Category: Press Releases

PRESS RELEASE : New plans to strengthen tech ties between UK and Japan [December 2022]

The press release issued by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport on 7 December 2022.

UK and Japan to collaborate on joint digital priorities including supply chain resilience, cyber security and data.

Today the UK and Japan have unveiled details of a new digital partnership to turbocharge their joint working in an era of increasing global competition on tech and data.

The UK and Japan are modern tech powerhouses, with combined IT sectors worth more than £406 billion. The newly launched partnership will develop the unique strengths of both countries and deliver on the UK’s ambition, set out in this year’s Digital Strategy, to increase international collaboration on complex tech issues.

The partnership will structure engagement between the UK and Japanese governments on a range of digital issues, including how to improve the resilience of globally significant supply chains such as semiconductors and telecommunications. The countries will develop joint research and development initiatives to share expertise about these vital technologies.

The UK and Japan will strengthen foundations for trade and investment between their tech economies and make it easier for businesses to operate in both countries by aligning approaches to digital regulation.

Improving cyber resilience is a priority for the partnership, which will see the UK and Japan promote initiatives to standardise the security of internet-connected products and apps and address the risks of digital services in supply chains.

Collaboration between the UK’s data regulator, the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), and Japanese regulators will be supported through the partnership to give businesses and citizens greater certainty about the security of data sharing between both countries.

At the centre of the partnership will be the UK-Japan Digital Council, an annual meeting between ministers from the UK’s Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) and representatives from the Japanese Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry and the Digital Agency to drive forward new priorities.

UK Digital Secretary Michelle Donelan said:

The UK’s relationship with Japan has grown from strength to strength in recent years based on a foundation of shared goals and values. Our thriving tech sectors are another opportunity for us to work together to benefit citizens and businesses across both countries. I look forward to deepening our relationship through the UK-Japan Digital Partnership in the future.

Both governments will use international settings such as Japan’s G7 Presidency and the G20 to tackle shared goals and challenges with other global partners.

This new partnership further delivers on the UK’s goal, set out in the Integrated Review, to become the European nation with the broadest presence in the Indo-Pacific region which is increasingly critical as global tech competition and international assertiveness intensifies.

December 7, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : UK Government urges countries to agree a deal for nature as UN Convention of Biological Diversity gets underway [December 2022]
The press release issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 7 December 2022.

The United Kingdom Government is set to lead a coalition of high ambition countries in crucial UN talks with the aim of halting species extinctions and biodiversity loss.

The UK Government is today (7 December) calling on the world to unite and agree a deal that delivers for nature and ends species extinction.

The 15th Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD COP15) is taking place in Canada from today until 19th December. The meeting will set the framework for the next decade of global action on biodiversity loss.

We are losing nature around the world faster than ever before, with more than 1 million species at risk of extinction, and there is stark evidence of habitat loss as coral reefs, rainforests and peatlands reduce in numbers globally. Nature is the foundation of our livelihoods, supporting food production, economic prosperity and security.

The UK has already led the way in driving action to tackle these challenges and is a global leader on the environment and nature. Under the UK’s COP Presidency, 145 countries – representing over 90% of the world’s forests – signed a pledge to halt deforestation and land degradation by 2030 while delivering sustainable development and rural transformation. At home, we have introduced the Environment Act which delivers a raft of measures to protect our rivers, tackle deforestation and preserve habitats, and will be backed up by a set of legally binding targets due to published soon. This government has also committed £750 million of nature for climate funding to restore peatlands, drive tree planting, and create wildlife rich habitat.

Hosting a reception with prominent environmentalists at the Natural History Museum (Wednesday 7 December), the Environment Secretary will reiterate the importance of reaching a robust agreement to restore and conserve nature at this year’s summit and set out the UK’s role in helping drive this.

Environment Secretary Therese Coffey is expected to say:

After two years of intensive global effort towards making ambitious environment targets, it is vital that the world agrees to tackle together the decline in nature and habitats and set out a road to recovery.

WWF Chief Executive Tanya Steele said:

COP15 is about saving our own life support system. Nature is the source of our health, security and prosperity but WWF’s Living Planet Report 2022 revealed the sheer scale of its loss, with an average 69% decline in the size of global wildlife populations since 1970.

The stakes are high, and time is running out. This summit is a chance the world must not miss to agree a global deal to reverse nature loss by 2030. World leaders must deliver a landmark agreement for nature to bring our world back to life.”

At the conference, the UK will negotiate to:
- Halt and reverse biodiversity loss
- Protect 30% of the world’s land and ocean by 2030.
- Halt species extinctions
- Increase the mobilisation of resources from all sources to fund the global effort to halt nature loss
- Eliminate environmentally harmful subsidies
- Align all financial flows with the goals and targets of the Global Biodiversity Framework
- Agree mechanisms for holding countries to account for implementing the framework
- Share benefits that arise from the use of digital sequence information on genetic resources.
The UK government is also pledging today to launch a new multi-million fund next spring as a key part of our plan to help halt and reverse species decline in England. The new funding will support habitat creation and ecosystem restoration, including in England’s most special sites for nature, and support delivery of our own ambitious commitments at home, including our legally binding 2030 species target and ‘30by30’ pledge.
December 7, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : UK and US announce new energy partnership [December 2022]
The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 7 December 2022.
- PM and President Biden create a new high-level bilateral group to focus on energy security, efficiency and affordability
- The venture will give further high-level political backing to our accelerated energy transitions and Net Zero commitments
- Over the coming year, US aims to more than double the amount of gas exported to the UK in 2021 to secure supply and reduce price volatility
The UK and US will work together to increase energy security and drive down prices, as part of an initiative announced by the Prime Minister and US President Biden today (7th December).

Under the new ‘UK-US Energy Security and Affordability Partnership’, the UK and US will drive work to reduce global dependence on Russian energy exports, stabilise energy markets and step up collaboration on energy efficiency, nuclear and renewables. The initiative will be steered by a new UK-US Joint Action Group, led by senior officials from the UK Government and the White House.

This new partnership follows the Prime Minister and President Biden’s meeting at the G20 Summit in Indonesia, where they agreed to take forward work to address our short-term energy needs and spearhead efforts to speed up our energy transition.

Putin’s war in Ukraine has caused an international spike in energy prices. To help deal with the resulting rise in the cost of living, the group will work to ensure the market delivers sustained increases in the supply of Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) to UK terminals from the US and will collaborate on energy efficiency measures.

As part of this, the US will strive to export at least 9-10 billion cubic metres of LNG over the next year via UK terminals, more than doubling the level exported in 2021 and capitalising on the UK’s leading import infrastructure. This will be good for both UK and European partners as we look to replenish gas storage next year. To fulfil this shared objective, both governments will work to proactively identify and resolve any issues faced by exporters and importers.

The group will also work to reduce global reliance on Russian energy by driving efforts to increase energy efficiency and supporting the transition to clean energy, expediting the development of clean hydrogen globally and promoting civil nuclear as a secure use of energy.

The Prime Minister said:

Together the UK and US will ensure the global price of energy and the security of our national supply can never again be manipulated by the whims of a failing regime.

We have the natural resources, industry and innovative thinking we need to create a better, freer system and accelerate the clean energy transition. This partnership will bring down prices for British consumers and help end Europe’s dependence on Russian energy once and for all.

The partnership will build on the work of the UK-US Strategic Energy Dialogue led by energy ministers, with a focus on gas supply, energy efficiency, civil nuclear and clean energy.

On civil nuclear, the partnership will promote nuclear energy as a safe and reliable part of the clean energy transition. This includes deepening global collaboration on nuclear fuels and advanced nuclear technologies.

The partnership will also drive international investment in clean energy technologies, from offshore wind to carbon capture. This will complement the work the UK and US are doing together with G7 partners to support the use of clean and sustainable energy in developing countries through the Just Energy Transition Partnerships.

In tandem with shoring up security of energy supply, the group will exchange best practice and work on measures to increase energy efficiency and reduce demand for gas. It is already estimated that there could be an 8% reduction in demand for gas in the UK this winter. The Joint Action Group will explore policy solutions to enhance this efficiency, building on UK Government initiatives such as the Help to Heat Programme.

The initiative will pursue innovative energy solutions, such as the decarbonisation of the aerospace industry and development of sustainable aviation fuel technologies, collaborative efforts on electric vehicles, and Energy Smart Appliances.

We will also continue our close collaboration on Carbon Capture Usage and Storage, and progress the Clean Hydrogen Mission. The UK and US are already co-leads of the Hydrogen Breakthrough Agenda, a flagship initiative to push forward clean hydrogen internationally.
December 7, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : First Freeports launched in major economic boost [December 2022]
The press release issued by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities on 7 December 2022.

The United Kingdom’s first Freeports in Plymouth, Solent, and Teesside are now fully up and running after receiving final government approval.
- Teesside, Plymouth and South Devon and Solent Freeports fully operational after final government sign off
- Up to £25 million in seed funding from Government will be released to turbocharge development in each Freeport
- Freeports will play key role in creating tens of thousands of jobs and driving economic growth with billions of pounds of investment
The United Kingdom’s first Freeports in Plymouth, Solent, and Teesside are now fully up and running after receiving final government approval today (Wednesday 7 December).

The Freeports becoming fully operational is a major milestone in the government’s mission to level up communities across the country and will help spread opportunity and drive economic growth.

Each of these Freeports will now receive up to £25 million seed funding and potentially tens of millions of pounds in locally retained business rates to upgrade local infrastructure and stimulate regeneration.

Businesses in Freeports can take advantage of tax incentives, unlocking much-needed investment and bringing high quality jobs in industries of the future to some of the nation’s most overlooked communities.

Combined, the first three Freeports are expected to bring millions of pounds in investment and thousands of highly skilled jobs, turbocharging local economies and benefitting the whole of the UK.

Levelling Up Minister Dehenna Davison said:

We are taking full advantage of the freedoms of leaving the EU and these Freeports in Teesside, Plymouth and South Devon and Solent will attract new business to often overlooked areas, creating thousands of jobs.

Now they are up and running, these Freeports will harness local expertise to grow vital industries and turbocharge our national economy.

Freeports will generate prosperity and spread opportunity throughout the UK by driving innovation and throwing open our doors to trade with the world.

The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities has given the final greenlight for the Freeports which are set to receive up to £25 million each to drive local plans.

This means:

• Teesside can continue to drive investment and industrial growth in renewables, advanced manufacturing and the chemicals and process sectors, creating more than 18,000 highly skilled jobs in the northeast.

• Plymouth and South Devon will harness the region’s marine and defence expertise to deliver thousands of skilled jobs injecting millions of pounds of investment into the region.

• Solent will grow its ambitious maritime economy, making the Solent a thriving hub for the world’s marine and maritime sector.

Ben Murray, Maritime UK Chief Executive, said:

The freeport programme is catalysing economic growth and job creation in coastal towns and cities around the UK. We’re delighted to see the first three officially launched with ambitious plans to develop their local proposition for inward investment, innovation, and exports.

From marine autonomy to defence, advanced manufacturing to decarbonisation, these freeports will help strengthen our maritime clusters and grow our maritime sector; already one of Britain’s biggest industries. We look forward to continuing to work with government to harness the potential of maritime to accelerate levelling-up.

Richard Ballantyne OBE, Chief Executive, British Ports Association said:

Congratulations to the Plymouth, Solent and Tees Freeports as there has been a lot of hard work to get to this stage. We welcome the next chapter of this key economic policy and want to see Freeports work for their regions as well as the whole of the UK.

We believe strongly that the business benefits Freeport areas include will be pivotal in attracting new investment and jobs to our important coastal regions. This is an exciting time to be involved in the ports sector and we are pleased that policy makers see our industry as a focal point for levelling up.

Freeports benefit from a package of measures, comprising tax reliefs, customs advantages, business rates retention, planning, regeneration, innovation and trade and investment support.

We expect the remaining five English Freeports to join Plymouth, Solent, and Teesside in receiving final approvals shortly, and we remain committed to ensuring all four corners of the UK can reap the benefits of our Freeports programme.
December 7, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : Foreign Secretary promises honest, reliable UK investment in Africa [December 2022]
The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 7 December 2022.
- The Foreign Secretary pledges to build “mutually beneficial partnerships of the future” on a visit to Kenya and Ethiopia.
- James Cleverly will announce new UK support to the Africa Development Fund to tackle climate change, strengthen food security and boost Africa’s growing economies.
- He will break ground on the Railway City regeneration project – a high-tech green development, designed by British architects and supported by UK export finance.
The UK will announce new support for the African Development Fund (ADF) today to help the poorest communities in Africa grow their economies, create jobs and improve healthcare.

The Foreign Secretary will confirm the funding in Kenya as a key plank of the UK’s honest, reliable investment offer, on his first visit to Sub-Saharan Africa since becoming the Foreign Secretary.

The UK will contribute £650million as part of a wider international financing package of $9 billion for the ADF over the next three years, providing high impact and low-cost finance to Africa’s poorest countries. This includes £200 million provided to the ADF’s new Climate Action Window that was announced at COP27.

The UK funding will help deliver electricity for almost 20 million people, improved sanitation for over 30 million people and create over 2.3million new jobs across the continent. The fund supports 37 of the most vulnerable countries across the African continent.

The Foreign Secretary said:

We hugely value working with our allies and friends across Africa. Such relationships benefit us all. The UK offers honest, reliable investment that does not load countries with debt, but instead unlocks huge potential for economic growth, while boosting global health and tackling climate change.

The UK’s contribution to the African Development Bank shows our long-standing commitment to the continent. We will go far when we go together.

Arriving in Kenya today (7 December) the Foreign Secretary will also see how the UK’s support is helping to grow Kenya’s green economy.

Just one month after the Prime Minister and President Ruto promised to fast-track green British investment, the Foreign Secretary will break ground on the construction of Railway City – Nairobi’s renovated central station, designed by British architects with the latest green technology. The Kings Cross London-style development, backed by £80m of UK Export Finance, will regenerate Nairobi’s bustling central business district as a green urban environment of the future.

And ahead of the Railway City launch, the UK’s development finance institution British International Investment (BII) will sign a new risk-sharing agreement with the African Guarantee Fund (AGF), to support green economic development and job creation across Africa.

The agreement will unlock $150million of affordable finance for small and medium enterprises – expected to facilitate up to 17,300 loans for businesses across Africa. BII and AGF will each underwrite 25% of the loans.

It is reflective of the UK’s ongoing support to small businesses in Africa to create jobs and transition to green energy, while helping vulnerable countries to deal with the adverse impacts of climate change.

During a climate reception at the British High Commission the Foreign Secretary will congratulate a winner of the Earthshot Prize, launched two years ago by Prince William and David Attenborough. He will announce that the UK is supporting new re-forestation projects in Kenya through the UK PACT programme with an £3.8million investment.

The Foreign Secretary will head to Ethiopia on Thursday 8 November, where he will see first-hand the devastating impacts of climate change, conflict and food insecurity.

In both countries, the Foreign Secretary will meet with key government figures where he will reiterate his vision of stronger partnerships between the UK and African countries, built on mutual respect and benefits, and supporting populations in Africa, the UK and beyond to be more prosperous, healthier and greener.
December 7, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : New 24/7 support service for victims of rape launched [December 2022]
The press release issued by the Ministry of Justice on 7 December 2022.

Victims of rape across England and Wales will have access to round-the-clock support as a new 24/7 Support Line is launched today (7 December 2022).
- first ever 24/7 Support Line for victims of rape and sexual abuse in England to provide victims with round-the-clock help
- victims who have spoken to a specialist like an ISVA are 49% less likely to withdraw from the criminal justice process
- this service will support victims, encourage more prosecutions, and deliver on a key government pledge
- on 0808 500 2222 and via www.247sexualabusesupport.org.uk
Specialist operators – available via telephone or webchat – will be on hand at any time to provide victims with vital information and emotional support. This includes signposting to local, longer-term services such as Independent Sexual Violence Advisors (ISVA).

The government-funded service will be operated by Rape Crisis England & Wales who have over 3 decades’ experience running a helpline for rape and sexual abuse survivors. It will be available to anyone aged 16 years and over who has experienced any form of sexual violence and abuse, at any point in their life.

The support line has been launched in time for the festive season when reports of sexual violence are known to increase. At least 1 in 4 women and 1 in 20 men have been raped or sexually assaulted as an adult.

Research shows that victims who speak to an ISVA are 49% less likely to withdraw from the criminal justice process. This means that the more support a survivor receives, the more likely it is their attacker will be brought to justice.

Deputy Prime Minister, Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice, Dominic Raab said:

Making sure that victims of rape and sexual abuse have support whenever they need it is not only the right thing to do – it will also help us to bring more perpetrators to justice.

When victims feel believed and supported, they are much more likely to stay the course in the criminal justice process. This vital helpline will have a major role to play in providing the support victims need, and in bringing more vile criminals to justice.

The Support Line delivers on a key pledge in the government’s Rape Review Action Plan which seeks to boost support for victims, improve confidence in the system and increase the number of cases reaching court.

The plan sets out clear actions for the police, prosecutors, and courts – to roll out a new approach to investigations, reduce the number of victims withdrawing from the process, increase the volumes of trials being heard, protect the public and put more rapists behind bars.

This work is starting to deliver results. In 2021, the number of rape convictions increased by 67% compared to 2020, and the CPS is making charging decisions on average 29 days quicker according to the latest data available. In September, the government also completed the roll out of pre-recorded evidence for rape victims to every Crown Court nationwide – sparing them the trauma of testifying under the full glare of a courtroom.

Jayne Butler, CEO of Rape Crisis England and Wales:

We are proud to have developed and now be launching the 24/7 Rape & Sexual Abuse Support Line, an important addition to the specialist support available for anyone 16 and over in England and Wales who has been impacted by sexual violence and abuse.

No matter when or where it happened – we are here for you. If you contact us we will always listen to you and believe you, and we will never judge.

Farah Nazeer, chief executive of Women’s Aid said:

We welcome the government’s investment in a 24/7 support helpline, delivered by the great long-standing specialist service Rape Crisis, to provide round-the-clock support for survivors of sexual violence. We hope this will ensure survivors get the right response, first time – which we know is key to recovery after abuse. We’re hopeful this will also lead to an improvement in reporting and convictions of sexual offences.

As well as providing much-needed support to survivors, it is crucial we send a strong message to women that they will be heard, they will be believed, and they will be helped.

Emily Hunt, independent advisor to the government on the Rape Review, said:

After I was raped, I quite literally was begging for help and support. And there wasn’t any – at least not when I needed it. Now, victims in England and Wales can reach out to trained specialists on the support line, whether it’s 2am or 2pm, whether they want to speak to someone on the phone or use web chat.

They will be heard, they will be believed and they will be helped. This is the service that I needed then, and I am so happy to have been involved in making sure that victims now have the support that I didn’t.

Today’s announcement builds on recent government work to drive improvements in the criminal justice system. This includes quadrupling funding for victim services and bringing forward a landmark Victims Bill which seeks to ensure they are better heard, served and supported at every stage.

Meanwhile, specialist sexual violence support is being piloted at 3 Crown Courts – Leeds Newcastle, and Snaresbrook in London. It seeks to provide victims with enhanced at-court support and help increase throughput of cases. This work includes the introduction of trauma-informed training for court staff, maximising the use of technology, and access to ISVAs at court.
December 7, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : Trade Minister kicks off multi-state US tour to boost state-level trade ties [December 2022]
The press release issued by the Department for International Trade on 7 December 2022.
- Minister for Trade Policy Greg Hands to travel coast-to-coast to discuss opportunities for closer trade ties with several US states
- In South Carolina, Hands will sign the UK’s third state-level Memorandum of Understanding to boost trade and investment
- The multi-state visit will also include California – which would be the world’s fifth largest economy if it were a country
Trade Minister Greg Hands today kicks off a multi-state tour of the US to boost trade and investment ties with individual states.

Starting in Columbia, South Carolina, he will cover three states in four days: South Carolina, California and Utah. The tour includes the largest US state economy, which covers around 15% of US GDP and therefore represents enormous opportunities for UK businesses.

He will meet with senior representatives from both political parties, including state governors, to explore opportunities for enhanced trade.

In Columbia, South Carolina, he will sign the UK’s third trade Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with a US state, following the signatures of Indiana and North Carolina earlier in the year. In Utah, he will continue discussions on an MoU with a view to signing early next year.

Minister of State for Trade Policy Greg Hands said:

These MoUs with US states can cover areas vital to the UK, from tech and renewable energy to financial and professional services.

We’re engaging with the US at every level – federal, state and local – to increase opportunities for UK businesses.

Whether it’s successfully securing an expansive removal of Section 232 tariffs on imports of UK steel and aluminium into the US, signing MoUs with individual states or seeking recognition of professional qualifications, the UK is focused on delivering for British businesses and consumers.

The MoU will bolster our trading partnership with South Carolina, which bought £1.4bn of goods from the UK last year.

By addressing state-specific trade barriers, promoting trade missions to South Carolina and sharing expertise and best practice, it will seek to unlock opportunities for UK firms to expand overseas and attract investment.

The MoU will focus on key sectors which reflect shared areas of expertise such as automotive – including electric vehicles – and life sciences. This could benefit British firms exporting to South Carolina such as specialist manufacturer Sigmatex.

It will support the Government’s levelling up agenda, for instance boosting export opportunities for the West Midlands’ £5bn automotive industry or Scotland’s thriving life sciences sector.

The MoU aims to create stronger commercial and academic links in these sectors, which could boost jobs and wages in the UK, adding to the already more than 130,000 life sciences jobs outside London and the South East.

Paul McMullan, CEO Sigmatex said:

As a UK company, we chose South Carolina as our preferred base in North America due to the many benefits offered by the State, including a strong labour pool, a fast-growing industrial sector and a business-friendly regulatory environment.

The news of South Carolina and the UK agreeing an MoU on trade and economic development is very welcome indeed, and sure to bring further benefits to companies like Sigmatex who wish to have operations in the USA and specifically the State of SC.

The US is the UK’s largest trading partner. The Minister will highlight the importance of our £230bn trade partnership for fuelling economic growth and job creation on both sides of the Atlantic.

The trip forms part of the UK’s twin-track approach to trade with the US, strengthening links with individual states in parallel with our work with the federal government. Other states being engaged include Texas, Oklahoma, Washington and Oregon.
December 7, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : Government turbocharges efforts to tackle Covid backlogs [December 2022]
The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 7 December 2022.

The government is setting up an Elective Recovery Taskforce to help the NHS deliver on waiting list targets, bringing together a range of healthcare experts.
- 19 new Community Diagnostic Centres to deliver more life saving checks, tests and scans and speed up diagnoses for local patients
- New Elective Recovery Taskforce to help unlock spare capacity in the independent sector to bust the Covid backlogs and reduce waiting times
- First meeting of Elective Recovery Taskforce to be held at No10 Downing Street today
Patients will benefit from quicker access to treatment and lifesaving diagnostic tests close to home following the launch of a new Elective Recovery Taskforce and approval of 19 new one stop shops for tests, checks and scans, the Health and Social Care Secretary Steve Barclay announced today.

The NHS has made progress in tackling the Covid backlogs, virtually eliminating waits of over two years for treatment – the first target in the Elective Recovery Plan – and reducing the number of people waiting 18 months for treatment by almost 60% in one year.

The taskforce will help deliver on the remaining targets, including eliminating 18-month waits by April 2023 and waits of longer than a year by March 2025.

The launch comes as the Health and Social Care Secretary announced the locations of 19 new Community Diagnostic Centres (CDCs) across the country which will help more people to easily access life-saving checks, tests and scans – and follows record investment into health and social care with the Autumn Statement committing up to an additional £8 billion for health and social care in 2024/25.

Health and Social Care Secretary Steve Barclay said:

The NHS is facing an unprecedented challenge to tackle covid backlogs.

Hardworking staff have made strong progress but I want to turbocharge our current plans to bust the backlog and help patients get the treatment they need.

The taskforce will look at sensible steps to utilise all existing capacity to slash waiting lists while ensuring the NHS always remains free at the point of use.

The taskforce, which will meet for the first time at Downing Street today, will be chaired by Health Minister Will Quince and made up of academics and experts from the NHS and independent sector to advise the government on ways to turbocharge NHS recovery from the pandemic, reduce waiting times for patients and eliminate waits for routine care of over a year by 2025.

Experts will focus on how the NHS can utilise existing capacity in independent sector to cut the backlog. The independent sector has been used to bolster NHS capacity and ease pressure at critical times for nearly two decades, delivering over 450,000 appointments in October alone, approximately 6% of NHS care. Commissioning of independent sector services by the NHS uses existing budgets and comes at no extra cost to the NHS, delivering value for taxpayer money.

The taskforce will bring together a group of experts to work on a series of recommendations which will be put to the government early next year on how the NHS can better commission the independent sector, supporting the NHS as it pulls out all the stops to tackle the Covid backlogs.

Specialties including ophthalmology and knee and hip replacements have led the way with successful collaboration with the independent sector meaning patients can return to their normal lives faster.

The taskforce will look to improve communication and collaboration between the NHS and independent sector, clearly setting out what theatres, beds and other settings (such as outpatients) are available in the independent sector. Maximising use of all additional capacity will support patients and ensure the NHS always remains free at the point of use.

Minister for Health Will Quince said:

We are relentlessly focussed on tackling waiting lists and busting the Covid backlogs and this new taskforce will bring together experts from across the healthcare system.

Doing so will ensure we’re using all the capacity available to us to improve care across the NHS and independent sector, and give patients more autonomy over when and where they are treated.

NHS England National Director of Elective Recovery Sir James Mackey said:

NHS staff are working incredibly hard to tackle the Covid backlog at a time of immense pressure on the health service with significant progress already made – virtually eliminating two year waits for care – and it’s vital that we continue to support staff to deliver for patients.

By maximising opportunities to deliver even more life-saving checks and tests, building on the successes of increasing use of the independent sector since the pandemic, we can speed up diagnoses and continue to bring down waiting lists for routine care.

Chief Executive of the Independent Healthcare Providers Network, David Hare said:

We strongly welcome the establishment of a new taskforce to look at how the NHS can turbo-charge its use of the independent sector to tackle the elective care backlog.

For decades independent sector capacity has been used by the NHS to improve patients’ access to care free at the point of use, and giving patients’ a legal right to choose an independent sector provider for their treatment was a big factor in getting NHS waiting times down in the 2000’s.

The taskforce is a great opportunity to learn lessons from that period and in particular to make good on patients’ legal right to choose the best provider for them, whether public or independent sector, and to ensure that the capacity and capability which is available in the independent sector is being fully utilised for the benefit of NHS patients.

The new diagnostic centres will be located in the heart of communities across the country including football stadiums and shopping centres offering a range of services including MRI, CT and x-rays, making tests more accessible for patients. They will take the total of approved CDCs to 127, over 80% of the government’s intention to open up to 160 CDCs to perform up to nine million additional tests a year by 2025.

91 are already up and running across the country and new data shows the one-stop shops, backed by £2.3 billion in government funding, have delivered over 2.4 million tests, checks and scans since July 2021. These are speeding up access to services for patients and reducing waiting times. In September CDCs delivered 11% of all diagnostic activity, a significant step in achieving our ambition for 40% of diagnoses to take place in CDCs by 2025.
December 7, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : Preventing today’s challenges from turning into tomorrow’s humanitarian crises – UK statement at the General Assembly [December 2022]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 6 December 2022.

Ambassador James Kariuki outlines the UK’s vision for the humanitarian system to the UN General Assembly.

Thank you Mr President, and good afternoon colleagues.

Every year, we meet here to reflect on the global humanitarian picture, and to look ahead to how we can respond to future challenges.

Yet again, we are faced with a sobering picture.

In 2023, 339 million people will be in need of humanitarian assistance – an increase of 25% from this year.

These are not just numbers.

They represent individual lives.

People suffering the impacts of both new and protracted conflicts.

People are hit simultaneously by droughts and floods driven by climate change.

People who are the most vulnerable to the global energy and food crisis caused by Russia’s choice to illegally invade Ukraine, in a year that should have been the year of recovery from the Covid 19 pandemic.

To tackle the magnitude of global challenges, we need a shared vision, and the collective political will to deliver it.

Mr President, the UK’s International Development Strategy, launched in May this year, is a commitment to the world’s most vulnerable. It sets out how we will ensure a more effective international response to humanitarian crises.

We will deliver this in three areas.

Firstly, we will push for the system to prioritise limited resources effectively, including towards the one million people who are living in famine or famine-like conditions in Yemen, Ethiopia, Somalia, and South Sudan.

We will do this by ensuring that humanitarian responses are accountable, data-driven and cost effective. And we will continue to champion the scale-up of digital cash transfers as an effective and dignified way to deliver assistance.

Secondly, we will continue to use our voice to protect the most vulnerable, and to uphold International Humanitarian, Human Rights and Refugee Law.

We will use our position on the UN Security Council to enable unhindered access to those in need, including 4.1 million people in North-West Syria this winter. And we will use all the tools at our disposal to ensure accountability for those who violate the humanitarian principles and the UN Charter in Ukraine.

We will also deliver on our commitments at last week’s Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Conference, bolstering our support to local, women-led organisations. These are vital to the humanitarian response, and to ensuring that women and girls are free from violence, and able to meet their full potential.

Finally, we will use our expertise to prevent today’s problems from turning into tomorrow’s crises.

We will leverage UK networks in the private sector, climate science and academia to deepen early warning expertise, promote innovation and strengthen systems to prevent and anticipate shocks.

And we will use our position on the boards of the International Financial Institutions to unlock the finance for these efforts, such as the doubling of the World Bank’s Early Response Financing to $1 billion, which we helped to secure this year.

Building on sustained advocacy at COP 26 and COP 27, we will continue to push for an increase in access to climate finance in climate vulnerable countries with the highest levels of humanitarian need. This will help communities adapt to new challenges with dignity and agency.

Mr President, with needs soaring every year, the UK humanitarian vision is not an ideal, but rather, a necessity. Today we are asking for all of you to join us in delivering it.

December 7, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : Government to launch consultation on local support on onshore wind [December 2022]

The press release issued by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities on 6 December 2022.

The government commits to launching a technical consultation to explore how local authorities demonstrate local support and respond to views of their communities when considering onshore wind development in England.

Decisions on onshore wind sites will continue to be made at a local level as these are best made by local representatives who know their areas best and are democratically accountable to the local community.

To deliver a more localist approach, and its commitments in the British Energy Security Strategy, the government will consult on proposed changes to national planning policy. This follows positive engagement with MPs.

Under the proposals, planning permission would be dependent on a project being able to demonstrate local support and satisfactorily address any impacts identified by the local community. Local authorities would also have to demonstrate their support for certain areas as being suitable for onshore wind, moving away from rigid requirements for sites to be designated in local plans.

Today’s announcement builds on previous Government action to make sure local communities are at the heart of decisions on onshore wind. Changes introduced in 2016 that made local councils responsible for onshore wind applications, instead of the Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project regime, will remain in place.

The Government will make sure strong environmental protections first brought in by the Government in 2015 remain, so that valued landscapes such as National Parks, Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty and the Green Belt are protected.

The government will also seek views on developing local partnerships for supportive communities, so that those who wish to host new onshore wind infrastructure can benefit from doing so, such as through lower energy bills.

New digital engagement techniques during the planning process will ensure people across the local community can continue to make their views known.

The government will also consider how the planning system can support communities to have a say on the necessary infrastructure to connect wind farms to the grid and encourage the upgrading of existing wind farm sites

The government will be inviting views from local authorities, communities and businesses.

The technical consultation on changes to the National Planning Policy Framework will be launched by Christmas and concluded by the end of April 2023.

December 7, 2022