still thinks that by forcing up food and energy prices, we will lose our resolve.

Our task is to prove him wrong.

We will not waver in our support for Ukraine’s right to self-defence.

I delivered that emphatic message when I spoke to my Ukrainian counterpart on Tuesday and my Right Honourable Friend the Prime Minister said the same to President Zelenskyy, when they spoke on the phone, the first foreign leader he called upon his appointment as Prime Minister.

On Thursday I will attend a meeting of G7 Foreign Ministers in Germany, where I will send a unified signal of our shared determination.

This year Britain has given Ukraine £2.3 billion of military support – more than any country in the world apart from the United States of America.

We will provide Ukraine with more support to repair its energy infrastructure and we have committed £220 million of humanitarian aid.

The House will have noted Putin’s irresponsible talk about nuclear weapons, and an absurd claim that Ukraine plans to detonate a radiological “dirty bomb” on its own territory.

No other country is talking about nuclear use. No country is threatening Russia or threatening President Putin. He should be clear that for the UK and our Allies, any use at all of nuclear weapons would fundamentally change the nature of this conflict. There would be severe consequences for Russia.

And how counter-productive would it be for Russia to break a norm against nuclear use that has held since 1945 and has underpinned global security.

Nothing will alter our conviction that the Ukrainians have a right to live in peace and freedom in their own lands.

If Putin were to succeed, every expansionist tyrant would be emboldened to do their worst and no country would be safe.

That is why we stand and will continue to stand alongside our Ukrainian friends until the day comes – as it inevitably will – that they prevail.

Mr Speaker I commend this statement to the House.

31/10/2022
PRESS RELEASE : Over 19 million households have received their council tax rebate [October 2022]

The press release issued by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities on 31 October 2022.

99% of eligible households have received £150 council tax rebate
The government is extending the deadline for councils to ensure as many eligible households as possible receive the payment
Council tax rebate forms part of £37 billion package rolled out across the year to help people with cost of living
Over 99% of eligible households have received the government’s £150 core council tax rebate to help with the cost of living.

Figures published today show more than 19 million households in England were handed payments by the end of September with many councils reporting that 100% of eligible households in their area have now received their payment.

Today’s figures show a total of £2.87 billion of the core council tax rebate has gone to households under the scheme, an increase of £217 million from the previous month.

To ensure as many eligible households as possible receive the payment, the government is today extending the deadline for claims, helping councils support the most hard to reach households such as those that moved and did not provide any payment information.

Eligible households have until 30 November to claim the £150 payment, which does not have to be paid back. Anyone who is yet to receive their rebate is urged to check their local council for more information and make a claim.

Councils are being urged to do everything they can to encourage the remaining households to claim their rebate and ensure as many eligible households as possible get the money that they are owed.

Levelling Up Minister Dehenna Davison said:

Thanks to the tireless work of councils, more than 99% of eligible households up and down the country have received their council tax rebate.

We are now extending the deadline to claim the £150 payment to ensure as many eligible households as possible receive this payment – I urge everyone to check their eligibility and contact their local council if they have not already.

The rebate is part of £37 billion of government support being targeted at those most in need to help with the cost of living. This includes at least £1,200 of extra support for millions of the most vulnerable households this year, with all domestic electricity customers receiving at least £400 towards their bills.

The rebate is available to most households living in council tax bands A to D on 1 April. This includes those who receive Local Council Tax Support, even if their council tax bill for the year is less than £150.

Since announcing the rebate in April, the government has provided £28 million for councils to set up software and recruit staff and will top this up as necessary to cover all reasonable delivery costs. Councils have been given a host of options to make payments quickly and securely including bank account transfers, council tax account credits or a voucher-based system.

Local authorities must also make arrangements for those who cannot access the internet.

31/10/2022
PRESS RELEASE : The actions of the Belarusian state endangered the safety and security of a commercial passenger aircraft and the lives of all those onboard [October 2022]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 31 October 2022.

Statement by Ambassador Barbara Woodward at the Security Council briefing by the President of the ICAO Council on the event involving Ryanair flight FR4978 in Belarus Airspace on 23 May 2021.

Thank you, President.

When we discussed this issue immediately after the incident, many Council members emphasised the importance of an international independent investigation. We therefore thank Mr Sciacchitano, the President of the Council of ICAO, for attending the Security Council today to relate the findings of the Fact-Finding Investigation Team, and the subsequent decisions of the ICAO Council and Assembly.

President, it is clear from the investigation that on 23 May 2021, the Belarus authorities deliberately communicated a false bomb threat to Ryanair flight FR4978, before manipulating circumstances to influence the aircraft to land at Minsk airport. That the threat was communicated to the aircraft before the so-called bomb threat email was even sent to Minsk airport, leaves little room for doubt.

It appears the purpose of this brazen and dangerous operation was to arrest and detain a journalist, Mr Roman Protasevich, and his partner Sofia Sapega, who with their fellow passengers happened to be flying over Belarus on their way from Athens to Vilnius.

As the ICAO Council and the Assembly made clear, the actions of the Belarusian state endangered the safety and security of a commercial passenger aircraft and the lives of all those on board. And they were a flagrant violation of the Chicago and Montreal Conventions.
But not only this. As we said last year, the use of a spurious terrorist threat to divert an airliner also served to undermine measures put in place by the international community to counter real aviation terror threats, including those this Council addressed in resolution 2309 in 2016.

So the Lukashenko regime has broken international law, created a major risk to the safety of innocent passengers, and undermined aviation safety more broadly – proving itself to be entirely irresponsible on the issue of international peace and security. And for what? All to silence an opposition journalist, further stifling any semblance of free speech left in Belarus.

This has only been compounded further by its role as a staging-ground and facilitator of Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine, through which it continues to show reckless contempt for international law and the UN Charter.
We call on Belarus to hold accountable those responsible for this incident, desist from any further such unlawful actions, and end its support for Russia’s illegal war on Ukraine.

Thank you.

31/10/2022