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PRESS RELEASE : Peter Freeman reappointed as Chair of Homes England [October 2023]

The press release issued by Homes England on 17 October 2023.

Peter Freeman will continue in role for further two years.

The Secretary of State for the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities has reappointed Peter Freeman as Chair of Homes England, for two years from 23 October 2023 to 22 October 2025.

Homes England Chief Executive Peter Denton said:

I’m very happy Peter is to continue as Chair of Homes England for another term, leading an organisation equipped with a huge range of skills and expertise, but with a single laser focus on supporting local housing and regeneration visions to become a reality.

His experience, leadership, and dedication is a huge asset for the Agency, our partners, and the sector as we work together to build thriving places for communities across the country. I look forward to our continued collaboration as Peter embarks on his new term.

The Chair will be responsible for the proper running of the Board, and guiding and influencing the Agency at a strategic level, providing confident, clear and consistent leadership, and act as an ambassador for Homes England.

22/10/2023
Claire Coutinho – 2023 Speech on UK’s Carbon Capture Opportunities

The speech made by Claire Coutinho, the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, in London on 17 October 2023.

Good morning everyone, and a warm welcome to the Carbon Capture & Storage Association (CCSA) conference.

A huge thank you to Ruth for everything that she’s done to put this together.

It is genuinely a real pleasure to be here today to talk about the extraordinary opportunities for carbon capture that we have in this country.

Two hundred years ago, Britain was instrumental in helping the world industrialise.

It was our innovation, creativity, and global reach that spread the industrial revolution and transformed global economies.

Today we have a different, but no less important, role to play – helping the world decarbonise.

We’ve already cut our own carbon emissions in half in just 30 years and boosted our share of renewables from 7% in our energy output in 2010 to almost half today.

Of all the major economies, we have set the toughest targets and thanks in no small part to our energy industry, we have exceeded all of them.

But the challenges ahead are significant.

How do we accelerate those reductions?

How do we help other countries do the same?

And how do we achieve it fast enough to put a brake on climate change?

I passionately believe that the key to success will be doubling down on sectors with the greatest opportunities.

The greatest opportunities to decarbonise, to help polluting industries go green and to boost jobs, investment and growth.

And make no mistake, carbon capture and storage is one of those sectors.

Britain’s vast potential means I believe we can lead the world in safely capturing and storing carbon dioxide.

Creating a path for industries which cannot decarbonise at the pace we require – like cement and chemicals – to join the green revolution.

And there are other compelling benefits.

For example, CCUS will help ensure the reliability of electricity supplies, bolstering our future energy security and it will help regenerate communities across the country, particularly in our industrial heartlands and coastal communities where jobs and investment are most needed.

Before Parliament, I spent a lot of time working with those communities which felt left behind and the prospect today of a new, multi-billion-pound cycle of investments in decarbonisation projects represents huge hope for the future.

We have the right geology, the right infrastructure, and the right skills to be at the forefront of carbon capture and to lift other economies by cutting the cost of decarbonising.

That’s why the government is making a massive commitment to this game-changing technology.

The Prime Minister has made it abundantly clear in recent weeks that we need pragmatic answers to cut the carbon challenge.

And there’s no better example of this than CCUS.

Carbon capture and storage is pragmatism in action.

What’s more common sense than taking advantage of our own geography to address one of the greatest threats facing mankind?

That’s why we remain fully committed to:

our unprecedented £20 billion for early deployment of the technology, among the biggest funding commitments in Europe
the first 8 projects of the ‘first-of-a-kind capture networks’ we’ll be taking forward in the North East, North West and Wales
and the next 2 carbon capture clusters in the North East and Scotland
These announcements put us on track to achieve between 20 and 30 million tonnes of captured and stored carbon dioxide a year – the equivalent of taking 4 and 6 million cars off the road each year from 2030.

If we make this target, it will support 50,000 jobs by 2030, and add £5 billion to the economy by 2050.

Not only helping us deliver our net zero commitments but also creating prosperity throughout the UK.

I was delighted to reach alignment with Eni on the key commercial principles to take Hynet forward, and I’m looking forward to working further with them to celebrate this important milestone.

But of course we must look beyond the domestic implications of CCUS.

CCUS will be a global industry, and to continue leading in this space we need to think beyond UK clusters.

This also poses some key questions.

Firstly, how do we deliver enough storage to make Carbon Budget 6 a reality?

The North Sea Transition Authority estimates as much as 100 carbon stores will be needed to meet our net zero commitments.

Well we have the space, and then some.

With 78 billion tonnes of potential storage, the reality is the UK has the potential to be one of the greatest CO2 storage bases in Europe.

But if we want to match that space to market need we’ll require a system level approach, creating a brand new network with new technical codes and contracts, with government and industry working together to achieve it.

We will set out that ambition and I know for many of you this must include more clarity on timelines.

I’ve spoken to lots of investors and stakeholders since I’ve been in this role and that has come out clearly.

So my department will be publishing a vision for the CCUS sector later this year.

This will provide a long-term picture of an expanding sector to bolster investor confidence.

But the second question is no less important.

How do we keep costs down? And therefore, how do we remain competitive?

As the Prime Minister has made clear, we don’t get to net zero without honest conversation with the public.

Part of that conversation is demonstrating that we have achieved the best value for money possible.

We can’t separate the market and the path to net zero.

Now, I recognise that costs have gone up, that the sector is dealing with materials price inflation.

We’ve done everything we can to reduce costs in our economy.

From the 10.7% inflation rate in the final 3 months of last year, the CPI is now down considerably in August and projected to fall further.

But whatever the final rate for 2023, the imperative remains that we need you to innovate to drive cost reductions and deliver as much carbon stores for as little money as possible.

In the longer-term, CCUS will not be successful unless we can demonstrate that the industry is self-sustaining.

And we can do that together, building on the strong partnership that government and industry have developed over the last few years.

If you help us to design viable business models, that will give businesses the confidence to invest in them.

And we know that if these questions can be answered an immense prize is waiting for us.

We can capture £8 billion of global CCUS turnover by 2050, and create thousands of jobs from the north-east of Scotland to Morecombe Bay, Wales and Humber.

We can help Britain achieve energy security, so we are no longer at the whims of foreign regimes.

And we can make an immense contribution to Britain achieving its carbon targets, and helping carbon-intensive industries join the green energy revolution.

Without a doubt, carbon capture and storage stands among the most exciting and effective ways in which Britain can lead in tackling climate change.

And ultimately, it’s the people in this room who have the capacity to make it happen.

So let’s make it happen together.

Thank you.

22/10/2023
PRESS RELEASE : Two Board Members appointed to the British Tourism Authority [October 2023]

The press release issued by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on 17 October 2023.

The Secretary of State has appointed William Burton and Beth Knight as Board Members of the British Tourism Authority for five year terms commencing 18 September 2023.

William Burton

Appointed for a 5 year term commencing 18 September 2023.

William Burton has spent more than 25 years in the travel and tourism sector, starting at British Airways Group, where he went on to become Head of Strategic Analysis; through Thomson Travel Group (now TUI) where he was Director of Sales, eCommerce and Distribution; through Thistle Hotels Group (now GLH Hotels) as Global Sales and Marketing Director.

He went on to senior commercial executive roles at Kuoni UK and Bourne Leisure Group, and government COO roles at The British Library and The Rural Payments Agency, before becoming Chief Executive of Page & Moy Travel Group, the UK’s largest outbound group tours operator. He has subsequently been Chief Executive of both the Construction Industries Training Board (CITB) and Cambridge University’s OCR Exam Board, before founding online travel company, Awesome Experiences.

In addition, he is also a Director of the Chartered Institute of Marketing and sits on its ARC committee. In the past he has also sat on the Councils of ABTA, Federation of Tour Operators; and London & Partners and on the Senate of the University of London.

Beth Knight

Appointed for a 5 year term commencing 18 September 2023.

Winner of the Great British Business Woman Award 2022, Beth Knight is a leading figure in social impact and sustainability – an experienced business transformation and systems change strategist. She has spent over fifteen years applying her expertise to help global companies evolve as purpose-led businesses. She is a working mother of two and is passionate about equal rights and diversity, tackling climate change, and innovating through technology.

Beth is currently an independent consultant and board director – with positions ranging from Chair of Save the Children’s corporate advisory board, to Domain Expert for Carbon13’s venture builder in climate tech. Alongside this, Beth is a Senior Associate at the University of Cambridge Institute of Sustainability Leadership (CISL) and is Head Tutor for the Business Sustainability Management executive education program.

Beth’s prior roles have included: Head of ‘Amazon in the Community’ Leader for Europe, Global Markets Associate Director at EY, Head of Corporate Sustainability for EY’s Financial Services business.

Remuneration and Governance Code

Board Members of the British Tourism Authority are remunerated £320 per month for two days a month. This appointment has been made in accordance with the Cabinet Office’s Governance Code on Public Appointments. The appointments process is regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments. Under the Code, any significant political activity undertaken by an appointee in the last five years must be declared. This is defined as including holding office, public speaking, making a recordable donation, or candidature for election. William Burton and Beth Knight has not declared any significant political activity.

22/10/2023
PRESS RELEASE : Courts increase sentences for child sex offenders [October 2023]
The press release issued by the Attorney General’s Office on 17 October 2023.

Child sex offence cases saw the greatest number of prison sentence increases by the Court of Appeal last year the Attorney General’s Office (AGO) has announced.

Figures released as part the Unduly Lenient Sentence (ULS) scheme annual statistics for 2022 show there were 23 child sex offence sentence increases. This was followed by 10 sentences increased for rape offences and 7 for cases involving grievous bodily harm.

Under the ULS scheme, anybody can ask for a Crown Court sentence to be reviewed if they believe it is too low.

However, there is a strict criteria as only certain offences are considered and referrals to AGO must be made within 28 days of the sentence.

In 2022, the Law Officers received 1,179 cases to review and referred 139 cases to the Court of Appeal. In total, 95 cases (68 per cent) saw the sentence increased.

The Solicitor General Michael Tomlinson KC MP said:

Being a victim of crime can leave life-long emotional scars and some of society’s most dangerous offenders – including child sexual predators and violent criminals – saw their sentences increased in 2022.

As the statistics show, the vast majority of offenders are sentenced appropriately. However, the Unduly Lenient Sentence scheme provides a vital safeguard to ensure that there is confidence in our sentence regime.

The scheme is a vital pillar of criminal justice and shows there is a robust system to make sure criminals are suitably punished for their actions.”

Other offences which saw sentence increases in 2022 included, kidnapping, robbery, child cruelty and murder.

Semi Lave’s 15-year sentence saw the biggest increase in 2022 when his jail term was extended by nine years, totalling 24 years with a licence extension of six years.

Lave was found to have raped and sexually abused two children between 2015 and 2020. Both children were threatened with violence and were physically abused.

Other cases in 2022 that saw sentence increases after the Law Officers intervened included:
- Convicted child sex offender Lee Gibson saw his prison sentence increased from 16-and-a-half years to 23 years in January 2022. Derby’s Gibson subjected his young victim to a campaign of sexual abuse which began when she was under 13 years of age.
- Former radio DJ, Mark Page, was convicted of trying to arrange sexual encounters with children in the Philippines and had his sentence extended from 12 years to 18 in June 2022.
- Zachary Jagger saw his prison term increase from six years to 13 years, with a licence extension of three years, after he deliberately drove his car into a group of people he had been fighting with after he was refused entry into a party. He left one victim with a double leg fracture.
- Lorna and Chris Dennington were sentenced in 2022 for child cruelty offences. Their campaign of cruelty was conducted over 11 years where victims were physically and emotionally abused. Lorna’s sentence was increased to four years and 10 months’, while Chris was ordered to serve a new sentence of six years.
22/10/2023
PRESS RELEASE : We cannot support a resolution which fails to condemn Hamas’ terror attacks – UK statement at the UN Security Council [October 2023]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 17 October 2023.

Explanation of vote by Ambassador Barbara Woodward at the UN Security Council meeting on the Middle East.

Thank you President.

The United Kingdom is outraged at Hamas’ terror attacks in Israel, and supports Israel’s right to self defence, in line with international law.

We are also working urgently to respond to the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Gaza.

We have voted no on the draft resolution put forward by the Russian delegation.

We cannot support a resolution which fails to condemn Hamas’ terror attacks.

As my Prime Minister said earlier today: Hamas actions were an existential strike at the very idea of Israel as a safe homeland for the Jewish people. It is unconscionable for this Council to ignore the largest terror attack in Israel’s history.

We remain clear, too, that all possible measures on the ground must be taken to ensure civilian casualties are minimised and to facilitate humanitarian aid.

President, the gravity of the situation requires serious Council discussion. This draft, and this process, was not a serious attempt to find Council consensus. So, we look forward to continuing consultations on the basis of the Presidency’s proposals.

I thank you.

22/10/2023
PRESS RELEASE : New support for NHS to treat gambling addiction [October 2023]
The press release issued by the Department of Culture, Media and Sport on 17 October 2023.

The NHS is set to benefit as new levy will raise an estimated £100 million of new funding for research, prevention and treatment of gambling addiction.
- NHS to become main commissioner of treatment as a result of gambling levy – providing estimated £100 million per year for research, prevention and treatment
- Government to take action to put funding for treatment, prevention and research on a long term footing from the existing voluntary set up
- Consultation launched to gather views from industry, clinicians, practitioners academics, those who have experienced of harmful gambling and the wider public
The NHS is set to benefit as new levy will raise an estimated £100 million of new funding for research, prevention and treatment of gambling addiction.

Following publication of the gambling white paper in April, the Government is now taking the next step in mandating payments from the sector by launching a consultation on the design of the proposed gambling operator levy.

Currently, not all gambling companies contribute equally towards the existing voluntary levy, with some operators paying as little as £1 towards research, prevention and treatment. The Government is therefore acting to ensure all operators contribute their fair share.

In order to improve research, prevention and treatment of gambling harm, the Government is minded to set the levy as a new 1% fee on gross gambling yield for online gambling operators, while traditional betting shops and casinos will pay a proposed fee of around 0.4%.

The white paper has proposed a fair and proportionate approach to levy rates between various operators, taking into account the difference, for example, in operating costs and the levels of harmful gambling associated with different gambling activities.

Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer said:

We are taking the next step in our plan to protect those most at risk of gambling harm with a new levy on gambling operators to pay for treatment and research.

All gambling operators will be required to pay their fair share and this consultation is an opportunity for the industry, clinicians, those who have experienced gambling harm and the wider public to have their say on how the proposed gambling operator levy should work.

The introduction of this levy will strengthen the safety net and help deliver our long-term plan to help build stronger communities while allowing millions of people to continue to gamble safely.

Technology has reshaped where, when and how people gamble and there has been a significant rise in online gambling behaviour due to the ease of access on smartphones, with people able to gamble anytime and anywhere.

Figures from the NHS Digital Health Survey also indicate that some of these online products are associated with elevated levels of gambling-related addiction and harm with ‘problem gambling’ rates eight times higher for online slots and casino game players than in the population as a whole.

Under the proposed levy, the gambling industry will no longer have a say over how money for research, prevention and treatment is spent. Instead, the Gambling Commission will distribute funding directly to the NHS and UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), which coordinates research and innovation funding, under the strategic direction of government. The levy will be underpinned by legislation meaning firms will be required to pay.

The funding delivered through the levy, which will deliver substantial new investment for the NHS in England, Scotland and Wales, will increase access to treatment and support for those experiencing gambling-related harm. It will also help to develop a truly national approach to prevention and fund independent, high-quality research to inform policy and practice.

In July this year, the NHS announced that seven new specialist gambling addiction clinics will open in Milton Keynes, Thurrock, Derby, Bristol, Liverpool, Blackpool and Sheffield this year. This is in addition to the seven clinics already in operation in London, Leeds, Newcastle, Manchester, Southampton, Stoke-on-Trent, and Telford, as well as an additional national clinic, which treats both gambling and gaming addiction in children and young people, in London.

Gambling Minister Stuart Andrew said:

We know that gambling addiction can devastate lives, which is why we are working quickly to implement our bold plans for reform.

This consultation brings us a step closer to being able to provide £100 million of new funding for research, prevention and treatment, including ring fenced investment for the NHS to help gambling addicts.

Gambling firms should always pay their fair share and this new statutory levy will ensure that they are legally required to do just that.

Health Minister Neil O’Brien said:

Harmful gambling can affect people’s savings, ruin relationships, and devastate people’s lives and health.

Gambling companies should pay their fair share towards the costs of treatment services, but we want to hear from as many people as possible about how the new statutory levy should work.

We continue working to support those affected by gambling harms. Twelve of the planned fifteen NHS gambling addictions clinics have now opened across the country providing vital support services for thousands of people experiencing gambling-related harms as well as their loved ones. The remaining three are expected to open by the end of the year.”

Henrietta Bowden-Jones, National Clinical Advisor for Gambling Harms, said:

I welcome this Levy which reflects the government’s decision to fund gambling treatment, prevention, research and education in an independent and evidence- based way allowing us to continue our work of eradicating all gambling harms from society.”

NHS mental health director Claire Murdoch said:

Gambling addiction destroys people’s lives and with record numbers turning to the NHS for support, the health service has met this demand head on by opening four new specialist clinics in recent months, with a further three opening later this year.

The NHS has long called for a statutory levy because it is only right that this billion-pound industry steps up to support people suffering from gambling addiction and I am pleased that action is being taken to prevent people from coming to harm in the first place. It is now vital we continue working in partnership to ensure we provide effective prevention, education and treatment for this condition.

The Government’s gambling white paper, published in April 2023, set out a range of measures to improve player protections and reduce the risk of gambling addiction and harm in the smartphone era. Measures such as financial risk checks to better alert operators to risky behaviours, stake limits for online slots, tighter controls on marketing of bonuses and a new mandatory gambling operator levy are designed to reduce risk and improve player protections.

The Government and Gambling Commission continue to implement the measures set out in the white paper with a view to having key elements in place in summer 2024.
22/10/2023
PRESS RELEASE : A rushed departure of MONUSCO would create a significant security vacuum in eastern DRC – UK statement at the UN Security Council [October 2023]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 17 October 2023.

Statement by UK Political Coordinator Fergus Eckersley at the UN Security Council meeting on the Great Lakes region.

Thank you, President, and thank you to the Special Envoy for his briefing. Thank you also to Mr. Caholo and Ms. Malimukono for their contributions.

The United Kingdom is deeply concerned by the intensifying violence and deteriorating humanitarian situation in the Great Lakes region and the recent escalation in fighting between armed groups in North Kivu. We also remain concerned by the worsening humanitarian situation in the Great Lakes region, including large-scale displacement of people from their homes and high levels of sexual violence, including in IDP camps.

The UK fully supports the work carried out by MONUSCO, especially in protecting civilians. We acknowledge the DRC government’s request to bring forward MONUSCO’s withdrawal and we encourage it to engage constructively with MONUSCO to ensure a responsible, conditions-based withdrawal. A rushed departure of MONUSCO would create a significant security vacuum in eastern DRC, putting hundreds of thousands of civilians at risk, and risk further deterioration of the humanitarian situation.

President, we welcome the reduction in incidents of cross-border violence between DRC and Rwanda, but we remain concerned by heightened confrontational rhetoric by both countries. We have engaged Kigali and Kinshasa to urge them to engage in dialogue and build trust, recognising the risk of miscalculation and the horrendous cost of further escalation.

The UK also welcomes the continued engagement of the Great Lakes region, in particular the leadership of Presidents Lourenço, Ndayishimiye, Geingob, and former President Kenyatta. We reiterate our support for the Nairobi and Luanda processes. We call upon countries in the region to revitalise these processes and turn commitments into tangible action to address the shared security challenges, improve humanitarian access, and to reduce violence.

President, the UK firmly believes that dialogue, not violence, is the only way to achieve lasting peace in the Great Lakes region. To this end, we will continue our regional diplomatic efforts and engage with all Council members to support peace and stability in the Great Lakes region.

22/10/2023
PRESS RELEASE : UK announces further assistance for Rohingya people in Bangladesh [October 2023]
The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 17 October 2023.

UK Minister for the Indo-Pacific, Anne-Marie Trevelyan, has announced a further £4.5 million in humanitarian support at a UNHCR conference on Rohingya refugees.
- UK Minister for the Indo-Pacific, Anne-Marie Trevelyan, announces further UK funding of £4.5 million to provide vital humanitarian services to Rohingya refugees and host communities in Bangladesh
- Minister Trevelyan is co-convening a UNHCR conference on the Rohingya crisis in Bangkok
- Minister Trevelyan will meet Bangladesh’s Foreign Minister, Dr A K Abdul Momen, and UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi during the conference
The UK has extended funding to support Rohingya refugees living in camps in Bangladesh, providing an additional £4.5 million for vital humanitarian services. UK Minister for the Indo-Pacific, Anne-Marie Trevelyan, announced the funding at a UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) regional conference on the Rohingya crisis.

Minister Trevelyan is attending the conference alongside Bangladesh’s Foreign Minister Dr A K Abdul Momen and UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi.

Minister for the Indo-Pacific Anne-Marie Trevelyan said:

The UK is committed to finding a long-term solution to the Rohingya crisis. This includes their safe, voluntary and dignified return to Myanmar, when the conditions there allow.

Until the Rohingya can safely return to their homeland, we are committed to providing ongoing humanitarian support. That is why we are announcing £4.5 million of further UK support for protection services, healthcare and clean energy to the refugees in Bangladesh.

Today’s conference is an important opportunity to discuss sustainable solutions in Myanmar, and support for the Rohingya and their host countries.

The package of £4.5 million funding includes:
- £2.1 million provided through the International Organization for Migration (IOM) for healthcare and clean energy for the Rohingya refugees and host communities
- £2 million provided through NGOs for the protection of refugees and host communities. This includes the Norwegian Refugee Council, Danish Refugee Council, International Rescue Committee, and Humanity and Inclusion
- £450,000 provided through the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) to prevent and respond to gender-based violence and provide sexual and reproductive health services
Since 2017, the UK has provided £370 million to support Rohingya refugees and host communities in Bangladesh, and nearly £30 million to support Rohingya and other Muslim minorities in Myanmar’s Rakhine State. This has included food, water and sanitation, healthcare and protection services that are vital for women and girls in the camps.

The UK supports peace and stability across the Indo-Pacific and continues to stand with the people of Myanmar. We reiterate our call for an end to all violence and for the protection of civilians and safe and unhindered humanitarian access to all those in need.

The UK’s sustained support for the Rohingya people demonstrates its long-term commitment to the Indo-Pacific region, critical to the Prime Minister’s priority of growing the economy, in line with the Integrated Review Refresh published in March 2023.
22/10/2023
Rory Stewart – 2015 Speech on Hedgehog Preservation

The speech made by Rory Stewart, the then Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, in the House of Commons on 10 November 2015.

Multa novit vulpes, verum echinus unum magnum, Madam Deputy Speaker.

Tom Tugendhat (Tonbridge and Malling) (Con): In every happy home is a hedgehog, as the Pashtuns would say. I urge my hon. Friend to encourage our Pashtun community in this country to follow that example.

Rory Stewart: I am very grateful for that Pushtun intervention, but my hon. Friend refers, of course, to the Asian variety of the hedgehog rather than the western hedgehog, which is the subject of our discussion today.

The fox knows many things, but the hedgehog knows one big thing.

I am extremely pleased to have the opportunity to respond to my hon. Friend the Member for Plymouth, Sutton and Devonport (Oliver Colvile). I believe that this is the first time that Parliament has discussed hedgehogs since 1566, when the subject was famously raised in relation to the attribution of a bounty of tuppence for the collection of the hedgehog throughout the United Kingdom.

The hedgehog has undergone an extraordinary evolution. The year 1566 seems very recent, but the hedgehog was around before then. It was around before this Parliament. The hedgehog, and its ancestor, narrowly missed being crushed under the foot of Tyrannosaurus rex. The hedgehog was around long before the human species: it existed 56 million years ago. It tells us a great deal about British civilisation that my hon. Friend has raised the subject, because the hedgehog is a magical creature. It is a creature that appears on cylinder seals in Sumeria, bent backwards on the prows of Egyptian ships. The hedgehog has of course a famous medicinal quality taken by the Romany people for baldness and it represents a symbol of the resurrection found throughout Christian Europe.

This strange animal was known, of course, in Scotland, Wales and Ireland originally in Gaelic as that demonic creature, that horrid creature, and is the hedgehog celebrated by Shakespeare:

“Thorny hedgehogs, be not seen…

Come not near our faerie queen”,

and famously of course in “Richard III” there is that great moment when Gloucester is referred to as a hedgehog. It tells us something about Britain today; it represents a strange decline in British civilisation from a notion of this magical, mystical, terrifying creature to where it is today, and I refer of course to my own constituent, the famous cleanliness representative of Penrith and The Border, Mrs Tiggy-Winkle.

I want to be serious for a moment. The hedgehog is of course an important environmental indicator, with its habitat, its ability to occupy 30 hectares of land, and its particular relationship to the hibernaculum, by which I mean the hedgehog’s ability, almost uniquely among animals in the United Kingdom, to go into a state of genuine hibernation. Its heartbeat goes from 240 a minute to only two a minute for six months a year. It has a particular diet—a focus on grubs and beetles. The street hedgehog initiative, which my hon. Friend has brought forward, reminds us that, by cutting holes in the bottom of our hedges, we can create again an opportunity for hedgehogs to move.

The hedgehog provides a bigger lesson for us in our environment—first, a lesson in scientific humility. The hedgehog has of course been studied for over 2,000 years. The first scientific reference to the hedgehog is in Aristotle; he is picked up again by Isidore of Seville in the 8th century and again by Buffon in the 18th century, and these are reminders of the ways in which we get hedgehogs wrong. Aristotle points out that the hedgehog carries apples on his spine into his nest. Isidore of Seville argues that the hedgehog travels with grapes embedded on his spine. Buffon believes these things might have been food for the winter, but as we know today the hedgehog, hibernating as he does, is not a creature that needs to take food into his nest for the winter.

Again, our belief in Britain that the five teeth of the hedgehog represent the reaction of the sinful man to God—the five excuses that the sinful man makes to God—is subverted by our understanding that the hedgehog does not have five teeth. Finally, the legislation introduced in this House, to my great despair, in 1566 which led to the bounty of a tuppence on a hedgehog was based on a misunderstanding: the idea that the hedgehog fed on the teats of a recumbent cow in order to feed itself on milk. This led to the death of between of half a million and 2 million hedgehogs between 1566 and 1800, a subject John Clare takes forward in a poem of 1805 and which led my own Department, the Ministry of Agriculture, in 1908 to issue a formal notice to farmers encouraging them not to believe that hedgehogs take milk from the teats of a recumbent cow, because of course the hedgehog’s mouth is too small to be able to perform this function.

But before we mock our ancestors, we must understand this is a lesson for us. The scientific mistakes we made in the past about the hedgehog are mistakes that we, too, may be mocked for in the future. We barely understand this extraordinary creature. We barely understand for example its habit of self-anointing; we will see a hedgehog produce an enormous amount of saliva and throw it over its back. We do not understand why it does that. We do not really understand its habit of aestivation, which is to say the hedgehog which my hon. Friend referred to—the Pushto version of the hedgehog—hibernates in the summer as well as the winter. We do not understand that concept of aestivation.

For those of us interested in environmental management, the hedgehog also represents the important subject of conflict in habitats. The habitat that suits the hedgehog is liminal land: it is edge land, hedgerows and dry land. The hedgehog is not an animal that flourishes in many of our nature reserves. It does not do well in peatland or in dense, heavy native woodland. The things that prey on the hedgehog are sometimes things that we treasure. My hon. Friend mentioned badgers.

Rebecca Pow: Does the Minister agree that the successful survival of our hedgehog population is a direct reflection of how healthy and sustainable our environment is? It is important that we should look after the environment, because the knock-on effect of that will be that our hedgehog population will be looked after.

Rory Stewart: That is an important point. The hedgehog is a generalist species, and traditionally we have not paid much attention to such species. We have been very good at focusing on specialist species, such as the redshank, which requires a particular kind of wet habitat. The hedgehog is a more challenging species for us to take on board.

As I was saying, the hedgehog is a good indicator for hedgerow habitat, although it is not much use for peatland or wetland. The hedgehog raises some important environmental questions. One is the question of conflict with the badger. Another is the question of the hedgehog in the western isles, which relates to the issue of the hedgehog’s potential predation on the eggs of the Arctic tern.

Patrick Grady (Glasgow North) (SNP): On the point about the hedgehog in the western isles, we have established that hedgehogs are a devolved matter. My hon. Friend the Member for Na h-Eileanan an Iar (Mr MacNeil) is not in the Chamber at the moment. Scottish Natural Heritage is doing careful work to humanely remove hedgehogs from the Hebrides, and it would be interesting to hear how the UK Government intend to support that work.

Rory Stewart: This is an important reminder that things that matter enormously to our civilisation, our society and our hearts—such as the hedgehog—have to be in the right place. In New Zealand, hedgehogs are considered an extremely dangerous invasive species that has to be removed for the same reasons that people in Scotland are having to think about controlling them there. It does not matter whether we are talking about badgers, hedgehogs or Arctic terns—it is a question of what place they should occupy.

Finally—and, I think, more positively—what the hedgehog really represents for us is an incredible symbol of citizen science. The energy that my hon. Friend the Member for Plymouth, Sutton and Devonport has brought to the debate is a great example of British, or perhaps English, eccentricity, and it is on the basis of English eccentricity that our habitat has been preserved. Gilbert White, the great 18th century naturalist, was himself an immense eccentric. It has been preserved thanks to eccentrics such as my hon. Friend and, perhaps most famously of all, Hugh Warwick, the great inspiration behind the British Hedgehog Preservation Society. He has written no fewer than three books on the hedgehog, and he talks very movingly about staring into the eyes of a hedgehog and getting a sense of its wildness from its gaze. These enthusiasts connect the public to nature, sustain our 25-year environment programme and contribute enormously to our scientific understanding of these animals. This is true in relation to bees, to beavers and in particular to Hugh Warwick’s work on hedgehogs. I am also pleased that the hon. Member for East Kilbride, Strathaven and Lesmahagow (Dr Cameron) mentioned national hedgehog day in an earlier intervention.

Ultimately, we need to understand that the hedgehog is a very prickly issue. The reason for that is that my hon. Friend the Member for Plymouth, Sutton and Devonport has raised the question of adopting the hedgehog as our national symbol. Some hon. Members will remember that the hedgehog was used by Saatchi & Saatchi in an advertising campaign for the Conservative party in 1992 general election. We should therefore pay tribute to the hedgehog’s direct contribution to our election victory in that year. But I would like to challenge my hon. Friend’s assertion that the hedgehog should become our national symbol. I ask you, Madam Deputy Speaker, as I ask those on both sides of this House, because this question concerns not only one party, but all of us: do we want to have as our national symbol an animal which when confronted with danger rolls over into a little ball and puts its spikes up? Do we want to have as our national symbol an animal that sleeps for six months of the year? Or would we rather return to the animal that is already our national symbol? I refer, of course, to the lion, which is majestic, courageous and proud.

If I may finish with a little testimony to my hon. Friend and to those innocent creatures which are hedgehogs, perhaps I can reach back to them not as a symbol for our nation but as a symbol of innocence to Thomas Hardy. He says:

“When the hedgehog travels furtively over the lawn,

One may say, ‘He strove that such innocent creatures should come to no harm,

But he could do little for them; and now he is gone.’

If, when hearing that I have been stilled at last, they stand at the door,

Watching the full-starred heavens that winter sees,

Will this thought rise on those who will meet my face no more,

‘He was one who had an eye for such mysteries’?

Madam Deputy Speaker (Mrs Eleanor Laing): I paused because I wanted to encourage some more positive noises for the Minister, who has just made one of the best speeches I have ever heard in this House.

22/10/2023
PRESS RELEASE : Rishi Sunak call with the Prime Minister and Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed bin Salman [October 2023]

The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 17 October 2023.

The Prime Minister spoke to the Prime Minister and Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed bin Salman, this afternoon.

Their discussions focused on the conflict in Gaza following Hamas’ terror attack, and the Prime Minister welcomed Saudi Arabia’s leadership in seeking a peaceful resolution to the crisis.

The leaders agreed on the importance of avoiding further destabilisation across the Middle East, including through Iranian proxies in the region, and committed to coordinate action to deescalate tensions.

The Prime Minister set out the UK’s support for Israel’s right to defend itself against terror and combat the threat from Hamas. He confirmed the UK would provide further humanitarian aid for Palestinians in Gaza and continue to support the legitimate aspirations of the Palestinian people to statehood, alongside regional partners like Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Egypt.

The leaders also discussed wider cooperation between the United Kingdom and Saudi Arabia, including in the areas of defence, trade and investment.

22/10/2023