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  • NEWS STORY : Prime Minister Suggests the General Election will be in Second Half of the Year

    NEWS STORY : Prime Minister Suggests the General Election will be in Second Half of the Year

    STORY

    Rishi Sunak, the Prime Minister, has said that it is his “working assumption” that the General Election will take place in the second half of 2024. Speaking to journalists in Mansfield, he said:

    “My working assumption is we’ll have a general election in the second half of this year and in the meantime I’ve got lots that I want to get on with. I want to keep going, managing the economy well and cutting people’s taxes. But I also want to keep tackling illegal migration. So, I’ve got lots to get on with and I’m determined to keep delivering for the British people.”

  • Steve Barclay – 2024 Speech at the Oxford Farming Conference

    Steve Barclay – 2024 Speech at the Oxford Farming Conference

    The speech made by Steve Barclay, the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 4 January 2024.

    Well, Happy New Year, everyone. Thank you, Christopher, for that kind introduction. I’m delighted to be invited to join you here in Oxford today. And as someone who represents a farming constituency in a major centre for sugar beet growing in the Cambridgeshire Fens, I’m also acutely aware at this particular time of the impact that flooding on farmland is having.

    Indeed, my constituency has given me a strong sense of how fundamental farming is to our economy and to the environment. And in my new role as Secretary of State, I relish the opportunity of ensuring farming and food security is at the heart of government policy.

    Because as COVID-19 and the effects of climate change have illustrated, and indeed Tom Bradshaw just made this point on the panel, food security is fundamental to our wider national security. British farmers already produce, as colleagues in the room will already know, about 60% of the food that we eat, and I recognise and support your desire to do more. And indeed, since my first week in the job I’ve been out and about on your farms listening to how I can best support you.

    Based on what I’ve heard, I want to bring a clearer focus on enabling food production in our environmental land management schemes, because food production can and should go hand in hand with preserving the diversity and abundance of nature.

    So today, as well as updating on prices in our environmental land management schemes with an average 10% uplift to unlock more money for these schemes; and giving more choice about what you can do with more SFI actions made available to better reflect the full spectrum of farming interests; I also want to build more trust between us. Because the feedback I have received suggests too often farmers feel the regulatory bodies start from a position of suspicion rather than one of trust.

    Firstly, I want to respond to the important feedback many of you have provided to make sure it better pays to run a farming business by making the biggest upgrade to our farming scheme since Brexit gave us the freedom to redesign how we support agriculture. So today I’m delighted to announce new improvements to our incentives. We will pay you more for taking part in our environmental and management schemes. On average, this is an increase in rates by 10%, making it more attractive for you to get involved.

    Those already in schemes will automatically benefit from this uplift. And in addition, if you have a plan to pull things together in a way that makes a significant difference, you will be paid a premium for that as well. And further details are being published today. We’ll also introduce more schemes to support environmental action that underpins profits for food production by supporting SFI actions that promote healthy soil, increased pollinators and precision farming.

    We are making SFI simpler, including more suitable for tenant farms, with three year agreements taking on board the recommendations from Baroness rock. We have been consistently clear as a government that we will not compromise on food safety. British farmers are rightly proud of producing food that meets and often exceeds our world leading animal welfare and environmental standards. And British consumers want to buy this top-quality food. But too often products produced to lower welfare standards overseas aren’t clearly labelled to differentiate them. This is why I’m pleased to announce that we will rapidly consult on clearer labelling so we can tackle the unfairness created by misleading labelling and protect farmers and consumers.

    This will explore how we can better highlight imports that do not meet UK welfare standards, improve how origin information is given online, and look at how we can do even more to ensure promotional activity such as Union Jack labels on supermarket displays matches the products on the shelf. For example, this rapid consultation will address concerns such as the pork reared to lower welfare standards overseas, which is then processed in the UK and presented in supermarkets to shoppers as British. And this will include bringing lightly processed meats into the same level of labelling as unprocessed pork, and beef.

    We will also explore whether existing country of origin labelling rules can be strengthened by mandating how and where origin information is displayed. For example, on the front of packs, meaning farmers are fairly rewarded for meeting and often exceeding high UK welfare standards. And indeed, this reflects the lessons from labelling on eggs, where informed consumer choice has driven changes in consumer purchasing with the number of free-range eggs more than doubling. The hard work and dedication of farmers, fishers and food producers makes this country competitive globally – the English sparkling wine, the Scottish smoked salmon and whiskey, the Welsh lamb, the Northern Ireland beef. And it all gets a massive vote of confidence from consumers around the world to the tune, in fact, of around 24 billion in exports for the British economy.

    So, I am delighted that from the start of this year all geographical indication products made and sold in Great Britain will be using our UK GI logo, which protects the geographical names of food and drink. UK producers will also be able to use this logo on products sold abroad, which will help even more of your product stand out from the crowd both at home and overseas.

    And we have also recruited agri-food attaches linked to our embassy network to open up more markets in line with the commitments we gave at the farm to fork Summit. These attaches have already opened up new markets such as poultry to Tunisia and pork to Chile. I also want the public sector to procure more high quality, sustainable food produced by you, and Parliament has in fact recently passed legislation following our exit from the European Union which enables a greater emphasis on the public benefits of this public sector procurement.

    We will also update the government buying standards for food and catering to emphasise the importance of buying food with high environmental and welfare standards, which will play to the strengths of our food producers. Now, improving productivity is also key to boosting food production. And we have world leading agri-tech innovators here in the UK. Having listened to farmers, I am keen to focus more on technology that can be bought now as opposed to prioritising early stage research. Later this month, I will be inviting farmers to apply for share of an initial £15 million for innovations, like robotic mechanical weeding technology, that can be implemented right away. And more grants will be launched this year to help you grow more, sell more and make your businesses more sustainable and resilient for the future.

    Now I know that even with these grants, some farmers still find it hard to find the capital to make use of the grants that are available. So we will also look at ways to make them even easier to access. And to attract the ambitious and diverse future workforce that we need we will continue to support the Institute for Agriculture and Horticulture. And this is all part of how we are ensuring we meet our commitment to invest every pound of the full farming budget.

    Next, I want to give farming businesses more choice. So today I’m pleased to announce around 50 new actions are being added to our environmental land management schemes, many of which support food production, for farmers to choose what is right for them whether you farm on grassland, moorland, or riverbanks, making it easier for our support to fit into your business plans. These new actions embrace innovations from soil health to precision farming, to robotics. And they also recognise that there is scope to streamline the application process for schemes. And we have already started to put that into practice. So now you can apply for the sustainable farming incentive and the countryside stewardship mid tier together through one single application, meaning you’ll have the same actions and can have the same ambition just with less paperwork. And I’m keen to work with you to streamline paperwork further. Part of offering more choice is also about improving permitted development rights. And that’s why I’m working with government colleagues following the recent consultation and exploring how we can reduce the barriers faced by farm development projects that have become all too familiar in the conversations I’ve been having with farmers.

    What I’ve also heard frequently from farmers is that you feel the starting point for too many interactions with regulatory bodies is one way you are treated with suspicion and not trust. In my experience, no one cares more about the land, the nature around them, or the passing of their farm to future generations in good health than the farmers who are the custodians of that land. So the relationship from government and regulatory bodies should better reflect this. As Secretary of State I have asked officials to work as a priority with the Rural Payments Agency, Natural England, the Forestry Commission and the Environment Agency to review the interactions between you and their staff. As the report a few weeks ago from David Fursdon showed regarding Natural England, there are lessons to be learned in the relationship with those who manage and care for the land which I am keen to ensure are heeded.

    Lastly, in respect of TB, I want to recognise the terrible toll this takes on those who raise cattle. In contrast to Wales, our policy in England has worked in reducing cases and we remain focused on eradication. Informed by the science and the advice from the Chief Veterinary Officer, our approach has included culling options, and we will continue with that going forward.

    So to conclude, I recognise for a successful farming sector, we need to support food production and improve farm productivity. That is why today I’m increasing the SFI payment rates on average by 10%, expanding the SFI actions and committing to build on the streamlining of applications. I look forward to working with you on a rapid consultation on labelling to better reflect the high standards of British farmers and empower consumers, leverage public sector procurement and expand our export potential. And I want to ensure government and regulatory bodies are more responsive to your diverse needs. Reflecting that you are the custodians of the land that you care for. More money, more choice, more trust. That is my approach to putting farmers at the heart of government policy, working with you to promote food production as part of a shared commitment. to economic growth. Thank you very much.

  • PRESS RELEASE : UK condemns bombing in Kerman, Iran [January 2024]

    PRESS RELEASE : UK condemns bombing in Kerman, Iran [January 2024]

    The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 4 January 2024.

    The UK has issued a statement condemning the bombing in Kerman, Iran, on 3 January.

    A spokesperson for the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office said:

    The UK condemns the horrendous bombing in Kerman, Iran, yesterday which killed so many Iranians.

    Our thoughts and condolences to the families of those killed and injured.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Biggest upgrade to UK farming schemes introduced by the Government since leaving the EU [January 2024]

    PRESS RELEASE : Biggest upgrade to UK farming schemes introduced by the Government since leaving the EU [January 2024]

    The press release issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 4 January 2024.

    Environment Secretary announces major updates for farmers, with an increase in funding and reduction in red tape this summer.

    The biggest upgrade to the UK’s farming schemes since leaving the European Union has been set out by the Environment Secretary Steve Barclay at the Oxford Farming Conference today (4 January 2024).

    The updates include funding uplifts, streamlined application processes, enhanced environmental incentives and support for the roll out of new technology. These will provide further support for British farmers, strengthening supply chains and helping deliver the Government’s commitment to continue to produce at least 60% of the food we eat in the UK.

    Under the UK’s agricultural transition, new farming schemes are paying farmers to take actions that boost sustainable food production while delivering positive outcomes for the environment. The schemes are designed to work for all farm types and sizes, with thousands of farmers across England already taking part, and replace the bureaucratic Common Agricultural Policy which saw 50% of funding go to the largest 10% of landowners.

    Speaking at the conference, Steve Barclay reiterated the Government’s support for British farmers and outlined the updated offer for 2024 which has been designed using farmers’ feedback and aims to bring more farmers onboard the schemes and facilitate even greater environmental ambition.

    The improvements include:

    • A 10% increase in the average value of agreements in the Sustainable Farming Incentive and Countryside Stewardship driven by increased payment rates, with uplifts automatically applied to existing agreements.
    • A streamlined single application process for farmers to apply for the Sustainable Farming Incentive and Countryside Stewardship Mid Tier.
    • Around 50 new actions that farmers can get paid for across all types of farm businesses, including actions for agroforestry and those driving forward agricultural technology such as robotic mechanical weeding.
    • Enhanced payments for ‘creation’ and ‘maintenance’ options to improve the long term incentives for farmers to create habitats and ensure they are rewarded for looking after habitats once they have created them.
    • Premium payments for actions with the biggest environmental impact or combinations of actions that deliver benefits at scale, such as £765 per hectare for nesting plots for lapwing, and £1,242 per hectare for connecting river and floodplain habitat.

    Environment Secretary Steve Barclay said:

    Farmers do the essential job of keeping Britain fed. That’s why I’ll back British farmers and help support farming businesses.

    We have listened to farmers’ feedback and set out the biggest upgrades to our farming schemes since leaving the EU, with more money, more choice and more trust to support domestic food production whilst also protecting the environment.

    We’re also making it easier for farmers of every farm type and size to enter the schemes, and I encourage everyone to take a look at how you can join the thousands of other farmers and land managers who are already receiving our backing through the schemes.

    Farmers will be able to submit their applications for the 2024 offer from this summer, and the timeline for agreements being offered will be accelerated to help farmers benefit from the changes earlier than in previous years.

    The application process will also be simplified in 2024 by enabling farmers to apply for the Sustainable Farming Incentive and Countryside Stewardship Mid Tier through a single application.

    Farmers and landowners can be paid for taking a range of actions under the government’s farming schemes, such as actions to improve soil health or providing nesting and foraging habitats for farmland wildlife. The Government has listened to feedback and introduced more ‘maintenance’ actions, alongside improving existing actions, to reward farmers who are already protecting the environment, for example through maintaining grasslands, wetlands and scrub. Farmers will also be paid more for existing actions to maintain habitats, with the price of maintaining species rich grassland, for example, rising from £182 to £646 per hectare.

    The offer also includes more actions for shorter length agreements of up to three years to make the schemes more accessible for tenant farmers.

    Today’s announcement builds on significant improvements to the farming schemes in 2023, with thousands of farmers already taking part. Around 8,000 farmers to date have applied to the Sustainable Farming Incentive 2023 and there has been a 94% increase in Countryside Stewardship agreements since 2020. This adds to the more than 50 Landscape Recovery projects to deliver large scale environmental benefits around the country.

    It comes alongside ongoing support for farmer-led innovation and technology, with the Government committing over £168 million in grant funding to farmers in 2023 to drive innovation, support food production, improve animal health and welfare and protect the environment. This includes the Environment Secretary announcing a further £45 million at the Country Land and Business Association conference in November to fund robotic and automatic equipment and invest in research and development.

  • NEWS STORY : Labour Leader Keir Starmer Makes Keynote Speech

    NEWS STORY : Labour Leader Keir Starmer Makes Keynote Speech

    STORY

    Keir Starmer, the Leader of the Opposition, has made a keynote speech in which he has set out more of the Labour Party’s plans for the General Election which will likely be held in 2024. Talking of the state of British politics at the moment, the Labour leader said:

    “Everyone agrees we are in a huge mess. Services on their knees, an economy that doesn’t work for working people even when it grows, let alone now when it stagnates like right now. Everyone agrees as well – that it’s been like this for a while. That Britain needs change, wants change, is crying out for change. And yet, trust in politics is now so low, so degraded, that nobody believes you can make a difference anymore. Also, that after the sex scandals, the expenses scandals, the waste scandals, the contracts for friends, even in a crisis like the pandemic, some people have looked at us and concluded we’re all just in it for ourselves. A nation that is so exhausted, tired, despairing even, that they’ve given up on hope. A national mood which, if we aren’t successful with our Project Hope, the Tories will subtly seek to exploit.”

    He said that he had a new plan for the country:

    “I promise a new plan with new priorities, five national missions that will sweep away the era of Tory division, a plan for the long-term.

    With higher growth, a reformed planning system no longer blocking the homes, infrastructure and investment we need.

    Safer streets, more police in your town, cracking down on anti-social behaviour.

    Cheaper bills, with GB Energy, a new public company, using clean British power not foreign oil and gas.

    More opportunities for your children, new technical excellence colleges training our kids in the skills they need and businesses want.

    Better mental health support in schools, expert teachers in every classroom, paid for – by removing tax breaks on private schools.

    And our NHS back on its feet, with a plan to cut the waiting lists, paid for by removing the non-dom tax status. Two million more appointments every year in an NHS clearing the backlog, seven days a week.

    And written through this new plan, I also promise this: a total overhaul in how we approach the economy and government.”

    RESOURCES

    Keir Starmer’s Speech

  • PRESS RELEASE : We call on the Houthis to cease these attacks immediately – UK statement at the UN Security Council [January 2024]

    PRESS RELEASE : We call on the Houthis to cease these attacks immediately – UK statement at the UN Security Council [January 2024]

    The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 3 January 2024.

    Statement by Ambassador James Kariuki at the UN Security Council meeting on Houthi threats to commercial shipping in the Red Sea.

    Thank you, President.

    Let me start by congratulating France on assuming the Presidency for the month of January.  You can count on our full support.  I also welcome the five new elected members to the Council and look forward to working closely with them.

    I join the Secretary-General in expressing condolences following the attack on a memorial ceremony in Iran that reportedly killed more than 100 civilians.

    And I thank ASG Khiari and IMO Secretary General Dominquez for briefing us today.

    President

    The United Kingdom condemns in the strongest terms, the illegal and unjustified attacks on commercial shipping in the Red Sea by Houthi militants.

    We call on the Houthis to cease these attacks immediately

    Today we joined 11 countries in a statement warning against further attacks. We will continue to work with allies and partners to pursue all diplomatic routes to end this threat.

    If necessary, as the UK Defence Secretary has stated, we will not hesitate to take action to deter threats to freedom of navigation in the Red Sea.

    Attacks using unmanned aerial vehicles, missiles and small boats are a direct threat to freedom of navigation, protected by international law. They pose a severe economic threat not only to Yemen – where by driving up food prices they risk exacerbating the already dire humanitarian situation – but also to global food security and supply lines.

    Contrary to claims made by the Houthis, these attacks are totally indiscriminate and target shipping that has no connection to Israel. We call for the immediate release of the MV Galaxy Leader and its crew – nationals of Bulgaria, Mexico, the Philippines, Romania and Ukraine.

    President, the British Foreign Secretary spoke with the Iranian Foreign Minister on Sunday, making clear our view that Iran shares responsibility for preventing these attacks, given their long-standing support to the Houthis.

    We call on all parties in the region to exercise restraint and avoid escalation. We are deeply concerned by the impact on civilians, who are suffering the most through this crisis and would bear the brunt of further destabilisation. It is in all our interests to avoid this.

    I thank you.

  • PRESS RELEASE : New research into expansion of life-saving HIV testing programme [January 2024]

    PRESS RELEASE : New research into expansion of life-saving HIV testing programme [January 2024]

    The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 3 January 2024.

    A new research project has been announced to evaluate an expansion of the hugely successful HIV opt-out testing programme to new sites across England.

    • A new £20 million National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) project will support the government’s ambition to end new transmissions of HIV within England by 2030 and get people into the right care
    • Undiagnosed HIV, hepatitis B and C will be picked up in new testing programme in 47 more emergency departments in 32 high HIV prevalence areas of England
    • Expansion comes after success of schemes in extremely high prevalence areas of HIV, identifying almost 4,000 people with a bloodborne virus (BBV) since April 2022

    A new research project to evaluate an expansion of the hugely successful HIV opt-out testing programme to new sites across England, has today been announced (29 November 2023). Given the success of the existing testing programme, this new initiative is expected to save, and improve the quality of, thousands of lives.

    Backed by £20 million of NIHR funding, the research will evaluate the testing programme in 47 new sites across England. Expansion of the programme could identify a significant proportion of the estimated 4,500 people living with undiagnosed HIV – preventing new transmissions and saving more lives through testing people’s blood already being taken in emergency departments for bloodborne viruses (BBVs), including HIV and hepatitis B and C.

    Last year, as part of the government’s world leading HIV action plan for England, NHS England launched the BBVs opt-out testing programme, with funding available for 34 emergency departments in areas with the highest prevalence of HIV. Today’s announcement will mean the programme will be expanded as part of a research evaluation in all 47 emergency departments covering 32 areas with high prevalence of HIV.

    It will support the UK’s progress in being a world leader in the fight against HIV – and in meeting its goal to end new transmissions of HIV within England by 2030.

    Health and Social Care Secretary, Victoria Atkins, said:

    Less than 3 decades ago, HIV could be a death sentence. It was often – and wrongly – considered a source of shame, and diagnoses were hidden from friends, family and society. But today, thanks to effective treatments, it is possible to live a long and healthy life with HIV.

    As well as promoting prevention for all, the more people we can diagnose, the more chance we have of ending new transmissions of the virus and the stigma wrongly attached to it.

    This programme, which improves people’s health and wellbeing, saves lives and money.

    The evaluation of the expansion of opt-out testing will help reach the government’s bold ambitions of reducing new HIV transmissions by 80% in 2025 and ending new transmissions by 2030, according to an update on the HIV action plan for England.

    The existing programme in extremely high prevalence areas has been shown to be highly effective in identifying HIV in people unaware they had the virus and re-engaging those who are not in HIV care. The programme provides linkage to medication, a treatment and care pathway which enables people to live long and healthy lives, where the virus is undetectable.

    During the first 18 months of the BBVs opt-out testing programme, 33 emergency departments conducted 1,401,866 HIV tests, 960,328 hepatitis C virus (HCV) tests and 730,137 hepatitis B virus (HBV) tests significantly increasing the number of bloodborne virus tests conducted in England each year.

    It has identified:

    • 934 people living with HIV or people disengaged from HIV care
    • 2,206 people living with HBV and 388 disengaged from HBV care
    • 867 people living with HCV and 186 disengaged from HCV care

    Professor Kevin Fenton, government chief adviser on HIV and chair of the HIV Action Plan Implementation Steering Group, said:

    We know HIV is most commonly unknowingly spread by people who don’t know their status. Knowledge is power in preventing HIV transmission and accessing life-saving care.

    The core ambitions of our world-renowned HIV action plan are to intensify HIV prevention, expand HIV testing, strengthen linkage to and retention in high quality HIV care, and tackle HIV stigma and discrimination. We will not give up this fight until there are no new HIV transmissions in England.

    The opt-out testing programme will boost our progress to identify the estimated 4,500 people who could be living with undiagnosed HIV and help us ensure we meet our 2030 ambition, with the possibility to save thousands of lives in the process.

    Outside of BBVs opt-out testing, progress is also being made. There are fewer people living with undiagnosed HIV and, as a result of effective treatments, it is possible to live a long and healthy life with HIV. Most people with HIV diagnoses are receiving world class treatment, making it undetectable.

    There is much to celebrate, ahead of World Aids Day (1 December), on the government’s progress towards its action plan ambitions, with fewer than 4,500 people living with undiagnosed HIV – the lowest it’s ever been since recording begun – and extremely high levels of antiretroviral treatment, used to treat HIV, and viral suppression.

    In 2022, England once again achieved the UN AIDS 95-95-95 target nationally: 95% of people living with HIV being diagnosed, 98% of those diagnosed being on treatment and 98% of those on treatment having an undetectable viral load – meaning the levels of HIV are so low that the virus cannot be passed on.

    In a speech this evening at the All Party Parliamentary Group on HIV and AIDS event, Health and Social Care Secretary Victoria Atkins thanked the ongoing dedication from NHS staff, HIV charities, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), local government and professional bodies and campaigners, which have worked tirelessly to support the government in achieving its goal to end new transmissions.

    People with reactive or positive tests results are linked to care and offered information and support through community organisations.

    The opt-out strategy for BBVs testing is important to address health inequalities by reaching groups, such as those from ethnic minorities or women, who are less likely to attend sexual health services and may be disproportionately affected both by higher rates of some BBVs and stigma associated with BBVs testing or diagnosis.

    Opt-out testing additionally provides a valuable opportunity to re-engage with people who have previously been diagnosed with a BBV but who are not accessing treatment or care.

    Anne Aslett, CEO of the Elton John AIDS Foundation, said:

    The Elton John AIDS Foundation launched the first HIV Social Impact Bond in 2018 because too many vulnerable people were being left behind. Together with our partners, we identified opt-out testing in emergency departments as an effective and cost-saving way of ensuring people living with HIV get the treatment they needed.

    We warmly welcomed the government’s decision to expand this successful method of HIV diagnosis to 33 sites in April last year and results from the last 18 months demonstrate how incredibly important this approach is to ensure no one is left behind. Today’s announcement to further expand opt-out testing to 47 additional emergency departments is another fantastic and very significant step towards meeting the goal of ending new HIV transmissions by 2030 and above all else will save lives.

    Richard Angell, Chief Executive of Terrence Higgins Trust, said:

    Today’s announcement is the testing turbo boost that’s needed if we are to end new HIV cases by 2030. It’s hugely significant that an additional 2 million HIV tests will be carried out in A&Es over the next year thanks to a temporary but wholesale expansion of opt-out HIV testing to 47 additional hospitals. With this landmark investment, opt-out HIV testing in A&Es will account for more than half of all tests in England. This major ramping up of testing is absolutely crucial to find the 4,400 people still living with undiagnosed HIV.

    The evidence is crystal clear: testing everyone having a blood test in emergency departments for HIV works. It helps diagnose people who wouldn’t have been reached via any other testing route and who have often been missed before. It also saves the NHS millions, relieves pressure on the health service and helps to address inequalities with those diagnosed in A&E more likely to be of black ethnicity, women and older people.

    Professor Lucy Chappell, chief scientific adviser at DHSC and CEO of NIHR, said:

    Health and care research is at the heart of every significant improvement we make to testing, treating and curing illness and disease. It brings huge benefits to patients and the public.

    By expanding this already successful opt-out scheme as part of a research project, not only are we delivering it to new parts of the country, but we can gather more useful evidence for the future.

    Professor Sir Stephen Powis, NHS National Medical Director, said:

    The NHS’s opt-out testing programme in emergency departments has meant we have identified and treated thousands more people living with HIV and hepatitis B and C, particularly from groups who are less likely to come forward for routine testing.

    Without this NHS testing programme, these people may have gone undiagnosed for years, but they now have access to the latest and most effective life-saving medication, helping to prevent long term health issues and reducing the chances of unknown transmission to others.

    This NHS success story is a prime example of how we are taking advantage of every opportunity to support people to stay well, prevent illness and save lives.

    Dr Alison Brown, interim head of HIV surveillance at UKHSA, said:

    We know that HIV testing saves lives and prevents onward transmission, but progress has been uneven. The continued lower rates of HIV testing and PrEP among women and ethnic minority groups is concerning.

    This research project will help provide greater access to testing of HIV, as well as hepatitis B and C, among populations who may not otherwise access testing. It will also help England meets its ambition to end HIV transmission by 2030.

    Florence Eshalomi MP, co-chair of the APPG on HIV/AIDS, said:

    We are delighted that the government today has taken concrete steps to increase and normalise HIV testing in the UK. The APPG believes that as Parliamentarians we should play our part in addressing this epidemic and this is something we have been calling for following the successful roll-out of opt-out to extremely high prevalence areas.

    Professor Yvonne Gilleece, chair of the British HIV Association (BHIVA), said:

    BHIVA very much welcomes this expansion of the testing programme to other emergency departments in England. It will save lives by identifying many more people who are not yet aware that they have been at risk of acquiring HIV, or other blood borne viruses.

    Today we are able to provide effective HIV treatment, which will also prevent onward transmission of the virus, and so take us a step nearer to reaching the 2030 target.

    Deborah Gold, chief executive of National AIDS Trust, said:

    We are delighted to warmly welcome today’s announcement that HIV testing will now routinely take place in every emergency department in all 33 areas of England with high prevalence of HIV for the next year. This decision, which will more than double HIV testing capacity in England, means that more people will be diagnosed with HIV faster, and will be able to access life-saving treatment which will also stop the virus being passed on.

    Routine HIV testing in emergency departments is especially good at finding people who would otherwise not receive a test, most often from marginalised communities who are being left behind in our progress on HIV. With HIV diagnoses rising among women, and stubbornly high levels of late diagnosis among women and people from black African communities, this announcement could not be more timely in making sure we don’t miss vital opportunities to diagnose someone who needs access to HIV care.

    This important new research programme, funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research, will deliver opportunities for greater insights and shared learning alongside their crucial wider HIV research programme.

    Dr Claire Dewsnap, president of the British Association for Sexual Health and HIV (BASHH), said:

    The expansion of the HIV opt-out emergency department testing programme to include high HIV prevalence areas is hugely welcome and a meaningful step towards our shared ambition to eliminate new cases of HIV in England by 2030.

    BASHH is pleased to see the government demonstrating their commitment towards achieving this ambition by allowing those in areas of high HIV prevalence to access the successful scheme. We are grateful to all the hard-working NHS, UKHSA and DHSC staff and politicians who have brought this initiative forward. It is important to thank the vital work of advocacy groups in pursuing the amplification of the testing programme that has already seen thousands of people benefit from its implementation.

    Amanda Healy, policy lead for health protection for the Association of Directors of Public Health, said:

    Identifying new HIV and hepatitis cases is a crucial part of meeting the target to end HIV transmission by 2030 and today’s announcement is very welcome news.

    In addition to identifying new cases so that treatment can be given to avoid illness, it is imperative that efforts to prevent blood borne viruses, including increasing the uptake of PrEP, are continued.

    James Woolgar, current chair of the English HIV and Sexual Health Commissioners Group, said:

    This is certainly very welcome news in our aim to end all new cases of HIV. The roll out of opt-out emergency department testing will help our collective aim in identifying those people living with undiagnosed HIV, and supporting them into treatment and care. As commissioners, we will work hard with local trusts and charitable sector leads to make this a success.

    Background information

    The following areas will be covered by the extension of the HIV opt-out testing programme:

    • University Hospital Coventry
    • Leicester Royal Infirmary
    • Luton and Dunstable Hospital
    • New Cross Hospital (Wolverhampton)
    • Queen’s Medical Centre (Nottingham)
    • Milton Keynes University Hospital
    • Southend University Hospital and Mid Essex Hospital
    • Wexham Park Hospital and Frimley Park Hospital
    • Royal Berkshire Hospital
    • City Hospital and Sandwell General Hospital (West Bromwich)
    • Southampton General Hospital
    • Leeds General Infirmary and St James’s University Hospital
    • Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham, Good Hope Hospital and Heartlands Hospital
    • Royal Derby Hospital and Burton Hospital
    • Royal Bournemouth Hospital and Poole Hospital
    • Bristol Royal Infirmary and Weston General Hospital
    • Queen Alexandra Hospital (Portsmouth)
    • Peterborough City Hospital and Hinchingbrooke Hospital
    • Walsall Manor Hospital (Birmingham)
    • Basildon University Hospital
    • Bedford Hospital
    • Royal Liverpool University Hospital and University Hospital Aintree
    • Royal Stoke University Hospital and County Hospital
    • Northampton General Hospital
    • Royal Oldham Hospital and Fairfield General Hospital
    • Tameside General Hospital
    • Northern General Hospital (Sheffield)
    • Royal Bolton Hospital
    • Kettering General Hospital
    • Medway Maritime Hospital
    • Royal Victoria Infirmary (Newcastle)
    • Conquest Hospital (Hastings) and Eastbourne District General Hospital
    • Southmead Hospital (Bristol)
  • PRESS RELEASE : Energy efficiency drive for historic homes [January 2024]

    PRESS RELEASE : Energy efficiency drive for historic homes [January 2024]

    The press release issued by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities on 3 January 2024.

    New wide-ranging review to tackle barriers to make historic homes more energy efficient, while protecting the beauty of these buildings.

    New plans have been published today to remove barriers and drive energy efficiency in historic homes, cutting energy bills for households across the country, while also ensuring that the important historical and beautiful features of these homes are properly protected.

    The Government wants to see the energy efficiency of historic homes improved but without the blight of ugly or inappropriate retrofit damaging these properties.

    The Government has published its review into the challenges households face when retrofitting in conservation areas and listed buildings.

    Currently, owners of home built before 1919 face paying on average £428 a year more on energy bills if their home is not energy efficient*, while the review found planning was a major issue faced by households, with frustration about the time it takes to get planning permission.

    The review has set out a series of commitments to drive energy efficiency and low carbon heating improvements to listed buildings and buildings in conservation areas across England, as part of the Government’s commitment to reach Net Zero by 2050.

    Minister for Housing and Communities Baroness Penn said: 

    “Our historic homes are the jewel in the crown of this country’s heritage and must be protected.

    “This review will ensure they are preserved for future generations to enjoy, while also improve the lives of those who live in them by reducing their energy costs, supporting us in our shared goal to reach Net Zero by 2050.”

    Minister for Arts & Heritage Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay said:

    “People who own and live in historic homes are their custodians, and want to take responsible action to protect them for the benefit of generations to come.

    “That isn’t always as straightforward as it should be, so this review has looked at how we can make it easier, while continuing to protect our historic environment.”

    Minister for Energy Efficiency and Green Finance Lord Callanan said:

    “We’ve already made huge progress in improving energy efficiency – with almost half of all homes in England at an EPC rating of C or above, up from 14% in 2010.

    “Today’s measures will now help to keep historic homes warm for less, while protecting our heritage as we progress towards our net zero goal.”

    Commitments set out in the review to drive energy efficiency include:

    • A consultation on new national development management policy specially for historic buildings, ensuring greater certainty and consistency in decisions.
    • Consulting on the greater use of Listed Building Consent Orders to support building improvements, removing the need to submit individual listed building consent applications.
    • Developing clearer guidance for historic homeowners on improving energy efficiency and supporting the construction industry to better deliver retrofitting services.
    • Consulting on reforms to Energy Performance Certificates to ensure they are  accurate, reliable and trustworthy.

    Duncan Wilson, Chief Executive of Historic England, said: 

    “Historic England welcomes this Energy Efficiency Review and the positive actions it highlights. Historic buildings can and must accommodate change if they are to play a crucial role in helping the UK to transition to Net Zero.

    “This review demonstrates that heritage needn’t be a barrier and identifies opportunities to unlock the potential of historic buildings in England to contribute to meeting our Net Zero target.”

    The measures outlined in ‘Adapting Historic Homes for Energy Efficiency: A Review of the Barriers’, will make life easier for those who own and live in historic homes, while ensuring the country’s heritage is protected.

    The review has been developed in partnership with the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, Department for Energy Security and Net Zero and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, supported by Historic England.

    In the British Energy Security Strategy, published April 2022, the Government committed to undertake a review of the practical planning barriers households can face when installing energy efficiency measures such as improved glazing in conservation areas and listed buildings.

    Evidence collected during the review and feedback from stakeholders highlighted that barriers were wider than just the planning system. The scope of the review was therefore, broadened to examine a wider set of challenges to retrofitting historic homes, and to identify where further work is needed.

    Further information:

    • According to the English Housing Survey 2021, homes built before 1919 could save on average £428 per year on energy costs if they are improved to EPC C, through insulation or other energy saving measures.
    • ‘Adapting Historic Homes for Energy Efficiency: A Review of the Barriers’ is available to view here.
  • PRESS RELEASE : Turing Scheme boosts global placements beyond Europe [January 2024]

    PRESS RELEASE : Turing Scheme boosts global placements beyond Europe [January 2024]

    The press release issued by the Department for Education on 3 January 2024.

    New research shows government’s flagship scheme for overseas study strengthened partnerships all over the world – not just those in Europe.

    Disadvantaged young people make up the a large proportion of international study placements, new research published today (3 January) shows. The government’s flagship Turing Scheme, which enables students to work and study abroad has proved a success, providing tens of thousands of young people across the UK with transformational opportunities.

    The Turing Scheme was introduced in 2021 to widen access to global opportunities in education and training following the UK’s departure from the European Union. It builds on the government’s ambition to level up and drive social mobility in parts of the UK where, historically, there have been fewer opportunities to study and work abroad.

    The new research shows that in its first year alone the scheme has strengthened partnerships across the globe, beyond Europe. Now in its third year the scheme has gone from strength to strength with the latest figures showing that more than 40,000 students are set to benefit in 23/24 academic year, 60% of which are from disadvantaged background or underrepresented groups. This includes around 1,800 additional students from disadvantaged backgrounds in the further education sector alone compared to last year.

    The report also highlights how the scheme has supported universities, colleges and schools across the country to strengthen existing partnerships and develop links with a wider range of countries such as the USA, Japan and Canada, not just EU countries. Students reported benefits including a significant improvement in both skills and academic knowledge, and the opportunity to experience different cultures, fostering a richer international outlook that goes beyond traditional classroom learning.

    Minister for Skills, Apprenticeships and Higher Education Robert Halfon said:

    The Turing Scheme is a real game-changer for students from disadvantaged backgrounds, empowering them with transformative opportunities abroad, a chance to experience other cultures and learn vital skills for life and work.

    It showcases our positive ambition post-Brexit, fostering a global outlook for more students who deserve every chance to thrive.

    Young people benefit from inspirational placements around the world, not just Europe, building the confidence and skills they need for their future, whilst bolstering the government’s drive for a Global Britain.

    Students can study and work in a wide range of areas including healthcare, the environment and construction at over 160 countries including Canada, Japan and the United States – alongside popular European destinations like Spain and France.

    Students from Bellahouston Academy in Glasgow got a better understanding of the environmental concerns highlighted by the United Nations’ COP26 summit by visiting the forested outskirts of Reykjavik, whilst student nurses at the University of Bradford gained an entirely fresh perspective on healthcare after undertaking work placements across Africa.

    A group of T Level students comprising of nursing, construction and IT students from Somerset also gained valuable knowledge and skills during a two-week Turing Scheme placement in Mississippi.

    Jon Harding, International and Education Projects Manager at the college, said:

    Some of these students are on support funding on their courses and there were probably 5 or 6 who had never had a passport, hadn’t travelled out of Somerset and it was their first time on a plane.

    That impact for us was huge. We are in an area that, demographically, has a high level of families with low incomes and it was a big win for us that we could integrate students that probably wouldn’t have undertaken this, or similar trips, if the Turing Scheme funding wasn’t there. They wouldn’t have been able to afford to go.

    Year 5 pupils from Lanchester EP Primary School in Durham took a trip to India in January 2023 in the second year of the Turing Scheme. For many of the pupils, this was the first time they had left the UK.

    Kate, a pupil from Lanchester EP Primary School said of the experience:

    During the week we did lots of fun stuff. We went to two different schools and learnt about children’s rights and what the children at the schools needed and wanted.

    Going on this trip has really changed my view of the world and it makes me want to travel more to learn about different cultures.

    Catering students from Southeastern Regional College in Northern Ireland got the chance to hone their skills with a trip to Tennessee. This trip was the first experience outside of Europe for all the participating students.

    Student Ellie Hamilton, from Bangor, said:

    Learning about new foods and styles of cooking and how the line kitchen works – where the cook supervises a specific area of the kitchen and reports to the head chef – was very interesting.

    The trip has made me more culturally aware and more confident in my own skills and abilities.

    Entrepreneurial students from Nottingham Trent University boosted their business acumen and employability skills with a visit to Mexico.

    Psychology student, Esi Cynthia Jacqueline Obiri, said:

    It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience that I would do over and over again if possible. It made me more confident and independent, and I gained valuable knowledge that I will apply to my future career.

    The government announced its plans for the Turing Scheme in December 2020, which would provide funding for international opportunities across the world. Erasmus+ only provided travel support to participants who travelled to partner countries, which was around only 3% of UK participants. The Turing Scheme provides funding for travel costs for disadvantaged higher education students and funding for visas, passports and related travel insurance.

    Details for the Turing Scheme’s fourth year will be announced shortly.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Pathway for zero emission vehicle transition by 2035 becomes law [January 2024]

    PRESS RELEASE : Pathway for zero emission vehicle transition by 2035 becomes law [January 2024]

    The press release issued by the Department for Transport on 3 January 2024.

    80% of new cars and 70% of new vans sold in Great Britain will now be zero emission by 2030, increasing to 100% by 2035.

    • the zero emission vehicle mandate, the government’s pathway towards all new cars and vans being zero emission by 2035, is now law
    • new regulations are backed by over £2 billion already invested by government to expand charging infrastructure and incentivise zero emission vehicles
    • the mandate provides certainty to support the economy, industry and families, and is the largest carbon saving measure in government’s net zero strategy

    The UK now has the most ambitious regulatory framework for the switch to electric vehicles of any country in the world, thanks to new laws which commenced today (3 January 2024). Following extensive consultation with industry and manufacturers, the mandate provides them with the certainty they have called for to safeguard skilled British jobs.

    Technology and Decarbonisation Minister Anthony Browne will visit a new bp pulse hub in London today to mark the occasion, where he will see their ultra-fast EV chargers in action and meet drivers who are benefiting from the facility.

    The zero emission vehicle (ZEV) mandate sets out the percentage of new zero emission cars and vans manufacturers will be required to produce each year up to 2030. 80% of new cars and 70% of new vans sold in Great Britain will now be zero emission by 2030, increasing to 100% by 2035.

    This follows the pragmatic decision taken by the Prime Minister to delay the ban on new diesel and petrol cars from 2030 to 2035, putting the UK in line with other major global economies such as France, Germany, Sweden and Canada. This allows time for consumers to make the choice to switch to electric, and to level up our charging infrastructure.

    The UK has overdelivered on every carbon budget to date, having cut greenhouse gas emissions by nearly 50% since 1990. Recent Climate Change Committee analysis shows our more pragmatic approach has no material difference on our progress to cutting emissions, and households will now have more time to make the transition, saving some thousands of pounds at a time when the cost of living is high.

    Technology and Decarbonisation Minister Anthony Browne said:

    Alongside us having spent more than £2 billion in the transition to electric vehicles, our zero emission vehicle mandate will further boost the economy and support manufacturers to safeguard skilled British jobs in the automotive industry.

    We are providing investment certainty for the charging sector to expand our charging network which has already grown by 44% since this time last year. This will support the constantly growing number of EVs in the UK, which currently account for over 16% of the new UK car market.

    In a boost for the economy, the new laws will help households make the switch to electric, supporting growth of EV sales in the second-hand market and incentivising charging to roll out more widely across the country.

    The government’s schemes to lower the upfront and running costs of owning an EV includes the plug-in van grant of up to £2,500 for small vans and £5,000 for large vans until at least 2025 and £350 off the cost of homeplace chargepoints for people living in flats.

    Latest statistics show that there has been a 41% increase in zero emission vehicles registered for the first time.

    The UK’s charging network continues to grow at pace – there are now over 50,000 public chargepoints, with 44% more than this time last year, putting the country well on track to reach 300,000 chargepoints by 2030. The certainty of the ZEV mandate will give industry renewed confidence to invest in our infrastructure.

    Additionally, last month the UK and EU agreed to extend trade rules on electric vehicles, saving manufacturers and consumers up to £4.3 billion in additional costs and providing long-term certainty for industry.

    Akira Kirton, Vice President, bp pulse UK, said:

    We are pleased to host the minister at our most powerful EV charging hub in central London to mark the start of the ZEV mandate.

    This mandate instils confidence in our strategy, reaffirming our plans to invest £1 billion over 10 years to continue to develop hundreds of EV charging hubs across the country by 2030 to bolster the UK’s charging infrastructure.

    Our approach to decarbonising transport has already attracted record investment in gigafactories and EV manufacturing, including:

    • Nissan’s recent investment of over £3 billion to develop 2 new electric vehicles at their Sunderland plant
    • Tata’s investment of over £4 billion in a new 40 GWh gigafactory
    • BMW’s investment of £600 million to build next generation MINI EVs in Oxford
    • Ford’s investment of £380 million in Halewood to make electric drive units
    • Stellantis’ £100 million investment in Ellesmere Port for EV van production

    The government also continues to support the rollout of EV infrastructure. Applications for the first round of the £381 million Local EV Infrastructure Fund are currently being assessed. This funding will deliver tens of thousands more chargepoints in local areas across England and transform the availability of charging for drivers without off-street parking. The government has also launched a £70 million pilot to support the deployment of ultra-rapid charging points at motorway service areas.

    Andrew Brem, General Manager of Uber UK, said:

    London is Uber’s top city for EVs worldwide, with well over 10,000 electric vehicles on the platform in the capital. However, the availability and up-front cost of EVs can still be a barrier for many drivers.

    The ZEV mandate coming into force is a significant moment which will help to drive down the costs of EVs and increase supply – accelerating the uptake of EVs over the next decade.

    As part of our Plan for drivers, we intend to consult on ways to make installations cheaper and quicker for chargepoint operators, review the grid connections process for chargepoints, and also consult on the expansion of permitted development rights to make installations easier.