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  • PRESS RELEASE : UK hosts thanked on first anniversary of Homes for Ukraine scheme [March 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : UK hosts thanked on first anniversary of Homes for Ukraine scheme [March 2023]

    The press release issued by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities on 25 March 2023.

    Ukrainian Ambassador thanks British people for standing ‘shoulder to shoulder’ with Ukraine.

    The government has hailed the British public’s generosity and their enduring commitment to freedom one year on from the first Homes for Ukraine arrival.

    In a video message today (25 March), the Ukrainian Ambassador to the UK has also thanked those who have given sanctuary through the UK’s Homes for Ukraine scheme, one of the fastest, biggest and most generous visa programmes in British history.

    Since the scheme’s launch 117,700 Ukrainians have been invited into the homes and hearts of thousands of family homes up and down the country. With the war still continuing there are now many Ukrainians looking for re-matching and sponsors are urged to come forward.

    New government data, published this week shows more than 28,300 Ukrainians of working age (16-64) were in paid employment within around six months of their arrival.

    To strengthen the support for Ukrainians to settle into their new homes the government is providing the following:

    Per capita funding for councils for each new arrival including £150 million to support guests into their own homes and extended as well as increased ‘thank you’ payments for sponsors

    £11.5 million towards intensive English language courses and employment support for up to 10,000 individuals to boost the number of Ukrainians entering the labour market and to help those already employed into higher-skilled roles, this is in addition 20,500 Ukrainian children currently attending local schools

    £100m for 145 councils in England by the end of March as part of the £500m Local Authority Housing Fund to help obtain, repurpose or build housing for arrivals on resettlement programmes.

    This also comes ahead of this weekend’s England v Ukraine EURO 24 qualifier at Wembley, with 1,000 free tickets offered to Ukrainians and their sponsors.

    Levelling up Secretary, Michael Gove said:

    “One year on from the first person arriving in the UK under our Homes For Ukraine Scheme I remain incredibly proud of this country’s response, with the British public having shown their true generosity of spirit and their enduring belief in freedom.

    “Ukrainians have embraced every aspect of their new lives in the UK – sending their children to local schools, entering the jobs market and working on their English language skills. This is proof not only of the immense bravery and resilience of the Ukrainian people but the huge value they are bringing to our communities.”

    Ukrainian ambassador to the UK, Vadym Volodymyrovych Prystaiko said:

    “I am honoured and humbled by your countries generosity and am grateful to all the local councils and all the families who have opened up their homes, their hearts and sometimes wallets to Ukrainians fleeing from the horrors of war.

    “160,000 Ukrainian women and children have reached British shores and have been welcomed in your communities and schools. But some still need your help. The unprovoked and unjustified war still rages in the Ukraine and I ask those who can, please come forward and offer your support.”

    Homes for Ukraine sponsor, John from Richmond said:

    “I’m very glad that I have been able to provide sanctuary for two people who would otherwise be suffering greatly in Ukraine.

    “It’s a big commitment for sure but I try not to overthink it. Consider what a gift you are providing to someone escaping from an unbearable situation, possibly in fear of their life. I am very glad that I decided to become a host. I would encourage anyone else considering giving it a try.”

    The Department recently wrote to all those who have previously expressed interest in becoming Homes for Ukraine hosts to thank them for coming forward to offer their help in rematching Ukrainian families with hosts. Those hosting Ukrainians who have already been in the UK for over 12 months will be entitled to the increased thank you payments.

    The Local Authority Housing funding was previously announced in December, to support Ukrainian and Afghan arrivals into independent accommodation before eventually providing a new and permanent supply of housing for local communities across England. The fund is designed to help support communities which have been particularly generous in welcoming new arrivals, and will build a sustainable stock of affordable housing for the long term future.

    £10.55m has already been given to councils, with an expected £122.5m of further payments expected by the end of March, providing up to 4,000 homes by 2024.

    Under the Homes for Ukraine scheme, Ukrainian arrivals are awarded the right to work in the UK for up to three years from arrival and are entitled to the same benefits and support as UK nationals.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Turks and Caicos Islands – Governor’s farewell address [March 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : Turks and Caicos Islands – Governor’s farewell address [March 2023]

    The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 24 March 2023.

    Farewell address from HE the Governor, Nigel Dakin CMG, to the Turks and Caicos Islands.

    With thanks to the Premier and the previous Premier for those extremely kind and generous remarks; they mean a great deal – more than you might imagine.

    I could make myself extremely popular by making this farewell speech extraordinarily short – four words short – and also raise a cheer: “UK Good, TCI Great”. But perhaps that would be cheating.

    If you are here tonight, at this reception, I would want to say a personal thank you to each and everyone of you. Time doesn’t allow for that, but I will end by saying something to all of you.

    The one thank you I will say is to the person stood next to me, who has been stood next to me for 38 years: Mandy. The UK Government – many years ago- essentially bought one, and got one free. We are a team.

    You know what Mandy’s done and been doing in these Islands and she’s very much become her own person here, quite separate from my role. Indeed I was recently introduced as: “This is Nigel, he’s married to Mandy, oh yes, and she’s married to the Governor.

    Of her many talents my wife is creative and she becomes super creative when she’s happy. I know how much she has enjoyed Turks and Caicos just by looking at her art but of course her contribution has gone much further than that. But you all know that.

    While I admire brevity, this is the last address I shall give in TCI and that calls for some refection. What I don’t intend to do is try to make sense of things in retrospect but draw on what I said at the time. That’s because your memory can play tricks when trying to justify or explain. So what I do intend to do, instead, is say something about me, and something about you, using the words I used at the time.

    The first is taken from some of the words spoken at my Inauguration in 2019, when of course none of you knew me, and the second from the moment 254 days later, on the 25th March 2020, which was the start of the pandemic and the use of Governor’s Emergency Powers.

    But before quoting what I said back ten, on this point about transparency, my contemporaneous journal is already published. Through the Instagram account @governortci you can go back – and I can go back – and see what I was doing or thinking at any given moment. As far as anything you write can be, its an honest account – over 500 posts – that capture my time here.

    Anyhow, let’s look back to my address at my Inauguration (edited down to save time) just after I’d literally got off the plane:

    “To reply today”, I said on the 15th July 2019, “to the important points you – the Premier and Leader of the Opposition make – would suggest I have arrived with an agenda prepared in London; you will all be relieved to hear that I don’t. My views can wait until I am better informed, through detailed conversations with you.

    To substance. The greatest courtesy I can now pay you is to be both brief and to be clear. Four words that you may choose to hold me to account to and I’ll end talking about my priorities.

    The first word is ‘Care’. I may be a true Brit, but I’m a Brit who cares deeply about the UK’s relationship with the Caribbean, and the Caribbean’s relationship with the UK. With a Bajan wife, whose family has lived on that island for centuries, and children who enjoy joint Bajan / British nationality how could I be anything, but.

    I’ve been in the Caribbean every year for the last 35 years and visited many of the islands in this region. Nearly 33 years ago I married Mandy in St Georges Church, Barbados. One of our children was christened in St Ambrose Church, St Michael, Barbados.

    I therefore promise to ‘care’ about the people and the future of these islands, an easy promise to make, and an easy promise to keep, because both myself and my family have cared about the future of this region for a very long time.

    You will find I will take my responsibility to represent the interests of the Turks and Caicos Islands seriously and diligently.

    The second word is ‘Listen’. Long standing connections to this region ensure that I at least know how much I don’t know. I have some insight to island life. I know how hard I will have to work to understand a rich and complex society that few – who have not lived in the Caribbean – can properly understand.

    As a result you will find me inquisitive, I aspire to be one of the most informed people on these islands. Whoever you are, you will find that I will ask a lot of questions. You all, I think, have a right to be heard – and I have a duty to listen.

    So I promise to seek to understand the collective wisdom of these islands by listening to as many people as I can – from as many different walks of life as I can; I promise to ‘listen’.

    The third word is ‘Service’. I was introduced to public service in 1982 when I joined the British Army. Six months later, at the age of 19, I was leading thirty soldiers on operations. That was 37 years ago and this word ‘service’ has been tested every day since then.

    The truth is that the quality of a person’s leadership is based only on the quality of their service, and the quality of their service boils down to putting others first. So I promise, as your Governor, that I will not only be Her Majesty’s servant in these islands, but I will also be your servant.

    Being clear and straight: This final word, and we need not dwell on this because you will – in the end – judge me as you see it – is that you will find me ‘clear’ and by being clear you fill find me ‘straight’.

    I am acutely aware that as Head of State I am appointed rather than elected. I have the greatest respect for those politicians amongst you, who face an electorate. As a result you – as well as Her Majesty who appointed me as her representative – have every right to demand, in your Head of State, Statesman like qualities. Today is my first step on a journey to earn the right to be judged in that way.

    In the 18th century the political philosopher Burke offered advice. His definition of a statesman was: “A disposition to preserve and an ability to improve”. That seems to me to remain a good aiming mark in the 21st century Turks and Caicos Islands. To preserve and improve. You will find that I’m interested in making a practical, positive, difference.

    In starting a new role though it’s critical to have early focus – my early focus will be on properly understanding issues relating to crime, illegal immigration and hurricane preparedness. My programme has been prepared with that in mind.

    That’s enough talk. I start my agenda – such as it is – to work with you all to ‘preserve and to improve’. In the end this is going to be a Governorship based on values. Whether I ‘care’, ‘listen’, ‘serve’ and whether I’m ‘straight’ will best be judged by my actions rather than my words. I’m now keen to get to work”.

    And now to the pandemic..

    Words taken from the 25th March 2020 speech included:

    “Whoever you are on the Island: old or young; citizen, resident or visitor; whichever Island you live on; whatever your ethnicity; however, you make your living; whether you are rich or poor you are now one. We are now using emergency powers that came into effect last night, on your behalf, for the good of the community. This is going to impact you in very significant ways.

    We can’t deliver you perfection, or anything close to perfection, we can though take some big decisions now that buy us some time.

    Much of what we announce today is driven by the determination that we do not lose the advantage we presently enjoy compared to most. There is a window here where if we are bold we might just come through this far less impacted than others; we don’t intend to shy away from that opportunity or responsibility. If we fail it won’t be because of indecision.”

    And having explained how Emergency Powers would be used, I ended by saying …

    “With due humility I say that Government – anywhere in the world – at the best of times – is not perfect. There was no plan here – there was no plan anywhere – as to how any country let alone this small Island chain would manage with a pandemic that has shut down the globe. … I said at my inauguration that I would care, serve be clear and listen. This is the best moment to hold me to that.

    All my instincts and experiences of dealing with comparatively minor crisis and emergencies, up until this point, tell me that good decisions made early are far better than perfect decisions made late. Cabinet is in complete agreement on this. I hope the public agrees.

    It just may be that these Islands – because of the inherent advantages I described at the start – are going to show the world that it is possible to deal with this crisis, calmly, intelligently and purposefully.

    Whether we collectively succeed, or not, the one thing I know above all others is that our behaviours here – to one another – putting our future and our society before the immediacy of the moment – is going to be remembered.

    Those living through this will tell a future generation how you, your friends, your neighbours, and those you never knew, but who you came to respect, behaved and how through that behaviour the Islands rapidly returned to their previous prosperity. Because that will come.

    In the end it will come not because of rules and regulations and because people were told what to do, but because this population knew what it had to do – and it did it”

    So now back to this evening and to this final reception. This is what I really want to say, today.

    “When Mandy and myself say we will miss the people here, it’s not just because we will miss you for your warmth and a set of qualities that are actually quite hard to tease out, but ones which when put together makes TCI and its people a bewitching place.

    It is all of that of course, but more importantly we will miss the people here because of a very distinct national quality that shone through so very well during our time here – your resilience. It is resilience, along with courage, that are the qualities I admire the most.

    Together – each and every one of us on these Islands – all went through a great test together, and together we more than passed that test. As predicted, this population knew what it had to do – and did it.

    Mandy and myself are not Turk and Caicos Islanders, and never can be, but I can tell you quite clearly – being entirely straight with you – that there are no people in the world, just now, that we feel closer to, think the most of, or wish the best for, than you. So “UK Good, TCI even Better”. Thank you for tonight, and thank you for allowing us to be part of you, for this short while. Goodnight.

     

  • Jim McMahon – 2023 Speech on Food Price Inflation

    Jim McMahon – 2023 Speech on Food Price Inflation

    The speech made by Jim McMahon, the Labour MP for Oldham West and Royton, in the House of Commons on 23 March 2023.

    I thank the Minister of State for his response, but this is a cost of living crisis driven in large part by the cost of food, so where is the Secretary of State? She seems to spend more time in the departure lounge than in her own Department at times. Mr Speaker, I feel like I am shadowing a shadow. Where is the Secretary of State on the most important issue at this point in her brief?

    Once again, we are in the midst of a cost of living crisis, in which food inflation is playing a large part. If inflation overall is not curbed, the danger is that that will have an impact on the ability of people to pay their mortgages and we could see further interest rate rises as a result. There are serious questions about the Government’s approach to the cost of food and our food security. Some producers are reducing production and some are exiting completely. There are now 7,000 fewer food producers in agriculture than in 2019. Food inflation is up 18.2%, which is the highest in 45 years, and import costs to February are up 12.7%. The Minister knows—he is in the business—that those import costs today will be felt for months to come.

    There has been warning after warning. Thanks to you, Mr Speaker, this is the second urgent question on food security, but where are the Government on farming payments, on labour shortages, on energy costs, on the costs of feed and fertiliser and on the impact of avian flu? Last time the Secretary of State was here, her advice to the nation was a call to arms to go out and buy turnips —those were her words of wisdom. That just does not wash. When will the Government realise that this is a crisis of their making and they need to take action now?

    Mark Spencer

    I thank the hon. Gentleman for his comments and statements—there were not many questions in there. I can tell him that the Government wholly recognise the challenge that inflation brings to the economy. That is why the Chancellor of the Exchequer has set out a number of measures to curb inflation and to manage the economy in a way that he will struggle to understand.

    I would also say that huge pressures in the global economy, following Putin’s invasion of Ukraine on the back of a global pandemic, are being felt all around the world. Global energy prices have driven huge spikes, for example in the cost of fertiliser, which the hon. Gentleman mentioned: ammonium nitrate went from circa £250 a tonne to in excess of £1,000 a tonne for a short period. The good news is that global gas prices are easing back and coming back under control into a more affordable price range. That will take time to feed through to some of the cost pressures that are being put on our primary producers, but the Government are continuing to talk—[Interruption.] From a sedentary position, the hon. Gentleman mentions labour. That is why the Government increased the number of seasonal agricultural worker visas to 45,000.

    Jim McMahon

    We need 90,000.

    Mark Spencer

    So the hon. Gentleman says, but there are an extra 10,000 visas available should the industry request it and require it. That request has not come to the Government, because we still have enough people in the supply chain with the 45,000 visas that are available. We continue to work and co-operate with retailers, processors and the food sector on continuing to supply good-quality food to our consumers.

  • Mark Spencer – 2023 Statement on Food Price Inflation

    Mark Spencer – 2023 Statement on Food Price Inflation

    The statement made by Mark Spencer, the Minister for Food, Farming and Fisheries, in the House of Commons on 23 March 2023.

    I will respond on behalf of the Secretary of State. I draw attention to my declaration in the Register of Members’ Financial Interests.

    We recognise that food prices have gone up. The recent increase in food price inflation was driven by upward price movements in eight of the 11 food categories. The three most significant price increases since February 2022 are oils and fats, at 32.1%; milk, cheese and eggs, at 30.8%; and non-classified food products, at 28.9%. While recent unseasonable weather in Morocco has also created some temporary supply disruption to fruit and vegetables, domestic retailers have held prices comparatively low compared with the rest of Europe, where increased demand led to some cases of 300% rises in the price of some vegetables.

    A number of media outlets have reported that the recent shortage of some salad and vegetables has been the driver for the increase in food inflation in February, but that is not the case. The overall inflation rate increases have been caused by several factors. There are other categories where price increases have been greater than that of vegetables over the past year.

    These high overall inflation rates are driven by high utility prices and pressures on global supply chains that are being felt across Europe and beyond. Commentators expect the rate of inflation both across the economy and for food and drink to be near its peak. The Government have put in place a number of measures to support households with prices, including committing £37 billion to support households with the cost of living; £1 billion of that has already gone towards help with the cost of household essentials.

    Looking forward to April, the Government will be uprating benefit rates and state pensions by 10.1%. The benefit cap levels will also be increasing by the same amount in order to increase the number of households that can benefit from those uprating decisions. In addition, for 2023-24, households on eligible means-tested benefits will get up to £900 in cost of living payments. That will be split into three payments of around £300 each across the 2023-24 financial year. A separate £300 payment will be made to pensioner households on top of their winter fuel payments, and individuals in receipt of eligible disability benefits will receive a £150 payment.

    Free school meal eligibility is being permanently extended to children from all families with no recourse to public funds. The Government have extended free school meals to more groups of children than any other Government over the past half century. We remain committed to ensuring that the most disadvantaged children continue to be supported.

    We are also working closely with retailers to explore the range of measures they can take to ensure the availability and affordability of food, so while we recognise that this is a challenging time for consumers, we are taking a large number of steps to support people with the cost of living and I have great faith in the food supply chain, which has proven itself to be extremely resilient over the past few years.

  • PRESS RELEASE : We must continue strengthening implementation of the Chemical Weapons Convention – UK Statement at the Security Council [March 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : We must continue strengthening implementation of the Chemical Weapons Convention – UK Statement at the Security Council [March 2023]

    The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 24 March 2023.

    Statement delivered by Thomas Phipps at UN Security Council Arria Meeting on the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons.

    I am going to speak along the same lines as the majority of colleagues here today and so in that respect I am sure I will say nothing that you do not expect.

    Russia’s efforts to undermine the integrity of the OPCW over the last decade are almost as egregious as its own repeated use of chemical weapons.

    No one is fooled by today’s charade. Your choice of briefers, your denial of the Syrian regime’s repeated chemical weapons use, your attacks on the OPCW’s work, your recent refusal to engage in Council meetings on Syria chemical weapons, all lay bare your cynicism in organising an event that purports to address “the OPCWs diminishing authority”.

    The vast majority of the international community understands that it is you that has worked to undermine the OPCW.

    Colleagues, the Chemical Weapons Convention and work of the OPCW is too important for us to allow the Russian Federation to succeed.

    In 1988, eight years after diplomatic negotiations on the Convention began, Saddam Hussein’s Iraq Army conducted a chemical weapons attack on the village of Halabja, which killed between 3,000 and 5,000 people. The horror of the deaths of these thousands of civilians brought increased urgency to efforts to secure a commitment by states to never, under any circumstances, develop, produce, acquire, stockpile, transfer, or use chemical weapons.

    Twenty years after the Convention was opened for signature in Paris, the Assad regime released the nerve agent Sarin in the Ghouta district of Damascus, killing more than 1400 people, many of them children. Despite the adoption by consensus in 2013 of resolution 2118, the Syrian regime did not destroy its chemical weapons stocks and the Council continues to discuss the gaps and inconsistencies in Syria’s initial declaration. We know the Assad regime went on to use chemical weapons on numerous occasions, including in Douma in 2018.

    And it is worth reminding ourselves that the Douma attack took place one month after three Russian nationals, Alexander Petrov, Ruslan Boshirov and Sergey Fedotov were involved in an assassination attempt using a Novichok nerve agent in the UK. A similar Novichok nerve agent was used by Russia’s Federal Security Service in an attempt to assassinate Alexei Navalny.

    In response to these repeated chemical weapons attacks, states from across the globe – from Asia, Africa, Europe, Latin America – have worked together to strengthen the OPCW. After Russia used its veto to block a joint UN-OPCW inquiry into who was responsible for chemical weapons attacks in Syria, States Parties voted to give the OPCW attribution powers. The OPCW IIT has subsequently found the Syrian regime responsible for 5 CW attacks.

    And I would encourage all colleagues, my Brazilian colleague in particular, to read in detail the latest IIT report on the attack in Douma. Mr. Aaron Maté made various claims today in this meeting. One of which, which he focused on at length, was the issue of foaming at the mouth and whether it can be caused by chlorine. He said quite clearly the IIT does not address this issue in its report. That is simply not true. It does so directly on page 43 of the report under section six point 106. I encourage you to also look online, look at very clear successful attempts that have been made to counter the claim Mr Maté continues to make.

    So colleagues, let’s be clear, it is not diminishing OPCW authority that concerns Russia. Quite the opposite. It is the strengthening of the OPCW’s authority that Russia fears.

    There is one point in the concept note for this event with which we strongly agree. The RevCon in May is an important moment. We must use it to continue strengthening implementation of the Chemical Weapons Convention. And with the ongoing support of the Security Council we must collectively address the problem of undeclared programmes, which has been highlighted by repeated Syrian and Russian chemical weapons use over recent years.

  • PRESS RELEASE : £9.13 million awarded to develop cutting-edge farming technology [March 2023]

    The press release issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 24 March 2023.

    Robotic crop harvesting, a new way of cultivating potatoes and an autonomous cow bedding system receive share of funding.

    Three cutting-edge projects will receive a share of £9.13 million in government funding to carry out research and development on proposals to boost agricultural productivity, sustainability and climate resilience, it has been announced today.

    The funding will support projects developing robotic crop harvesting for horticulture, an autonomous system to change cows’ bedding to improve their health, welfare and productivity, and a more environmentally-friendly approach to potato cultivation.

    The three projects are being supported through the Large R&D Partnership competition, which is part of the government’s £270 million Farming Innovation Programme, and a second round of the competition is currently open for applications.

    This is all part of the government’s commitment to spend around £600 million on grants to provide support for farmers to invest in productivity, animal health and welfare, innovation, research and development over three years. It will be funded from the £2.4 billion annual farming budget, which is being maintained at its current level for the rest of this current Parliament.

    Alongside the ongoing roll-out of the Environmental Land Management schemes, the grants will help to deliver long-term sustainable food production and support farmers to halt and reverse the decline of nature as set out in the Environmental Improvement Plan.

    Farming Minister Mark Spencer said:

    It’s important that we fund projects like these – and those still to come in future rounds – as we support farmers to deliver sustainable food production and protect the environment.

    Innovation, research and development will help keep the sector at the cutting edge of technology as we look into the future.

    Katrina Hayter, Interim Executive Director Healthy Living & Agriculture, Innovate UK, said:

    These projects have all demonstrated not only an innovative solution to a real-life, on-farm problem, but also the value of partnerships and collaboration between different sector experts. For novel technology to truly succeed, it needs the input of the farmers themselves for the day-to-day realities of its use.

    We’re really pleased that these partnerships have this idea at their core, and we now look forward to working with them as they develop their solutions further and bring the benefits to life.

    Successful projects

    The Agri-Opencore project, led by APS Produce, has been awarded over £3.8m to accelerate the delivery of robotic crop systems for horticulture. With labour shortages affecting the horticulture sector around the world, there are huge opportunities to reduce costs and labour requirements. The funding will help the project create the world’s first open development platform (software and hardware) for agri-robotic crop harvesting. The open development platform will enable multiple organisations to contribute, allowing cross-sector collaboration and demonstration of technologies on English farms. It is hoped that the project will help to accelerate the adoption of robotic picking by two years.

    Phil Pearson, from APS Produce, said:

    The AGRI-OPENCORE robotics project is an exciting, and vital project for the fresh produce industry. It promises to deliver the significant progress required to automate fresh produce harvesting in the UK. As this work brings leading technology providers, Dogtooth, Xihelm and Wootzano, with the academic excellence of the University of Lincoln team, we can expect significant progress towards autonomous harvesting.

    The AG ARC project, led by Garnett Farm Engineering, has been awarded over £2.5m towards the development of an autonomous cow cubicle bedding unit. Cow comfort is a key factor in reducing the chances of cows suffering from mastitis, a fatal inflammation of their mammary gland, with dry and clean bedding and careful management of cubicles being vital. Currently, this must be done manually by farmers, but this project will develop an intelligent robotic cubicle bedder to monitor and respond to key sensor data to optimise dispensing of bedding. This will help to boost cow health and welfare, improve farm productivity and reduce costs through efficient use of bedding.

    Andrew Garnett, of AG Products, said:

    We look forward to collaborating with the University of Liverpool on this exciting project to further enhance our cattle bedding solutions to farmers, improving cow welfare and productivity. Our passion for innovation has seen the recent launch of the AG Duo; the AG ARC will further revolutionise the industry’s approach to cattle bedding..

    The Potato-LITE project has been awarded £2,830,000 to explore optimised systems for potato cultivation. Current systems require the soil to be cultivated to create a deep and uniform seedbed, free from stones and clods, to provide a favourable environment for potato growth. Whilst reduced tillage technologies have enabled regenerative agriculture in cereal systems, this technology has not been developed for the production of potatoes and other root crops. Potato-LITE will transform potato tillage through developing new cultivation equipment and systems, delivered through a leading partnership between food manufacturers (PepsiCo and McCain), a machinery manufacturer (Grimme), growers (Strawson Ltd, JRO Griffiths, H Sutton & Son and JM Bubb & Son) and research organisations (Cranfield University, Harper Adams University and CHAP). The project focuses on reducing the depth, intensity and number of operations required, which will improve soil health and reduce the environmental impact of potato production whilst also reducing costs, making the £824 million potato sector more resilient and sustainable.

    Shaunagh Slack, Project Lead for Potato-LITE, Regen Ag Scientist, Agricultural Science, PepsiCo, said:

    At PepsiCo, agriculture is core to our business and we believe that sustainable agricultural practices are pivotal in protecting and enhancing our natural resources. Through Potato-LITE, we have a unique opportunity to form a leading industry and academic partnership to transform potato tillage and quantify the benefits on soil health and greenhouse gas emissions.  This four year research project will enable the adoption of regenerative agriculture practices among UK farming communities as we work towards a net zero future.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Raising Awareness on Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict – British Ambassador’s opening remarks [March 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : Raising Awareness on Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict – British Ambassador’s opening remarks [March 2023]

    The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 24 March 2023.

    British Ambassador to the Holy See gave opening remarks at the panel discussion ‘Conflict-Related Sexual Violence – Raising Awareness’ on 24 March 2023.

    Opening remarks by British Ambassador to the Holy See Christopher Trott.

    Your Excellencies, Reverend Fathers and Sisters, Colleagues, welcome and thank you for being with us here and online.

    I would like to thank in particular Maria Lía Zervino, President General of the World Union of Catholic Women’s Organisations, Dr Paolo Ruffini and Sr Bernadette Reis at the Dicastery for Communications of the Holy See for their support in making this event possible, and the shared commitment to raise awareness of conflict-related sexual violence, which is still – in the words of Pope Francis – “a general, and widespread, reality everywhere.”

    During my career, I myself have witnessed first-hand the devastating impact of this heinous act. From my first posting in Myanmar to my most recent ones in South Sudan and in the Solomon Islands. Just a few places where conflict-related sexual violence destroys lives, and where the trauma has had deep and long-lasting effects on the survivors, but also their families and communities.

    But conflict-related sexual violence is not only morally abhorrent. It is an abuse of human rights. And, when perpetrated in the context of armed conflict, it is a serious violation of international humanitarian law and a war crime.

    Tragically, in Ukraine, we are now seeing sexual violence committed by the occupying Russian forces. Ukraine is a rallying call to the international community, and to every one of us. I’m proud that my Government has deployed specialist war crimes and conflict-related sexual violence experts to the region, and that it is working with international partners to refer the situation in Ukraine to the International Criminal Court. Russia’s barbaric acts must be investigated and those responsible held to account.

    The issue

    Conflict-related sexual violence exists far beyond Ukraine. It is sadly widespread in situations of conflict around the world.

    Typically, conflict-related sexual violence is a type of gender-based violence that is grounded in harmful social norms that underpin gender inequality, patriarchal institutions, men and boys’ violence against women and girls, and violations of women’s rights. At the same time it is also frequently used against males, especially boys.

    It has both short- and long-term effects on survivors, children born of sexual violence, and communities. Physical health impacts range from the consequences of immediate injuries to longer-term disabilities. Mental health impacts for survivors vary, including but not limited to anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress disorders. And, while dealing with these traumas, survivors often find themselves isolated, without the support they need to get back on their feet. Sadly, the stigma associated with being a survivor of conflict-related sexual violence can include rejection by family and exclusion from community.

    More generally, conflict-related sexual violence can undermine poverty reduction, gender equality, crisis resilience and recovery, and conflict prevention and resolution.

    The UK’s role

    Preventing sexual violence in conflict remains a key priority for my Government. The international conference held in London last November mobilised the international community, survivors, civil society, multilateral partners and faith leaders to take global action.
    At that conference, the UK launched an ambitious strategy to use our diplomatic, development and defence levers to tackle this appalling crime, including by addressing the root causes, such as harmful gender norms. We pledged to strengthen justice for survivors, and to support them and their children born of sexual violence in conflict. This strategy is backed by up to £12.5m (Euro 14.8m) of new funding over the next three years, bringing our total funding since 2012 to £60m (Euro 68m), and £3.45m (Euro 3.9m) of new funding on gender-based violence in Ukraine and the nearby region.

    The London conference also galvanised further international action, with 53 states and the UN Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict endorsing a new Political Declaration and 40 making national commitments to help stamp out this heinous crime. The UK has since launched an International Alliance to bring together states, civil society and survivors to maintain momentum and to act as a key forum for coordination, sharing best practice and hearing from survivors.

    The London conference also saw the launch of the ‘Murad Code’, which is named after Nadia Murad, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate and herself a Yazidi survivor of sexual violence used by Daesh in Iraq. The Murad Code sets out how to collect information from survivors safely and effectively. Representatives of civil society including faith actors on the ground and survivors were involved in the consultation process of the Murad Code. The code has also been translated into Ukrainian to support the response in Ukraine.

    Faith actors

    I would like to end by highlighting the crucial role faith leaders can play, including but of course not limited to Catholic leaders. Firstly, they can dismantle the harmful misinterpretations of religious texts used to justify sexual violence in conflict. Second, they, more than politicians, can speak to people’s consciences in demanding an end to conflict-related sexual violence, as well as to the stigma too often faced by survivors and their children. So Pope Francis’ statements condemning conflict-related sexual violence during his recent visit to the DRC as he heard harrowing tales from survivors are incredibly powerful.

    Another important example is the Declaration of Humanity, which was launched in 2020 by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon, the Prime Minister’s Special Representative on Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict, with significant endorsement from over 50 high-profile faith and belief leaders. In the declaration, faith leaders from across the faiths called for an end to sexual violence in conflict and denounced the stigma too often faced by survivors. Their declaration is the first of its kind and unites multiple faiths to work within their communities to prevent these horrific acts.

    Since 2020, support for the Declaration has continued to grow in countries with a high prevalence of conflict-related sexual violence.

    To date, it has been signed by over 200 faith leaders, along with around 450 civil society actors and community leaders. Including the Catholic networks, such as the Missionaries of Africa and Cardinal Vincent Nichols, President of the Bishops Conference of England and Wales. We continue to encourage faith leaders to sign the Declaration and put it into action within their communities, and we hope that more Catholic Church’s leaders will commit and spread the Declaration’s messages.
    Conclusion

    Addressing conflict-related sexual violence has become even more complex at a time of intersecting crises and inequalities, as shown by the Covid pandemic and the war in Ukraine. The international community must stand together to prevent and respond in an effective and co-ordinated manner.

    Women and girls must be protected in all situations, but especially in conflict zones. I look forward to hearing the experience of the Catholic networks on the ground in assisting survivors in their rehabilitation journey and in breaking the stigma. And to hearing testimonies from survivors today.

    I hope that today’s event will also be an opportunity to raise awareness on what more needs to be done to eliminate this crime, and to illuminate how we can work together better to strengthen action. Including the important role of the media (and I am glad to see also journalists attending the event). And importantly, how do we work together to ensure survivors always remain at the centre.

    I look forward to being inspired.

    Thank you

  • Miriam Cates – 2023 Speech on the Budget

    Miriam Cates – 2023 Speech on the Budget

    The speech made by Miriam Cates, the Conservative MP for Penistone and Stocksbridge, in the House of Commons on 20 March 2023.

    I am delighted that the Chancellor has set aside £4 billion to help families with young children. I am less delighted with how he is choosing to spend it. I am referring to the massive expansion of the 30-hour childcare scheme to include babies from the age of nine months. The stated aim of this policy is to get parents back into work and to grow the economy, but unfortunately it will probably fail on both counts. It will not get parents back into work, and the evidence of that comes from the current 30-hour offer for three and four-year-olds, which has had limited success, with only 40% of eligible families using their full entitlement. That is not surprising, because it is not free and it is inflexible, being restricted to only 38 weeks a year and between 9 am and 3 pm—not many jobs fit those requirements.

    Polling shows that a great many parents would understandably prefer to look after their children themselves. A recent IFS study showed that free childcare does not have a significant impact on parents’ childcare and work decisions. If these are the problems with the three to four-year-old offer, they will be even more acute with the nine months to two years offer. We are also forgetting that families in this country keep so little of what they earn that it is often not worth going back to work even if the childcare is cheaper.

    The Treasury and others keep repeating the mantra that British parents face the highest childcare costs in the western world. That is not actually true. The absolute costs of childcare in the UK are similar to those in other countries. The problem is that British families’ childcare costs are a higher proportion of families’ net income than in comparable countries. So the problem is not the childcare costs; it is the low net income. That is the result of taking so much money off parents in tax, in comparison with other countries, combined with meagre child benefits, also in comparison with other countries.

    The root of this problem is our unique individual taxation system, which does not recognise households with children and results in British families paying three, four, five, or even 10 times the amount of tax as families in other countries. It particularly penalises single-earner households or households with a large difference in earnings between the two partners. Under this policy, for example, a mother might return to work because the childcare costs are now reduced. She might earn a £20,000 gross salary, out of which she has to pay taxation, national insurance, pension contributions, student loan repayments and travel costs, while her universal credit and childcare top-ups could be withdrawn. Out of her gross salary of a little under £1,700 a month, she will be lucky to keep £290. That is an effective tax rate of nearly 80%. Some people will return to work for that, but many will not because of what they are losing in time with their children, so I do not expect take-up to be high.

    Will this policy grow the economy? It might increase GDP if more people return to the employment market, but what does it mean in real terms for real people’s lives? Will GDP per capita grow? I think that is highly unlikely, because when mothers return to work it creates more low-paying jobs in childcare and elderly care—important but low-paying jobs—which increases the gender pay gap. This has happened in Denmark, for example, which has three times the gender pay gap that we have here in the UK.

    I do not believe the policy will see mums flooding back to work and I do not think it will grow the economy in meaningful terms, but even if I am wrong, I still believe it is the wrong policy because it is the wrong policy for children. What is best for baby in the early years? The bond between mother and child is probably the strongest human relationship there is. This is not just a soppy feeling; it is a highly evolved survival mechanism, and strong attachment in the early years pays dividends in later life. There are many great people in the childcare sector, but no one replaces mummy.

    It is heartbreaking when mothers feel they have no choice but to leave their babies in childcare from a very young age because of the financial imperative. Yes, there is a cost of living problem, and many women want to work for all sorts of reasons and should absolutely be supported to do so, but the issue for many families is not the cost of childcare per se, any more than it is the cost of food or energy; it is the inability to live on one income when children are young. This is what separates many women from their children: not choice, but tragic necessity.

    The Treasury thinks the answer to our financial challenges is to send more mothers to work. I think the answer is to support all families in the early years to give parents a choice. We have £4 billion for this new policy and £4 billion for existing policies, so why not use this to fund a move to household taxation and to increase child benefits? Why not spend that £6,500 a year per child in a different way, to give parents the choice of how they spend it, perhaps on formal childcare, on informal childcare or on spending fewer hours in the workplace?

    Elite feminism might say that motherhood is drudgery and inferior to paid work outside the home, but that is only true if we believe that status and meaning derive principally from our salary and status in the workplace. “I wish I’d spent more time in the office instead of with my small children”, said no one on their deathbed ever. Those making these policies think of women with high-flying, highly paid careers, and of course those women should be supported to stay in work and maintain their careers, but that is not most women. Most women have jobs, not careers. As Dan Hitchens wrote in UnHerd last week, those advocating for these policies

    “assume that taking your little one to Wriggle and Rhyme at the public library is an unutterable burden, whereas stacking shelves or updating spreadsheets is a liberation of the human spirit.”

    It is fundamentally un-Conservative to spend £4 billion separating parents from their babies in the pursuit of marginal gains to GDP. We offer tax breaks and incentives to reduce costs for companies investing in the economy. Why not offer the same to families nurturing the source of our future economic success? I commend the amount of money being spent on the early years, but please can it be used to offer parents a choice and babies the best start in life?

  • NEWS FROM 100 YEARS AGO : 24 March 1923

    NEWS FROM 100 YEARS AGO : 24 March 1923

    24 MARCH 1923

    The German authorities arrested a number of nationalist plotters.

    A debate took place in the Dáil Éireann, the Irish Parliament, on whether a customs duty should be imposed on British car exports.

    The Government said that since the end of the First World War Britain had scrapped 2.25 million tonnes of battle shipping.

  • PRESS RELEASE : RAF joins five other nations in UK’s biggest aerial exercise [March 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : RAF joins five other nations in UK’s biggest aerial exercise [March 2023]

    The press release issued by the Ministry of Defence on 24 March 2023.

    70 aircraft flown by six nations have taken part in the UK’s biggest aerial training exercise lasting three weeks.

    Pilots from five nations have joined the Royal Air Force for the UK’s biggest aerial training exercise this week, which boosts interoperability and helps to develop joint tactics in the air.

    Exercise Cobra Warrior sees 70 aircraft training together in high intensity, large force, simulated complex tactical air warfighting operations for three weeks during March.

    Pilots from the Finnish, Indian and Royal Saudi Air Forces are taking part this year for the first time. The Belgian and US Air Force are returning having joined previous Cobra Warrior exercises.

    The Indian Air Force have deployed five Mirage 2000 aircraft to RAF Waddington. The Royal Saudi Air Force are operating six Typhoons from RAF Coningsby.

    Minister for the Armed Forces, Rt Hon James Heappey MP, said:

    Cobra Warrior is a fantastic opportunity for British pilots to exercise with our international partners, learning from each other and rehearsing operating together, as I’m sure our air forces will do many times over the coming decades.

    Six F-16s of the Belgian Air Force and six F-18s from the Finnish Air Force are operating from RAF Waddington. Finland’s participation is part of a wider training activity in support of Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) exercises.

    The three week exercise brings together the capabilities of all nations involved and delivers the full spectrum of air operations, including defensive and offensive counter-air and strike operations. This includes RAF Regiment Precision Strike Teams, Air Manoeuvre operations to support ground forces, and developing our Joint Personnel Recovery Capability.

    Squadron Leader Mcfadden, Commanding Officer of 92 Squadron, said:

    Exercise Cobra Warrior is a challenging Air-led multi-domain exercise, focused on pitting our NATO, Joint Expeditionary Force and International Partners against a capable peer adversary within a challenging and complex environment.

    It has been a pleasure to host pilots from so many different nations to fly alongside UK pilots and train together in joint-tactics and interoperability.

    The fast jets taking part in the exercise are supported by RAF Voyager aircraft conducting air-to-air refuelling operations, flying from RAF Brize Norton. UK Joint Helicopter Command aircraft are also participating from RAF Leeming.

    The RAF’s Air Mobility Force are also taking part in the exercise, with sorties including deploying elements of 16 Air Assault Brigade during an associated ground mission, that forms part of the overall exercise scenario.