Category: Press Releases

PRESS RELEASE : Schools need more specialist help for primary age children with additional needs [November 2022]
The press release issued by the Department for Education on 8 November 2022.

New Ofsted research, published today, finds a lack of access to specialist help means more primary school children with additional needs are being referred to alternative provision (AP).

Primary-age children are referred to alternative provision when schools are unable to manage their physically or verbally violent behaviour, with negative effects on other children and staff. Around 7,000 primary-age children in England are currently known to be in AP. While this is a small proportion of all primary pupils, the number has risen by over a quarter in the last 5 years.

To understand this increase, Ofsted research explored the role that AP plays in the education system and the reasons primary-age children are referred there in the first place. It also looked at the challenges schools and APs face in supporting young children with additional needs, and how they work together to re-integrate them into mainstream education where possible.

Ofsted’s study, published today, found that most primary-age pupils only stayed in AP for a few weeks or months, and usually attended part time. However, some children with additional needs stay in AP for years while they wait for a special school place, and AP staff may be unable to meet their needs fully in the meantime. This absence of appropriate teaching and specialist support could have long-term consequences for these vulnerable children.

Primary school staff told Ofsted that the strain on specialist services nationally – exacerbated by the pandemic – has made it more difficult to support pupils with special educational needs. Limited access to professional help, such as speech and language therapists or educational psychology services, could be leading to more AP referrals and potentially more permanent exclusions.

Study participants also told Ofsted:
- Children were referred to an AP when their schools’ support strategies had not worked – either because of a lack of training, funding or facilities. Support strategies also became ineffective when relationships between parents and school staff broke down. In these cases, an AP referral was sometimes used as a ‘circuit breaker’ to repair relationships, with the AP acting as a mediator between the school and parents, while supporting the child.
- School staff believed pupils’ violent behaviour often stemmed from difficult home lives or undiagnosed SEND. A large majority of children in the study had social, emotional and /or health needs. This aligns with national statistics on pupils referred to AP.
- Staff had high expectations for pupils’ progress and outcomes, and most were expected to return to school. For other children, schools and APs worked together to identify the right future setting, such as a special school.
- Schools saw outreach work by APs to be important for the early identification of children’s needs, preventing an escalation in behaviour and helping retain pupils in mainstream education. However, AP staff said that funding arrangements affect the amount of outreach work they can do.
- Some APs had specialist teams on site, so that pupils’ needs could be understood and addressed quickly. APs may also extend help to families, because some parents of children in AP have their own emotional, cognitive or learning needs.
- All parents involved in the research said their child’s behaviour and academic work had improved since joining an AP, but some were unsure whether AP could substantially ‘change’ their child’s behaviour or lead to them have a happy and full life after leaving AP.
His Majesty’s Chief Inspector, Amanda Spielman, said:

It seems shocking that primary age children, as young as five, could be taken out of school for violent behaviour. But, as our study shows, AP can be a positive choice for these children and play a transformative role in their young lives.

But limited access to external services, and lengthy waiting times for a special school place, mean some vulnerable children languish for years in APs that cannot provide the specialist support they need. And the consequences for these children may last well into their adult lives.

Today’s report states that a high-quality curriculum and high-quality teaching are crucial in preventing pupils’ needs from developing or worsening. Teachers would also benefit from improved access to appropriate external services, and opportunities to develop the right knowledge and skills. This could allow more mainstream schools to support pupils with additional needs, avoiding an AP referral or exclusion.
November 8, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : Royal Navy to participate in Japanese military exercise Keen Sword [November 2022]

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

A large-scale military exercise “Keen Sword” will be held from November 10th to 19th using Japan’s Self-Defense Forces facilities and surrounding waters and airspace. This year’s theme is a joint response to armed attacks.

HMS Spey will train alongside Australian and Canadian warships and aircraft, Japan and the United States with 36,000 troops, 30 ships and 370 aircraft. This exercise will validate readiness and improve interoperability among participating countries.

Lieutenant Commander Bridget McNay, HMS Spey’s second-in-command (temporary commander), said:

“We are thrilled to be visiting Japan for the first time. We will continue the excellent cooperation between Japan’s Maritime Self-Defense Forces and other allies and partners during Exercise Keen Sword.” I hope that

With the Royal Navy’s HMS Tamer and HMS Spey stationed in the Indo-Pacific, the Royal Navy will participate in a number of exercises in the region throughout 2022, following the first deployment of the British Carrier Strike Group in 2021. I was able to.

HMS Tamer Commander Lieutenant Colonel Teiro Elliott Smith, who recently participated in a multinational mine warfare exercise off the coast of South Korea, said:

“Working with our partners at sea allows us to share and demonstrate common approaches to regional challenges. It is an expression of the British determination to

The operational exercise “Keen Sword” was first conducted in 1985. It is held alternately every year with a command post exercise called “Keen Edge”, and this year is the 16th.

November 8, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : Maritime sector given green boost with major COP27 pledge [November 2022]
The press release issued by the Department for Transport on 7 November 2022.
- UK to join forces with the US, Norway and the Netherlands to roll out end-to-end decarbonised shipping routes
- joint statement between nations at COP27 reflects wider mission to accelerate global efforts in fight against climate crisis
- follows success of UK-led Clydebank Declaration on green shipping corridors at COP26
International zero-emission shipping routes came one step closer to becoming a reality, as the UK made a major pledge alongside the US, Norway, and the Netherlands to roll out green maritime links between our countries at this year’s COP27 conference in Sharm el Sheikh, Egypt.

So-called ‘green shipping corridors’ are specific maritime routes decarbonised from end to end, including both land-side infrastructure and vessels.

Setting up such routes involves using zero-emission fuel or energy, putting in place refuelling or recharging infrastructure at ports, and deploying zero-emission capable vessels to demonstrate cleaner, more environmentally-friendly shipping on a given route.

In particular, the UK and the US have agreed to launch a special Green Shipping Corridor Task Force focussed on bringing together experts in the sector, encouraging vital research and development, and driving other important work and projects to see these initiatives come to life as quickly as possible.

Committing to roll out green shipping corridors will help the sector to comply with the Paris Agreement goal of limiting global temperature rise to 1.5°C by the end of the century.

This follows the success of the UK-led Clydebank Declaration at COP26 – the ground-breaking global initiative to provide a framework for governments to establish zero-emission shipping routes between ports.

Transport Secretary Mark Harper said:

The challenges posed by climate change are clear and the need to decarbonise maritime has never been greater.

That’s why we’ve committed to work alongside global partners to clean up the sector, improve air quality in and around our ports and coastal communities, and drive green investment into our economy.

But we must not lose momentum. I’m delighted to say the UK has agreed to begin developing green shipping routes with some of our closest allies, as we work together to realise the ambitions of the Paris Agreement and limit global warming.

The international maritime sector is currently responsible for almost 3% of global emissions – if it were a country, it would be the world’s 8th largest emitter.

However, the UK has already made significant progress, with the Global Maritime Forum calling the UK the most proactive government in the Clydebank Declaration in terms of stakeholder engagement.

The UK, alongside its counterparts in the Zero Emission Shipping Mission, also recently published an action plan to remove obstacles to creating a greener maritime sector, from clean energy ports to zero-emission vessels and the green fuels that will be needed to develop green shipping corridors.

Ben Murray, CEO of Maritime UK, said:

Green shipping corridors have the potential to catalyse decarbonisation in the maritime sector by focusing on specific maritime routes.

Not only can they help to identify and action the solutions needed for a given corridor by aligning vessels with infrastructure, but they can also demonstrate the UK’s leadership and pitch to the rest of the world as we all seek to accelerate our progress toward net zero. Be that finance, professional services, technology, or manufacturing.

Maritime UK and its members are committed to developing green corridors and look forward to working closely with partners from the US, Norway, and the Netherlands to make them a reality.

The UK continues to play a leading role in climate negotiations at the International Maritime Organization, working with its partners to raise global decarbonisation ambitions.

The government also recently launched a £60 million clean maritime demonstration competition on World Maritime Day, so tankers, cruise ships, ports and the wider maritime sector can help to play their part in slashing emissions and boosting economic growth.

UK Chamber of Shipping CEO Sarah Treseder said:

Green corridors can play an essential role in stimulating early action to adopt low and net-zero emission technologies and fuels. Today’s announcement is a welcome step in the international action required to decarbonise shipping.

The UK shipping community is committed to working with the UK government in securing bold action at the International Maritime Organization to provide more ambitious and concrete decarbonisation strategies.
November 7, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : Keeping Welsh legislation up to date [November 2022]

The press release issued by the Welsh Government on 7 November 2022.

When I laid The Future of Welsh Law programme before the Senedd last year, I made clear that one of the key projects to improve the accessibility of Welsh law was to ensure users can access our laws in up-to-date form in both languages on legislation.gov.uk.

Before this month there have been technological and other barriers to that happening. But I am pleased to announce that these have been overcome, and I am very grateful to The National Archives for their work to develop new functionality on their editorial system. This will enable the Welsh Government to take over much of the process to update the text of our laws bilingually.

Since 1999, 74 Acts and Measures have been enacted and nearly 6,000 Statutory Instruments have been made. These statutes have been amended and changed over time both by our own legislation and that of the UK Parliament. Despite the work of legislation.gov.uk to reflect these changes, there are currently about 46,000 outstanding effects and annotations to be recorded and published on legislation.gov.uk to enable our laws to be accessed in their up-to-date form.

We will now be starting the work to tackle that backlog, initially focusing on Acts and Measures passed by the Senedd, before moving on to Welsh Statutory Instruments. I will keep Members updated on our progress.

This is a major step towards ensuring that in future, all Welsh legislation will be available, fully updated in both languages, soon after it is amended.

November 7, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : New research shows 20mph speed limit could save Wales £100 million in first year [November 2022]

The press release issued by the Welsh Government on 7 November 2022.

New research showing a reduction in deaths and injuries as traffic slows down is being published today alongside new survey results showing continued public support for the national roll out of the lower 20mph speed limit next year – a UK first.

The Welsh Government will introduce a default 20mph speed limit on restricted roads across Wales in September 2023. Restricted roads include those with street lights and are usually located in residential and built up areas with high pedestrian activity.

The new research, conducted by the Transport Research Institute (TRI) at Edinburgh Napier University, in conjunction with Public Health Wales, estimates a new default 20mph speed limit on residential roads across Wales will save around £100 million in the first year alone.

The estimated cost saving is the direct result of fewer deaths and injuries.

The new 20mph default speed limit is estimated to save more than 100 lives over a decade and 14,000 casualties in total could be avoided.

A new independent public attitude survey, conducted by Beaufort Research on behalf of the Welsh Government, shows the majority of respondents support a new lower speed limit.

Almost two-thirds of people surveyed said they would support a 20mph speed limit where they lived and 62% said they wanted everyone to slow down on the roads.

When asked about safety, 64% of people said that 20mph speed limits “makes it safer for pedestrians”; 57% agreed that 20mph means “fewer serious collisions on the roads” and almost half (47%) thought 20mph would make it safer for cyclists.

Deputy Minister for Climate Change Lee Waters said:

The evidence from around the world is very clear – reducing speed limits reduces collisions and saves lives.

Slower speeds also create a safer and more welcoming environment, giving people the confidence to walk and cycle more, which will help to improve our health and wellbeing and help to improve the environment.

This new research shows the savings in terms of reductions in people being hurt or killed but the benefits of 20mph stretch much further than casualty savings alone. The report suggests the lower speed limit will help encourage physical activity and in turn reduce obesity, stress and anxiety.

As with any change we know it will take time for people to adapt. But I’m pleased to see the early indications show a majority of people are in favour of 20mph, and I am confident that if we all work together, we can make the necessary changes that will benefit us now and in the future.

November 7, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : Rishi Sunak meeting with President Emmanuel Macron [November 2022]

The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 7 November 2022.

The Prime Minister met France’s President Emmanuel Macron on the sidelines of COP27 in Egypt today.

The leaders welcomed the opportunity to meet in person at COP27 and agreed on the importance of continuing to drive climate action forward. They noted opportunities for the UK and France to collaborate further on the transition to clean energy, including on civil nuclear power.

The Prime Minister and President Macron spoke about the ongoing challenge of illegal migration, stressing the urgency of cracking down on criminal smuggling gangs. They committed to continue working together with partners to address the issues in the Channel.

The leaders also discussed the ongoing Russian attacks on Ukraine and the continued importance of maintaining military and economic support for the defence of Ukraine.

They looked forward to working closely together as allies and neighbours to strengthen bilateral ties and address global challenges.

November 7, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : Rishi Sunak meeting with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi [November 2022]

The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 7 November 2022.

The Prime Minister met Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi at COP27 in Sharm el-Sheikh today.

The Prime Minister was pleased to have been able to travel to Egypt for the Summit and thanked President Sisi for his country’s leadership in hosting this important event.

The leaders discussed opportunities for the UK and Egypt to collaborate further on the transition to renewables, including in developing green hydrogen and mobilising private investment.

The Prime Minister raised the case of Alaa Abd el-Fattah, stressing the UK Government’s deep concern on this issue. The Prime Minister said he hoped to see this resolved as soon as possible and would continue to press for progress.

November 7, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : Rishi Sunak meeting with President Isaac Herzog of Israel [November 2022]

The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 7 November 2022.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak met President Isaac Herzog of Israel today at COP27 in Egypt.

They reaffirmed their commitment to delivering on the legacy of Glasgow, taking action to drive down emissions and protect nature.

The leaders also discussed regional security and welcomed continued defence and security cooperation between the UK and Israel.

The Prime Minister and President Herzog looked forward to further deepening the close ties between the UK and Israel, including in trade and investment and collaboration in technology innovation.

November 7, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : Royal Navy infrastructure protection ship accelerated [November 2022]

The press release issued by the Ministry of Defence on 7 November 2022.

The purchase of specialist ships to protect the UK’s critical national infrastructure has been brought forward, the Defence Secretary has announced, as he confirms the National Flagship programme has been suspended in order to deliver this.

The two Multi-Role Ocean Surveillance (MROS) ships will be operated by the Royal Fleet Auxiliary and are vital to our national security by protecting our subsea cables and pipelines. The first of these ships will be handed over in January 2023, several months ahead of schedule.

The increasing commercialisation of the seabed for energy and communications purposes has resulted in increased opportunities for adversaries to hold Western subsea critical national infrastructure at risk.

The vessels will be adaptable, and able to provide a range of capabilities, such as operating remote and autonomous offboard systems for underwater surveillance and seabed warfare.

Speaking in the House of Commons, Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said:

In the face of Russia’s illegal and unprovoked invasion of Ukraine and Putin’s reckless disregard of international arrangements designed to keep world order, it is right that we prioritise delivering capabilities which safeguard our national infrastructure.

To effectively address the current and future threats, we will now invest in MROS ships that protect sensitive Defence infrastructure, and civil infrastructure, to improve our ability to detect threats to the seabed and cables. I have also therefore directed the termination of the National Flagship competition with immediate effect to bring forward the first MROS ship in its place and I shall make further announcements on our continued Naval investment in the coming weeks.

In light of this, the National Flagship programme has been suspended to prioritise delivery of the vital MROS capability.

Rear Admiral Rex Cox, CEO of the National Shipbuilding Office said:

The National Flagship project showcased the talent of the UK’s maritime industry and I am grateful to all those bidders who took part. The willingness to embrace modern design and production practices with a focus on green innovation embodies the essence of the National Shipbuilding Strategy Refresh. This contemporary approach to shipbuilding and design will be fundamental to the success of the future shipbuilding pipeline.

November 7, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : Written Statement in Welsh Parliament – The Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Bill [November 2022]

The press release issued by 3 November 2022.

A statement made by Mick Antoniw MS, Counsel General and Minister for the Constitution.

The Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Bill was introduced in the House of Commons on 22 September by the then Secretary for State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, the Rt Hon Jacob Rees-Mogg MP.

The Bill, as introduced, includes significant content that was not shared with the Devolved Governments prior to introduction. I wrote to the Llywydd on 5 October stating that, given the Bill contained previously unseen content and because of serious concerns about the effect of provisions in the Bill, it would not be possible to lay a Legislative Consent Memorandum within the timescales normally assigned to the process.

I wrote to the Secretary of State, setting out my concerns regarding the Bill.

The Bill as drafted includes concurrent powers that could be exercised by UK Government Ministers in devolved areas without the consent of the Welsh Ministers. This is constitutionally unacceptable, and I have strongly expressed this view. Our expectation is, in the first instance, that powers to amend devolved legislation should rest solely with the Welsh Ministers or, if held concurrently with Ministers of the Crown, that there should be a requirement on the face of the Bill for them to gain the consent of Welsh Ministers for their exercise in devolved areas.

Another major concern is the deadline to review and actively save retained EU law by the sunsetting date of 31 December 2023. This would see all the governments of the UK engaged in a major piece of work to review thousands of legal instruments to ascertain how they should be handled under the Bill, or otherwise risk the law being removed from the statute book on this date. The Bill includes an extension mechanism for the sunset date of specified pieces of retained EU law until 2026, however the exercise of this power is currently limited to Ministers of the Crown.

The Bill is a significant distraction at a time when the focus of government should be on matters of greater importance such as the cost-of-living crisis. It is our opinion that the body of retained EU law, as it currently stands, is in general fit for purpose. The imposition of the arbitrary deadline means that there is a very real risk in revisiting these legal instruments in haste, that interdependencies and other issues may not be identified, and that the consequence could be an inoperable statute book.

As a result of this and other concerns with the Bill, which by its very nature could significantly impact on devolution, we are recommending that the Senedd withholds its consent for the Bill.

November 7, 2022