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James Cartlidge – 2025 Speech on the UK Airstrike on a Houthi Military Facility

The speech made by James Cartlidge, the Shadow Defence Secretary, in the House of Commons on 30 April 2025.

I am grateful to the Secretary of State for early sight of his statement and to the Minister for the Armed Forces for the briefing he extended to me and other parliamentarians earlier today. As far as His Majesty’s Opposition are concerned, the rationale for these actions has not changed since we undertook similar operations in government in the months leading up to the general election, with the support of the then Opposition. We agree that this action is effectively an act of self-defence on behalf of ourselves and our closest allies.

With the main target for RAF Typhoons being a Houthi drone factory, we should remember that drones were used by the Houthis to target our own naval ships, such as the attempted drone attack on HMS Diamond in January last year. While HMS Diamond was able to take effective action in response on that occasion, we know that this capability can be produced in very large numbers and that the threat remains a clear and present danger. Indeed, we understand that the US navy continues to be subject to Houthi aggression, including from drones. In our view, it is therefore entirely legitimate to support the defence of our close ally, the US, and to prevent future potential attacks on our own fleet and international shipping by attacking the Houthi drone threat at source.

The Houthis’ actions are not just a threat to ourselves and our allies; as the Secretary of State said, they are illegal and completely counter to international humanitarian priorities, given that their attacks have imperilled aid deliveries to the Yemeni people, while undermining a crucial shipping route for grain en route to some of the poorest people in the world. The Government therefore have our full support for this latest operation, and the Opposition are grateful to the brave and highly skilled personnel of the Royal Air Force who conducted the mission, including the Typhoon crews and those supporting the air-to-air refuelling mission. In particular, we welcome their safe return and the completion of what appears to be a successful operation in degrading Houthi drone capability.

The US has been undertaking its own self-defence against Houthi attacks, and we very much welcome the close working with US allies, as was the case when we were in government working with the previous Administration in the US. That underlines the continuity of our most important strategic military partnership, and it is right that we work as closely as possible with the US to address threats to freedom of navigation.

That being said, freedom of navigation is vital to the ships of many nations, not just the UK and the US. The whole world benefits from action taken to keep international shipping flowing, which supports the wider economy. Can the Secretary of State update us on what talks he has had with other allies, including NATO members, on providing direct military support against the Houthi threat in future? After all, it is not only a threat to many other nations, but involves other hostile states, notably Iran, with its long-running support not just for the Houthis, but for Hezbollah, Hamas and other armed groups in Iraq and elsewhere. How will the UK dock in to the approach being taken by the new US Administration towards Iran?

The Secretary of State referred to Russian involvement. Can he confirm reports that the Houthis have received targeting assistance with potential ballistic missile attacks from Russia? Does that not show why supporting Ukraine against Russia is about a much wider strategic picture that directly threatens the United Kingdom? He also referred to the use of our military base, Diego Garcia, for regional security operations, but soon it will not be ours. Does this kind of action not show why surrendering its sovereignty is so reckless?

Let me finally turn to the subject of the strategic defence review. It is very concerning that the permanent secretary to the Ministry of Defence told the Public Accounts Committee on Monday:

“it is a strategic defence review that will need to be translated into a set of specific investment decisions in individual capabilities and projects. That will be work for later in the summer and into the autumn.”

The Secretary of State knows of the need for urgent procurement decisions relating directly to the Houthi threat in the Red sea, not least on upgrades to the Sea Viper system, which we believe must be accelerated. He also knows that procurement is largely on hold, awaiting the publication of the SDR. He promised to publish it in the spring; can he confirm that it will definitely be published in May—which is the last month of spring—and, most importantly, can he confirm that in May we will see the full details of all major individual procurement choices, so that the MOD can get on with them as a matter of the utmost urgency?

John Healey

I welcome the tone and content of the hon. Gentleman’s response to my statement. Labour backed the last Government’s strikes against the Houthis and, as he pointed out, the rationale then was the same as the rationale now. That was a useful contribution to this discussion. The hon. Gentleman was right to say that the clear and present threat that the Houthis pose to all nations, including ours and our closest allies, is also the same.

When I was shadow Defence Secretary and responded to what was said by the last Government, I did so as the hon. Gentleman has responded today, because this is bigger than politics. It is about freedom of navigation, it is about regional stability, and it is about that most important security relationship that the United Kingdom has with the United States.

The hon. Gentleman asked me about specific capabilities. We are now able to plan to provide the best possible kit for our armed forces, because of the historic commitment that the Prime Minister made to the House in February to raise the level of defence spending to 2.5%—three years earlier than the date that was in the hon. Gentleman’s own unfunded plans—and then to raise it to 3% in the next Parliament. He asked about the capabilities on some of our naval ships. When I met the crew of HMS Diamond in the autumn, they demonstrated to me, and described to me in detail, just how exceptional their response to that multiple attack was, and just how effective the weaponry on the ship was at that time. We are upgrading those ships with a number of capabilities, including DragonFire. It was the hon. Gentleman who first talked about that, but we are installing it not on just one ship, as he proposed, but on four; we are installing it sooner than he planned; and we are funding it fully, which he had not done.

The hon. Gentleman asked about discussions with other nations. The importance of regional stability, the Houthi threats and the freedom of navigation in the Red sea were discussed by Foreign Ministers at the G7, and have been discussed by NATO Foreign Ministers in the last month. The very carrier strike group whose deployment the hon. Gentleman welcomed last week is multinational by design. It is designed to exercise together but also, together, to reassert some of the basic principles that last night’s attacks were designed to support, such as the freedom of navigation of our seas.

30/04/2025
John Healey – 2025 Statement on the UK Airstrike on a Houthi Military Facility

The statement made by John Healey, the Secretary of State for Defence, in the House of Commons on 30 April 2025.

I wish to make a statement to update the House on the action we took last night against a Houthi military target. We did so in collective self-defence and to uphold the freedom of navigation, as Britain has always done.

Yesterday, UK forces conducted a joint operation with US allies against a Houthi military facility in Yemen. Our intelligence analysis identified a cluster of buildings 15 miles south of Sanaa used by the Houthis to manufacture drones of the type used to attack ships in the Red sea and in the gulf of Aden. Royal Air Force Typhoon FGR4s, with air refuelling support from RAF Voyager tankers, struck a number of those buildings with Paveway IV precision bombs last night. This action was limited, targeted and devised to minimise the risk to civilian life. Everyone involved in the UK operation has returned to base safely. On behalf of the House, I thank all members of our armed forces involved in this operation and pay tribute to them for their total professionalism and courage.

Yesterday’s operation was carried out alongside the US, our closest security ally. It was conducted in line with both the UN charter and the established UK policy of this Government and the last; you will remember, Mr Speaker, that when Labour was in opposition, it backed the Government when they conducted five separate strikes with the US against Houthi targets.

Yesterday’s attack aligns with four broad objectives. The first is to restore freedom of navigation in the Red sea and the gulf of Aden, the second is to degrade Houthi capability and prevent future attacks, the third is to reinforce regional security alongside allies and partners, and the fourth is to protect our economic security at home. First thing this morning, the Government briefed the shadow Defence Secretary, the hon. Member for South Suffolk (James Cartlidge); the Speakers of both Houses; the Liberal Democrats’ defence spokesperson, the hon. Member for Epsom and Ewell (Helen Maguire); and the Chair of the House of Commons Defence Committee, my hon. Friend the Member for Slough (Mr Dhesi). I can now tell the House that our initial assessment is that the planned targets were all successfully hit, and we have seen no evidence of civilian casualties.

Since November 2023, the Houthis have been waging a campaign of aggression against international shipping in the Red sea. To date, there have been over 320 attacks; those attacks are illegal and deadly, and we totally condemn them. Maritime routes have been disrupted, sailors have been killed, and commercial ships have been hit and sunk. The Houthis have even targeted aid vessels destined for Yemen itself, as well as military vessels of our allies and partners. Both the Royal Navy and the US navy have been forced into action in the Red sea—last September, I met the crew of HMS Diamond, who shot down a ballistic missile and multiple drones in self-defence during their deployment in the Red sea.

Make no mistake: the Houthis act as an agent of instability across the region. They continue to receive both military and financial backing from Iran, and even Russia has attempted to support the Houthi operations. The aggression in the Red sea and the gulf of Aden is yet another example of how our adversaries are increasingly working together against our interests. As such, I want to be clear that this Government reject any Houthi claims that attacking ships in the Red sea is somehow supporting Gaza. The Houthis were targeting tankers and seizing ships well before the war in Gaza began, and their attacks since have targeted vessels of all nations, so hear me when I say that these attacks do absolutely nothing for the Palestinian people or the push for a lasting peace.

An estimated 12% of global trade and 30% of container traffic passes through the Red sea every year, but the Houthi threat has led to a drastic fall. Levels are down by 55% on what they were in November 2023; the majority of ships now take a 5,000-mile diversion around the Cape of Good Hope, adding a full fortnight to a journey between Asia and Europe and pushing up prices for the goods that British people and others rely on. This cannot continue.

In opposition, I argued that, for what is now 80 years,

“the lion’s share of the responsibility for protecting international freedom of navigation in the Red sea is being shouldered by the Americans, just as the US has been doing across the world”—[Official Report, 24 January 2024; Vol. 744, c. 355.]

Since last month, the US has been conducting a sustained campaign, targeting the Houthis in Yemen to restore freedom of navigation. It moved two carriers into the region, and its recent strikes have destroyed multiple command and control centres, air defence systems, advanced weapons manufacturing sites and advanced weapons storage sites. The US military says that its operations have now degraded the effectiveness of the Houthi attack, reporting that ballistic missile launches have dropped by 69% and one-way drone attacks are down by 55%.

The US continues to be the UK’s closest security ally. It is stepping up in the Red sea, and we are alongside it. Yesterday’s joint operation builds on the broader support that we have provided to the US in the region in recent months. That includes air-to-air refuelling; the use of our important military base, Diego Garcia, for regional security operations; and RAF Typhoons to support the defence of the US carrier strike group, which has been coming under near-daily attack from Houthi missiles and drones.

This Government will always act in the interests of our national and economic security. The UK is stepping up and encouraging allies to do more to protect our common security, just as we are with the eight-month deployment of our carrier strike group to the Mediterranean and the Indo-Pacific, which started last week. The UK has a long and proud history of taking action to protect freedom of navigation. This illegal Houthi aggression does not just disrupt shipping and destabilise the region; it hits our economy here at home. That is why the Government took this decision. It is why the UK has taken this action to help protect freedom of navigation, reinforce regional stability and strengthen economic security for families across the country. We are determined that we will keep Britain secure at home and strong abroad.

30/04/2025
PRESS RELEASE : Secretary of State for Northern Ireland provides update on Brown case [April 2025]

The press release issued by the Northern Ireland Office on 30 April 2025.

The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Hilary Benn MP, has today filed applications with the Court of Appeal seeking an extension of time for decision-making and seeking protective leave to appeal to the Supreme Court in the case brought by Bridie Brown, whose husband was murdered by loyalist paramilitaries in 1997.

Mr Benn said:

The murder of Sean Brown nearly 28 years ago was brutal and despicable and it has caused deep pain and anguish to Mrs Brown, her family, and many in the wider community. I know that this has been exacerbated by the time it has taken to find answers.

As I have said many times, I am committed to ensuring that there is a full, thorough and independent Article 2-compliant investigation into the murder of Sean Brown.

I am taking steps to repeal and replace the previous government’s Legacy Act to ensure that we have a legacy system that is capable of delivering for all families who lost loved ones during the Troubles, and who are seeking answers.

It is clear that the detailed judgement requires a full and considered response. I have therefore today asked the Court of Appeal for more time to consider it and the terms of the declaration. This will allow me to receive comprehensive advice that responds in full to the issues the Court has identified.

Also, given the approaching deadline from the Court for requesting leave to appeal, I have today asked the Court for leave to appeal to the Supreme Court, in case that should ultimately be necessary.

These steps will not delay the Government’s determination to take the necessary steps to ensure that the system for dealing with legacy is human rights compliant and can command the confidence of victims and families.

30/04/2025
NEWS STORY : Six Unknown World War I Soldiers Laid to Rest in France

STORY

The remains of six unidentified Commonwealth soldiers who fought and died during the First World War have been laid to rest with full military honours in France. The burial ceremonies, held at the Commonwealth War Graves Commission’s Loos British Cemetery, were organised by the Ministry of Defence’s Joint Casualty and Compassionate Centre (JCCC), also known as the ‘MOD War Detectives’. The soldiers, whose identities remain unknown, were discovered during recent archaeological excavations in the Loos area. Despite extensive efforts, including forensic analysis and historical research, no identifying information could be established.

The burial services were attended by military personnel, local dignitaries, and representatives from the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. Standard bearers and a bearer party from the 4 Regiment Royal Logistic Corps provided ceremonial support, and the Last Post was sounded to honour the fallen.

Nicola Nash, JCCC Commemorations Lead, stated:

“While we may not know their names, we honour their sacrifice and ensure they are remembered with the dignity they deserve.”

The Commonwealth War Graves Commission has erected headstones bearing the inscription “Known unto God” at the soldiers’ final resting places.

30/04/2025
PRESS RELEASE : Birmingham wholesaler, SAK Wholesale, which left trail of debts is shut down [April 2025]
The press release issued by the Insolvency Service on 30 April 2025.

Wholesaler accused of falsely inflating company credit rating and failing to pay for goods and services purchased on credit.
- Investigators feared SAK Wholesale Limited in Birmingham had become a ‘vehicle for fraud’
- They were unable to trace where funds for more than £2.5 million of payments came from
- Accounts were falsely inflated to boost company credit rating – then management disappeared, leaving creditors out of pocket
A Birmingham-based wholesaler has been shut down amid concerns it was a ‘vehicle for fraud’.

SAK Wholesale Limited, based on the Alexandra Trading Estate in Handsworth, was wound up at a hearing at the High Court in Manchester on Tuesday 29 April.

The court was told there were concerns about the accuracy of the company’s annual accounts and that profits may have been overstated, enabling the directors to apply for thousands of pounds of goods and services on credit which were never paid for.

The directors failed to co-operate with Insolvency Service investigators, who discovered the company’s registered office in Handsworth had been stripped and abandoned, despite its website still being operational.

David Hope, chief investigator at the Insolvency Service, said: “There are serious concerns about SAK Wholesale being used as a vehicle for fraud.

The company has seemingly been abandoned – but still owes over £270,000 to its creditors. Despite this, payments of over £2.5million were made from the company over a period of two months in 2022, but without proper records, we were unable to confirm where this money came from.

Accounts were not submitted for the last financial year, and the veracity of accounts submitted in previous years is in doubt.

Despite the directors of SAK Wholesale refusing to cooperate with our investigation, the records we uncovered showed the company operated with a real lack of transparency and had a history of improper behaviour.

This winding-up order will help protect the public and business community by ensuring SAK Wholesale can’t be used for future trading.

Investigators from the Insolvency Service found the company had used its good credit rating to secure thousands of pounds of goods and services from suppliers.

Investigators also discovered that wording on the company’s website had been lifted directly from a local competitor’s website.

A lack of banking records for SAK meant investigators were unable to identify legitimate trading, customers or company expenditure – with £2.5m of payments made from a company account between April and June 2022 essentially unaccounted for.

Alongside this, one of SAK’s company accounts received an unauthorised third-party payment of £200,000 which SAK was not entitled to. This transaction was refunded by the bank when the third party discovered the money had left its account.

The Official Receiver has been appointed as liquidator of SAK Wholesale Limited.
30/04/2025
PRESS RELEASE : Kanga power, Homegrown cotton for a homegrown economy – UK & Kenya launch Lamu cotton processing facility [April 2025]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 30 April 2025.

A partnership between Kenya, the UK and private sector to deliver growth and jobs by reducing reliance on foreign imports, supporting women and the environment.

The UK, Kenya, and the County Government of Lamu have joined forces to lay the foundation stone at a new cotton processing facility in Lamu County.

This four-way partnership between the UK, national government, local government and the private sector is a great example of the how the UK and Kenya are working together to deliver homegrown economic growth and jobs – a standout example of the tangible results that collaboration can achieve.

Construction will begin immediately and is hoped to be completed by November 2025. The project is expected to support up to 5000 jobs in the next three years.

The Hon. Lee Kinyanjui, Cabinet Secretary for Ministry of Investments, Trade and Industry, said:

The ginnery, by Thika Cloth Mills, will boost cotton uptake and thus earn farmers more income, create jobs, and provide raw material for the textile industry.

With the infrastructure supporting export including a special economic zone, Lamu Port and LAPPSET, Lamu will be the hub for investors in the region.

British Deputy High Commissioner to Kenya, Ed Barnett, said:

The UK is a long-term partner for long-term economic growth in Kenya. This project is a testament to the power of partnerships – the UK, national government, and county governments have joined forces with the private sector to deliver 5,000 jobs and future economic growth.

This partnership will reduce reliance on imports, put money in the pockets of farmers. It will strengthen, stabilise and support a sustainable homegrown cotton industry in Kenya. Long live Kenya kanga!

This partnership directly supports the Government of Kenya’s textiles and garments national development priority, by reducing reliance on foreign imports – which currently make up around 90% of cotton in the country. Kenya currently produces 3,000 bales of cotton per year, whilst the total demand ranges between 140,000 – 260,000. This partnership will develop a homegrown cotton industry and allow Kenyan businesses to capitalise on economic opportunities within their own country.

The processing plant will create jobs and stimulate economic growth in Lamu County. It is hoped the facility will triple cotton production in Lamu from 2,000 bales per year to 6,000 over the next three years. This will also support local cotton farmers as the facility will be built close to farms, reducing transportation costs as well as providing them with a larger market for their produce. The proposed plant will not only source cotton from Lamu County but from Kilifi, Tana River, Kwale, and Taita Taveta counties.

The reduced need for transportation is expected to decrease the carbon footprint of the textile production process by 262 metric tons of carbon dioxide every year, supporting Kenya’s climate ambitions.

This project will also have a positive social impact and place a significant emphasis on providing substantial economic opportunities to women and promoting gender equality, as the employees at the processing plant are expected to be at least 50% women.

The programme falls under the UK’s Sustainable Urban Economic Development programme (SUED), which aims to add value to Kenyan agricultural produce before export.

The UK has provided seed-funding to de-risk the investment for all partners involved. The Government of Kenya has provided additional funding, with the remaining funds being provided by Thika Cotton Mills. Lamu County sealed the deal by providing land for the ginnery.

SUED has been operational in Lamu for four years, and this is the programme’s fourth value-chain project in the county. It has secured investors for the cotton ginnery as well as fish processing, coconut processing, and cashew nut processing facilities. Across Kenya, our £8 million seed fund investments through SUED have helped unlock £48 million in private capital and supported the creation of more than 10,000 jobs.

The UK Government partners with Kenya across multiple sectors in Lamu County. The UK supports: trade and investment though the development of infrastructure and customs processes at Lamu Port; regional security through programmes to counter violent extremism; and environmental programmes to reduce plastic pollution and increase biodiversity.

30/04/2025
PRESS RELEASE : UK-based crypto business shut down following worldwide complaints [April 2025]
The press release issued by the Insolvency Service on 30 April 2025.

The Insolvency Service investigated complaints made to Action Fraud from people in Estonia, Mauritania, Iran, New Zealand, Poland and Romania.
- BTCMining Limited operated a cryptoasset mining business, but customers say they took payments for services they did not receive.
- Insolvency Service investigation was the result of complaints made to Action Fraud from people as far away as New Zealand.
- The company was subject to a winding up hearing at the High Court in Manchester on 29 April 2025.
A cryptoasset business registered in the UK has been shut down after people from multiple countries said they paid for crypto mining services but did not receive the promised financial returns and were unable to withdraw their assets.

BTCMining Limited claimed to operate a cryptoasset mining business, where customers would pay the company to mine crypto and receive any resulting income.

However, Action Fraud received complaints from people in Estonia, Mauritania, Iran, New Zealand, Poland and Romania claiming they did not receive the ‘mining’ service or their assets and had been subject to further payment demands.

The investigation also found that the company did not have a legitimate registered address anywhere in the UK.

BTCMining Limited was shut down following a hearing at the High Court in Manchester on 28 April 2025.

Insolvency Service Chief Investigator, David Usher said:

The fact that BTCMining Limited was attracting customers globally makes our intervention particularly important.

We acted on the complaints before their reach could have affected countless more individuals.

It’s vital that the public, both here in the UK and abroad, are protected from companies acting in this way.

Investigators were unable to reach BTCMining Limited using known email addresses and telephone numbers, and websites linked to the company were either inactive or gave no new contact details.

BTCMining Limited’s director, Stibich Martins Yhaicha Luzia, was the sole director of the company since its incorporation in January 2024, and payment for the company’s registration came from an account in China.

The 25-year-old, who is believed to be from Germany, could not be contacted by the Insolvency Service and did not cooperate with the investigation.

His contact address recorded at Companies House was also a residential address, whose occupiers had no knowledge of BTCMining Limited and had not given their permission to use it.

A review of the six complaints lodged with Action Fraud indicated that customers collectively lost more than £15,000 although investigators fear the actual amount could be much higher.

BTCMining Limited is not linked to any other company with a similar name or trading style.
30/04/2025
PRESS RELEASE : Three Trustees appointed to the Imperial War Museum [April 2025]

The press release issued by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on 30 April 2025.

The Prime Minister has appointed Professor Dame Janet Beer, Emma Loxton and Sheena Wagstaff as Trustees of the Imperial War Museum for a four year term from 1 March 2025 to 31 October 2028.

Professor Dame Janet Beer

Professor Dame Janet Beer was the Vice-Chancellor at Oxford Brookes 2007-2015 and at the University of Liverpool 2015-2022. She was President of Universities UK 2017-2019 and was awarded a Damehood in the New Years Honours list 2018 for services to higher education and equality and diversity. She is Chair of the Sport and Recreation Alliance; a Member of the Board of the Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art, Newcastle; an Independent Governor of Northumbria University; a Trustee of the Imperial War Museum; Trustee of the Royal Anniversary Trust and serves on the National Leadership Advisory Board, Cabinet Office. She is also Patron of the Mark Evison Foundation which exists to provide opportunities for young people to undertake personally designed challenges.

Emma Loxton

Emma Loxton is a partner at McKinsey & Company where she co-leads McKinsey’s work with defence, transport, and industrial companies in the UK. Emma has over 15 years’ experience advising institutions in the private sector on strategy and transformation. She has provided extensive pro bono support to arts institutions and homelessness charities in the UK on strategy and financial sustainability.

Sheena Wagstaff

Sheena Wagstaff is former Chair of Modern and Contemporary Art at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, honored in 2022 as Chair Emerita. Her tenure was distinguished by leading The Met Breuer, establishing a transnational collection of modern and contemporary art, initiating an acclaimed exhibition program plus two series of artist commissions within the context of the museum’s global collections spanning 5,000 years. As Chief Curator of Tate Modern (2001-12), she commissioned artists for the Turbine Hall and devised the exhibition program. Working at leadership level for 30 years for institutions with strong civic values, she was previously Head of Exhibitions & Displays at Tate Britain, and Director of Collections, Exhibitions & Education at the Frick Art Museum, Pittsburgh. Wagstaff has extensive experience collaborating with architects on capital design projects, including David Chipperfield Architects, Herzog & De Meuron, Selldorf Architects, and others. She serves on the Professional Fine Arts Committee of the Foundation for Art & Preservation in Embassies, Washington DC; the International Advisory Committee of Istanbul Modern; the Advisory Board of Delfina Foundation, London.

Remuneration and Governance Code

Trustees of the Imperial War Museum are not remunerated. This appointment has been made in accordance with the Cabinet Office’s Governance Code on Public Appointments.

The appointments process is regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments. Under the Code, any significant political activity undertaken by an appointee in the last five years must be declared. This is defined as including holding office, public speaking, making a recordable donation, or candidature for election. Dame Janet Beer declared that she canvassed on behalf of the Labour Party in 1997. Emma Loxton is married to Gareth Davies CB, who is the Permanent Secretary of the Department for Business and Trade. Sheena Wagstaff has not declared any significant political activity.

30/04/2025
PRESS RELEASE : Roundtable to help turbo-charge Scotland’s agriculture industry [April 2025]

The press release issued by the Scottish Office on 30 April 2025.

Scotland Office Minister Kirsty McNeill to hear from sector experts on barriers to growth in the Scottish agri-food supply chain.

Leading members of Scotland’s agriculture sector will join the UK and Scottish Governments in Edinburgh today (April 30) to investigate key issues facing the agri-food supply chain – and help identify potential solutions.

Minister McNeill pledged to host a food and farming roundtable with industry when she attended the NFU Scotland (NFUS) conference earlier this year.

The Minister will be joined by Defra and Department for Business and Trade representatives as well as Scottish Government Agriculture Minister, Jim Fairlie

It’s part of ongoing extensive engagement with a sector crucial to the UK Government’s Plan for Change to deliver security and renewal by kick-starting economic growth to create jobs, put more money in working people’s pockets, boost economic growth and improve living standards right across the UK, including rural communities which are vital to feeding the UK and achieving net zero.

Up for discussion will be: immigration and access to labour; fairness in the supply chain; and supporting economic growth.

While the topics for discussion are policy areas reserved to the UK Government, agriculture is almost entirely devolved to the Scottish Government.

UK Government Scotland Office Minister Kirsty McNeill said:

Food and farming are vital to the country and this is an important opportunity for the industry and government to discuss issues and identify creative solutions.

There is much we can and are doing for the sector through the UK Government’s Plan for Change to turbo-charge economic growth and deliver a decade of national renewal and opportunity for all. But I appreciate that there are a number of highly complex issues facing Scottish agriculture and I look forward to a constructive discussion.

We will continue to engage with this vital industry and we will continue to strengthen relations with the Scottish Government, respecting the fact that agriculture policy is largely devolved.

Scottish Government Agriculture Minister Jim Fairlie said:

The Scottish Government is committed to supporting our agriculture sector in sustainable food production whilst also contributing to nature and climate targets. We are reforming how we support farming and food production, towards our Vision for Agriculture for Scotland to become a global leader in sustainable and regenerative agriculture.

Recent and ongoing global events show the fragility of food security, and we are taking action to improve Scotland’s food resilience and strengthen our supply chains. We will continue to work with the UK Government and across the sector to monitor the threats to the supply chain and mitigate against future shocks and impacts on food security.

NFU Scotland President Andrew Connon said:

NFU Scotland is pleased to attend the Scotland Office Food and Farming Roundtable this week and represent our members across the country. We will be discussing important issues such as barriers to growth, seasonal workers and immigration and fairness in the supply chain – each critical for a profitable and sustainable future agricultural sector in Scotland.

We look forward to underlining the importance of farmers and crofters to the food and drink industry and to rural communities and hearing what actions the UK Government will take to help address the issues seriously impacting our sector currently.

The Scottish food and drink manufacturing sector has grown by more than 35% over the last decade and now contributes £5.2 billion to the Scottish economy, while accounting for over one third of Scotland’s manufacturing turnover.

Office for National Statistics data, analysed by the Food and Drink Federation, also showed that the industry provides around 47,000 jobs in Scotland’s 1,220 food and drink businesses.

Industry attendees expected at Queen Elizabeth House are:
NFUS
Quality Meat Scotland
Scottish Crofters’ Federation
Scotland Food & Drink
Food and Drink Federation
Scottish Association of Meat Wholesalers
Agricultural Industries Confederation
Aberdeen & Northern Marts Group
James Hutton Institute
SRUC
Scottish Agricultural Organisation Society
Angus Growers
Scottish Land & Estates
Food & Agriculture Stakeholder Taskforce
Scottish Tenant Farmers’ Association

30/04/2025
PRESS RELEASE : Fraud Bill to save £1.5 billion progresses to the Lords [April 2025]
The press release issued by the Department for Work and Pensions on 30 April 2025.

Plans to recover stolen cash and impose driving bans on those who repeatedly fail to pay back taxpayer money moved a step closer today, as Ministers vowed “to address the unacceptable levels of fraud and error we’ve inherited”
- The Public Authorities (Fraud, Error, and Recovery) Bill, set to save £1.5 billion over the next five years, progresses to the Lords
- The Bill follows the biggest welfare fraud and error budget package in recent history
- Changes could help boost investment in public services and protect the public purse, as part of the Plan for Change
New souped-up powers from the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP), which will allow DWP to recover money directly from the bank accounts of fraudsters who can repay but are wilfully gaming the system in order not to, passed an important stage in the House of Commons as it had its Third Reading.

The Public Authorities (Fraud, Error, and Recovery) Bill, which could put these measures into law, will help DWP to catch fraudsters, prevent overpayments and protect taxpayer’s money.

The Bill will save the taxpayer £1.5 billion over the next five years and is part of wider plans set out in the Autumn budget and Spring Statement to save £9.6 billion by 2030. This means taxpayer’s money can be invested in public services as part of the government’s Plan for Change.

Minister for Transformation, Andrew Western said:

Enhancing our powers is essential to fulfilling our commitment to the public, as they will enable us to address the unacceptable levels of fraud and error we’ve inherited and better protect public funds.

By strengthening our ability to catch criminals and prevent overpayments, we can keep up with the evolving nature of welfare fraud while reducing the risk of people falling further into debt, ensuring that more resources are directed towards improving the lives of people across the country.

The new legislation comes as the government is dealing with the broken welfare system it inherited, with out-of-control levels of fraud and error costing the taxpayer around £10 billion a year – with a total of £35 billion of taxpayers’ money incorrectly paid to those not entitled to the money since the pandemic.

The Bill will also give powers to the DWP to get data from banks and other financial institutions to help verify the eligibility of those who receive certain benefits to make sure they are getting the correct payments – this will help to stop people falling further into debt because of incorrect payments and help the DWP spot fraudulent claims.

No personal information will be shared by DWP to support financial institutions in the identification of these accounts, and DWP will not have access to people’s bank accounts in verifying eligibility and will not be able to see where people are spending their money.

Protections are central to the Bill, making sure there is proportionate and effective use of the powers, and that DWP is protecting vulnerable customers. For example, people will only be disqualified from driving as a last resort when they don’t rely on their car for work or for caring responsibilities and where they continually avoid repayment. Staff will be trained to the highest standards on the appropriate use of new powers, and we will introduce new oversight and reporting mechanisms.

On top of the Bill measures, the Chancellor announced in the Spring Statement a further commitment to recruit over 500 additional DWP fraud and error staff who will make better use of government data to correct errors in benefit claims, as well as increasing checks on potential Universal Credit claimants by introducing more ways to verify the amount of savings they hold, as well as their earnings and expenses.

The Cabinet Office’s Public Sector Fraud Authority will also be given more powers under the legislation, allowing the department’s investigators to detect and recover fraud in other departments and bodies across the public sector.

Minister in the Cabinet Office, Georgia Gould said:

This Bill will save taxpayers’ money. People are currently getting away with stealing vast sums of cash because our investigators don’t have the powers they need to detect and recover fraud across the public sector.

We’re giving our investigators new powers to tackle fraud wherever they find it – as well as doubling the time available to bring pandemic fraudsters to justice.

An additional new measure will see the time limit for civil claims against Covid fraud doubled from six to twelve years. This step change in the ability to fight fraud committed during the pandemic will give the Covid Corruption Commissioner and the Public Sector Fraud Authority more time to investigate complex cases and apply their new powers retrospectively – including the ability to raid properties and retrieve money from Covid fraudsters’ bank accounts.

The Bill measures will now progress to the House of Lords to be debated further.

Additional Information
- The Fraud, Error and Recovery Bill forms part of wider government plans to save a total of £8.6bn over 5 years in the biggest welfare fraud and error budget package in recent history.
- Since the pandemic, a total of £35 billion of taxpayers’ money has been incorrectly paid to those not entitled to DWP benefits.
30/04/2025