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NEWS FROM 100 YEARS AGO : 5 February 1923

5 FEBRUARY 1923

Progress at the Lausanne Conference stalled following the decision by Turkey to sign the treaty that had been proposed. The conference came to a temporary end, although was reopened in April 1923.

The Lithuanian Government said that it was unable to fulfil the terms of the Allies’ ultimatum on the Memel Question. The Memel Question was a diplomatic and political dispute over the status of the port city of Memel (now Klaipėda), which was located in East Prussia and had a predominantly German population. After World War I, the Allies granted the city to Lithuania, which led to tension between Lithuania and Germany. The Memel Question became a matter of international concern in the years following the war and was eventually resolved through a series of negotiations and agreements, including the Treaty of Versailles. The Memel Question was resolved in 1924 with the signing of the Klaipėda Convention.

05/02/2023
NEWS FROM 100 YEARS AGO : 4 February 1923

4 FEBRUARY 1923

David Lloyd George, the former Prime Minister, said that he felt the American debt terms agreed by Stanley Baldwin, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, were “very hard”. He added that he would though support the measures, but he had concerns about the future of Europe. At the end of the war, the UK owed the US approximately $4.7 billion, which proved to be a significant burden on the British economy. The debt was finally fully paid off in 2006, over 90 years after the end of World War I.

The death of James William Herschell Gully, 2nd Viscount Selby (1867–1923) was announced. His father had been William Court Gully, 1st Viscount Selby, who had served as the Speaker of the House of Commons between 1895 and 1905. James married Ada Pirie in 1893, but divorced her in 1909, marrying Dorothy Grey in the same year. He died at the age of 55 and his son, Thomas Gully, became the new Viscount.

Wal Hannington, the leader of the unemployed ‘hunger marchers’ was arrested in Coventry for offences that had been alleged to have taken place in Rugby. Before his arrest, he was walking with 130 other marchers from London to Birmingham.

05/02/2023
Elliot Colburn – 2023 Parliamentary Question on Prosecution Rates for Domestic Abuse

The parliamentary question asked by Elliot Colburn, the Conservative MP for Carshalton and Wallington, in the House of Commons on 1 February 2023.

Elliot Colburn (Carshalton and Wallington) (Con)

What steps she is taking to help increase the rate of prosecutions for domestic abuse.

The Attorney General (Victoria Prentis)

We are committed to increasing the volume of prosecutions and supporting more victims. We enacted new provisions to increase the time that victims have to report domestic abuse offences to ensure that we bring more offenders to justice.

Elliot Colburn

Despite Carshalton and Wallington being a relatively safe part of London, domestic violence rates there are higher than the London average. Local charities such as Sutton Women’s Centre do a great job in training people to spot the signs, but what assurance can the Attorney General give me that CPS staff have access to that same training to bring that level of crime down?

The Attorney General

I thank Sutton Women’s Centre for its fantastic work in training the community to spot the signs of domestic abuse. All prosecutors in London are now domestic abuse trained. Close working with the police should continue to increase the rate of prosecutions.

04/02/2023
PRESS RELEASE : Rishi Sunak call with President Zelenskyy of Ukraine [February 2023]

The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 4 February 2023.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak spoke to President Zelenskyy this afternoon.

The leaders discussed the latest situation on the ground in Ukraine and the Prime Minister said he was focussed on ensuring the UK’s defensive military equipment reached the front line as quickly as possible.

As part of that effort, Ukrainian soldiers had already begun training on Challenger 2 tanks in the UK this week, the Prime Minister added.

Both leaders agreed that it was vital that international partners accelerated their assistance to Ukraine to help seize the opportunity to push Russian forces back, as well as looking at how they could support the long term capability of Ukraine’s armed forces.

The greatest weapon in Ukraine’s arsenal was the collective international unity in support of Ukraine, the leaders agreed.

The Prime Minister said he had met Ukrainian troops training in the UK last week, and was inspired by their courage and the stories of their loved ones back home. He added that they had paid tribute to President Zelenskyy’s strong leadership.

Discussing the lead up to the one year anniversary of Russia’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine, both leaders agreed on the importance of UN partners once again demonstrating their solidarity with Ukraine.

They agreed to stay in close touch.

04/02/2023
PRESS RELEASE : Construction job drive gives prisoners tools to turn away from crime [February 2023]
The press release issued by the Ministry of Justice on 4 February 2023.

Construction firms have pitched up in prisons across England and Wales for the latest major drive to match offenders with jobs in sectors facing skill shortages and cut crime.
- two-week push across jails to get more prisoners into work
- offenders skilled-up in scaffolding with cutting-edge virtual reality technology
- figures show ex-offenders in work less likely to return to life of crime
More than 80 ‘Unlocking Construction’ events have been held in over 60 prisons as part of a two-week campaign – with scaffolders, crane operatives and building site managers among those showing offenders the ropes in their industry.

Firms have laid the crucial groundwork for prisoner job hunts, with guidance on CV building, interview training and hands-on workshops giving them the chance to secure work ahead of release.

At HMP Wormwood Scrubs, prisoners have also been given an insight into the scaffolding sector using special virtual reality technology that simulates working at height on a building site – helping prisoners to determine if the job is right for them and increasing the chance that successful applicants stick with it.

Evidence shows that ex-prisoners who have a job to go to are nine percentage points less likely to go on to re-offend while 90% of businesses that employ them found reliable, motivated and trustworthy staff.

Deputy Prime Minister and Justice Secretary, Dominic Raab, said:

Campaigns like Unlocking Construction are steering offenders into work and away from crime, leaving our streets safer.

At the same time, businesses can plug skills gaps with reliable and motivated staff – so it is good for our economy.

As well as helping cut reoffending, the drive is specifically geared towards plugging gaps in essential workforces too, getting prison leavers to contribute to their local economies and boost growth.

This is the second of four campaigns to run over the year led by the Prison Service’s New Futures Network. Manufacturing and retail and logistics drives are earmarked for the coming months.

The construction push builds on the success of Unlocking Hospitality in October which saw almost 50 prisoners land jobs and 150 interviews conducted in the campaign fortnight alone.

One ex-offender who landed a job as a chef as a result of the scheme has since taken on leadership responsibilities in the kitchen and is working to get more prisoners to follow his path.

National Access & Scaffolding Confederation training manager, Henry Annafi, said:

If you get a successful candidate, what I can absolutely guarantee is loyalty – because you’re giving them an opportunity that very few if any people have given them and they will pay you back tenfold in that respect.

Plus there are so many diverse experiences and skillsets that many of these men and women have that it is actually a no-brainer to give people that chance.

A participating prisoner at Wormwood Scrubs said the day’s event, and others like it, would help prisoners to “engage their mind” and offer them “something positive to do on release”.

A lot of prisoners have got skills, but they’re not being utilised, because we’ve committed a crime, so people don’t want to give us a second chance,” he added.

But stuff like this enables prisoners to bring out their skillset and be the best they can be.

Getting prisoners into work is a tried-and-tested way of cutting crime. The government’s Prisons White Paper sets out a strategy to reduce reoffending and keep the public safe, with a laser-focus on helping prisoners develop the skills they need to find work on release and turn their backs on crime.

The government is also investing to reduce reoffending, which includes helping prisoners develop the skills they need to find work on release and turn their backs on crime.
04/02/2023
PRESS RELEASE : The lives of thousands of severely disabled people across England will be enhanced by 120 new changing facilities [February 2023]
The press release issued by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities on 4 February 2023.

Severely disabled people will benefit from better facilities and greater accessibility in their local areas as councils across England today (4 Feb) receive their share of over £7m government funding to build Changing Places toilets.

Designed for those who struggle to use standard accessible toilets, these new state-of-the-art facilities come with additional equipment such as hoists, adult sized changing benches and space for carers. They are targeted at areas where they are most needed such as parks, shopping centres and train stations with little to no access facilities.

Today’s announcement brings the amount of funding awarded under the government’s Changing Places scheme to £30.5 million. The scheme is providing more than 600 new facilities, bringing the total of Changing Places toilets across England to 1,900.

Levelling Up Minister Dehenna Davison, said:

“Everyone deserves to have the freedom to enjoy their local communities – without the fear of whether or not they’re going to be able to access the facilities they need.

“Today’s funding will see 120 new Changing Places toilets in places where they are most needed, helping ensure disabled people and their carers can go about their lives with dignity.”

Robert Burley, Director of Director of Care, Campaigns, and Support at Muscular Dystrophy UK (MDUK) said:

“We’re very pleased that the remaining balance from this fund has been allocated. This is a wonderful outcome and will see increased provision of Changing Places toilets in the areas most in need.

“MDUK is extremely proud to be supporting this vital programme, and we look forward to providing our continued specialist support to both the Department and to Local Authorities through to its conclusion; and to the increased inclusion this funding will facilitate across England.”

Shelley Simmonds is a campaigner and advocate for MDUK as her son, Fraser, 9, lives with Duchenne muscular dystrophy, a condition which causes muscles to weaken over time.

Shelley said:

“I am a delighted to hear the announcement today and I know I speak for many families like mine when I say that Changing Places really do change lives. The freedom of being able to visit different places and have days out that we can thoroughly enjoy, without the worry of toilet uncertainty or having to cut our trips shorts, is a wonderful feeling!

“Not being able to access a suitable toilet dictates our everyday life and prevents us from even accessing our most local community. With more Changing Places popping up, families can explore places that were once off limits.”

In a study by the Research Institute for Disabled Consumers in 2021, Commissioned by Muscular Dystrophy UK and DLUHC, families and carers said the top locations where these facilities should be made available were country parks, open spaces, tourist attractions and transport networks, as the journey to the destination is a key factor in planning a day out. The top venues were beaches and the seaside, motorway services and parks or gardens.

New facilities will now be built in the following venues:
- Public parks and open spaces
- Tourist attractions including historic properties, seaside resorts and zoos
- Cathedrals
- Museums, theatres, and galleries
- Shopping malls
- Libraries and public buildings
Changing Places Fund Round 2 Allocations

Barnet London Borough

Bath and North East Somerset Council

Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council

Bolton Metropolitan Borough Council

Breckland District Council

Brent London Borough

Bromley London Borough

Central Bedfordshire UA

Copeland Borough Council

Coventry City Council

Darlington Borough Council

Dorset Council (UA)

Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council

Durham County UA

East Cambridgeshire District Council

Eden District Council

Folkestone and Hythe District Council

Gedling Borough Council

Great Yarmouth Borough Council

Greenwich London Borough

Hammersmith and Fulham London Borough

Harborough District Council

Havant Borough Council

Havering London Borough

Herefordshire Council

High Peak Borough Council

Huntingdonshire District Council

King’s Lynn and West Norfolk Borough Council

Kirklees Council

Knowsley Metropolitan Borough Council

Maidstone Borough Council

Malvern Hills District Council

Mansfield District Council

Mid Devon District Council

Mole Valley District Council

North Tyneside Council

North West Leicestershire District Council

Northumberland County UA

Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council

Peterborough City Council

Plymouth City Council

Portsmouth City Council

Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council

Redditch Borough Council

Reigate and Banstead Borough Council

Ribble Valley Borough Council

Rother District Council

Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council

Rushcliffe Borough Council

Sefton Metropolitan Borough Council

Sheffield City Council

South Holland District Council

South Oxfordshire District Council

South Tyneside Council

Southend-on-Sea Borough Council

Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council

Stratford-on-Avon District Council

Test Valley Borough Council

Tewkesbury Borough Council

Waltham Forest London Borough

Wealden District Council

West Lancashire Borough Council

Wigan Metropolitan Borough Council

Wirral Borough Council
04/02/2023
PRESS RELEASE : Statement by France, Germany, the United Kingdom, and the United States on the IAEA’s Latest Report on Iran’s Nuclear Programme [February 2023]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 3 February 2023.

Joint Statement by the spokespeople for the Foreign Ministries of France, Germany, the United Kingdom and the United States.

We, the governments of France, Germany, the United Kingdom and the United States, take note of the report by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) that Iran has implemented a substantial change in the configuration of some of its centrifuges without informing the Agency in advance. These centrifuges produce high-enriched uranium up to 60% and are located at the Fordow Enrichment Plant.

As stated by the Agency, this unnotified change is inconsistent with Iran’s obligations under its NPT-required Comprehensive Safeguards Agreement. Such lack of required notification undermines the Agency’s ability to maintain timely detection at Iran’s nuclear facilities. The newly reported change in configuration of centrifuge cascades used to produce near-weapons-grade uranium underscores the need for Iran to meet all its safeguards reporting obligations, and to accept whatever safeguards monitoring the IAEA sees as necessary in light of Iran’s production of such highly enriched uranium.

Iranian claims that this action was carried out in error are inadequate. We judge Iran’s actions based on the impartial and objective reports of the IAEA, not Iran’s purported intent.

We recall that the production of high-enriched uranium by Iran at the Fordow Enrichment Plant carries significant proliferation-related risks and is without any credible civilian justification.

Iran’s actions are all the more concerning since it has stopped the implementation of its commitments on transparency and verification under the JCPOA, including implementation of its Additional Protocol, for close to two years. Iran has also offered no credible answer yet to the IAEA’s outstanding questions as part of the IAEA’s safeguards investigation, despite the adoption of two resolutions on this issue by the Board of Governors last year.

We call on Iran to comply with all its legally-binding international obligations under its Comprehensive Safeguards Agreement with the IAEA and to fully cooperate with the Agency in the application of effective safeguards at Fordow.

04/02/2023
PRESS RELEASE : UK and coalition partners announce price caps on Russian oil products [February 2023]
The press release issued by HM Treasury on 3 February 2023.

The United Kingdom and international coalition partners have announced price caps on Russian oil products.
- The Price Cap Coalition of the G7, the European Union and Australia have set caps on the price of seaborne Russian oil products, effective from 05 February 2023.
- High-value Russian exports such as diesel and gasoline, will be capped at $100 while lower-value products such as fuel oil will be capped at $45.
- Chancellor Jeremy Hunt hails the efforts of the UK and its allies in throttling the revenues fuelling Vladimir Putin’s illegal war in Ukraine.
The UK and its coalition partners will only provide services facilitating the maritime transport of refined oil products originating in Russia if the goods are traded at or beneath the cap levels of $100 for high-value products like diesel and $45 for low-value products like fuel oil. These prices will be kept under review.

This follows the $60 price cap on Russian crude oil that came into force on 5 December last year. Initial signs suggest that the crude oil cap is successfully curtailing Putin’s ability to use revenues from oil sales to finance his illegal war while minimising disruption to global supply. Russia’s flagship crude oil is now selling around $40 lower than global benchmarks.

The UK government has already introduced an import ban on Russian oil products; therefore, the caps will not be used by the UK.

Chancellor of the Exchequer, Jeremy Hunt, said:

“Undermining Putin’s war machine through further sanctions on its funding streams will ensure the Russian government faces the full consequences of its unjustifiable actions.

“The UK has already banned the import of Russian oil products, and we stand shoulder to shoulder with our allies in continuing to pile the pressure on Putin’s revenues while standing in solidarity with the Ukrainian people.”

G7 finance ministers agreed to capping the price of Russian seaborne oil and refined oil products in September 2022 as a way of undermining Putin’s ability to fund his illegal war in Ukraine through inflated global oil prices, while ensuring that third countries can continue to secure affordable oil.

The UK has been front footed in its engagement with international allies and has worked closely with industry and US partners to lead design of the caps. This collaboration has been key given the major role of UK services in facilitating maritime trade. For example, the UK is a global leader in the provision of protection and indemnity (P&I) insurance cover which relates to third-part liability claims – 60% of the global cover provided by the International Group of the P&I clubs is written in the UK.

Given the number of varied oil products on the market, two caps have been introduced to cover two categories of refined oil products. ‘Premium-to-crude’ products are those of high export value often used for transport and electricity generation, such as kerosene-based jet fuel and diesel, while ‘discount-to-crude’ pertains to products of a lesser value like naphtha. The two-cap approach has been introduced as this is the simplest to implement and most workable for industry.

To implement the price caps, the government has laid domestic legislation and published UK guidance to help industry prepare for and implement the requirements of each cap. The guidance will be periodically updated.
04/02/2023
PRESS RELEASE : UK and US sign agreement to secure 12 years of quality education for marginalised children [February 2023]
The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 3 February 2023.

UK Minister for Development signs an agreement with the US to help children around the world secure twelve years of quality education.
- Minister for Development signs a new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the US to strengthen work supporting the most marginalised children into basic education
- The MoU will particularly target girls, whose education is disproportionately affected by conflict and other crises such as extreme weather
- The announcement comes as Andrew Mitchell finishes a two-day visit to Washington DC including meetings with USAID Administrator Samantha Power, World Bank President David Malpass, IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva, and IFC Managing Director Makhtar Diop.
Minister for Development, Andrew Mitchell, has signed an agreement with the US today (Friday 3 February) to help children around the world secure twelve years of quality education.

The new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) will particularly support girls, who are disproportionately affected by marginalisation, conflict and crisis, including extreme weather events such as flooding and drought.

The agreement will create a coalition of donors and partner countries to champion core education such as basic literacy and numeracy, help education systems deal with emergencies, and provide alternative education spaces where children can continue their education, safe from violence.

It will also support comprehensive education for girls on reproductive health, sexuality and relationships, and help address gender-based violence in and out of schools.

Minister for Development Andrew Mitchell said:

Twelve years of quality education, particularly for girls, is one of the best ways to tackle the problems facing the world today, such as poverty, climate change and inequality. But the impact of Covid-19 on education systems has been catastrophic. This generation of students are at risk of losing so much in lifetime earnings as a result of school closures.

I am delighted to sign this new agreement allowing the UK and US to work even more closely together to support children’s education around the world. The global community must work together, as never before, to support the recovery of education systems.

Both countries will build on the already close collaboration between them in this area, by sharing further expertise on staffing, technologies and resources to help children on the ground.

Girls are two and a half times more likely than boys to drop out of school when affected by conflict or crises, and if current trends continue, climate change will have been a factor in preventing over 12 million girls completing their education by 2025.

The announcement comes as Andrew Mitchell finishes a two-day visit to Washington DC for meetings with USAID Administrator Samantha Power.The Minister also met World Bank President David Malpass, IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva, and IFC Managing Director Makhtar Diop to discuss how to ensure the international system is fit for purpose to support developing and vulnerable countries through multiple crises.
04/02/2023
Edward Timpson – 2023 Parliamentary Question on the Backlog in the Criminal Justice System

The parliamentary question asked by Edward Timpson, the Conservative MP for Eddisbury, in the House of Commons on 1 February 2023.

Edward Timpson (Eddisbury) (Con)

What assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the Crown Prosecution Service in tackling the backlog of cases in the criminal justice system.

Jerome Mayhew (Broadland) (Con)

What assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the Crown Prosecution Service in tackling the backlog of cases in the criminal justice system.

The Solicitor General (Michael Tomlinson)

First, I would like to pay tribute to my hon. and learned Friend the Member for Eddisbury (Edward Timpson) for his work as Solicitor General. From that work, he will know the significant amount of funding in the criminal justice system to help improve waiting times for victims. Both the Attorney General and I have seen that at first hand in our visits to regional Crown Prosecution Service areas.

Edward Timpson

I thank the Solicitor General for his answer. Further to the point raised by the hon. Member for Kingston upon Hull East (Karl Turner), in the first three quarters of 2022 there have been 235 ineffective Crown court trials caused by prosecution absence—the highest annual total since 2014—compared with just 19 in 2019. The recent uplift to defence fees has meant there is now more money in defending than in prosecuting, and consequently the CPS is struggling to find enough prosecutors for trials. What timescales is my hon. and learned Friend working to in order to address this situation?

The Solicitor General

I am grateful to my hon. and learned Friend for raising this point. Of course, I recognise the importance of ensuring that all those who work in the criminal justice system—both defence and prosecution—are paid and rewarded appropriately. He will have heard my answer earlier, and it is right that the Treasury has agreed to consider the CPS funding position. Discussions are ongoing, and I know that he will keep pressing.

Jerome Mayhew

The police are doing an excellent job in Broadland. They have just opened a new response centre at Postwick, improving response times and housing some of the many additional officers that this Government have provided. The CPS is the next line in the criminal justice journey. The CPS inspectorate undertook a report on local provision in March 2022. Can my hon. and learned Friend provide an update to the House on the performance since that date?

The Solicitor General

I recognise my hon. Friend’s expertise and interest in this matter. The inspection report for the east of England praised the quality of the work in the area, and the latest data suggests that performance continues to be strong. The area is now making all crime charging decisions more quickly than it did previously. My hon. Friend will be pleased to know that, in the face of the backlog, the conviction rate for the CPS in his region remains reassuringly high at 85%.

03/02/2023