Author: admin

  • Simon Hoare – 2026 Comments on the Mandelson Scandal

    Simon Hoare – 2026 Comments on the Mandelson Scandal

    The comments made by Simon Hoare, the Conservative MP for North Dorset, in the House of Commons on 4 February 2026.

    It is a pleasure to follow the hon. Member for Forest of Dean (Matt Bishop). I will return in a moment to a point that he was just making.

    I have the great privilege of being the father of three wonderful teenage daughters. Any parent or relative will feel their stomach turn and churn at the thought of vulnerable young women being trafficked and used as playthings for the sexual gratification of warped and twisted minds who thought they were above the law, to whom the rules did not apply, and who thought they could get away with it because of who they were.

    I suppose the surprise as it relates to Peter Mandelson is that we are surprised. He was a man who seemed magnetised to money like a moth to a flame, and who had caused considerable and significant embarrassment and discomfort to previous leaders of his party. The current Prime Minister decided that, in some way or another, it was only the extent of the relationship that should be the determining factor, whereas the existence of the relationship at all should have precluded Peter Mandelson from an appointment to be our ambassador in Washington.

    I want to pick up on a point raised by the hon. Member for Forest of Dean, and to which I believe my hon. Friend the Member for Rutland and Stamford (Alicia Kearns) was also referring. My conscience—I do not say this particularly smugly—is a bit clearer than my hon. Friend’s, if she is referring to the same vote, because there was a vote in this place. Those on the Treasury Bench need to remember this, because there are certain votes and motions in Parliament that become a Thing, with a capital T. They become an event. They set the scene that makes the atmosphere for the coming months and weeks of a Government. I think that this issue, and how the Treasury Bench responds later, is one such Thing.

    Owen Paterson was and is a friend of mine, as well as a former parliamentary colleague. We were asked to vote for something which effectively would have got him off a very painful hook. I, along with 12 other Conservative MPs, against a lot of whipping, voted against the then Government amendment to effectively, de facto, exonerate him. It was the most difficult vote I ever cast, as he was a friend both political and personal, but it was a vote that I have never regretted, because it was the right thing to do. When all the party allegiances, the to-ing and fro-ing and the whipping and everything else is over, at the end of the day—I hope this does not sound too folksy, Mr Speaker—we all need to be able to look in the mirror, and at our families, our friends and our constituents, and say, “I always tried to do the right thing. I may not always have done so, but I always tried.”

    I think the right thing for the Government to do is to withdraw their amendment. The mood of the House is incredibly clear. We heard wise advice from my right hon. and learned Friend the Member for Kenilworth and Southam (Sir Jeremy Wright), a former Attorney General and a member of the Intelligence and Security Committee; I do not think anyone could refer to him as a partial politician in this place. His integrity speaks for itself—as does that of the Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office, the right hon. Member for Torfaen (Nick Thomas-Symonds).

    Anybody with a partial hearing of political interpretation will have gleaned the mood of the House: while respecting national security and other issues, which is a perfectly legitimate concern of the Government, this House vests in the Intelligence and Security Committee, to be discharged by senior Members of this House and the other place—Privy Counsellors all—the duties that those of us who are not Privy Counsellors or on that Committee cannot do for potential security reasons. We vest our faith and trust in that Committee, and it has never leaked. The Government can therefore follow that path in good faith and with trust. I hope that a manuscript amendment will be both forthcoming and accepted by you, Mr Speaker.

    The hon. Member for Forest of Dean mentioned party politicking on this issue, and I am afraid I disagree with him on that; I do not think there has been any. I agree far more with my right hon. Friend the Member for Skipton and Ripon (Sir Julian Smith). Take away the party tags, the labels and the rosettes, and this is something that, for the vast majority of our fellow citizens, speaks to the operation of the state, the effectiveness of this place and the reliance our fellow citizens can put upon us in this place to do the right thing in difficult times, even when it is difficult to do so. Members on the Government Benches should talk to their Whips, use the usual channels and ask the Government to withdraw their amendment.

    Andy McDonald (Middlesbrough and Thornaby East) (Lab)

    Given what the hon. Gentleman has said, does he agree that the amendment as drawn would, in effect, just throw a cloak over the very issues that many right hon. and hon. Members of this House want to see dealt with, and that the way to resolve those sensitive issues is simply to engage the Intelligence and Security Committee? Is that not the best way forward?

    Simon Hoare

    The hon. Gentleman is absolutely right. Why else would we have an Intelligence and Security Committee with that remit? It is not as if we are retrospectively trying to establish a Committee of the House to do a specific job. It exists to do this sort of job, among other things. I hope that those on the Treasury Bench have listened.

    On Monday, in response to my question on his statement, the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster told the House that it would be much better to deal with the removal of Lord Mandelson’s title via the procedures and Standing Orders of the House of Lords than by legislation. He also told the House—in complete and utter sincerity at the time, I am sure—that it would require a complex hybrid Bill, which was not an analysis I shared. My understanding is that a simple Bill to amend section 1(2) of the Life Peerages Act 1958 to apply a cessation date to the honour of a life peerage would be all that was required. We have passed important legislation for Northern Ireland and other issues in a day’s sitting before when the mood of the House was clear.

    I think the Prime Minister indicated today at Prime Minister’s questions that he had tasked his team—his officials—with drafting legislation. There is an appetite for urgency in this place, and allowing this issue to suppurate and drip will not be the answer. I ask the Minister in his summing up—or, if he wishes to intervene on me now—to give us a timetable as to when this House will see the Bill and to confirm that Government time will be found to take it through in a single day. That would be very helpful.

    Freddie van Mierlo (Henley and Thame) (LD)

    There are many questions on the behaviour of Mandelson that are unanswered and that need to be answered, but I welcome that the Government have promised to remove his peerage. That is right. However, does the hon. Gentleman agree that a Bill should also come before this House to remove Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor from the line of succession?

    Simon Hoare

    I think, Mr Speaker, that we usually prefer for matters relating to those sorts of things not to be dealt with on the Floor of the House.

    Mr Speaker

    To help the House, let me say that because this now relates to a person who is not a member of the royal family, the situation is completely different.

    Simon Hoare

    Thank you, Mr Speaker. My hospital pass has just gone through the shredder. Let me say to the hon. Gentleman, in all candour: yes. The likelihood of Mr Windsor ever putting a crown on his head is so remote as to be unimaginable, but for clarity and probity, I agree with him. I do, however, think we should deal with the matter in hand today.

    The Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee has written to Sir Chris Wormald, the Cabinet Secretary, asking him to appear before us. This follows a letter we wrote last October, to which we received a reply on the 30th of that month. The way of vetting a political appointment to be an ambassador was woefully inadequate. I welcome the fact that No. 10 has put in place new procedures, but that is shutting the stable door after the horse has bolted. It is either naivety or, worse, some form of complicity that the legitimate and obvious questions that should have arisen for any political appointee, but particularly Peter Mandelson, were not asked. I think it is extraordinary that the views of the Foreign Secretary were not invited on this appointment. I also find it very strange that vetting is undertaken only after the announcement of an appointment—that is a most bizarre way of dealing with things. I am pleased that the Government have realised that things need to change.

    Graham Stuart (Beverley and Holderness) (Con)

    My hon. Friend is right to look at the process, but I do not think that it provides any cover for the Prime Minister’s decision. If the story in the New Statesman today is true, the Prime Minister was directly sent a report that

    “clearly stated that Mandelson’s relationship with the paedophile continued after his conviction for soliciting a minor for prostitution. It contained links to photographs of Mandelson with the paedophile, and drew particular attention to evidence that Mandelson had stayed at Epstein’s apartment while he was in prison.”

    Candour has been talked about a lot today. Does my hon. Friend agree that we should hear from the Minister today whether that report in the New Statesman is true and whether the Prime Minister received that report? That takes away any idea of the extent of the relationship—the extent of the relationship is as laid out in that report.

    Simon Hoare

    My right hon. Friend is right, but if this motion is passed unamended this afternoon, all those papers will be available either to this place or to the ISC, and then we will know.

    We are all aware of these sorts of things. Somebody will set a hare running at some point and we will say that we think this, that and the other. I have heard, for example, that Peter Mandelson was at Labour party headquarters each and every day in the run-up to the general election and that he was intimately involved with the selection of candidates—I can see a couple of Labour Members nodding as if to say, “Yes, I knew exactly what was going to happen”—and that in essence, the ambassadorial position was a thank you present: “Thank you for getting us back into No. 10—here’s your final gift from the public purse. Go and be our ambassador to Washington.”

    In the general scheme of things, that is perfectly fine, but I think we deserve to see the paperwork that shows the paper trail. It is not unusual for political appointments to be made in that way, but that is in the abstract. In this specific case, it is unconscionable, and it is surprising given the fact that the Prime Minister flaunts, with some degree of credibility, his previous role as a senior lawyer and his ability to tell right from wrong. And by God, did we not hear that when he was Leader of the Opposition? Whenever a Conservative committed even a minor misdemeanour—if they put something plastic in the paper recycling box—by God it was a hanging offence: “They should all be taken outside, hanged, drawn and quartered” and so on.

    Being in government is obviously different, but the reason the appointment of Mandelson befuddles everybody is that the argument that the Prime Minister has deployed is that the full extent of the relationship and friendship with Epstein was not known. The fact that there was any relationship with Epstein post conviction should have precluded Mandelson’s appointment. Why? Because an ambassador is not a representative of the Government. The position is His Majesty’s ambassador to the United States of America, so it brings in the impartiality of the Crown as well. There are therefore serious questions to ask about the operation of No. 10 and about how the Prime Minister exercises his judgment.

    Alicia Kearns

    There does seem to be amnesia about this. When Mandelson was made ambassador, it was well known that he continued the relationship with the convicted paedophile post his conviction, and there were simpering emails already in the public domain saying things like, “Oh darling one, all should be forgiven.” The suggestion that it only recently became unacceptable for him to be ambassador is wrong. If Labour Members want to suggest that it was not well known, let me tell them that colleagues like me raised it in this Chamber on the day that he was appointed, and I was greeted with jeers and boos from the Labour Benches. No one said, “Absolutely, maybe there are concerns”. Should that amnesia perhaps be reconsidered?

    Mr Speaker

    Order. It is not me who will say when it is 4 o’clock, but I would gently say that this is Opposition day and the Opposition may want to extend the time available for this debate. I am very bothered that not many people will get in given the rate that we are going at. I leave it to Members to take care of time.

    Simon Hoare

    Conscious of that, Mr Speaker, let me say that I agree with my hon. Friend, and then conclude with two asks of the Government. First, will they confirm when a Bill will be introduced and that it will be passed speedily in both Houses before the Easter recess; and, secondly, although it is not my job to speak on behalf of those on the Labour Back Benches, I ask the Government to read the Chamber. Allowing the Government Chief Whip and others to press this amendment would, as the hon. Member for Forest of Dean (Matt Bishop) has said, send such a bad message to our constituents and to victims—not just of Epstein and Mandelson but to the wider victim community—that when push comes to shove, officialdom somehow or another circles the wagons and finds a vehicle to filter and to protect.

    As the hon. Member for Hazel Grove (Lisa Smart) said, the best thing that we can have is transparency. The best disinfectant is sunlight. We need as much sunlight on these papers as possible, and we can start to make some progress this afternoon. Do not press the amendment and publish the Bill.

  • Richard Tice – 2026 Comments on the Mandelson Scandal

    Richard Tice – 2026 Comments on the Mandelson Scandal

    The comments made by Richard Tice, the Reform MP for Boston and Skegness, in the House of Commons on 4 February 2026.

    This whole debate centres on the judgment, and trust in the judgment, of our Prime Minister of this United Kingdom when he decided to appoint the monster—when he decided to appoint Mandelson as our ambassador to the US. The right hon. Lady has just confirmed that the Cabinet Secretary refused to answer questions about vetting, yet the Prime Minister is asking us to trust the Cabinet Secretary to make decisions about the release of documents and information. Does she agree that it must be right that the Intelligence and Security Committee makes those decisions, as opposed to a Cabinet Secretary in whom we no longer can have trust?

    Emily Thornberry

    Again, for the record, I asked the Cabinet Secretary why he was not prepared to give that information to us, and he gave two reasons: first, because he felt that he had a duty of care to the candidate; and secondly, because he was not going to put information about his advice to No. 10 into the public realm.

    I think that the proposed amendment makes a great deal of sense. We can see a lot of bustling around going on in the background of the Chamber at the moment, so let us see what comes from that. I will take one other intervention.

  • Jonathan Brash – 2026 Traitor Comments on the Mandelson Scandal

    Jonathan Brash – 2026 Traitor Comments on the Mandelson Scandal

    The comments made by Jonathan Brash, the Labour MP for Hartlepool, in the House of Commons on 4 February 2026.

    I stand here acutely aware that I am the Member of Parliament for Hartlepool, and I think today I speak for Hartlepudlians when I look at the evidence before us and say: undoubtedly, Peter Mandelson is a traitor. On that basis, it is important that the public have confidence in this process. Does the Minister agree?

    Nick Thomas-Symonds

    I absolutely agree; my hon. Friend expresses the anger felt by many across the House.

  • Sarah Owen – 2026 Comments on the Mandelson Scandal

    Sarah Owen – 2026 Comments on the Mandelson Scandal

    The comments made by Sarah Owen, the Labour MP for Luton North, in the House of Commons on 4 February 2026.

    On the point about Peter Mandelson letting people down, let me say that the people let down the most are the victims of Jeffrey Epstein. Does the Minister agree that we would not be discussing this disgraceful situation if it had not been that people listened not to the women—the victims—who came forward in the first place, but to men in power, men with deep pockets and men advising those in power? Do we not need to put the victims at the heart of this, not just ourselves?

    Nick Thomas-Symonds

    My hon. Friend is absolutely right. It is the victims—the women and girls who were victims of the trafficking and the appalling, abhorrent behaviour of Jeffrey Epstein—who should be at the forefront of our minds.

  • PRESS RELEASE : UPR51 – UK Statement on St Kitts and Nevis [February 2026]

    PRESS RELEASE : UPR51 – UK Statement on St Kitts and Nevis [February 2026]

    The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 3 February 2026.

    Delivered at St Kitts and Nevis’ Universal Periodic Review at the Human Rights Council in Geneva.

    Thank you, Mr Vice-President.

    The United Kingdom welcomes St Kitts and Nevis’ continued engagement with the Universal Periodic Review process and thanks the delegation for its constructive national report.

    We welcome steps taken to strengthen legislative and institutional frameworks, including in social protection, criminal justice cooperation and environmental governance, and encourage continued progress in line with international human rights standards.

    We recommend St Kitts and Nevis to:

    Conduct a review of the legal framework governing freedom of expression and media freedom, including defamation, to ensure full consistency with international human rights standards.

    Adopt and begin implementing a time-bound plan to improve detention conditions in line with international human rights law, in particular to ensure minimum guarantees of humane treatment for persons in their custodial care.

    Take concrete steps towards the abolition of the death penalty, including maintaining the existing de facto moratorium and consider legislative reform.

    Thank you,

  • PRESS RELEASE : UPR51 – UK Statement on Australia [February 2026]

    PRESS RELEASE : UPR51 – UK Statement on Australia [February 2026]

    The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 3 February 2026.

    Delivered by the UK’s Human Rights Ambassador, Eleanor Sanders, at Australia’s Universal Periodic Review at the Human Rights Council in Geneva.

    Thank you, Mr President,  

    We express our deepest condolences following the tragic antisemitic terrorist attacks in Bondi. We stand with Australia against hatred and violence. 

    We commend Australia’s strong commitment to human rights.

    We welcomed the appointment of the inaugural Ambassador for First Nations People in 2022 and congratulate Australia’s leadership in reinforcing global humanitarian principles through the Declaration on the Protection of Humanitarian Personnel.

    We recommend Australia: 

    1. Introduces a National Human Rights Framework, including a National Human Rights Act, that strengthens and embeds Australia’s commitment to human rights at a national level. 
    2. Strengthens measures to combat hate crime through enhanced legal protections.

    Thank you and happy Australia Day!

  • PRESS RELEASE : Rehana Azam appointed as member of the Prison Service Pay Review Body [February 2026]

    PRESS RELEASE : Rehana Azam appointed as member of the Prison Service Pay Review Body [February 2026]

    The press release issued by the Ministry of Justice on 3 February 2026.

    The Secretary of State for Justice has announced the appointment of Rehana Azam as member of the Prison Service Pay Review Body.

    The Secretary of State for Justice has announced the appointment of Rehana Azam as the member of the Prison Service Pay Review Body (PSPRB) with Trade Union experience. Rehana Azam’s appointment will be for a tenure of 5 years from 1 March 2026 to 28 February 2031.

    The PSPRB provides the government with independent advice on the remuneration of operational prison staff in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, as set out in the Prison Service Pay Review Body Regulations 2001 (SI 2001 No. 1161).   

    Appointments to the PSPRB are regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments and comply with the Governance Code on Public Appointments. This appointment has been made in line with the Commissioner’s Code of Practice for Ministerial Appointments to Public Bodies.

    Public appointments to the PSPRB are made by the Prime Minister.

    Biography

    Ms Azam is a senior trade union leader with over 30 years’ experience advising and representing public sector workforces. She is currently Regional Head at the National Association of Head Teachers, a role she has held since 2023. She previously spent 24 years at GMB, holding a range of senior regional and national positions. In 2025, she was seconded to the British Airline Pilots Association as Head of Industrial Relations and has also served as a National Officer with the Royal College of Nursing (2022–2023).

  • PRESS RELEASE : Disability experts appointed to lead first ever full review of Personal Independence Payment [February 2026]

    PRESS RELEASE : Disability experts appointed to lead first ever full review of Personal Independence Payment [February 2026]

    The press release issued by the Department for Work and Pensions on 3 February 2026.

    Twelve experts appointed to the steering group for the Timms Review of Personal Independence Payment (PIP).

    • Group will work alongside three co-chairs to look at the role of PIP, ensuring it is fair and fit for the future.
    • First ever full review of PIP since its introduction will report to Secretary of State in autumn 2026.

    Disabled people will have their voices at the centre of the first ever comprehensive review of Personal Independence Payment (PIP) with the appointment of twelve members to its steering group.

    The group of appointed members will bring lived experience of disability or long-term health conditions as well as direct experience of working within Disabled People’s Organisations (DPOs).

    Their experience spans welfare policy, accessibility and advocacy, and there are members with a background in co-production, governance, and leadership.

    The group will provide strategic direction and help set priorities and a work plan for the Timms Review, alongside the Review’s three co-chairs, Minister Sir Stephen Timms, Sharon Brennan and Dr Clenton Farquharson CBE.

    Together, they will look at the role of PIP in allowing disabled people to achieve better health and live independent lives; the PIP assessment criteria; and how the assessment could provide access to the right support across the benefits system.

    The Timms Review will report to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions by autumn 2026, with an interim update expected ahead of that.

    Minister for Social Security and Disability Sir Stephen Timms said:

    Disabled people deserve a system that truly supports them to live with independence and dignity, and that fairly reflects the reality of their lives today.

    That’s why we’re putting disabled people at the heart of this Review – ensuring their voices shape the changes that will help them achieve better health, greater independence, and access to the right support when they need it.

    We’re delighted to announce the appointment of the steering group members, who alongside myself and the Review’s co-chairs will report back to the Secretary of State in the autumn.

    Co-chair Sharon Brennan said:

    The group we have chosen shows our commitment to ensuring this review is co produced with people from a diversity of backgrounds including lived and living experience, protected characteristics, geographies and professions.

    But 15 people can’t represent everyone, which is why our work will be part of a wider engagement process to ensure we hear from many more voices throughout the review.

    Co-chair Dr Clenton Farquharson CBE said:

    Personal Independence Payment plays a vital role in enabling disabled people to live independent lives.

    This Review will listen closely to lived experience, test whether the system is fair, and ensure PIP reflects the realities of disability in the modern world.

    The steering group members are:

    • Dr Mark Brookes MBE, Advocacy Lead, Dimensions UK
    • George Fielding, Disability rights advocate and Non-Executive Advisor
    • Tara Flood, Head of Co-production, London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham
    • Mark Fosbrook, Disability Inclusion Manager, West Midlands Combined Authority
    • Ben Geiger, Professor of Social Science and Health, King’s College London
    • Katrina Gilman, National Officer for Disability Equality, UNISON
    • Jean-André Prager, Senior Fellow, Policy Exchange and Director, Flint Global
    • Dr Lucy Reynolds, Chair of Board of Trustees, Disability North, and Founder, We Are All Disabled CIC
    • Dr Felix Shi, Lecturer in Management, Bangor University
    • Dr Dharshana Sridhar, Head of Public Affairs, Spinal Injuries Association
    • Phil Stevens, CEO, Disability Action Haringey, and Chair of the Board of Trustees, Disability Action in Islington
    • Leila Talmadge, Founder and former Director, Autistic Knowledge Development CIC

    The goal of the Review is to ensure that PIP is fair and fit for the future – reflecting the reality of people’s conditions and their goals and ambitions, and taking account of changes in society since it was first devised and introduced. Since PIP was introduced in 2013, there have been shifting trends in long-term health conditions and disability. More people are living with a disability, but the increase in the number in receipt of disability benefits is double the rate of increasing prevalence among working-age adults in England and Wales.

    PIP claims have grown considerably in recent years. In 2019, there were two million working-age people in receipt of PIP. This number grew by 50 percent in the following five years and is set to more than double from two to over four million people by the end of the decade.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Government to cover travel costs of children with cancer [February 2026]

    PRESS RELEASE : Government to cover travel costs of children with cancer [February 2026]

    The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 3 February 2026.

    £10 million financial support package for families of children and young people with cancer to cover travel costs to and from appointments.

    • £10 million support comes as more than a third of families travel over an hour to reach hospital for cancer care
    • Fund a key recommendation of the Children and Young People’s Cancer taskforce as part of the National Cancer Plan
    • Part of wider package to transform young people’s cancer care, from earlier diagnosis, expanded genomic testing to better access to clinical trials and psychosocial support

    Children with cancer will have their travel costs paid for, with a new government support package worth up to £10 million a year.

    For every parent of a child with cancer, each day presents real challenges, not only in confronting the disease itself, but also in managing the considerable demands and costs associated with transporting their child for specialist treatment.

    More than a third of these families must travel over an hour to reach hospital. There are 13 expert centres caring for children with cancer across England, with many young patients and their families face long and frequent journeys, sometimes several times a week, over many months or even years.

    The financial burden can be significant, with petrol costs, train fares and lost earnings making an already difficult time, even harder. For some families, it could mean money that means heating their home for fewer hours, or going without fresh, nutritious food at dinner time. These are choices no parent should ever be forced to make.

    Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting said:

    When a child is diagnosed with cancer, their family’s only focus should be on helping them recover and getting them well, not on whether they can afford the petrol or bus fare to get to their next appointment. This small change will make the world of difference to parents.

    Our plan will leave no family out of pocket while their child goes through cancer. It doesn’t matter what you earn – if your child needs treatment, we will help you get them there. When a child is fighting cancer, their family should never have to fight the system too.

    While wealthier families may absorb these costs, for those worrying about the cost of living, the impact can be overwhelming.

    Through the National Cancer Plan, the government will provide £10 million a year for a new fund open to all children and young people with cancer and their families regardless of income to support them with the cost of travelling to and from cancer care.

    It will help people like Emma Wilding, from West Lancashire, whose son Theo was diagnosed with Infant Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia in October 2024 when he was only five months old.

    Alder Hey Children’s hospital is 45 minutes away from their family home, which meant they had to spend a great deal of time and money on travel in addition to paying for parking at the hospital.  

    She said:

    When Theo was going through treatment, we had no choice but to pay out for fuel and parking at the hospital, as we had to be by his side. However, at a time when our household income had gone down, this was a struggle financially.  

    Sat on the ward, I met so many other families also struggling with these costs, many travelling from much further away from hospital as well. I know this news is going to mean so much to young people and families of children with cancer, so they won’t have to worry so much about how they’ll afford to get to hospital.

    This commitment sits alongside decisive action to transform cancer care for children and young people; including improving hospital food, ensuring medical psychosocial care during treatment, expanding genomic testing, and detecting cancers earlier when treatment is most effective.

    Professor Peter Johnson, National Clinical Director for Cancer at NHS England, said:

    Children with cancer need the best specialist treatment and this can sometimes mean repeated long-distance travel, adding to the pressures families face during some of the most difficult times of their lives.

    This new fund will be available regardless of income so families avoid having to choose between being at their child’s bedside and covering the cost of travelling there.

    Together with earlier diagnosis, emotional support, genomic testing and better access to trials, this will help deliver the new National Cancer Plan’s goal of improving care for children and young people with cancer.

    The upcoming national NHS food standards review will ensure young cancer patients have access to high-quality, child-friendly food, including outside mealtimes.

    The government will also improve the experience of those children who have to stay in hospital. The NHS and Starlight’s Play Well toolkit will help services deliver high-quality play provision for children, while youth support coordinators will help teenagers and young adults with education, emotional support and fertility concerns.

    Furthermore, mental health support will be standardised for all young cancer patients during diagnosis, treatment and long-term follow-up, recognising the experience of cancer often surfaces years after treatment ends.

    Taken together, these measures will ensure that when a child faces cancer, their family can focus on what matters most,  being by their side and helping them get well.

    This follows a series of reforms announced as part of the National Cancer Plan, including measures to improve access to specialists in rural and coastal communities, a crackdown on illegal underage sunbed use, improved bowel cancer screening to catch thousands more cases earlier and a new partnership to support England’s 830,000 working-age cancer patients to remain in employment during and after treatment.

    The plan will be published tomorrow and will set out further steps the government is taking to catch cancer earlier, treat it faster, and prevent it in the first place. Since coming to office, the government has already delivered 5 million extra NHS appointments, and 213,000 more patients have received a cancer diagnosis within the 28 day target.

    Rachel Kirby-Rider, Chief Executive Officer of Young Lives vs Cancer, said:  

    Young Lives vs Cancer has been campaigning for almost a decade for a Young Cancer Patient Travel Fund. Today’s announcement of dedicated travel costs support is a huge step forward in transforming the lives of children and young people with cancer and their families. Up until now, young people and families have been going into debt and even missing treatment because of the extra £250 every month just to travel to hospital. We’re ready to work with the government to make this a success.

    We’re pleased to see the National Cancer Plan will provide dedicated support that children and young people need, achieved by true sector collaboration. Young Lives vs Cancer has worked with partners over many years and through the Children and Young People Cancer Taskforce to ensure the experiences of children and young people with cancer are considered within the National Cancer Plan.

     Jules Worrall, Interim Chief Executive of Teenage Cancer Trust, said: 

    Cancer kills more young people in the UK than any other disease. By including a specific focus on young people with cancer, the National Cancer Plan for England has the potential to reduce the impact of this devastating disease.  

    We are pleased the Plan will look to improve access to clinical trials - a major issue for young people with cancer. Removing barriers that stop them accessing innovative new treatments could be a potential lifeline for some.    

    Our hope is that these new commitments will also lead to faster diagnosis for young people with cancer which we know is so important to improving health outcomes, as well as catalyse greater access to vital psychosocial support.  

    We look forward to working with the government to ensure the Plan achieves real and lasting change for young people with cancer.

     Mr Ashley Ball-Gamble, Chief Executive of The Children & Young People’s Cancer Association, said:

    Along with our partners at Young Lives vs Cancer, we’ve been calling for a Children & Young People’s Cancer Plan for several years, so we’re pleased to see that a focus on children and young people has been a priority in developing the National Cancer Plan. 

    The plan’s commitment to both speeding up diagnosis – building on the research and recommendations of CCLG’s own Child Cancer Smart awareness campaign – and the prioritising of funding for children and young people’s cancer research, represent a positive step forward to improving both outcomes and experiences. 

    We’re looking forward to playing our part in setting the plan into action and seeing the life-saving and life-changing impact it will have for children and young people with cancer.

    Gail Jackson, Chief Executive Officer of Solving Kids Cancer, said: 

    We welcome the dedicated attention to children and young people’s cancers in the upcoming National Cancer Plan – a level of focus that has not been seen before and remains rare internationally. A 2025 analysis of cancer control plans across Europe found that only 4 out of 22 countries had a comprehensive approach to childhood cancer. The government’s commitment to a clear, detailed plan for children and young people offers an opportunity to position England as a global leader in improving care, treatment and research for children with cancer and their families.

    Dr Sharna Shanmugavadivel, Early diagnosis fellow at CCLG: The Children & Young People’s Cancer Association and vice-chair of the Children and Young People’s Taskforce at DHSC, said: 

    Today marks a historic moment in policy for England. For the first time in the country’s history, there is a standalone chapter for Children and Young People within a National Cancer plan.  

    The commitments included in the plan are a direct result of the entire paediatric oncology community – clinicians, researchers, charities, children, young people and their families – coming together to highlight crucial gaps that need addressing when a child or young person aged 0-24 is diagnosed with cancer.  

    The result is a set of holistic commitments spanning the entire patient journey from ensuring earliest possible accurate diagnoses within primary and secondary care, to parity of access to clinical trials and genomic testing and prioritising CYP cancer research and data collection.  

    We are thrilled that this plan also places the child, young person and their families at the heart of it, committing to better psychosocial support including youth worker support for young people, improving access to high quality food and providing families with financial support through the travel fund.  

    We thank everyone who contributed, and look forward to the next, most important, step which is implementing the commitments to improve the experiences and outcomes for children and young people with cancer.

     Dr Timothy Ritzmann, Clinical Associate Professor in Paediatric NeuroOncology and Cancer Biology, University of Nottingham, and CCLG-funded researcher, said: 

    With the National Cancer Plan about to launch, it’s vital that children and young people with cancer remain a clear priority. A plan alone is not enough – it must be backed by sustained investment to deliver real change for children and families. 

    The James Lind Alliance has set out the research questions that matter most, and funding to address them is essential to close evidence gaps – especially for those with high risk cancers, where new effective therapies are urgently needed to create both hope for families and lasting cures for patients. 

    We must also deliver clinical trials more quickly and efficiently so that the UK’s world-leading scientific discoveries reach patients without delay. Alongside this, strengthening early diagnosis remains crucial. We cannot and must not allow children to be left behind – they are our future.

    The support will help people like Tim Sadler, from Gloucestershire, whose son Michael was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia in April 2014 just days before his third birthday and went on to have three years of treatment.

    Tim sat on the patient group in the Children and Young People Cancer Taskforce and has supported the Young Lives vs Cancer’s campaign for a Young Cancer Patient Travel Fund for the past eight years. Tim says today’s news of financial support for travel costs is the help families like his have been waiting for:

    I am so pleased to hear today’s news that the UK Government has listened to the need for travel costs support as part of the National Cancer Plan.  

    Supporting travel costs would make a massive difference in making sure families like mine don’t have to worry about affording the cost to get to and from the hospital and focus on what matters: being by their side.

    I am also pleased to see the government has committed to many other improvements to children, young people and families’ experiences, especially as parents and carers need to make sure they are best placed to support their child.

    The support will also help people like Victoria Ward, a young cancer survivor from the Isle of Wight, who was diagnosed with Lymphoma at 21.

    Victoria would have to travel from her home to Southampton General Hospital via ferry and then drive or take a taxi to the hospital once she reached the mainland. The return ferry ticket alone could cost anywhere between £80 to £200 at peak times. Victoria had to stop working and struggled to face these costs alongside her house costs, which led to her giving up her flat. Victoria said:

    If I was having my chemo in the morning and my clinic was 8am during rush hour, a taxi could be anywhere from £12 to 15 just to go up the road. The parking alone would cost us £20 to 23 a go. As much as people say ‘it’s only £20’, that £20 is my week’s food.

    It was a case of I either I keep my own safe space or die. I was previously homeless a year or so before I started my cancer treatment, so my flat was my achievement, so it was sad giving that up but it had to be done.

    It is brilliant news. I really struggled to keep on top of the costs of getting to and from hospital so it’s great to know that other young people will get support to face these challenges like I did and can focus on getting their treatment.

  • PRESS RELEASE : More than 3,400 jobs and targeted support for local communities to help tackle the cost of living as Lanarkshire named latest AI Growth Zone [February 2026]

    PRESS RELEASE : More than 3,400 jobs and targeted support for local communities to help tackle the cost of living as Lanarkshire named latest AI Growth Zone [February 2026]

    The press release issued by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology on 3 February 2026.

    Scotland will host a new AI Growth Zone in Lanarkshire, supporting more than 3,400 jobs and helping drive economic growth as part of the UK’s Modern Industrial Strategy.

    • Scotland to host new AI Growth Zone – a key pillar of the UK’s Modern Industrial Strategy – creating 3,400 highvalue jobs and boosting wages across the region over the coming years
    • Strong links with universities and businesses to open new collaborations, as the delivery of dozens of apprenticeships to support the next generation of Scottish AI talent. 
    • £8.2 billion in private investment committed with an additional £540 million to support the local community, help tackle the cost of living, and boost jobs
    • Demonstrates rapid progress on AI, with over 75% of the AI Opportunities Action Plan already delivered, laying the groundwork for growth and transformed public services. 

    Hardworking people in Lanarkshire will have access to the skills and opportunities they need to chase the jobs of the future, as AI is put to work to transform communities and livelihoods.  

    Delivered by home-grown data centre company DataVita around their data centre site in Airdrie – and in partnership with AI cloud firm CoreWeave – the Lanarkshire AI Growth Zone announced by the Technology Secretary today (29 January) will bring more than 3,400 jobs over the course of the coming years (note), including delivering 50 apprenticeships to nurture the next generation of Scottish AI expertise.  

    Of these jobs, around 800 are expected to focus on the high-paying AI jobs of the future, including everything from AI researchers and coders through to permanent staff who will run and maintain data centres. The rest will be made up of immediate construction jobs, as attention turns to building out the entire site, including data centres, supportive infrastructure, and a renewables park. 

    Alongside £8.2 billion in private investment that will drive economic renewal in the local area, a new community fund will inject up to £543 million into support for a range of local programmes over the next 15 years (note). The money will come as a direct result of the work carried out at the site, being raised as data centre capacity comes online.  

    From skills and training packages which will give people the tools they need for jobs in and working with AI, through to after-school coding clubs, and support for local charities and foodbanks – this is how the government is ensuring AI is delivering frontline support and opportunity for communities and playing an active role to bring down the cost of living. 

    AI Growth Zones are just one of the many commitments the government has delivered one year on from the publication of the AI Opportunities Action Plan. In total the government has met 38 of its 50 commitments (note) with the public able to track progress in detail at a newly published interactive dashboard. 

    In the past 12 months, the government has laid the foundations for long-term success, increased its AI computing power tenfold and launched a major skills drive which has already seen over one million free AI courses delivered.   

    It is already delivering practical benefits – a third of chest x-rays in the NHS are AI-enabled, while AI is also helping the government function more efficiently by reducing the time taken to identify fraud by 80%. Meanwhile, Extract, the government-backed tool to digitise planning, is expected to be made available to all councils by Spring 2026, with a target to digitise all planning documents by the end of 2026. AI tutoring tools to narrow the attainment gap will also be co-developed this Summer and begin trials at the start of the next academic year. 

    The UK AI sector is already the largest in Europe, raising £6 billion in 2025, which is an 80% increase from 2024. 

    Prime Minister Keir Starmer said:  

    Getting on in life should not mean travelling miles from your community for work while struggling to pay the bills at home. 

    By bringing billions of pounds of investment into Lanarkshire, we are creating good, wellpaid jobs and funding support that directly helps families with the cost of living.

    With strong progress made on our AI Opportunities Action Plan over the past year, now is the time to put our foot on the accelerator and ensure working people feel the benefits in every corner of the UK.

    Technology Secretary Liz Kendall said:   

    Today’s announcement is about creating good jobs, backing innovation and making sure the benefits AI will bring can be felt across the community – that’s how the UK government is delivering real change for the people of Scotland. 

    From thousands of new jobs and billions in investment through to support for local people and their families, AI Growth Zones are bringing generation-defining opportunity to all corners of the country.

    Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves said: 

    Seizing the opportunities of AI is vital for getting jobs and growth in every part of the country. 

    Our AI growth zones are doing just that – creating new opportunities for local communities and unlocking investment so businesses can grow and scale up, building an economy that works for working people.

    Scotland Office Minister Kirsty McNeill said: 

    North Lanarkshire’s proud industrial heritage helped power Britain through the last century – from coal and steel to manufacturing. Today, we’re writing the next chapter, as this community becomes home to an advanced AI site. The area will once again be at the very heart of Scotland’s and Britain’s industrial story. 

    This is the UK government’s economic growth in action. Scotland’s AI Growth Zone, backed by £5 million of UK government investment will create more than 3,400 jobs and attract billions in investment. With 5 AI Growth Zones now across the UK, we are cementing our position as Europe’s leading tech sector. 

    The UK government’s AI Growth Zone will bring new industries, good jobs and fresh opportunities to North Lanarkshire, but also boost the economy of the whole of central Scotland.

    Danny Quinn, Managing Director of DataVita, said: 

    Scotland has everything AI needs, the talent, the green energy, and now the infrastructure. But this goes beyond the physical buildings

    We’re creating innovation parks, new energy infrastructure, and attracting inward investment from some of the world’s leading technology companies. This is a massive opportunity for North Lanarkshire & Scotland, and we want to make sure local people share in it.

    The £543 million community fund means the benefits stay here, good jobs, new skills, and investment that actually reaches the people who live and work in this area.

    Ben Richardson, Managing Director of CoreWeave International, said: 

    The Lanarkshire AI Growth Zone marks a meaningful step in moving the UK from AI ambition into AI in production.

    We’re proud to make this £1.5 billion investment with DataVita, delivering a production-grade AI cloud designed to run, scale, and evolve as AI becomes embedded across the economy.

    That long-term approach is what supports economic growth and strengthens the UK’s position in AI.

    Bolstering the benefits for local communities even further, DataVita’s parent company HFD Group will also contribute a separate £1 million per year towards local charities and community groups.  

    When completed, Lanarkshire will be one of the most advanced AI sites anywhere in the world, with DataVita planning to include the generation of more than 500MW of on-site power to drive AI breakthroughs in the next 4 years.  

    It will also explore cutting-edge solutions to one of the most pressing challenges facing AI – energy consumption. The energy powering this new Growth Zone will be drawn from on-site renewables, while excess heat – produced by cooling systems as they keep cutting-edge computers and tech in top working order – will also be put to good use. Once the site is fully up and running, plans will be explored to see this excess heat re-directed to power the nearby University Hospital Monklands – Scotland’s first fully digital and Net Zero hospital.   

    Being in striking distance of land ripe for development for solar and wind power source will help to ensure the UK can realise its AI ambitions without compromising on its clean energy superpower mission. This is a pioneering new approach to AI development – harnessing renewable energy to power advances in the technology while ensuring those benefits always filter down to benefit local communities.  

    CoreWeave will be one of the key backers of the site, rolling out cutting edge NVIDIA GPU chips so researchers and innovators can power their work. This deployment will be part of the £2.5 billion investment the company has made to AI projects in the UK.   

    It joins a stable of 5 AI Growth Zones announced in the 12 months since the launch of the AI Opportunities Action Plan, joining Oxfordshire, North and South Wales, and the North East of England as jewels in the UK’s AI Crown. All told, AI Growth Zone announcements over the last 12 months have been bolstered by commitments to add up to 15,000 jobs for local communities, and at least £28.2 billion in private investment (note).