Category: Press Releases

PRESS RELEASE : Joint statement from senior officials meeting on Libya [September 2022]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 23 September 2022.

Senior officials representing France, Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom, and the United States met on September 22 on the margins of the United Nations (UN) General Assembly in New York to review the ongoing crisis in Libya. They expressed their support for Special Representative of the Secretary-General Abdoulaye Bathily as he takes up his mandate to advance political stability and reconciliation among Libyans. The officials affirmed their full support for UN mediation aimed at producing a constitutional basis to enable free, fair, and inclusive presidential and parliamentary elections throughout Libya in the shortest possible time. The officials also discussed the importance of fulfilling Libyan aspirations for the transparent management of oil revenues and agreeing on a unified executive with a mandate focused on preparing for elections. Participants strongly rejected any use of violence and reiterated their support for full implementation of the October 23, 2020 ceasefire agreement.

September 24, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : Second vaccine doses to be offered to those at highest risk from monkeypox [September 2022]

The press release issued by the UK Health Security Agency on 23 September 2022.

Clinics continue to prioritise first doses for those at highest risk.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has announced that second doses of the smallpox (Jynneos) vaccine will be offered to people at highest risk from monkeypox, in order to maximise protection against the virus.

This targeted approach is also supported by modelling published in today’s technical briefing 8 which suggests vaccinating 25% of the groups most at risk could significantly reduce the risk of transmission.

Whilst sexual health clinics will continue to prioritise offering first doses to those at highest risk, some clinics will also begin to offer eligible people a second dose to provide longer term protection.

The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) has endorsed UKHSA’s proposal to offer second doses to those at highest risk, while continuing efforts to maximise uptake of the first dose within this group.

There are no current plans to widen the offer of vaccination beyond the existing priority cohorts, though this decision will be kept under review.

The NHS will call forward those that are eligible for vaccination. Second doses will be offered from around 2 to 3 months after the first dose to maximise protection.

As of 20 September, more than 45,000 people have received a dose of the vaccine including over 40,000 gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men who are at highest risk of exposure.

In order to maximise the number of people that can be vaccinated, more clinics will offer the vaccine using intradermal administration in the coming weeks. This safe and clinically approved approach has been positively received by patients and staff where it has been used already.

UKHSA has confirmed delivery of 20,000 additional vaccines from Bavarian Nordic, the single global supplier of the vaccine being used in response to the current outbreak of monkeypox in the UK. The vaccines are available for NHS services to order and are being distributed now, with a further 80,000 vaccines expected to arrive later this month. The use of intradermal administration will mean that everyone at highest risk will have access to two doses of monkeypox vaccine in the coming months.

As of 16 September, there are 3,585 confirmed and highly probable cases of monkeypox in the UK. Following a clear peak of more than 60 cases per day in mid-July, the number of cases has decreased throughout August and continues to fall, with less than 15 cases per day on average in early September.

Analysis of wider infection trends suggests changes in behaviour in the groups most at risk may have contributed to the reduced case rates.

Dr Gayatri Amirthalingam, Deputy Director, Public Health Programmes at UKHSA said:

It’s encouraging that we’re continuing to see fewer cases of monkeypox reported in the UK and we are grateful to everyone who has followed advice about potential symptoms, isolated as part of this outbreak or come forward for a vaccination to help limit transmission.

Prioritising vaccine stock where possible for second doses for those at highest risk will help us maximise protection and interrupt transmission. When you are called forward for vaccination, please take up the offer.

Professor Sir Andrew Pollard, chair of the JCVI, said:

The JCVI has endorsed the UKHSA’s proposal that vaccination to protect against monkeypox should continue to be prioritised for those at highest risk of exposure to the virus, including offering second doses to individuals once they become eligible.

This approach will ensure the globally-limited supplies are used most effectively, continuing to break chains of transmission, as well as providing those at highest risk of exposure with longer-lasting protection.

The use of the intradermal vaccination method at some clinics also means more doses can be drawn from the vials, helping to maximise the reach of the UK’s supplies and ensure second doses for all those eligible. The JCVI will keep the offer of monkeypox vaccination under review to ensure it continues to have the maximum impact on the current outbreak.

September 23, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : Abusive partner receives increased prison sentence for blackmail and assault, Ben Solomon [September 2022]

The press release issued by the Attorney General on 23 September 2022.

A Cornwall man who abused his partner has received an increased prison sentence after his case was referred to the Court of Appeal by the then Solicitor General Edward Timpson CBE KC MP.

Ben Solomon, now 35, was in a relationship with the victim for approximately nine months. Following a breakdown in their relationship, Solomon threatened to disclose videos of them having sex to the victim’s family, friends and work colleagues, the offender was arrested and released on bail.

While on bail, Solomon and the victim rekindled their relationship. He visited her home one night, where he acted violently towards her, including slapping her, pulling her hair and strangling her twice.

On 8 July 2022, Solomon was sentenced to 18 months’ imprisonment for blackmail and assault occasioning actual bodily harm. The sentencing took place at Plymouth Crown Court.

Following the sentencing, Solomon’s case was referred to the Court of Appeal under the Unduly Lenient Sentence scheme because the then Solicitor General felt that Solomon’s offending was serious enough to warrant a longer prison term.

On 23 September 2022, the Court found Solomon’s original sentence to be unduly lenient and increased it to 3 years’ imprisonment.

Speaking after the hearing, the newly appointed HM Solicitor General Michael Tomlinson MP said:

Ben Solomon’s shameful and abusive behaviour warranted a stronger punishment. I am glad that the Court agreed and hope that the decision to sentence Solomon to a longer prison term will send the message that physical and mental abuse will never be tolerated.

September 23, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : HRC 51 – UK Statement for the interactive dialogue on the situation of human rights in Belarus [September 2022]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 23 September 2022.

The UK Permanent Representative to the UK in Geneva, Ambassador Simon Manley, delivered a statement on the update on the human rights situation in Belarus.

Thank you, Mr President.

Thank you madam acting High Commissioner for your update on the human rights situation in Belarus. Over two years have passed since the fraudulent Presidential election and yet Lukashenko’s campaign of repression continues unabated.

The number of political prisoners in Belarus has now surpassed 1300, trials are taking place in absentia, Belarusians are being prevented from leaving the country, and the use of the death penalty has been expanded to include ‘attempted’ acts of terrorism. Civil society and independent media continue to be particularly targeted, with lengthy politically motivated sentences delivered after closed trials.

The Belarusian authorities have helped to undermine international law through their support of Putin’s illegal aggression against Ukraine. They continue to allow Belarus to be used as a launch-point for Russian troops and equipment, all the while harshly punishing those brave Belarusians that dare voice opposition to the illegal war.

Let me once again urge the Belarusian authorities to act upon the recommendations set out by the Special Rapporteur, and to cease their support for Putin’s aggression.

Madam acting High Commissioner,

How can the international community best show its support to the brave people of Belarus in the midst of such continued, severe repression?

Thank you.

September 23, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : Deadline set for schemes compensating victims of WWII property confiscation [September 2022]
The press release issued by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, on 23 September 2022.
- Final claims for compensation under the Enemy Property and Baltic States Schemes must be lodged by 31 March 2023
- since 1999, the schemes have considered over 1,300 claims, paying out over £23 million to successful claimants
- after decades in operation, the schemes now only receive a very small number of claims each year and have reached their natural conclusion
Today (Friday 23 September), the UK government has announced a deadline for making claims under 2 schemes compensating people who had assets confiscated during World War II.

Under the Trading with the Enemy Act 1939, the UK government confiscated assets in British territories owned by residents of enemy countries during World War II. This included residents of the former Nazi Germany, Italy and Japan and countries occupied by them.

Under the Enemy Property Payment Scheme, the Enemy Property Claims Assessment Panel (EPCAP) has been compensating individuals who suffered Nazi persecution and had their assets confiscated. The Panel also oversee the Baltic States Scheme, which compensates asset owners who resided in Estonia, Latvia or Lithuania.

For both schemes, final compensation claims must be lodged with the EPCAP Secretariat by 31 March 2023.

Compensation under the schemes was intended for people directly affected by the Trading with the Enemy Act 1939 or their close heirs. The Enemy Property Payment Scheme now only receives a small number of claims each year and there have been no claims under the Baltic States Scheme since 2013. Other comparable compensation schemes across Europe concluded their operations many years ago.

Today’s announcement follows a consultation launched last January to determine the appropriate date for the closure of the schemes.

To be eligible under the Enemy Property Payments Scheme, the owner of the UK asset at the time of confiscation or the claimant (who must prove their relationship to the owner) must have suffered Nazi persecution.

The Baltic States Scheme applies to any resident of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania who had deposited assets in the UK before the War. Under this scheme, Nazi persecution is not essential for the return of the original confiscated asset.
September 23, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : UK provides lifesaving aid for the most vulnerable in Sri Lanka [September 2022]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 23 September 2022.

The UK is providing urgent food and farming support to Sri Lankans hit hardest by the economic crisis, Lord Ahmad announced today (Friday 23 September).

More than one third of people are struggling to eat and are suffering shortages of fuel, power, and medicines. Sri Lanka has the fifth largest food price inflation in the world, up 93.7% last month, with rice costing 150% more than this time last year.

In a meeting with Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Ali Sabry at the UN General Assembly Lord Ahmad will set out the UK’s package of £3 million lifesaving support.

The funding will be delivered through Red Cross and UN partners. It will provide access to food, seeds, and tools to help grow crops as well as mental health care, including for survivors of sexual and gender-based violence.

UK Minister of State for the Middle East, South Asia, and the UN, Lord Tariq Ahmad of Wimbledon said:

The UK stands by the people of Sri Lanka who are facing such a challenging time. The ongoing crisis is deeply concerning with so many in dire need of help.

We are providing £3 million of lifesaving support to the most vulnerable and will continue to work with international partners to help Sri Lanka.

This new funding is just part of the UK’s ongoing support to Sri Lanka. The UK is already providing support through the UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF), the World Bank, and the Asian Development Bank. The UK is the largest donor to the CERF, contributing more than $1.7bn to the fund since its inception in 2006 and it has already provided $5m to Sri Lanka. The Asian Development Bank and World Bank are providing emergency assistance under a joint action plan to help reduce the impact of economic crisis on the people of Sri Lanka.

September 23, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : Scotland Office Minister Malcolm Offord to attend first Islands Forum in Orkney [September 2022]

The press release issued by the Scottish Office on 23 September 2022.

The summit, chaired by Nadhim Zahawi, will give island communities across the UK a chance to discuss solutions to common challenges.

First Islands Forum in Orkney will help to level up island communities and work together on shared opportunities and challenges

Representatives from island communities in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland and the devolved governments will attend
Opportunities around net zero a key focus for the first meeting

The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for Intergovernmental Relations, Nadhim Zahawi, will chair the first Islands Forum in Orkney on 28 September 2022. It will be attended by UK Government Minister for Scotland Malcolm Offord.

The Forum, which will take place at Orkney Research & Innovation Campus, will ensure island communities are able to discuss solutions to common challenges, with a significant focus for the first meeting on opportunities around net zero.

Council leaders and chief executives representing all eligible island communities across the UK will take part, as well as ministers from the Scottish and Welsh governments and representatives from Northern Ireland.

The programme will also include a session with the regulator, Ofgem. This will allow island representatives to share their views on regulatory barriers to net zero ambitions and explore next steps to address them.

Participants will also undertake a tour in Orkney focussing on renewable energy, hosted by Orkney Islands Council and European Marine Energy Centre.

Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, The Rt Hon Nadhim Zahawi MP, said:

As the new Minister for Intergovernmental Relations, I am delighted to be chairing the first Islands Forum in Orkney next week with the purpose of giving our islands a stronger voice.

It is often said that people make a place, and this is certainly true of the UK’s island communities, who contribute a huge amount to our country but often face common challenges.

I look forward to hearing directly from island communities and working closely with the devolved governments on the issues that matter most to local people, making good on our promise to deliver for the whole United Kingdom.

UK Government Minister for Scotland Malcolm Offord said:

We want to talk with our crucial island communities to understand how best they can flourish and make the most of the opportunities presented by, for instance, their renewable energy resources.

The new Forum is a tremendous opportunity to draw on the collective expertise of people from islands right around the UK coastline, from Scilly to Shetland, to share both solutions to challenges and best practice. I look forward to what I am sure will be a highly productive event.

September 23, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : Labour Party Political Member appointed to the House of Lords Appointments Commission [September 2022]

The press release issued by the Cabinet Office on 23 September 2022.

Following Baroness Taylor of Bolton’s nomination by the Labour Party, her appointment was confirmed formally as the Labour Party Member of the House of Lords Appointments Commission (HOLAC). Baroness Taylor commenced her role on 11th September 2022, when Lord Clark of Windermere’s term came to an end.

Baroness Taylor of Bolton

Baroness Taylor of Bolton was the first woman to serve as Leader of the House of Commons and Lord President of the Privy Council in 1997. She went on to become the first woman to serve as Government Chief Whip (Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury). Baroness Taylor is the former MP for Bolton West (1974 – 1983) and Dewsbury (1987 – 2005) and was made a Life Peer in 2005. She currently sits on the Industry Regulators Committee, Procedure and Privileges Committee, and the Lord Speaker’s Committee on the Size of the House.

Minister of State at the Cabinet Office, Ed Argar, welcomed Baroness Taylor’s appointment, saying:

I would like to congratulate Baroness Taylor on her appointment to the Commission and I am grateful to Lord Clark for his service over the last five years. Baroness Taylor brings to the role a depth of experience and public service that will be of huge value to the Commission in its work.

September 23, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : Energy Markets Financing Scheme Update [September 2022]

The press release issued by the Treasury on 23 September 2022.

Together with the Bank of England, HMT is today providing further details of the £40 billion Energy Markets Financing Scheme, to address extraordinary liquidity requirements faced by energy firms from high and volatile energy prices.

The Energy Markets Financing Scheme will improve resilience in energy markets, and the economy. To deliver the scheme, there will be a 100% guarantee to commercial banks covering additional lending extended to firms. The scheme will open to applications on 17th October. The scheme will provide short term financial support and will be designed to be used as a last resort, with pricing and conditions reflecting this.

The scheme will ensure that energy firms can continue to operate and manage risk in a cost-effective way in the face of unprecedented volatility. This helps to reduce the eventual cost that businesses and consumers face.

The EMFS will only be available to firms who are able to meet eligibility requirements, for example that they are otherwise in sound financial health and make a material contribution to the liquidity of UK energy markets. Firms will need to undergo solvency checks.

HMT will convene an advisory committee as part of standing up a robust assessment process.

September 23, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : Nadhim Zahawi to chair first islands forum in Orkney [September 2022]
The press release issued by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, on 23 September 2022.
- First Islands Forum in Orkney will help to level up island communities and work together on shared opportunities and challenges
- Representatives from island communities in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland and the devolved governments will attend
- Opportunities around net zero a key focus for the first meeting
The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for Intergovernmental Relations, Nadhim Zahawi, will chair the first Islands Forum in Orkney on 28 September 2022.

The Forum, which will take place at Orkney Research & Innovation Campus, will ensure island communities are able to discuss solutions to common challenges, with a significant focus for the first meeting on opportunities around net zero.

Council leaders and chief executives representing all eligible island communities across the UK will take part, as well as ministers from the Scottish and Welsh governments and representatives from Northern Ireland.

The programme will also include a session with the regulator, Ofgem. This will allow island representatives to share their views on regulatory barriers to net zero ambitions and explore next steps to address them.

Participants will also undertake a tour in Orkney focussing on renewable energy, hosted by Orkney Islands Council and European Marine Energy Centre.

Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, The Rt Hon Nadhim Zahawi MP, said:

As the new Minister for Intergovernmental Relations, I am delighted to be chairing the first Islands Forum in Orkney next week with the purpose of giving our islands a stronger voice.

It is often said that people make a place, and this is certainly true of the UK’s island communities, who contribute a huge amount to our country but often face common challenges.

I look forward to hearing directly from island communities and working closely with the devolved governments on the issues that matter most to local people, making good on our promise to deliver for the whole United Kingdom.
September 23, 2022