Category: Press Releases

PRESS RELEASE : Military families are benefitting from £3,400 of childcare support [December 2022]

The press release issued by the Ministry of Defence on 8 December 2022.

More than 5,500 children of military personnel are benefitting from wraparound childcare as part of a wider commitment to service families.

More than 5,500 children of military personnel are now enrolled in the Wraparound Childcare (WAC) scheme, which gives service families funded childcare worth around £3,400.

The scheme was rolled out across the UK at the start of the autumn term and provides up to 20 hours per week of funded childcare for eligible military parents with children aged 4 to 11 years.

It follows successful trials at pilot sites around the country over the last two years. With more than 5,500 children enrolled in just three months, the Minister for Defence People, Veterans and Service Families is now urging more military personnel to take up the offer – with 20,000 children across the UK eligible.

Minister for Defence People, Veterans and Service Families, Dr Andrew Murrison said:

Our Armed Forces personnel and families continue to make great sacrifices to serve their country, and that is why earlier this year we rolled out wraparound childcare to support both their careers and family life.

This important step underlines our appreciation of the challenges that serving in the Armed Forces can place on families, and we must continue to support them in any way possible.

Royal Air Force Corporal Vicki Taylor said:

Everyone I have spoken to who also benefits from wraparound childcare agrees that it’s a fantastic scheme. For my family it saved us financially, reduced our stress levels, and has given us more quality time with our children.

The introduction of this scheme is recognition of the unique challenges faced by serving personnel and their families. Among these, the requirement to frequently move home means that sourcing childcare can be even more difficult for service families, particularly for dual-serving families, where both parents are members of the Armed Forces. This scheme provides direct support to these families and is part of the wider package to reward service personnel and their families, as laid out in the Armed Forces Families Strategy.

The scheme has shown signs of being a great success and there has already been a positive impact on the service families involved. Feedback shows an improvement in family wellbeing, increased contentment with service life for non-serving partners as well as the huge financial savings.

Alongside WAC the Ministry of Defence is committed to supporting service families and has also introduced flexible working arrangements, expanded offerings to co-habiting couples and extended Help to Buy, giving our armed forces the chance to get a foot on the housing ladder.

December 8, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : Forestry Commission Chief Executive calls for a new mindset in our approach to trees [December 2022]

The press release issued by the Forestry Commission on 8 December 2022.

In a speech at the Confor conference today, Forestry Commission Chief Executive, Richard Stanford, called for a new approach to how we view trees and forestry in England.

In a major speech at the Confor conference in Westminster today (Thursday 8 December), Forestry Commission Chief Executive, Richard Stanford, called for a new approach to how we view trees and forestry in England.

He championed the major benefits of tree planting in addressing the urgent climate, biodiversity and economic challenges of the day and called for an acceleration in tree planting rates across the country. He highlighted how we need to adopt a diverse planting mix of both broadleaves and conifers, which will simultaneously improve biodiversity, tackle the climate emergency and provide timber security. He also called for people to rethink “dogma” around conifer trees; too many people view them as a poor choice, overlooking the fact that the UK is the second largest importer of timber and timber products in the world.

He highlighted how the UK is facing a timber security crisis akin to the food security crisis and back calls for a national timber strategy to boost domestic production and reduce our reliance on imports. 53 million tonnes of wood and wood products are consumed in the UK each year; however, 81% is imported from abroad. Mr Stanford highlighted that stepping up domestic timber production and its use in construction will significantly reduce emissions and lock up carbon in buildings, whilst also presenting valuable opportunities for economic growth, rural jobs and levelling up. At the same time, broadleaf and mixed woodlands are needed to tackle the biodiversity crisis. All types of trees are required for a range of different, and overlapping, outcomes.

Forestry Commission Chief Executive, Richard Stanford said:

If we are to achieve Net Zero and improve people’s lives through a connection to the environment, we must grow more trees. If we are to tackle the nature and biodiversity crises, we need to grow more trees.

We must use more home-grown timber in construction to lock up carbon in our buildings for the long term…we cannot continue importing 81% of our timber. We need a timber strategy to establish how we are going to achieve this, and at the same time give reassurance to our important timber and forestry industries.

The UK forestry and primary wood processing sectors support 32,000 jobs and contribute £2 billion to the economy every year. Secondary wood processing businesses support a further 60,000 jobs.

Reflecting on the economic contributions of the forestry and construction sectors, Richard Stanford said:

The economic benefits provided by forestry and primary wood processing are comparable to those of the dairy products sector and are greater than those provided by the UK fishing fleet.

We do not grow enough timber for construction in the UK and we import 81% of our requirements. With the removal of Russian and Belarusian timber, there will be a requirement to seek other supplies.

We should view ‘timber security’ through the same lens as food security and recognise that investing in timber is an investment in growth and levelling up.

The construction industry in England is responsible for huge levels of emissions; timber is the only way to reduce emissions in construction whilst concurrently locking up carbon for the long term in the timber in buildings.

Voicing his support for planting well-designed and managed mixed woodlands, he said:

Well-managed broadleaf woodlands provide habitat for a vast array of flora and fauna. Conifers and mixed woodland also contribute to biodiversity.

We must end the dogma of native broadleaf good, conifer bad. Well-managed conifer forests with plenty of light and structure can support a wide range of wildlife, including woodland birds, mammals, amphibians, reptiles, plants and fungi. Mature conifers provide roosting holes for bats, nest sites for kites, goshawk and pine martens and seeds for red squirrels, siskins and crossbills. We need all types of woodlands for a range of outcomes and we need diversity in our trees to provide resilience.

Addressing the challenge of increasing tree planting rates and woodland creation, he said:

Woodland is the most regulated form of land use in England, odd given the huge number of benefits of trees. No other land use is underpinned by a standard that is backed by government and based on internationally agreed criteria and indicators.

If we do not plan and deliver woodland expansion now in a few years’ time there is likely to be a scramble to grow more trees. Rushing to grow trees without adhering to the very high standards of today will lead to mistakes.

There is much talk of ‘emergencies’ and ‘crises’ but I do not, yet, recognise a crisis response or an emergency footing. We can achieve a great deal if we act as though we are facing an emergency. Idealism and purists, while important, need to give way to pragmatism and delivery. Balanced decisions will be required, weighing up all sides of an argument and making an informed decision – informed by science and data. Emergencies and crises need action now, not prevarication and delay. The nation needs to work together to tackle the nature and biodiversity crises and trees provide the most cost-effective, organic and sustainable method of doing so. We need more of all types of trees.

The speech followed the culmination of National Tree Week – the UK’s largest annual celebration of trees – which marks the beginning of the winter planting season and as the UN Convention on Biological Diversity gets underway. The Government has set out ambitious targets of trebling tree planting rates in England, as part of wider efforts to plant 30,000 hectares per year across the UK by the end of this Parliament. The Forestry Commission is supporting Government ambitions through the implementation of the England Trees Action Plan which sets out the long-term vision for our treescapes.

December 8, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : Report by OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities – UK Response [December 2022]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 8 December 2022.

Ambassador Neil Bush voices UK support for the High Commissioner’s mandate and urges the protection of national minorities in the face of Russia’s war in Ukraine.

Thank you, Chair. Welcome back to the Permanent Council, High Commissioner Abrakhmanov. Dear Kairat, thank you for your update and report. The UK is grateful for the varied activities undertaken by your Office, including your visits to, and dialogues with, many participating States this year. We are supportive of your mandate and welcome your work and the work of your team in promoting human rights for all, including those belonging to national minorities. This is an integral part of security and an instrument of conflict prevention and early warning. High Commissioner, you have made the point before that, managed effectively, diversity is an asset – the UK is a firm believer in this principle.

As you report, we face a new reality due to the Russian Federation’s attempt to illegally annex sovereign territories of Ukraine. Today, 17.7 million people in Ukraine are assessed to be in humanitarian need. Europe faces the largest movement of refugees since the Second World War. As you have previously noted, prior to 24 February, Ukraine was ‘a country working to maintain the delicate balance between the interests and rights of all groups in society’. The Russian government used minority issues as a false pretext for its full-scale invasion. And it is the responsibility of every one of us to step up and respond.

The UK remains appalled by ongoing human rights abuses and violations in Crimea, especially those experienced by ethnic and religious minorities. Crimean Tatars in particular face regular harassment and risk arrest, arbitrary detentions, and threats to seize their property. The banning of the Mejlis Council, an integral part of the Crimean identity, is of great concern. Likewise, the Russian government’s systematic vandalism of Tatar heritage and restrictions on the use of and education in the Crimean Tatar language. This persecution has been ongoing since 2014, and has worsened following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. According to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), last year saw a ten-fold rise in arbitrary detentions. Like you, we are deeply concerned by reports that Crimean Tatars are being disproportionately targeted by Russian authorities for mobilisation into the Russian Armed Forces. And we too have been similarly concerned by reports that ethnic minorities inside Russia have been disproportionately affected by the mobilisation. We urge continued scrutiny on the human rights abuses and violations endured by Crimean Tatars and other ethnic and religious minorities at the hands of the Russian authorities.

We encourage all participating States to fully cooperate with you and your staff to enable you to fulfil your mandate without impediment throughout the whole of Ukraine, including areas temporarily under Russian control. We welcome your continued dialogue with representatives of national minorities in Ukraine, and for drawing our attention to the impact on their lives and physical safety, including their ability to maintain and continue expressing core aspects of their identity, such as in education and culture. We also welcome your dialogue with Ukrainian authorities and your support to the legislative and institutional framework on minority rights and related issues in Ukraine.

We have emphasised before that the UK values highly your Office’s research into the intersectionality of gender and national minorities. Women with a minority background face unique and multiple challenges. We fully support women’s full, equal, and meaningful participation, protection, and leadership in all aspects of public life, including in peace and security, and encourage further research in this area.

High Commissioner – to conclude – the UK is a strong supporter of your institution. It has a vital role in early warning and preventing conflict related to national minorities. We thank you and your dedicated team for all your work across the OSCE arena and will continue to follow your work with interest.

December 8, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : Treasury Minister visit highlights MAST-U fusion experiments [December 2022]

The press release issued by the Treasury on 8 December 2022.

Exchequer Secretary James Cartlidge hails power of future green technologies in strengthening UK’s energy security.

Mega Amp Spherical Tokamak Upgrade (MAST-U) machine tackles further technical challenges for long-term viability of future fusion powerplants

Experiments test the integration of a high-performance core plasma with strong dissipation in the Super-X divertor configuration

A fusion energy machine vital for the delivery of the UK’s first prototype powerplant has started a crucial second round of experiments to help make ‘star power’ part of the world’s future energy mix.

The United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority’s (UKAEA) Mega Amp Spherical Tokamak-Upgrade (MAST-U) will run the experiments until the end of January 2023.

Following a visit to UKAEA in Culham, Oxfordshire, earlier this week, Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury, James Cartlidge, said:

“It was an inspiring tour of UKAEA where I was able to see how the UK is developing fusion energy, the process that powers the sun, to generate carbon-free electricity.

“The visit reinforced our commitment to increasing public R&D spending to record levels of £20 billion a year by 2024/25, which includes funding for green tech of the future, like this.”

MAST-U resembles the shape of a cored apple, in contrast to the ring-shaped record-breaking JET (Joint European Torus). This configuration is currently the preferred design for the UK’s prototype fusion plant, STEP (Spherical Tokamak for Energy Production).

Fusion energy offers the potential of an abundant, inherently safe low-carbon electricity supply. It involves fusing hydrogen particles in a hot gas known as a ‘plasma’ to unlock large amounts of energy.

Operating fusion technologies requires a careful balancing act of controlling extreme heat, gas and magnetic fields, amongst other complex systems.

Last year, MAST-U’s novel exhaust system, Super-X, successfully demonstrated its effectiveness by generating a tenfold reduction in the energy fluxes of the plasma channelled out of the machine, which would allow components in future commercial tokamaks to last longer.

The current run of experiments will seek to investigate how the compact tokamak can combine the benefits from this exhaust using different parameters – higher temperature and pressure, and increased performance caused by operating within a stronger magnetic field – as well as improving shape control of the plasma within the machine.

The core plasma shape will be controlled in real-time and in collaboration with General Atomics.

MAST-U’s experiments will also support the study of detachment physics – reduction of pollution of the core plasma by impurities coming from the wall – for EUROfusion, a consortium of national research institutions located in the EU, Switzerland, UK and Ukraine.

The phased work will investigate how plasma confinement can be optimised for future powerplant conditions.

Commenting on the new experiments, Professor Fulvio Militello, Director of Tokamak Science, UKAEA, said:

“To create fusion in a powerplant, a plasma must be sustained inside a tokamak whilst optimising three conditions: temperature, density and confinement time.

“The new round of experiments conducted by MAST-U will test the integration of a high-performance core plasma with strong dissipation in the Super-X divertor configuration.”

Results from the experiments will contribute to the success of the government-funded STEP programme, which is aiming to demonstrate the feasibility of putting fusion energy on the grid, targeting operations by 2040.

MAST-U achieved its first plasma in 2020 after it was rebuilt to enable higher performance, including longer times plasmas are held in confinement, increased heating power and a stronger magnetic field, alongside its innovative plasma exhaust system.

“UKAEA is exploring pathways to compact and affordable fusion machines and believes the apple-core design holds real promise” continued Professor Militello.

As well as STEP, MAST-U will also aid preparations for ITER – the world’s largest science megaproject, now being built in the South of France, which intends to demonstrate the viability of fusion on an industrial scale.

December 8, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : UK statement on Presidential appointment in Peru [December 2022]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 8 December 2022.

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office has issued a statement on Peru’s new President.

The UK stands together with the people of Peru in support of their democracy. We welcome Dina Boluarte being sworn in as President of Peru, and her commitment to unity, inclusion and dialogue. We look forward to working with the President and her administration to help Peru advance sustainable and inclusive development in ways that respect human rights. Peru is an important partner and through our work together our two countries deliver more strongly across our shared interests.

December 8, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : Calais group agrees to further work to tackle illegal migration [December 2022]

The press release issued by the Home Office on 8 December 2022.

Home Secretary and European counterparts meet to renew discussions on how to crack down on illegal migration and people trafficking.

Plans to step up co-operation to tackle illegal immigration across Europe and bring people smugglers to justice have been agreed today at a meeting of the Calais Group.

Home Secretary Suella Braverman met with counterparts from France, Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands, in the presence of the European Commission and its agencies, in Brussels this morning to renew discussions on how to address the global migration crisis. The group has published a Joint Communique outlining commitments made at the meeting.

The UK will agree a working arrangement with Frontex, Europe’s external border agency, to bolster its upstream efforts to contain illegal migration, as other countries also committed to bolster their support. Working together at Europe’s land and sea borders will enable countries to improve registration of irregular migrants and ensure rapid asylum and returns procedures, so that illegal migration flows are reduced at source. Frontex has a particular focus on tackling migration from western Balkans countries.

Ministers also agreed to enhance cooperation of the Joint Intelligence Cell situated in Calais, to allow operational teams to better identify and respond to criminal networks. The cell has dismantled 59 organised crime groups involved in illegal crossings since it was set up in July 2020.

Today’s meeting also saw ministers agree to deeper co-operation with third countries to work on shared migration challenges and ensure people do not undertake perilous journeys in the first place.

Home Secretary Suella Braverman said:

Countries across Europe must work closely together to tackle illegal migration and crack down on the people smugglers before these issues reach our borders.

The Calais Group have held constructive discussions today on bringing solutions that will benefit all our countries and to ensure the evil criminals who profit in human misery are targeted and brought swiftly to justice. I look forward to our ongoing cooperation.

Ministers welcomed the joint progress achieved since November 2021. The Prime Minister and Home Secretary have been driving forward efforts to step up international cooperation to tackle this joint challenge, most recently through the signing of the UK-France agreement to enhance co-operation on illegal migration. The ministers also set out how irregular migration into Europe is a growing issue, with detections of irregular crossings at land and sea borders 74% higher than last year.

Ministers also agreed to support a working arrangement between the UK and Frontex, to facilitate better joint working to tackle illegal migration. European partners and their agencies, like the National Crime Agency (NCA) and Europol, continue to work closely on the ground to tackle illegal migration and bring perpetrators of organised crime to justice. For example, the NCA led Operation Punjum in July, the biggest ever international operation of its kind, alongside Operation Thoren in Europe, to target an organised crime group suspected of smuggling up to 10,000 people across the Channel in the last 12 to 18 months.

In the face of increasing Channel crossings in 2022, the UK has already put in place a wide range of measures to tackle the issue internationally. That includes signing a new agreement with France which will see UK officers embedded in French operations for the first time ever as part of a reciprocal agreement, as well as a 40% uplift in the number of officers patrolling French beaches – helping step up efforts to detect and disrupt crossings before they leave France. Co-operation with France has led to the prevention of over 31,000 migrants crossing via small boats so far this year and our work with French law enforcement has secured the arrest of 384 suspected people smugglers this year alone. This work comes alongside the measures we brought forward through our Nationality and Borders Act, our work to deliver the Rwanda partnership, and efforts to expedite the removal of individuals by agreeing tailored bilateral returns agreements with partners like Albania.

Today also marks a further step forward in delivering the new UK-France deal, as French officers join their UK counterparts in Dover to continue their operational training as part of the reciprocal agreement to embed officers in operations – following a visit by UK officers to France last month.

December 8, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : Foreign Secretary sees UK aid making real difference in Ethiopia [December 2022]
The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 8 December 2022.

Over 1 million Ethiopians have been supported since April 2021 with £90 million of UK aid.
- Foreign Secretary James Cleverly has seen trucks set off today to deliver UK aid to parts of Ethiopia affected by drought and conflict, following peace talks and the reopening of humanitarian routes
- he has witnessed first-hand how UK aid this year has been supporting over 1 million Ethiopians facing drastic impacts of a perilous drought and conflict
- the Foreign Secretary is holding meetings with the Ethiopian government and promises UK support to the peace deal which paves the way for a stronger future partnership
UK-funded trucks carrying aid have been reaching Tigray, following a vital peace agreement made possible by effective international diplomacy.

After seeing trucks set off for northern Ethiopia today, the Foreign Secretary will tell the Ethiopian government that this is a symbolic moment which paves the way for a stronger future partnership, delivering lasting peace and safety, with an international community focused on saving Ethiopian lives.

The UK has previously led calls for a restoration of full aid access to Tigray, with millions cut off during the devastating two-year conflict.

The Foreign Secretary will see UK aid making a difference on the ground. Travelling to a region affected by both the conflict and drought, he will see vulnerable mothers and children treated for conditions including malnutrition and malaria at a mobile health clinic run by UK-funded partner UNICEF.

Over 1 million Ethiopians have been supported since April 2021 with £90 million of UK aid.

And now the UK is preparing to provide further support for Ethiopia’s peace process and longer term reforms to promote peace, justice and economic reform.

With almost 30 million in need of emergency aid in Ethiopia, collaborative action from the international community is paramount and so the Foreign Secretary is using his visit to discuss stepping up support across the international community, with meetings held with the UN, World Bank, African Development Bank and IMF.

Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said:

The peace agreement signed in Ethiopia last month is bringing to an end 2 years of a conflict which caused immense suffering for the people of Ethiopia.

Success here is a vital step to addressing the urgent humanitarian needs, but also longer-term aims for prosperity and peace. Ethiopia can rely on the UK’s full support in its path to recovery and the international community must also get behind these efforts.

During his trip, the Foreign Secretary saw a sample of the huge impact UK aid has delivered in Ethiopia over the last 12 months.

Over 200,000 malnourished women and children have been provided with nutritious food, a similar number have received clean water, child protection services have reached 40,000 children affected by the conflict and provided emergency health supplies for 1 million people.

The Foreign Secretary recognises that there is more to be done. That’s why he’s rallying the international community, ensuring support for the peace deal and more humanitarian aid to deliver health, water, hygiene and nutrition for the 28.6 million people in need of assistance.

And in meetings with senior members of the Ethiopian government he will highlight UK assistance for survivors of sexual violence, strengthening of human rights and improved coordination of humanitarian efforts including better management of services such as water and education across the country which will save lives.

The Foreign Secretary is reiterating that the potential of the UK-Ethiopian partnership goes far beyond humanitarian support. Economic reforms can bring greater prosperity to both our countries, as is seen through the recent launch of Safaricom – a consortium that includes British Investment International (BII) and Vodafone – in Ethiopia.

This evening the Foreign Secretary will host a reception for inspiring young Ethiopian leaders.

The visit coincides with Save the Children’s Christmas Jumper Day (today, 8 December), from which funds raised will provide life-saving nutrition and health services for over 200,000 women and children facing chronic food shortages in Kenya.

The UK government announced last week that it is match funding up to £2 million of public donations to Save the Children’s UK Aid Match appeal, with funds raised providing life-saving nutrition and health services for 200,000 women and children in Kenya’s Mandera and Turkana counties.
December 8, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : Northern Ireland Secretary writes to MLAs to confirm pay cut from 1 January 2023 [December 2022]

The press release issued by the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland on 8 December 2022.

The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, the Rt Hon Chris Heaton-Harris MP, has today written to Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) informing them their pay will be reduced by 27.5% from 1 January 2023.

The letter to MLAs follows yesterday’s failed recall of the Assembly and the Royal Assent of the Northern Ireland (Executive Formation etc) Act on Tuesday. In the letter, the Secretary of State details the pay cuts and describes his disappointment at being forced to take this step.

Through a Statutory Instrument laid yesterday, the Secretary of State will also extend the period for Executive formation to 19 January 2023.

Mr Heaton-Harris commented:

Yesterday’s debate at Stormont demonstrated the effect of Northern Ireland’s continued political stalemate. Instead of working together to deliver on the issues that matter most to people in NI, including a rising cost of living and the delayed energy payment scheme, elected representatives are in a state of stagnation.

At a time when the public rightly expect every pound of taxpayers’ money to be well spent, I am reducing MLA pay by 27.5%. This figure remains under review.

December 8, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : New Deal for Northern Ireland to showcase NI on the world stage [December 2022]
The press release issued by the Department for Northern Ireland on 8 December 2022.

Minister of State for Northern Ireland Steve Baker has today (8 December) visited Invest NI’s new offices in Seoul, South Korea to learn how government funding is boosting Northern Ireland’s profile in the Asia-Pacific region and helping to connect NI businesses to the world.
- Northern Ireland Minister of State Steve Baker visits South Korea to learn how New Deal funding is helping to connect NI to the world.
- £8 million funding from the New Deal for Northern Ireland has helped Invest NI expand NI’s presence from Seoul to Paris.
- New roles to identify and seek out opportunities for new international investment into NI and new trade opportunities for NI businesses.
Minister of State for Northern Ireland Steve Baker has today (8 December) visited Invest NI’s new offices in Seoul, South Korea to learn how government funding is boosting Northern Ireland’s profile in the Asia-Pacific region and helping to connect NI businesses to the world.

With £8 million funding from the New Deal for Northern Ireland, Invest NI is expanding Northern Ireland’s presence on the international stage as it supports NI businesses in new locations from Paris to Toronto, as well providing additional trade advisory support in their Belfast offices.

The new overseas roles are seeking out opportunities for potential new international investment into Northern Ireland from international companies and identifying new trade opportunities for NI companies to trade with businesses and suppliers across the globe.

The government funding has helped Invest NI establish a presence in one of the world’s largest economies for the first time, with two new staff based in South Korea. Co-located within the Foreign Commonwealth Development Offices (FCDO) in the British Embassy in Seoul, they will be focusing on developing FDI and Trade opportunities in key sectors such as Food & Drink, Aerospace and Financial & Professional Services. The South Korean expansion brings the total number of staff in the Asia – Pacific region to 23.

Commenting after visiting Invest NI’s offices, Minister of State for Northern Ireland Steve Baker said:

Invest NI is achieving important results for the Northern Ireland economy, and I’m delighted to see government funding helping to support Northern Ireland businesses and to meet some of those who are representing Northern Ireland’s interests on the international stage.

The New Deal for Northern Ireland demonstrates the government’s commitment to the people and businesses of Northern Ireland, with the funding helping to promote business interests and creating further opportunities for growth for Northern Ireland’s economy in new locations around the world.

Northern Ireland has a wealth of skills and expertise, in areas like software development, cyber security, FinTech and manufacturing, and I’m looking forward to learning more about the opportunities for Northern Ireland in South Korea, and the wider region, over the coming days.

With New Deal funding, Invest NI has also recruited additional staff in Europe, India, Middle East and Africa and other roles in Asia-Pacific. New roles are also planned for America, helping NI businesses to compete in the global market, driving growth and strengthening the Northern Ireland economy.

Commenting on recruitment, Invest NI Executive Director of International and Skills Steve Harper said:

Our new international staff will add to our already strong expertise and networks across the world and support the growth of our economy by attracting new FDI and assisting Northern Ireland companies to access new markets and grow their exports.

I am pleased to be in Seoul and to experience first-hand the work the team are already doing here. In the latest 12 month rolling period, NI goods exports to Asia Pacific increased by 10 per cent to £849million.

I am immensely proud of the world-class capabilities that Northern Ireland offers the world and our new team in South Korea will help us to build on this success in the coming years.

South Korea is one of the largest global economies and there is much that our countries have to offer one another. I look forward to a busy schedule of engagements throughout this visit programme, focused on building relations between Northern Ireland and South Korea.

Minister Baker met with the Invest NI team, businesses, stakeholders and diaspora during his visit, taking part in a series of meetings and events aimed at promoting Northern Ireland trade and investment as well as fostering bilateral relationships in South Korea and the wider region including exploring the strong ties between the cities Belfast and Sejong, partners in the Innovation Twinning programme.

David Bae, Country Manager for Invest Northern Ireland Seoul office said:

I am pleased to join Invest NI as it establishes a presence in South Korea for the first time.

We are already working with Northern Ireland companies and assisting them to research the Korean market, offering advice and guidance on business opportunities and sourcing potential sales partnerships which will help them grow their exports.

Part of my role will also be to attract new foreign direct investment to Northern Ireland and I very much look forward to supporting Invest NI to achieve this.

Invest NI are expected to complete recruitment in the remainder of their locations early in the new year as it looks to increase its in-market support for Northern Ireland businesses. This global expansion project will help Invest NI promote Northern Ireland’s economic interests abroad and support Northern Ireland businesses to strengthen the Northern Ireland economy.
December 8, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : AUKUS Defence Ministerial Joint Statement [December 2022]

The press release issued by the Ministry of Defence on 8 December 2022.

Joint statement on AUKUS from UK, US, and Australian defence ministers.

On December 7, 2022, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin hosted the Honourable Richard Marles MP, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence, Australia, and the Right Honourable Ben Wallace, Secretary of State for Defence, United Kingdom, at the Pentagon to discuss the Australia-United Kingdom-United States Security Partnership (AUKUS).

The Secretary of Defense, Deputy Prime Minister, and Secretary of State for Defence reviewed the significant progress to date on the trilateral effort to support Australia’s acquisition of conventionally-armed, nuclear powered submarines and the trilateral development of advanced capabilities. They emphasised that AUKUS will make a positive contribution to peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region by enhancing deterrence. The Secretaries and Deputy Prime Minister expressed their confidence in continued progress ahead of the end of the 18-month consultation period regarding naval nuclear propulsion and announcement on the optimal pathway by the President and Prime Ministers in early 2023.

The Secretaries and Deputy Prime Minister highlighted the exceptional progress that has been made on trilateral efforts to identify the optimal path for Australia to acquire conventionally-armed, nuclear powered submarine capability at the earliest possible date. They reiterated their shared commitment to set and uphold the highest standards for nuclear nonproliferation, and welcomed the ongoing, extensive and productive engagement that has been carried out with the International Atomic Energy Agency to date.

The Secretaries and Deputy Prime Minister endorsed efforts to orient capability development to accelerate near-term delivery of technologies that will meet our militaries’ requirements to enhance capability and increase interoperability. These include initiatives for advanced trilateral maritime undersea intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance capabilities and use of each country’s autonomous systems to enhance maritime domain awareness. They further noted the role recent exercises have played in demonstrating and testing advanced capabilities, and approved plans to pursue additional demonstrations of several collaborative initiatives—including hypersonic and autonomous systems—in the 2023-2024 timeframe and beyond.

Trilateral capability development will benefit from targeted engagement with defence industry and academic communities within and across our national ecosystems. The three countries intend to intensify engagement with these communities beginning in calendar year 2023. Deeper government, academic, and defence industrial base cooperation on advanced systems will require sustained efforts to continue to improve information and technology sharing. The Secretaries and Deputy Prime Minister reaffirmed their commitment to ongoing work within national systems to enable more robust sharing in these areas.

The Secretaries and Deputy Prime Minister committed to continued openness and transparency with international partners on AUKUS. They further emphasised that AUKUS is a strategic partnership focused on enhancing regional stability and safeguarding a free and open Indo-Pacific where conflicts are resolved peacefully and without coercion. They confirmed that AUKUS will complement AUKUS partners’ engagement with existing regional architecture, including ASEAN and the Pacific Islands Forum.

December 8, 2022