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PRESS RELEASE : Areas urged to ‘go for growth’ as Investment Zone applications open [September 2022]

The press release issued by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities on 2 October 2022.

Pushing ahead with its mission to level up, the government is encouraging councils to take full advantage of its offer to lower taxes and streamline planning rules

The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities is inviting expressions of interest for Investment Zones from all local areas in England from today

Investment Zones will boost growth, deliver homes, spread opportunity and create jobs across the country.

Local areas wanting to turbocharge economic growth can apply to host a new Investment Zone from today (2 October 2022).

The government is encouraging councils to take full advantage of its offer of lower taxes and streamlined planning rules for specific sites to boost investment and development – both commercial and residential.

These offers will, as part of the government’s wider levelling up measures, drive serious economic growth that will be transformational for towns and cities across the country. They will create jobs, deliver new homes and spread opportunity.

Investment Zones could benefit from a range of tax incentives over the next 10 years, such as reliefs on business rates, stamp duty land tax and employer national insurance contributions.

Through Investment Zones, the government will also empower local places to deliver planning that is right for their area, while maintaining high environmental outcomes and keeping national Green Belt protections in place. To ensure this, local areas must agree in the EOI process to require mitigation of any adverse environmental impacts of the proposed development.

The government has been working with local areas to identify bureaucratic requirements, processes and red tape that needlessly slow down development or make it more complex than it should be – with Investment Zones set to benefit from simplified planning rules. This includes reviewing ineffective EU requirements, lengthy consultations with statutory bodies and onerous national and local policy rules.

The government has had encouraging discussions with 38 councils, from Cornwall to Cumbria, about proposals for specific, defined areas within the local authority that could become an Investment Zone. The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities is now inviting expressions of interest from those initial places and all other Mayoral Combined Authorities or Upper Tier Local Authorities and Freeports in England by Friday 14 October.

To ensure Zones have the infrastructure and skilled workforce that they need, the government will give greater control over local growth funding to local leaders.

Local authorities are being asked to keep growth at the front and centre of their plans by setting out the potential economic opportunities of an Investment Zone in their area, how they fit into the area’s wider economic strategy and how they will support long-term UK economic growth.

Investment Zones will be open to all but the government will set a high bar for establishing them, honing in on areas where they will have the greatest impact on growth and housing supply.

Bids will also be considered on the pace at which development can be delivered and should set out any live or potential, public, private or foreign direct investment that is likely to come forward.

Freeport governing bodies will be able to convert their existing tax sites to Investment Zones, should they wish to.

The UK Government wants the offer of Investment Zones to be extended across Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland and is working with the devolved administrations on the best way to do this.

The deadline for expressions of interests is noon on Friday 14 October, and successful areas will be announced within weeks.

02/10/2022
Andrew Adonis – 2022 Comments on Kwasi Kwarteng and Hedge Fund Managers (Baron Adonis)

The comments made by Andrew Adonis, Baron Adonis, on Twitter on 1 October 2022.

2 huge stories tonight

– Kwarteng went for victory drinks with hedge fund managers after his budget, promising to “double down”

– Truss has banned Charles from speaking on climate change, & he’s briefing against her. Relations between them have broken down after just 2 weeks

01/10/2022
James Cartlidge – 2022 Comments on Scrapping 45p Tax Rate

The comments made by James Cartlidge, the Conservative MP for South Suffolk, on Twitter on 1 October 2022.

At my Whatfield surgery yesterday I was asked what I thought of scrapping the 45p tax rate. It’s not right for me to keep my frank answer from other constituents – to be clear, cutting tax for top earners whilst reducing benefits in a cost of living crisis is unacceptable.

Of course, we do need welfare reform – at my South Suffolk selection, asked my top 3 policy priorities I answered ‘welfare, welfare, welfare’. I was referring to the fact that the postwar Beveridge settlement, though well motivated, is no longer financially sustainable.

This does mean, for example, that we need to look urgently at how today’s benefits system interacts with work, esp. with the economically inactive. But above all, it means we need a transparent discussion about how on earth we pay for our future health & social care costs.

But this does NOT mean that, having lost market support for proposed unfunded tax measures, we try to win that support anew with on-the-back-foot, un-pitchrolled cuts to benefits when the cost of food and staples is rocketing, whilst keeping a tax cut for the wealthiest.

01/10/2022
PRESS RELEASE : Foreign Secretary statement on the truce in Yemen [October 2022]

The press release issued by 1 October 2022.

Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said:

Yemen must not return to conflict. The truce expires tomorrow, but the Houthis continue to endanger the talks and deny Yemenis a peaceful future.

The truce has brought tangible benefits to both Yemenis and regional security and we welcome the Government of Yemen’s commitment to extend it further if an extension can be agreed.

We call on the Houthis to engage constructively with UN Special Envoy Hans Grundberg’s efforts to broker an extension to the truce, so that serious dialogue about achieving a peaceful, inclusive and Yemeni-led future can take place.

During the truce period, civilian casualties have fallen dramatically in Yemen and cross-border attacks by the Houthis into Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have stopped.

The UK commends the Government of Yemen’s commitment to continue delivering the benefits of the truce through enabling Yemeni people to move more freely and safely around Yemen, to access fuel throughout the country, to fly in and out of Yemen to visit families and access healthcare, and through restarting payments for civil servants. The Yemeni people will only experience these benefits beyond Sunday if the parties agree to extend.

01/10/2022
James Cleverly – 2022 Statement on Peace in Yemen

The statement made by James Cleverly, the Foreign Secretary, on 1 October 2022.

Yemen must not return to conflict. The truce expires tomorrow, but the Houthis continue to endanger the talks and deny Yemenis a peaceful future.

The truce has brought tangible benefits to both Yemenis and regional security and we welcome the Government of Yemen’s commitment to extend it further if an extension can be agreed.

We call on the Houthis to engage constructively with UN Special Envoy Hans Grundberg’s efforts to broker an extension to the truce, so that serious dialogue about achieving a peaceful, inclusive and Yemeni-led future can take place.

01/10/2022
PRESS RELEASE : Liz Truss Meeting with Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen [October 2022]

The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 1 October 2022.

The Prime Minister welcomed Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen to Downing Street today.

The leaders stressed the need to stay united in the face of Russia’s despicable actions in Ukraine.

Prime Minister Frederiksen updated the Prime Minister on the damage caused to the Nord Stream pipelines last week. They agreed the incidents were clearly an act of sabotage. The Prime Minister offered the UK’s support for the ongoing investigation.

The leaders agreed that the safety and security of the Baltic Sea is in everyone’s interest, and welcomed increased cooperation through the Joint Expeditionary Force.

On energy security more widely, the Prime Minister and Prime Minister Frederiksen agreed on the need for likeminded democracies to work together to increase our energy independence.

The Prime Minister outlined the steps the UK has taken to decrease energy bills in the short-term and bolster our energy supply in the longer term. The leaders agreed to further UK-Danish cooperation in areas like wind power, where our countries are global pioneers.

01/10/2022
PRESS RELEASE : Government support for energy bills begins for households and businesses [September 2022]
The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 1 October 2022.
- The Energy Price Guarantee reduces household energy bills over the next two years, with a typical family paying around £2,500, saving £1,000 per year
- Businesses, charities and public sector organisations will pay less than half the expected prices this winter under the Energy Bill Relief Scheme from October
- Government energy support makes up the largest single component of the Growth Plan, protecting jobs and livelihoods and curbing inflation by 5 percentage points
Households, businesses and public sector organisations across the country will be protected from significant rises in energy bills, thanks to new government support taking effect from today (Saturday 1 October).

Without Government action, average household energy bills under the energy price cap had been due to rise to around £3,500 a year in October – a rise of 80% on current bills. Next year, they were estimated to increase even further to as high as £6,500.

From today, the Government’s Energy Price Guarantee will limit the price households pay per unit of gas and electricity they use.

It means a typical household in Great Britain will pay around £2,500 per year, starting this month for the next two years – saving an average £1,000 a year on their energy bills.

Households will also see the first instalment of the £400 Energy Bill Support Scheme in their October electricity bill. The discount will be automatically applied monthly in six instalments between October 2022 and March 2023.

Thanks to the government’s support, energy bills will now be close to where they’ve been for the past six months – and it will curb inflation by 5 percentage points, boosting economic growth, controlling the rising cost of goods, and reducing the cost of servicing the national debt.

This necessary intervention makes up the biggest proportion the Government’s fiscal package set out in the Growth Plan.

Prime Minister Liz Truss said:

I know people across the country are anxious about their energy bills, which is why we have acted quickly to help them.

Livelihoods and businesses were at stake. The government’s energy support limits the price they pay for gas and electricity, shields them from massive bill increases, and is expected to curb inflation too.

The cost of not acting would have been enormous. To make sure the British public is not left in this position again, we are also fixing the problem at its source by scaling up home-grown energy and reducing reliance on foreign supplies to boost our energy security and independence.

The UK Government is also urging people today to stay alert to scams and fraudulent messages. There is no need to apply for the schemes, with most customers receiving today’s support automatically through their electricity bill.

Households in Northern Ireland will also receive the same support through the Energy Price Guarantee from November, with support for October bills backdated so they see the same benefit overall.

Those who might live in an area of the UK that is not served by the gas grid or use alternative fuels such as heating oil to heat their home will receive a £100 payment to support them with their energy bills.

Business and Energy Secretary Jacob Rees-Mogg said:

While Putin’s weaponisation of energy has driven energy prices to record highs, we will not let his regime harm this country’s businesses and households.

Unprecedented government support is beginning this weekend, protecting families and businesses across the country from what was going to be an 80% increase in energy bills this winter.

“I also urge people today to stay alert to scams. This support will reach people automatically and there is no need to apply.”

British businesses have also been experiencing significant increases in energy costs, with some reports of more than 500%. Businesses, charities and public sector organisations will also be protected through the Government’s Energy Bill Relief Scheme from October over the next six months.

This support is equivalent to the Energy Price Guarantee put in place for households and similarly discounts price per unit of gas and electricity, meaning businesses and others will pay wholesale energy costs well below half of expected prices for this winter.

In parallel, the Government is also taking decisive steps to tackle the root cause of the issues in the UK energy market through boosting British energy supply and increasing independence to ensure this doesn’t happen again. This includes the work of our Energy Supply Taskforce, a new oil and gas licensing round, lifting the moratorium on UK shale gas production, and driving forward progress on nuclear and renewables.
01/10/2022
PRESS RELEASE : Russia’s veto doesn’t change the facts – UK statement at the UN Security Council vote to condemn illegal referenda in Ukraine [September 2022]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 30 September 2022.

Statement by Ambassador Barbara Woodward speaking after Russia used its veto to block a Security Council resolution condemning its illegal referenda in Ukraine.

President, yet again, Russia has abused its veto to defend its illegal actions.

Council members have voted in different ways. But one thing is clear. Not a single other member of this Council recognises Russia’s attempted illegal annexation of Ukrainian territory. Russia’s veto doesn’t change that fact.

The announcement by President Putin today of the accession of the Ukrainian regions of Kherson, Zaporizhyzhya, Luhansk and Donetsk into the Russian Federation has no legal effect. It is a fantasy.

Russia’s invasion needs to end. The world has made this clear for 7 months. Yet Russia’s response has been further escalation, further mobilisation, nuclear threats, and today another callous attack on a civilian convoy in Zaporizhzhya.

The sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine is under attack. The international system is being assaulted in front of our eyes. Russia will not succeed in this illegal imperialist war. The only question is how much damage they do, how many lives they waste, before they realise that.

Explanation of vote by Ambassador Barbara Woodward before the UN Security Council vote on Russia’s illegal referenda
Colleagues, Russia’s annexations further jeopardise the prospects for peace, and fundamentally undermine the Purposes and Principles of the United Nations.

The area Russia is claiming to annex is more than 90,000 square km. This is the largest forcible annexation since the Second World War.

There is no middle ground on this. It is in the end a very simple question of principle, as the Secretary General has said.

As members of the Security Council with the responsibility of maintaining international peace and security and upholding the UN Charter, we must condemn Russia’s actions, and vote in favour of this resolution.

01/10/2022
PRESS RELEASE : We will continue to work alongside our partners to protect Europe’s energy security [September 2022]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 30 September 2022.

Statement by Ambassador James Kariuki at the UN Security Council meeting on the Nord Stream gas pipeline.

I’d like to thank our briefers for setting out what we know so far about this case, which is still clearly very limited.

Once again in this chamber, we have heard some absurd Russian claims and conspiracy theories this afternoon.

Russia’s request for this meeting was a cynical attempt to distract from President Putin’s illegal annexation of Ukrainian territory today.

The damage to the Nordstream 1 and Nordstream 2 pipelines in the Baltic Sea is of deep concern.

These leaks are not only causing risks to shipping but also substantial environmental damage in the Baltic Sea. They are releasing enormous amounts of methane into the earth’s atmosphere.

We agree with the assessment that all currently available information indicates this damage is the result of sabotage. We strongly support the investigations by Denmark, Sweden and Germany.

Intentional damage to civilian infrastructure is reckless and irresponsible, wherever it takes place. We must establish clear international norms that such damage is utterly unacceptable.

For NATO’s part, as set out in yesterday’s statement of the North Atlantic Council, Allies remain committed to prepare for, deter and defend against any hybrid tactics by state and non-state actors including coercive approaches to energy.

We are clear that any deliberate attack against Allies’ critical infrastructure would be met with a united and determined response.

The UK will continue to work alongside our partners to protect Europe’s energy security.

Thank you, President.

01/10/2022
PRESS RELEASE : Katherine Jenkins OBE Performs God Save The King On Board The HMS Queen Elizabeth Aircraft Carrier Against The New York Skyline [September 2022]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 30 September 2022.

The fifth Atlantic Future Forum (AFF) took place in New York Harbour, on board HMS Queen Elizabeth aircraft carrier. At the business reception hosted by the GREAT Britain & Northern Ireland Campaign, Welsh mezzo soprano Katherine Jenkins, the UK’s biggest selling classical artist of the century and GREAT Ambassador, performed against the New York skyline alongside the Royal Marines Band.

The audience of over 500 distinguished high-profile business and political figures included Dame Karen Pierce, Britain’s Ambassador to the United States, Kemi Badenoch, the UK’s Secretary of State for International Trade, and Anne-Marie Trevelyan, Secretary of State for Transport for the UK.

The AFF is a conference hosted by the Royal Navy and led by the Department for International Trade. It brought senior politicians, business leaders, innovators, entrepreneurs, and military leaders from both sides of the Atlantic to tackle the biggest issues facing the world.

Both the AFF and GREAT celebrate the United Kingdom’s special relationship with the United States – as exemplified by Katherine’s rendition of both nations’ anthems at the beginning of her performance.

Katherine says, > As a proud Welsh woman and Brit, it was wonderful to sing on board HMS Queen Elizabeth II in such an iconic setting. With family now on both sides of the pond, I loved seeing the UK and the US coming together in this truly amazing way.

The GREAT Campaign is delighted to return to New York, building on the success of its earlier GREAT Calling New York Campaign. GREAT Calling saw the campaign partner with dynamic UK companies and famous faces to deliver events on sport, music, food and AI, inviting US audiences to ‘See Things Differently’ and to see a fresh side of the UK.

01/10/2022