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Kieran Mullan – 2023 Speech on the Firearms Bill

The speech made by Kieran Mullan, the Conservative MP for Crewe and Nantwich, in the House of Commons on 24 March 2023.

I beg to move, That the Bill be now read the Third time.

It is a privilege for me to move the Bill’s Third Reading, on behalf of my hon. Friend the Member for West Bromwich West (Shaun Bailey), following its recent consideration in Committee.

The UK has some of the toughest gun controls in the world, and robust licensing controls are key to keeping the public safe. Firearms deaths or serious injuries are relatively rare, but the consequences of firearms in the wrong hands can be devastating. That is why we keep our controls under constant review to safeguard against firearms falling into the hands of criminals, terrorists and other individuals who might put public safety at risk, while ensuring that legitimate firearms users can participate in shooting safely, through an effective licensing system.

The Bill will help to further strengthen the controls by addressing two vulnerabilities that could be exploited by criminals, terrorists and others with a malicious intent. Clause 1 deals with controls on miniature rifle ranges. It would be fair to say that the current exemption in law for miniature rifle ranges is a lesser-known area of firearms law, but it is none the less extremely important that we improve the legislative regulation relating to them. Section 11(4) of the Firearms Act 1968 at present allows a person conducting or carrying on a miniature rifle range or shooting gallery at which only miniature rifles and ammunition not exceeding .23-inch calibre or air weapons are used to purchase, acquire or possess miniature rifles or ammunition without a firearm certificate. Additionally, a person can use these rifles and ammunition at such a range without a certificate. Although the term “miniature rifle” is used in the legislation, the firearms this applies to are lethal guns that are otherwise subject to the requirement for the holder to apply for a certificate in order to possess them.

The existing exemption in section 11(4) of the 1968 Act means that a person can purchase firearms and operate a miniature rifle range, at which others can shoot, without a certificate and therefore without having undergone the usual stringent police checks on a person’s suitability and assessment of how they will store and use the firearms safely. The police and others have raised concerns that the exemption is a loophole in firearms law that is vulnerable to abuse by criminals or terrorists seeking to access firearms and sidestep the usual robust checks carried out by the police.

Mr Louie French (Old Bexley and Sidcup) (Con)

My hon. Friend is making a compelling case, and I entirely support the Bill’s aim in tackling crime, closing those loopholes and increasing public safety. However, will he give further reassurance that this Bill, through targeting these loopholes, will not have an undue impact on those who collect such rifles for historical and ornamental purposes, not for shooting? Will he confirm that it will not put too much of a burden on such people, who already go through checks? This issue has been raised by a constituent who is a collector of such weapons.

Dr Mullan

I thank my hon. Friend for raising that question. His remarks are particularly pertinent to clause 2, on ammunition components and parts of guns that people might own, whether they are miniature rifles or not. I assure him that that element of the law focuses on the person’s intent, as I will come on to describe. If a person has reasonable grounds for having the components of ammunition, and it is clear to the police that they have no malicious or untoward intent, they will be okay.

As I say, the miniature rifle range exemption has been in existence for many years, and is used extensively by small-bore rifle clubs to introduce newcomers to sport shooting. It is used by some schools and colleges, activity centres offering targeted shooting, at game fairs, and in a number of other legitimate environments. Many of those would be severely affected if the exemption were removed entirely, which was never the intention. If it were removed, clubs could no longer enable newcomers to try out target shooting in a safe, controlled way. In recognition of this, the Bill preserves the benefits of the miniature rifle range exemption, while bringing in appropriate controls by making it a requirement that the rifle range operator be granted a firearm certificate by the police, having undergone all the necessary checks as to suitability, security and good reason.

The Bill also more tightly defines what may be considered a miniature rifle. It restricts the definition to .22-inch rimfire guns, which are lower-powered rifles. There is concern that the definition in current legislation—

“not exceeding .23 inch calibre”—

could allow the use of more powerful firearms that would not be suitable for use on a miniature rifle range by an uncertified person, even when the necessary supervision and safety measures are in place.

The second firearms measure in the Bill is the measure on ammunition, which will help the police to tackle unlawful manufacture of ammunition by introducing a new offence of possessing its component parts with an intent to assemble unauthorised quantities of complete ammunition. The police have raised concerns that the component parts of ammunition are too easy to obtain, and are being used by criminals to manufacture whole rounds of ammunition.

Mr French

My hon. Friend is making a really passionate speech. He has picked up on some interesting distinctions between what will be in the Bill and what will not. Could he please outline what guidance there will be for the police, who will have to enforce the measures, on these clear distinctions in the law?

Dr Mullan

Again, my hon. Friend makes an important point. I welcome the opportunity to clarify that, as he says, the police will have to make new and different decisions in enforcing this legislation. I am pleased to say that a new training and quality assurance package for police firearm licensing teams is being developed, which will contribute to their being able to make those decisions in a reliable and effective way.

It might be helpful if I briefly explained what the components of ammunition are, and how they go together to make a round of ammunition. The components are the gunpowder, used to propel a projectile from a firearm; the primer, which is an explosive compound that ignites the gunpowder, projectile or bullet; and the cartridge case. There are already controls on primers in the Violent Crime Reduction Act 2006. Section 35 of that Act makes it an offence to sell or purchase primers unless the purchaser is authorised to possess them—for example, by being a registered firearms dealer, or by holding a firearm certificate authorising them to possess ammunition for a firearm.

Controls on the possession of gunpowder are set out in the Explosives Regulations 2014, which state that with certain exceptions, anyone wanting to acquire or keep explosives must hold an explosives certificate issued by the police. The projectiles or bullets and the cartridge case are constructed of inert material, and are not controlled. Frankly, given the nature of those two components and the quantities in which they are made, it would be difficult to control their possession, and there is no wish to do so.

The present situation can make the prosecution of certain cases by the police difficult. Where there is intent to produce ammunition unlawfully, the police may be unable to progress with certain criminal cases if the materials found are not controlled. In view of those concerns, the firearms safety consultation sought views on whether controls on component parts of ammunition remained sufficient, or whether they should be strengthened by making it an offence to possess component parts with intent to assemble unauthorised quantities of ammunition. As I say, intent is vital. A majority of respondents—62% —agreed or strongly agreed that possession of component parts of ammunition with intent to manufacturer unauthorised quantities of complete rounds of ammunition should be made an offence.

Assembly of ammunition requires use of the various component parts, including the restricted and unrestricted components. The new offence will better enable the police to prosecute criminals who are manufacturing ammunition, including in cases in which only some of the component parts are present, provided that intent is shown. It will be a significant step forward in helping the police to tackle gun crime.

This is a small but important Bill. Events such as those in Keyham in August 2021, on Skye in August 2022 and more recently at Epsom College are clear reminders that we cannot afford to be complacent about the risks that firearms present. The Bill will address two identified vulnerabilities in this country’s firearms controls, and it is right that we take action to address them. I very much appreciate the support that it has so far received; I am sure that my hon. Friend the Member for West Bromwich West feels the same. I commend the Bill to the House.

29/03/2023
PRESS RELEASE : Education Secretary establishes Government’s forward thinking AI approach [March 2023]

The press release issued by the Department for Education on 29 March 2023.

Gillian Keegan to speak about the potential of technology in education.

Artificial intelligence has the power to transform teachers’ day-to-day lives, the Education Secretary will say in a speech today (Wednesday 29 March).

AI technology offers many cutting edge opportunities and some schools are already leveraging its potential, with others eager to learn and understand its full capability to help teach the lessons of tomorrow

Speaking at the Bett show in London, Gillian Keegan will set out to the education and technology sector the great potential of AI and call on them to work together, with Government, to maximise that potential and manage the risks.

The Education Secretary’s speech coincides with the publication of statement from the Department for Education, setting out opportunities and risks that come with AI for education.

The Education Secretary is expected to say:

AI will have the power to transform a teacher’s day-to-day work. We’ve seen people using it to write lesson plans, and some interesting experiments around marking too.

Can it do those things now, to the standard we need? No. Should the time it saves ever come at the cost of the quality produced by a skilled teacher? Absolutely not.

But could we get to a point where the tasks that really drain teachers’ time are significantly reduced? I think we will.

Getting to that point is a journey we in this room are going to have to go on together – and just as we’ve responded to other innovations like the calculator, we’ll use it to deliver better outcomes for students.

The Department is also announcing further support to ensure schools have a safe, secure and reliable foundation in place before they can consider using more powerful technology.

Additions to the Department’s digital and technology standards, covering cloud technology, servers and storage, and filtering and monitoring, will help schools save money and create secure learning environments.

Support also includes a new digital service to help senior leaders with their technology planning.

The tool will benchmark their technology against digital standards, suggest areas of improvement and provide actionable steps and self-serve resources to implement these recommendations.

The service will be piloted in partnership with schools in Blackpool and Portsmouth in September 2023, both Priority Education Investment Areas, before being rolled out across the country.

These new announcements continue to deliver on commitments the government made in the Schools White Paper in Spring 2022 to ‘fix the basics’ in school technology, building on progress towards ensuring all schools have a high-speed broadband internet connection by 2025 and providing targeted classroom connectivity upgrades.

29/03/2023
NEWS FROM 100 YEARS AGO : 29 March 1923

29 MARCH 1923

The Government announced that in the interests of economy that the Royal Marine Artillery and the Royal Marine Light Infantry would be merged.

Captain Arthur Evans proposed an amendment to the 1912 Protection of Animals Act, stating “The Bill would give a magistrate, sitting at a Court of Summary Jurisdiction, the power to award corporal punishment in the case of gross and persistent cruelty.”

The Mines (Working Facilities and Support) Bill was read for a third time in the House of Lords and was passed.

The Treasury removed a £500 subsidy given to the House of Lords Refreshment Department, with Peers being asked to donate £1 each.

29/03/2023
NEWS STORY : Adrian Usher Appointed as the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman

STORY

Adrian Usher has been appointed as the new Prisons and Probation Ombudsman, a role he will hold for three years commencing on 24 April 2023. A spokesperson for the Ministry of Justice said:

“Mr Usher has recently retired from an extensive career as a Senior Police Officer for the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS), joining in 2003. He has previously served on both Counter-Terrorism and Anti-Corruption Commands and has been a Senior Investigating Officer in a variety of roles. He retired as Commander for Learning and Development in the MPS where he led the training requirements across policing operations including changing training to accommodate new legislation, law enforcement best practice and improving policing standards.”

Usher has previously been announced in January 2023 as the preferred candidate for the role and he will succeed Sue McAllister.

RESOURCES

Ministry of Justice Press Release on the Appointment [March 2023]

Usher is Preferred Candidate Press Release [January 2023]

EXTERNAL NEWS LINKS

Prisons and Probation Ombudsman

29/03/2023
PRESS RELEASE : New Prisons and Probation Ombudsman appointed [March 2023]

The press release issued by the Ministry of Justice on 29 March 2023.

The Secretary of State has appointed Adrian Usher as the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman.

The Deputy Prime Minister, Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice, Rt Hon. Dominic Raab MP, has announced the appointment of Adrian Usher as Prisons and Probation Ombudsman for a tenure of three years. His appointment will commence on 24 April 2023 and will run until 23 April 2026.

Mr Usher’s appointment follows a report from the Justice Select Committee into his suitability for the role, published on 25 January, and a public hearing with the committee held on 24 January.

Pre-appointment scrutiny is an important part of the appointment process for some of the most significant public appointments made by Ministers. It is designed to provide an added level of scrutiny to the appointment process. Pre-appointment hearings are held in public and allow a Select Committee to take evidence before a candidate is appointed. Ministers consider the Committee’s views before deciding whether to proceed with the appointment.

The role of the PPO was established in 1994 to be an independent adjudicator of complaints from prisoners following the Woolf Inquiry into the 1990 riots at Strangeways and other prisons. Its remit has since expanded to include probation complaints and complaints from immigration detainees. Further, the PPO now carries out investigations into deaths of prisoners, young people in detention, approved premises’ residents and immigration detainees.

The PPO’s office is operationally independent of, though sponsored by, the MOJ. The role is not defined in legislation but works to the Terms of Reference set by the Secretary of State.

Biography

Mr Usher has recently retired from an extensive career as a Senior Police Officer for the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS), joining in 2003. He has previously served on both Counter-Terrorism and Anti-Corruption Commands and has been a Senior Investigating Officer in a variety of roles. He retired as Commander for Learning and Development in the MPS where he led the training requirements across policing operations including changing training to accommodate new legislation, law enforcement best practice and improving policing standards.

29/03/2023
PRESS RELEASE : The wide-ranging security impacts of challenges in cyberspace – UK statement to the OSCE [March 2023]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 29 March 2023.

Emma Logan (UK Delegation) condemns Russia’s sustained pattern of malicious cyber behaviour against the UK and our partners.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. As we have heard today, threats in cyberspace are evolving and can take many forms.

We continue to see a sustained pattern of malicious cyber behaviour by the Russian state, and by cyber criminals allowed to operate from Russian territory with impunity, against the UK and our friends and partners.

Threat to Ukraine

This pattern of malicious cyber behaviour includes a long-running campaign of hostile and destabilising activity against Ukraine, the tempo of which increased significantly in the run up to and immediately following Russia’s illegal invasion on 24 February 2022.

Together with partners, we have exposed multiple instances of malicious cyber activity by Russia, including the deployment of malware against the Ukrainian banking sector on 15 and 16 February 2022, and an attack on a communications company on the 24 February that caused outages for several thousand Ukrainian customers, with tens of thousands of terminals damaged, rendered inoperable and irreparable.

In addition to harming their intended targets, these incidents have had wider destabilising consequences – affecting ordinary people and businesses across the OSCE region. For example, the 24 February attack affected windfarms in one country and internet users across Europe.

In addition, the Kremlin continues to use information operations to undermine Ukrainian sovereignty, create false pretexts and obscure the truth. It regularly uses propaganda and disinformation to sustain its support base, attack rivals, and erode international support for Ukraine. Georgia and Moldova are among the states suffering on the frontline from these underhand tactics.

Threat to the UK

Even before it launched its illegal invasion of Ukraine, we judged Russia posed a significant, enduring, and direct cyber threat to the UK.

Our National Cyber Security Centre has confirmed that Russian cyber actors have conducted a malign programme of activity in recent years, including attempted interference against our media, telecommunications, and energy infrastructure.

This threat has not changed significantly since the start of its invasion, but Russia’s risk appetite has grown significantly.

UK response

As was made clear by our recent Integrated Review Refresh, the UK is working with our partners to meet these challenges head on and to hold the perpetrators to account.

Public attribution

We have publicly attributed malicious cyber activity to Russia where we have had compelling evidence to do so and it was in our national interest. I have already given some examples, related to Ukraine, but there are others. For example, in April 2021 we attributed the SolarWinds compromise to Russia’s foreign intelligence agency, the SVR. This forms part of a pattern of behaviour ongoing since 2011, predominantly aimed at overseas governmental, diplomatic, think-tank, healthcare and energy targets for intelligence purposes.

Sanctions

We have also used our cyber sanctions regime to impose a direct cost on those responsible for malicious cyber activity. For example, together with partners we have imposed asset freezes and travel bans against members of Russia’s military intelligence agency, the GRU’s, destructive cyber unit.

Resilience

As outlined in our National Cyber Strategy, the UK will continue to strengthen our cyber resilience.

Support to partners

And importantly, we also will continue to support our partners to build their own resilience.

For example, we announced a £6.35 million package of cyber support to Ukraine last year, including the provision of daily cyber threat intelligence and technical assistance to the MFA to protect their websites from Distributed Denial of Service attacks.

Lastly, on disinformation, we have established a new directorate in our Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office to build our capability to assess and respond to the hostile manipulation of information. And we have committed to provide additional funding to the BBC World Service to counter disinformation.

Mr. Chair, not only must Russia withdraw its troops from Ukraine and end its brutal and illegal war, it must act as a responsible actor in cyberspace, and refrain from spreading dangerous disinformation. The UK will continue to do everything we can to protect ourselves and our partners from these threats and we would welcome further discussion on these topics in the OSCE Security Committee as the threats remain live.

Thank you.

29/03/2023
PRESS RELEASE : UK unveils world leading approach to innovation in first artificial intelligence white paper to turbocharge growth [March 2023]
The press release issued by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology on 29 March 2023.

Government launches AI white paper to guide the use of artificial intelligence in the UK, to drive responsible innovation and maintain public trust in this revolutionary technology.
- White paper sets out new approach to regulating artificial intelligence to build public trust in cutting-edge technologies and make it easier for businesses to innovate, grow and create jobs
- plan will help unleash the benefits of AI, one of the 5 technologies of tomorrow, which already contributes £3.7 billion to the UK economy
- follows new expert taskforce to build the UK’s capabilities in foundation models, including large language models like ChatGPT, and £2 million for sandbox trial to help businesses test AI rules before getting to market
Five principles, including safety, transparency and fairness, will guide the use of artificial intelligence in the UK, as part of a new national blueprint for our world class regulators to drive responsible innovation and maintain public trust in this revolutionary technology.

The UK’s AI industry is thriving, employing over 50,000 people and contributing £3.7 billion to the economy last year. Britain is home to twice as many companies providing AI products and services as any other European country and hundreds more are created each year.

AI is already delivering real social and economic benefits for people, from helping doctors to identify diseases faster to helping British farmers use their land more efficiently and sustainably. Adopting artificial intelligence in more sectors could improve productivity and unlock growth, which is why the government is committed to unleashing AI’s potential across the economy.

As AI continues developing rapidly, questions have been raised about the future risks it could pose to people’s privacy, their human rights or their safety. There are concerns about the fairness of using AI tools to make decisions which impact people’s lives, such as assessing the worthiness of loan or mortgage applications.

Alongside hundreds of millions of pounds of government investment announced at Budget, the proposals in the AI Regulation White Paper will help create the right environment for artificial intelligence to flourish safely in the UK.

Currently, organisations can be held back from using AI to its full potential because a patchwork of legal regimes causes confusion and financial and administrative burdens for businesses trying to comply with rules.

The government will avoid heavy-handed legislation which could stifle innovation and take an adaptable approach to regulating AI. Instead of giving responsibility for AI governance to a new single regulator, the government will empower existing regulators – such as the Health and Safety Executive, Equality and Human Rights Commission and Competition and Markets Authority – to come up with tailored, context-specific approaches that suit the way AI is actually being used in their sectors.

The white paper outlines 5 clear principles that these regulators should consider to best facilitate the safe and innovative use of AI in the industries they monitor. The principles are:
- safety, security and robustness: applications of AI should function in a secure, safe and robust way where risks are carefully managed
- transparency and explainability: organisations developing and deploying AI should be able to communicate when and how it is used and explain a system’s decision-making process in an appropriate level of detail that matches the risks posed by the use of AI
- fairness: AI should be used in a way which complies with the UK’s existing laws, for example the Equality Act 2010 or UK GDPR, and must not discriminate against individuals or create unfair commercial outcomes
- accountability and governance: measures are needed to ensure there is appropriate oversight of the way AI is being used and clear accountability for the outcomes
- contestability and redress: people need to have clear routes to dispute harmful outcomes or decisions generated by AI
This approach will mean the UK’s rules can adapt as this fast-moving technology develops, ensuring protections for the public without holding businesses back from using AI technology to deliver stronger economic growth, better jobs, and bold new discoveries that radically improve people’s lives.

Over the next 12 months, regulators will issue practical guidance to organisations, as well as other tools and resources like risk assessment templates, to set out how to implement these principles in their sectors. When parliamentary time allows, legislation could be introduced to ensure regulators consider the principles consistently.

Science, Innovation and Technology Secretary Michelle Donelan said

AI has the potential to make Britain a smarter, healthier and happier place to live and work. Artificial intelligence is no longer the stuff of science fiction, and the pace of AI development is staggering, so we need to have rules to make sure it is developed safely.

Our new approach is based on strong principles so that people can trust businesses to unleash this technology of tomorrow.

Businesses warmly welcomed initial proposals for this proportionate approach during a consultation last year and highlighted the need for more coordination between regulators to ensure the new framework is implemented effectively across the economy. As part of the white paper published today, the government is consulting on new processes to improve coordination between regulators as well as monitor and evaluate the AI framework, making changes to improve the efficacy of the approach if needed.

£2 million will fund a new sandbox, a trial environment where businesses can test how regulation could be applied to AI products and services, to support innovators bringing new ideas to market without being blocked by rulebook barriers.

Organisations and individuals working with AI can share their views on the white paper as part of a new consultation launching today which will inform how the framework is developed in the months ahead.

Lila Ibrahim, Chief Operating Officer and UK AI Council Member, DeepMind, said:

AI has the potential to advance science and benefit humanity in numerous ways, from combating climate change to better understanding and treating diseases. This transformative technology can only reach its full potential if it is trusted, which requires public and private partnership in the spirit of pioneering responsibly. The UK’s proposed context-driven approach will help regulation keep pace with the development of AI, support innovation and mitigate future risks.

Grazia Vittadini, Chief Technology Officer, Rolls-Royce, said:

Both our business and our customers will benefit from agile, context-driven AI regulation. It will enable us to continue to lead the technical and quality assurance innovations for safety-critical industrial AI applications, while remaining compliant with the standards of integrity, responsibility and trust that society demands from AI developers.

Sue Daley, Director for Tech and Innovation at techUK, said:

techUK welcomes the much-anticipated publication of the UK’s AI White Paper and supports its plans for a context-specific, principle-based approach to governing AI that promotes innovation. The government must now prioritise building the necessary regulatory capacity, expertise, and coordination. techUK stands ready to work alongside government and regulators to ensure that the benefits of this powerful technology are felt across both society and the economy.
29/03/2023
PRESS RELEASE : Eight projects seek funding in the second phase of the Climate Finance Accelerator in Peru [March 2023]
The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 28 March 2023.

Eight innovative projects that contribute to climate change mitigation have been selected to participate in the second phase of the Climate Finance Accelerator.

The program, funded by the Government of the United Kingdom, will support the selected projects to strengthen their proposals and attract investment from Peruvian and international financiers.

The projects in this second CFA cohort come from a variety of sectors including waste management, energy, sustainable agriculture, among others. For example, some of them aim to implement solar panel boats for river traffic in the Amazon, responsible waste management in the construction sector, regeneration of used clays, among others.

A key barrier to climate action is the limited supply of projects capable of attracting the financing and investment needed to implement large-scale solutions. Projects will receive

The technical assistance provided focuses on identifying their financial needs such as the combination of financing from public and private sources, structuring their bankable financial model and presentation materials.

The advice also seeks to improve the business model in areas like gender inclusion and social equality. Once funded, the projects will benefit communities throughout Peru through pollution reduction, employment opportunities, energy access, water conservation, and support for gender equality and social inclusion efforts.

UK Ambassador to Peru, Gavin Cook, stated:

I’m delighted to join these eight exciting projects at the start of their CFA Peru journey. Their innovative ideas and approaches really showcase how the private sector is helping to tackle the climate emergency in Peru and we’re excited to partner.

The CFA’s technical and financial experts will help them develop to get the investment that will drive not just their projects, but wider social impact. The lessons we learn will also help the Peruvian government and private sector generate capital flows for the future. I can’t wait to hear how they get on.

By bringing together stakeholders who can develop and finance climate projects at scale, the CFA will support Peru’s efforts to meet the priorities set out in its Nationally Determined Contribution under the Paris Agreement.

The project is led in Peru by Libélula. Program leader in Peru, Katherine Bocanegra, Libelula’s Head of Projects added:

The CFA Program is a great opportunity to continue building the portfolio of sustainable and bankable projects that reduce carbon emissions in Peru. We are very excited about the results we will obtain at the end of this second phase, the projects are increasingly promising and we will do everything we can to help them access the financing they need.

The eight projects selected for this second phase are:
1. QUIASA Consulting SRL: Quiasa Consulting is a company that develops solutions in the oil sector with the objective of expanding the regeneration system of activated clays used in the edible oil industry, by the boil off method, for its reuse and also to obtain the residual oil by-product, which will be used as raw material for the Peruvian biofuel market.
2. RONAP: Digital connectivity in real time to promote initiatives that raise the value of the forest, linking consumers, with a commitment to climate change, in order to make them participants in the conservation and recovery of forests, strengthening the relationship of producers/gatherers, their families and context with the biodiversity of the Amazonian ecosystems.
3. Cartonorte EIRL: Replacing wooden crates from the indiscriminate felling of trees with biodegradable recyclable cardboard boxes for the transport of fruit harvested in the central jungle.
4. Kara Solar Foundation: A consortium to promote solar-powered river transportation. Kara Solar, the Ecuador-Peru Binational Plan and the Conservation Strategy Fund seek to massify this transportation and energy model in the Peruvian Amazon to promote sustainable development and create a concrete response to deforestation. We will focus on the implementation of technology, training, and financial tools.
5. SINBA: sinba is a socio-environmental company and Certified B Company founded in Lima, Peru in 2016, whose purpose is to co-create a #waste-free world, where nothing is left over and no one is left over. We recover organic waste and turn it into animal feed and fertilizers, in addition to recovering recyclable materials. Through the circular economy we reduce GHG emissions from waste by 90%, in addition to providing low-carbon raw materials for local industries.
6. CICLO: We increase the sustainability indicators of companies in the construction sector with 2 lines of business: the integrated management of construction waste (CDW) and the sale of eco-materials that we manufacture from the recycling of this waste.
7. Cooperativa Agraria Cafetalera Alto Mayo: The project consists of using coffee waste (Cascarilla) for the production and commercialization of organic fertilizers and coffee briquettes; as well as processing and commercializing soluble coffee with a new brand, located in the provinces of Moyobamba (San Martín and Jaén (Cajamarca).
8. Bioenergy Perú SAC: Bioenergy seeks financing to increase its production capacity (CAPEX) by increasing its monthly production capacity from 2,500 MT to 4,000 MT through the acquisition of equipment, as well as the increase of working capital to acquire larger volumes of raw material.
29/03/2023
PRESS RELEASE : New laws to help bring more great shows to British screens and airwaves [March 2023]
The press release issued by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on 28 March 2023.

Draft Media Bill published to help public service broadcasters better compete with streaming giants.
- Confirms plans to bring Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+ under new Ofcom rules and ensure public service broadcasters’ on-demand services are easy to discover on smart TVs and streaming sticks
- New reforms to guarantee access to UK radio on smart speakers and cut red tape on commercial stations
- Streaming services will be required to provide subtitles, audio description and signing to support people with disabilities
Britain’s biggest broadcasters will get new privileges and freedoms to make more hit shows and better compete with global streaming giants under new draft legislation published today.

The draft Media Bill will enable public service broadcasters (PSBs) – the BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Channel 5, STV and S4C – to unleash their potential to grow, produce more top quality British content and invest in new technologies to keep viewers tuning in amid fierce competition from subscription-based online platforms.

It marks the next step in the government’s plan to modernise decades-old broadcasting legislation outlined in a white paper last year. In addition, new reforms have been added to protect the position of UK radio on smart speakers as listeners increasingly move away from AM and FM stations in favour of internet-based services.

Smart speaker platforms – such as Google and Amazon – will be required by law to ensure access to all licenced UK radio stations, from major national stations to the smallest community stations. Platforms will be banned from charging stations for being hosted on their services or overlaying their own adverts over the top of those stations’ programmes.

The Bill will also reduce regulatory burdens on commercial radio stations, relaxing content and format requirements developed in the 1980s which tie them to commitments to broadcast particular genres of music or to particular age groups. The new regime will give stations more flexibility to update or adapt their services without needing consent from Ofcom. The reduced bureaucracy these changes will deliver could save the radio industry up to £1 million per year.

TV-focused measures include bringing mainstream video-on-demand (VoD) services consumed in the UK – such as Netflix and Disney+ – under a new Ofcom content code, to protect audiences from a wider range of harmful material – such as misleading health claims. The latest research from Ofcom indicates that traditional ‘linear’ TV viewing – where viewers watch programmes broadcast at a scheduled time usually via terrestrial or satellite – is down more than 25 per cent since 2011, and 68 per cent among 16-24s.

The draft Bill includes action to ensure video on demand viewers can more easily discover public service broadcast services such as BBC iPlayer and ITVX on smart TVs, set-top boxes and streaming sticks. It also includes new rules to make video on demand content more accessible to those with seeing and hearing impairments.

The new laws will introduce simpler, more flexible rules on what TV programmes public service broadcasters are required to show, meaning these broadcasters – who commission around £1.2 billion in programming each year, with almost all of it spent in the UK – will be better equipped to adapt to changing viewer habits as people increasingly watch TV on digital devices instead of traditional ‘linear’ TV.

Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer said:

Technology has revolutionised the way people enjoy TV and radio. The battle to attract and retain audiences has never been more fierce. British content and production is world leading but changes to viewing habits have put traditional broadcasters under unprecedented pressure.

These new laws will level the playing field with global streaming giants, ensuring they meet the same high standards we expect from public service broadcasters and that services like iPlayer and ITVX are easy to find however you watch TV.

Our Bill will give these brilliant broadcasters and our legendary radio industry the tools to keep doing what they do best – nurturing the creative talent and skills that fuel the UK’s booming production industry, whilst making outstanding shows that we can all enjoy.

Dame Carolyn McCall, Chief Executive, ITV plc said:

We welcome the publication of the Media Bill today as a decisive staging post on the journey to a modern and flexible regulatory regime for TV and media in the UK. This Bill will modernise the framework for a Public Service Broadcasting system that is the cornerstone of the £116bn creative economy.

The UK is a global leader in the creative industries and this legislation will help to maintain and strengthen that position. Given the profound and dynamic changes in the global media ecology the need is urgent and we would encourage the Government to ensure the Bill becomes law as soon as possible.

Maria Kyriacou, Paramount Global’s President for Broadcast & Studios, International Markets, said:

We welcome the publication of the draft Media Bill. This is vitally important new legislation to ensure that prominence for Public Service Broadcasters is maintained in the age of the smart TV.

We hope that Parliament supports and recognises the urgency of implementing this to underpin the health and vitality of our world-leading British broadcasting and creative sector – and protect it for the future.

It’s particularly pleasing that Channel 5’s PSB licence has also been renewed, which is great recognition of the ongoing success of the channel and its important role in the public service ecology of the UK.

The Media Bill will level the playing field between public service broadcasters and video-on-demand services. For the first time, UK-focused mainstream VoD services will be brought under rules similar to those that already apply to linear TV. It will mean that UK audiences, especially children, are better and more consistently protected from harmful material.

For the first time, VoDs will have to provide subtitles on 80 per cent of their programmes, while 10 per cent must have audio description and 5 per cent signed interpretation. Subtitles are carried on the majority of VoD programming, but this can be inconsistent across services and audio description and signing are rarer, so the Bill will help ensure those with disabilities can enjoy more of their favourite shows.

VoD viewers will now be able to formally complain to Ofcom, and the Bill will strengthen Ofcom’s duty to assess audience protection measures on VoDs such as age ratings and viewer guidance. Ofcom will have more robust powers to investigate and take action to enforce standards if they consider it appropriate, including issuing fines of up to £250,000 and – in the most serious and repeated cases – restricting a service’s availability in the UK.

Channel 4 will no longer be barred from producing its own content, if it chooses to do so, and will get a new legal duty to consider its long-term sustainability alongside the delivery of its public service remit, which will ensure this globally renowned broadcaster can continue to produce high impact, distinctive shows long into the future.

The draft Bill will boost S4C, the Welsh language broadcaster, by removing geographic restrictions – confirming it can broaden its reach in the UK and beyond and offer its content on a range of new digital services, and will ensure major TV sporting events like the Olympics and World Cup remain free to watch by as many people as possible.

It also delivers on the government’s commitment to repeal section 40 of the Crime and Courts Act 2013, which is not in force, but would require news publishers to pay both sides’ costs in any legal proceedings if not a member of an approved regulator.

Matt Payton, CEO of Radiocentre, said:

With more radio listening than ever now taking place online and on smart speakers, it’s only sensible that the Government introduces safeguards for the future that will guarantee consumer choice and support the public value provided by UK radio services.

The commercial radio sector welcomes this important recognition of the vital role that it plays in the media landscape. We’re also pleased to see legislation that will finalise commercial radio deregulation, enabling stations to focus on producing great content that listeners want to hear.

The publication of the Bill in draft will allow for further engagement with the industry to ensure these major reforms deliver for broadcasters and viewers. The government remains fully committed to introducing the Bill as soon as Parliamentary time allows.
29/03/2023
PRESS RELEASE : UK encourages greater use of UN sanctions regimes to counter terrorism on the continent of Africa – UK Statement at the Security Council [March 2023]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 28 March 2023.

Statement by Ambassador James Kariuki at the UN Security Council debate on counter-terrorism.

Thank you President, and thank you for convening this important meeting today, consistent with your personal leadership on peace and stability to drive the Maputo Peace Accords.

The co-ordinated response to the conflict in Northern Mozambique that you secured demonstrates the importance of regional collaboration to stem the spread of terrorism. I also thank the Secretary-General and AU Chair, President Assoumani, for their briefings.

President, as we have heard, the terrorist threat is increasingly transnational and opportunistic, exploiting existing tensions in society. So the international community’s response needs to make the most of all of our expertise and capacity, adapted to different regional contexts as necessary. Let me highlight three priorities.

First, the UK is committed to regional security and intelligence cooperation on the continent of Africa and around the world. We encourage collaboration between the United Nations, the African Union, and Regional Economic Communities, including in mission settings. As with UN and AU-led operations, REC-led missions must have robust compliance and accountability measures, not least to ensure that they do not feed the terrorists’ own narratives. We recognise the challenges of resourcing and sustaining such operations. We look forward to constructive discussions about how this could be improved following the SG’s upcoming report on UN-AU financing.

Second, as we work to cut off the funding of terrorism, we encourage greater use of UN sanctions regimes on the continent of Africa, whilst ensuring continued delivery of humanitarian assistance to states responding to crises. We deeply value our cooperation with regional partners on the 751 Al Shabaab sanctions regime, we have used this to continue tightening the knot on Al Shabaab, including through sponsoring the designation of individuals associated with the group.

Third, we welcome, and endorse, calls for counter terrorism efforts to be holistic, not just military-focussed. As we review the UN Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy, we are clear that Counter-Terrorism and Counter Violent Extremism efforts must uphold the protection of human rights, the inclusion of civil society, and the meaningful participation of women, in order to be effective. The UK is working closely with partners across Africa to strengthen security cooperation. In Kenya, for example, the UK funded the establishment of the Anti-Terrorism Police Unit’s headquarters in Mombasa, as part of our $8.6 million a year investment to support Kenya’s CT efforts. We also worked with national and county government, civil society and communities to reduce the vulnerability of 800 at-risk Kenyans to radicalisation.

President, in areas of instability, the Wagner Group is part of the problem, not the solution. For example, in Mali and the Central African Republic, we cannot ignore the destabilising role of the Wagner group as they exploit conflict and governance deficits to suck resources out of Africa where it is sorely needed, contributing to environments in which terrorism can thrive.

President, we look forward to the Africa Counter-Terrorism Summit in Abuja in October as a chance to strengthen further our cooperation on this important subject.

Thank you.

29/03/2023