Category: Press Releases

PRESS RELEASE : Rough sleepers helped to rebuild their lives with new strategy backed by £2bn government support
The press release issued by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities on 3 September 2022.

Government today publishes landmark £2 billion Rough Sleeping Strategy to drive forward manifesto commitment to end rough sleeping for good.
- Government publishes landmark Rough Sleeping Strategy to drive forward manifesto commitment to end rough sleeping for good
- 14,000 beds and 3,000 support staff this year will help individuals find work and access mental health services
- Extra 2,400 long-term supported homes will be created for those with most complex needs
- To break the cycle of addiction and rough sleeping, drug and alcohol treatment services will be expanded
Thousands of people living on the streets will be given a roof over their heads and tailored support to rebuild their lives under landmark government plans set out today to end rough sleeping.

The cross-government Rough Sleeping Strategy is backed by £2 billion and builds on the significant action already taken by the government, which has driven a 43% drop in rough sleeping since 2019 and rough sleeping has fallen to an 8-year low. As a result, England now one of the lowest rough sleeping rates in the world.

In this year’s Spending Review we announced we are spending £2 billion over the course of this parliament to end rough sleeping and tackle homelessness – today’s strategy sets the key funding allocations, totalling £764 million.

This includes up to £500 million over 3 years for the Rough Sleeping Initiative, which this year will help provide 14,000 beds for rough sleepers and 3,000 staff to provide tailored support across England. This includes helping individuals find work, manage their finances and access mental and physical health services.

An extra 2,400 long-term supported homes for those with the most complex needs, including young people, will also be provided, through our new £200 million Single Homelessness Accommodation Programme. This is on top of 3,200 homes that have already been delivered.

To break the cycle of addiction and rough sleeping, the government is also expanding its Rough Sleeping Drug and Alcohol Treatment Grant programme to an additional 20 areas in England, bringing the total to 83. The scheme provides funding for substance misuse treatment services for people sleeping rough or at risk of sleeping rough.

The government has a manifesto commitment to end rough sleeping in this parliament. This means rough sleeping is prevented wherever possible and, where it cannot be prevented, it is a rare, brief and non-recurring experience.

Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Greg Clark said:

Ending rough sleeping in this parliament is an important manifesto commitment.

We’ve made great strides towards that goal in the last few years, and today’s strategy backed by £2 billion of support will give some of the most vulnerable people in our society a roof over their heads and targeted support so they can rebuild their lives.

The full weight of government is behind this very necessary pledge and this landmark strategy will give us the right tools to identify people at risk of rough sleeping earlier and provide the help they need.

Minister for Rough Sleeping Eddie Hughes said:

No one should have to sleep on our streets and our strategy will help make that a reality.

We will pull every lever at our disposal so councils, working hand in hand with the voluntary, faith and community sectors, can intervene swiftly when someone is sleeping rough.

When I worked at YMCA Birmingham, I saw first-hand how the right support can help people turn their life around. We’re making great progress and this strategy is hugely important step towards ending rough sleeping for good.

The government is also extending the Housing First Pilots in the West Midlands, Manchester and Liverpool, which give homeless people with multiple and complex needs access to independent long-term housing as a secure and stable platform from which other issues can be addressed.

Thousands of prison leavers at risk of homelessness will also be helped into rental accommodation as part of an expanded government scheme designed to reduce reoffending and tackle rough sleeping.

The second phase of the Accommodation for Ex-Offenders programme – to be launched later this year as part of this strategy – will help councils provide rental deposits, landlord incentives and dedicated support staff.

It builds on the 2021/22 scheme, which helped 145 councils across England and Wales provide the much-needed support. With prison leavers without a stable home around 50% more likely to reoffend, the scheme will help cut crime by reducing the number of prison leavers ending up homeless so that they have the foundation to get a job and access treatment for addictions.

And the government is helping to put night shelters on a more secure and stable footing by increasing the variety and quality of services so they can be relied on for the long term.

To improve transparency and accountability for the mission to end rough sleeping, the government will publish quarterly data showing progress.

Finally, as part of our support we are repealing the outdated Vagrancy Act as no-one should be criminalised simply for having nowhere to live. However, to ensure we don’t weaken the ability of police to protect the public and communities from crime and anti-social behaviour we are considering bringing forward new legislation, while also embedding rehabilitation and support at the heart of our approach.

Interim CEO at St Mungo’s homeless charity Rebecca Sycamore said:

As a leading homelessness charity we know first-hand how important it is to focus on the root causes of rough sleeping in order to help break that cycle. We deliver a huge range of services to support people out of homelessness and into rebuilding their lives and so welcome this new strategy.

Currently there is a significant gap in supported accommodation for people with complex needs and the announcement of an extra 2,400 homes in particular, is a step forward to helping people sustain a life away from the streets.

Actions introduced today include:

Rough Sleeping Initiative

The Rough Sleeping Initiative is the government’s flagship programme to drive the manifesto commitment to end rough sleeping. Up to £500 million will help provide emergency beds, off-the-street accommodation and wrap-around support.

Rough Sleeping Accommodation Programme

The Rough Sleeping Accommodation Programme, announced in 2020, is backed by up to £433 million over the lifetime of this parliament. This funding will provide up to 6,000 homes for rough sleepers. Once in their new home, rough sleepers will be supported by specialist staff to access the help they need, such as support for mental health and substance abuse problems, moving towards training and work.

From the total budget of the programme, £39.4 million will continue the work of providing a roof over people’s heads and the support they need to sustain it.

Single Homelessness Accommodation Programme

Many areas need more accommodation with suitable support for adults experiencing multiple disadvantage, both long-term and good quality hostel accommodation, as well as specialist accommodation for young people (under 25) who are already experiencing rough sleeping or are at risk.

This is why the government is introducing the Single Homelessness Accommodation Programme (SHAP), a new £200 million fund, which will deliver up to 2,400 homes by March 2025, including supported housing and Housing First accommodation, and accommodation for young people at risk of homelessness, including rough sleeping.

Rough Sleeping Drug and Alcohol Treatment Grant

Since 2020/21 the Rough Sleeping Drug and Alcohol Treatment Grant has provided £50 million for substance misuse treatment services for people sleeping rough or at risk of sleeping rough. This includes evidence-based drug and alcohol treatment and wraparound support to improve access to treatment, including for people with additional mental health needs.

The government will provide extra investment of up to £186.5 million over the spending review period, expanding these vital services to 20 more areas, bringing the total to 83 areas and 5 pan-London projects. This includes an investment of £15 million announced as part of the cross-government Drug Strategy.

Housing First Pilots

Housing First supports homeless people with multiple and complex needs to access and maintain independent housing. Unlike traditional ‘staircase’ or ‘treatment first’ approaches, it places people directly in independent long-term settled housing, with personalised, flexible and non-time-limited support. This gives people choice and control over both their housing and the support they receive – secure housing offers a stable platform from which other issues can addressed, rather than setting preconditions such as being ‘housing ready’ or participating in treatment.

We are extending our Housing First Pilots in the West Midlands, Manchester, and Liverpool, providing a further £13.9 million over 2 years on top of the £28 million already invested.

Voluntary, Community and Frontline Sector programme

Up to £7.3 million will ensure local rough sleeping services have the tools they need to end rough sleeping and develop prevention services to stop people arriving on the streets in the first place.

Streetlink

We will revitalise this initiative, which enables people to connect local services with somebody they see sleeping rough, with new investment to improve the website and make it more user friendly.

Transparency and data-led Framework

We are committed to ending rough sleeping – this means rough sleeping will be prevented wherever possible or, where it cannot be prevented, be a rare, brief and non-recurring experience. In practice this approach, developed in consultation with experts at the Centre for Homelessness Impact, means more effective support to prevent rough sleeping from happening in the first place, and a tailored offer of support where it does, so people can build an independent life off the streets.

To hold the government and local leaders to account and measure progress, we will publish quarterly data to set out how the government and its partners are delivering on this mission.

Night Shelter Transformation Fund

Help for faith and community groups to develop night shelter services, to expand high-quality single-room accommodation and move-on support for rough sleepers. DLUHC will work with Homeless Link and Housing Justice to help organisations, with up to £10 million of funding across 2022-2025.

This fund aims to transform the sector for the long term, with a wider range of services, partner organisations on a firmer footing and less reliance on government funding to meet core costs.
September 3, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : £2 bus fare cap across England to save passengers money
The press release issued by the Department for Transport on 3 September 2022.

Government to provide up to £60 million from January to March next year, to help bus operators to cap single adult fares at £2 per journey.
- people could save more than £3 per single bus ticket to help with cost of living pressures
- £2 bus fare cap on almost every single journey across England, saving people 30% on the average fare, helping millions with travel costs for work and essential journeys
- government providing up to £60 million over 3 months to subsidise operator costs and incentivise greener travel for commuters
Millions across England will save money through a new £2 cap on single bus journeys from January to March 2023, backed by up to £60 million to ensure affordable transport across the country.

The Transport Secretary has today announced the government will provide up to £60 million from January to March next year, to help bus operators to cap single adult fares at £2 per journey.

The move will help passengers with travel costs for work, education, shopping and medical treatments over the winter months while they are facing pressures from the rising cost of living.

Bus fares vary across different parts of the country and between bus operators, and can even reach almost £6 for a single journey in rural areas. The new cap means passengers in those areas could save more than £60 a month if they took 4 single trips a week.

The average single fare for a 3-mile journey is estimated at over £2.80, meaning that the new fare will save passengers almost 30% of the price every time they travel.

The funding to keep fares down follows the government’s announcement of £130 million last month to protect vital bus routes and services across the country, which those on lower incomes in particular rely on.

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said:

Buses are by far and away the most used form of public transport, so ensuring that almost all bus journeys are no more than £2 will assist passengers over the winter months and provide direct help to thousands of households across the country.

This £60 million boost will mean everyone can affordably get to work, education, the shops and doctor’s appointments.

We know people will be feeling the pressure of rising costs this winter, and so we have been working hard this summer to provide practical concrete help that will lower daily expenditure.

The new initiative follows the allocation of more than £2 billion to support bus services in England through the pandemic and a commitment to fund improved services, new bus priority measures and new electric or hydrogen buses as part of Bus Back Better, the ambitious national bus strategy, published last year.

During the pandemic bus passenger numbers declined significantly, along with other public transport users, and figures show usage has not returned to pre-pandemic levels.

However, ensuring the public can access affordable bus fares will encourage more people to choose buses for local journeys, which helps to reduce carbon emissions as the country moves towards Net Zero targets. The scheme is estimated to take at least 2 million car journeys off the roads, cutting congestion and pollution for everyone.

Introducing the fare cap by January enables the government to work with operators and local authorities to implement a scheme that most effectively delivers real savings for passengers. Operators representing around 90% of the bus market have expressed support for the scheme and we hope that all bus operators will participate.

The fare cap builds on lots of offers around the country in areas with high bus demand, which include daily, weekly and monthly ticket options and promotional offers. Single fares which are already lower than £2 will not be affected by the cap.

The government will continue to work closely with bus operators and local authorities and consider future support to help passengers continue accessing reliable and affordable bus services after March.

A flat-rate bus pilot scheme, backed by £23.5 million of government funding, launched in Cornwall this January and has already seen an indicative 10% increase in passenger numbers. The ‘Any Ticket Any Bus’ scheme, running over 4 years, includes a £3 day ticket within towns or a £9 day ticket across all of Cornwall, which is valid across different bus operators.

Dawn Badminton-Capps, Director for England for charity Bus Users, said:

The cap on fares being announced today will bring welcome, short-term relief to the millions of people who rely on buses to access education, employment and health services. Buses make a vital contribution to society and government support is critical in protecting services for the future.

Paul Tuohy, Chief Executive of Campaign for Better Transport, said:

This will be very welcome news for the millions of people who rely on the bus to get to work, to the shops, to medical appointments and to connect with friends and family. It will also encourage more people to find their nearest bus stop and give the bus a try… where could YOU go for just £2?

Buses have great potential to cut traffic and carbon emissions, to connect communities and ease loneliness. This £2 fare cap – which we have called for – will help set buses on the road to a bright future.

Alison Edwards, Policy Director at the Confederation of Passenger Transport:

Bus fare caps at £2 are an eye-catching initiative which could help attract new passengers onto the bus, particularly at a time when networks are adapting to new travel patterns, and both customers and operators are facing cost of living and business cost challenges.

We look forward to understanding in detail how the proposed fare cap will work in practice to ensure it supports the long-term sustainability of bus networks, which are vital in connecting communities with jobs, education and skills, as well as friends, family and essential public services.
September 3, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : £110m fund to level up rural communities unveiled
The press release issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 3 September 2022.

Rural businesses such as farms, wedding venues and pubs will benefit from up to £110 million of funding being allocated today to support countryside communities across England.

The funding will be invested in projects which will boost productivity and create rural job opportunities. These could include farm businesses looking to diversify by opening a farm shop, wedding venue or tourism facilities or improvements to village halls, pubs and other rural hubs for community uses.

Investment will be based on local priorities and support investment in projects such as grants for:
- converting farm buildings to other business uses
- rural tourism, such as investments in visitor accommodation
- capital grants for provision of gigabit-capable digital infrastructure at hubs such as village halls, pubs and post offices for community use
- capital grants to develop, restore or refurbish local natural, cultural and heritage assets and sites
- creation of new footpaths and cycle paths, particularly in areas of health need, or capital grants to enable people to develop volunteering and social action projects locally
The Rural England Prosperity Fund worth up to £110 million will be delivered by eligible local authorities and give local leaders a greater say in investment than they previously had under EU schemes. It will be in addition to the £2.6 billion allocated via the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) to support levelling up across the UK. The fund will be part of the UKSPF and is a rural top-up for eligible local authorities.

Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Greg Clark MP said:

This major investment in rural businesses will help us boost the countryside economy and close the rural productivity gap.

It’s our mission to spread opportunity across the whole of the UK and this funding will help us do just that.

Lord Benyon, Minister for Rural Affairs, said:

We are addressing the rural productivity gap, levelling-up opportunities and outcomes, and looking after the rural areas and countryside that so many of us are proud to call home.

The Rural England Prosperity Fund worth up to £110 million recognises the unique strengths and challenges of rural communities, and will support them to invest and grow their economies in line with local priorities.

Rural areas contribute hugely to the life of our nation economically, socially and culturally. 85% of England’s land mass is rural, rural areas are home to 9.6 million people (17% of England’s population) and the rural economy is worth £260 billion to the economy (15% of England’s output).

Published today, the ‘Delivering for Rural England’ report describes how rural interests will be at the heart of the government’s approach to levelling up to ensure the 12 levelling-up missions deliver for these communities.

The report summarises the considerable progress that has been made in supporting rural areas, for example in improving connectivity with 30% of rural premises now having access to gigabit-capable connections compared with 19% in January 2021.

As well as the ongoing work to recruit 20,000 more police officers across the whole country and make our streets safer, the government has also taken steps through the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act to tackle crimes prevalent in rural communities such as illegal hare coursing. The new measures came into force on 1 August and strengthen penalties for those caught hare coursing who will now face an unlimited fine and up to six months in prison.

The report sets out how the government is working to close the productivity gap for rural areas, which has fallen from 90% of the England average in 2001 to 83% in 2019. Funding announced today through the Rural England Prosperity Fund, together with the government’s UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF), Food Strategy and the Agricultural Transition Plan, is set to unlock billions of investment in rural communities over the coming years.

Rural proofing – the process by which government ensures the needs of rural communities are met in government policy-making – has also been supported with the development of new guidance and training for civil servants. Work will also continue in developing the role that the Levelling Up Advisory Council can play in offering specific insights into the design and delivery of levelling up in rural areas.
September 3, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : Karen Carney MBE to lead major review of women’s football
The press release issued by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport on 2 September 2022.

Announcement follows England’s UEFA Women’s EURO 2022 victory, a range of Government measures to support the women’s game, and ahead of a new domestic season.

Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries has announced that former England and Great Britain footballer Karen Carney MBE is to chair an in-depth review into the future of domestic women’s football.

The review will look at how to deliver bold and sustainable growth of the women’s game at elite and grassroots level. This will be with a particular focus on:
- Assessing the potential audience reach and growth of the game – by considering the value and visibility of women’s and girls’ football in England, including the potential to grow the fanbase for women’s football and whether current growth still supports home-grown talent and can be achieved without overstretching infrastructure.
- Examining the financial health of the game and its financial sustainability for the long term. This will include exploring opportunities and ways to support the commercialisation of the women’s game, broadcast revenue opportunities and the sponsorship of women’s football.
- Examining the structures within women’s football. This includes the affiliation with men’s teams, prize money, the need for women’s football to adhere to the administrative requirements of the men’s game; and assessing the adequacy, quality, accessibility and prevalence of the facilities available for women’s and girls’ football for the growth and sustainability of the game.
To kick off the review, a call for evidence will be launched by the Football Association (FA) in the coming weeks.

Carney will lead a series of group meetings with industry experts across the country. She will be supported in the evidence gathering and analysis by senior officials from the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) and the FA. A full report is expected to be published early next year, with the Government formally responding shortly afterwards.

The news comes following Sarina Wiegman’s Lionesses winning UEFA Women’s EURO 2022 in July, a range of Government measures to support the women’s game, and ahead of the Women’s Super League season beginning on 10 September.

Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries said:

The Lionesses’ spectacular performance shows how far we have come at the top of the women’s game. While it is right that we celebrate and reflect on that success, we need an equal emphasis on improving participation, employment opportunities, commercial investment and visibility in the media.

We want to make sure everyone can enjoy the benefits of team sport and there is a robust infrastructure to sustain women’s and girls’ football for the future. A thorough review of the game will help ensure it is here for the long term.

Karen Carney MBE said:

Over the last few years, the game has grown significantly and at a rapid pace. Of course, this is an exciting time, but there is an urgent need to ensure there are processes and structures in place that protect the interest of the game and the people working in it. I have always said that the sport needs to be built on solid foundations to give it long-lasting success in a sustainable way.

For me, this is a defining period for the sport and this review will be at the heart of that.

We must capitalise on these powerful moments and can look back on 2022 as a year where we made great strides forward in the growth of the game.

Sports Minister Nigel Huddleston said:

We have been clear that we are right behind growing women’s and girl’s sport in every aspect – from grassroots all the way up to the elite level.

Domestic women’s football has made significant progress in recent years. However the pandemic highlighted the shallow resources within the elite game, which have the potential to affect its long-term growth.

This review will look in depth at how to grow the game at elite and grassroots level, as we push to level the playing field.

During her career, Carney achieved 144 caps for England and represented Team GB at the London 2012 Olympic Games. She enjoyed a club career for Arsenal, Chicago Red Stars, Birmingham City and Chelsea. She is now a respected voice on both mens and women’s football and works as a broadcaster and columnist for the Guardian, ITV Sport and Sky Sports, as well as her role as a sponsorship consultant for Visa.

The women’s game has made significant progress in recent years, with UEFA Women’s EURO 2022 highlighting the changing attitudes to women’s sport. Records were shattered, with a record global audience of more than 365 million people, 574,875 tickets sold, nearly half of all ticket holders female, and nearly 100,000 children. There were sell-out crowds wherever the Lionesses played, and the final broke the all-time record attendance for a EUROs final – in either the men’s or women’s game.

The launch of the Women’s Super League in 2011 generated a wave of bespoke sponsorship and broadcast rights deals. The England men’s and women’s senior players are now being paid the same match fee for representing their country, and clubs in the top two tiers of domestic football are introducing improved contracts and employment rights.

In a further long-term boost for the visibility of women’s football, the Government recently confirmed that the FIFA Women’s World Cup and Women’s Euros have been added to the listed events regime, which will mean they will continue to be made available to free-to-air television broadcasters.

At grassroots level it has become the most played team sport for women and girls in England, with 3 million registered players and 12,000 registered teams. The Government is putting the game at the very centre of its plans to level up access to sport for all, with a £230 million package being rolled out to build or improve up to 8,000 grassroots football and multi-sport pitches across the UK by 2025. This funding kicked off in March with an initial £25 million benefiting over 170 facilities. Following the EURO 2022 Final, the Culture Secretary also announced that some of these facilities will be named after the 23 players in and around each of their respective hometowns or places that shaped their footballing careers, in honour of their achievements. Further details will be announced in the coming weeks.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Government stood by women’s football. It provided £2.9 million in grant funding to the Women’s Super League and FA Women’s Championship to cover essential costs and allow the completion of their seasons through the Sport Survival Package, but there were still delays in the return of competition compared to the men’s game, due to a lack of investment from the football authorities in COVID-19 testing for the women’s game. Spectators were also slower to return, a number of sponsorship deals withdrawn and a number of clubs have experienced financial hardship.

The fan-led review of football governance for men’s professional football recommended a review of the women’s game. Those who gave evidence highlighted the need for women’s football to be properly financed – including the commercialisation of women’s football, the opportunities for the game to benefit from broadcast revenue and implementing a stronger administrative structure. Concerns were also raised that the sport had failed to keep up with its own popularity and there was a danger of demand being unmet.
September 3, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : PM call with President Erdoğan

The press release issued by Downing Street on 2 September 2022.

The Prime Minister spoke to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan this afternoon.

They welcomed increased UK-Türkiye trade and hoped to expand our existing free trade agreement to build on the growing economic momentum. The leaders also discussed exciting new opportunities to increase collaboration in defence technology and nuclear power.

The Prime Minister congratulated President Erdoğan on Türkiye’s indispensable global leadership, most recently in helping to end Russia’s grain blockade in Ukraine.

He emphasised the importance of continuing to support Ukraine against an unprovoked invasion, including by maintaining strong economic sanctions on Russia.

The leaders wished each other the best for the future and agreed that the relationship between the United Kingdom and Türkiye would continue to go from strength to strength.

September 3, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : New labelling to protect water supplies and cut energy bills

The press release issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 2 September 2022.

New mandatory water efficiency label proposed for dishwashers, showers and washing machines.

Taps, showers, dishwashers and washing machines could all have new water efficiency labels, in a move which will help save consumers over £270 million on bills over 10 years.

The plans, subject to a 12-week consultation launched today (2 September) by the UK Government and Devolved Administrations, will encourage the purchase of more water-efficient products and help customers manage their water and energy bills.

Based on 2019 prices, the label could save £125 million on water bills and £147 million on energy bills over 10 years, as well as 1,200 million litres of water a day – the equivalent of 480 Olympic swimming pools.

Water Minister Steve Double said:

Water is a precious resource. We want to support consumers so they can make savings without having to make significant changes to their daily lives.

These plans will help people to make the right choices to save water and reduce their energy bills.

The proposals aim to introduce a separate water label from the existing energy label for display on toilets, urinals, kitchen sink taps, bathroom basin taps, non-electric shower outlet devices and shower assembly solutions, dishwashers, washing machines and combination washer/dryers.

Hot water use is the second largest use of energy in a home after space heating. Installing a water-efficient showerhead could save an average household (2.3 occupants) 3,762 litres of water, and £17.44 off their combined utility bills per year. A family of four could save 6,468 litres and about £30 off their combined energy and water bill each year.

In 2021 alone, energy efficiency labelling and minimum performance standards led to energy bill savings of £75 for the average dual-fuel household.

David Black, Ofwat CEO, said:

This summer has highlighted the importance of water. Water labelling is a key tool, helping everybody make informed choices that can reduce their water use and bills.

Managing water demand plays a role in tackling the pressures on our water system, alongside pushing water companies to reduce leakage and looking at new sources and water transfers to increase our future water supply. We support the proposals and look forward to seeing the outcome of this consultation.

Christine McGourty, Water UK Chief Executive, said:

The Government’s proposals on water efficiency labelling are a vital step forward in reducing the amount of water we all use, and will allow customers to make informed decisions as well as save money and energy.

Alongside the work that water companies are already doing to tackle leakage from pipes, and invest in infrastructure, cutting water use will help make our water supply more resilient to the existential challenges of climate change.

The consultation launch follows a commitment from the Environment Secretary last year to introduce a mandatory efficiency label as part of wider plans to safeguard water supplies.

The package includes asking water companies to develop a consistent approach on fixing customer supply pipe leakage and developing a roadmap towards greater water efficiency in new developments and through retrofits.

These measures, along with the work from water companies to reduce leakage by 50%, will help meet the ambitions set out in the National Framework for Water Resources to reduce personal water consumption to 110 litres per person per day by 2050, compared with the current average of 145 litres.

This year we have witnessed the driest July across England since 1935, and since records began for the East and South East.

We have been clear water companies must take urgent action to fix leaks, and Ofwat has put in place clear financial consequences for companies that underperform on leakage. We also expect water companies to make use of smarter technology to help manage water demand and reduce leaks.

This comes alongside ongoing action to hold companies to account on sewage spills. On Friday 26 August we announced that water companies will face the strictest targets on pollution from sewage ever under a new plan to tackle sewage discharges in our waters.

September 3, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : Independent panel appointed to oversee partnership with Rwanda

The press release issued by the Home Office on 2 September 2022.

New monitoring committee will provide independent assurance of the UK-Rwanda Migration and Economic Development Partnership.

The UK and the Government of Rwanda have today (Friday 2nd September), announced the appointment of a new panel consisting of eight experts, who will provide independent oversight of the Migration and Economic Development Partnership between the UK and Rwanda.

The Independent Monitoring Committee is made up of members with a diverse range of expertise, including within the human rights, migration, asylum, international law and business sectors. They will be responsible for reviewing and reporting on the delivery of the partnership, including monitoring the end-to-end operations from the UK to Rwanda.

This will include reviewing and reporting on the implementation of the commitments made in the arrangement between the two governments, outlined in a Memorandum of Understanding.

Home Secretary, Priti Patel said:

Our world-first migration partnership will help to stop dangerous, illegal and unnecessary journeys being made to the UK, while giving people the opportunity to claim asylum in Rwanda and rebuild their lives.

I am proud to be working with the Rwandan government on this world-leading policy, and our new Monitoring Committee will play a key role in holding both governments to account so we can deliver on our commitments to the British public and save lives.

Rwandan Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation, Dr. Vincent Biruta, said:

Rwanda looks forward to working with the UK to implement the innovative Migration and Economic Development Partnership, which will offer a safe, secure home for people seeking protection, as well as a chance for migrants to live, work and develop alongside Rwandans.

The members of the Monitoring Committee are experienced and highly committed individuals who will ensure that the programme is delivered to high standards and becomes a sustainable solution to the global imbalance in human capital opportunities, a major factor that is driving irregular and dangerous migration.

The Monitoring Committee will highlight any areas of concern immediately to the co-chairs of the Joint Committee, a panel of senior officials from both governments.

It includes experts from around the world, who have a wealth of experience across migration policy, international law and academia.

Members appointed by the UK Government

Harish Salve QC

Harish Salve is internationally recognised as one of the world’s leading legal counsels, who formerly served as Solicitor General of India and is a senior advocate at the Indian Bar. He is an experienced and senior immigration lawyer whose practice includes public international law and human rights. A highly experienced senior lawyer; he has built a global reputation for international commercial arbitration and litigation. His practice also encompasses public international law and human rights.

Karina Kielbinska

Karina Kielbinska is an international business management and marketing expert with a wealth of experience across the private and public sector. Most recently she served as Chair of the Independent Monitoring Board (IMB) for Heathrow Immigration Removal Centre, which plays a crucial role in giving independent oversight of prisons and places of immigration detention, to ensure the conditions and humane treatment of people in detention. Previously she has worked as a global marketing director for GlaxoSmithKline and held marketing director roles at Cadbury both in the UK and Australia.

Morten Lisborg

Morten Lisborg is a Danish independent migration and policy advisor with over 20 years’ experience across the sector in various roles. He has worked with migration and refugee issues for numerous agencies and organizations in the Middle East, Africa, Asia and in Europe. Morten has published several reports and articles on challenges related to the current European asylum system and provides policy advice to Danish political parties. In 2020 Morten was appointed as a member of the Danish Council for Development Policy.

Alexander Downer

Alexander Downer is an immigration expert currently serving as Executive Chair at the International School for Government, King’s College London. He was appointed in February 2022 to lead a wide-ranging, independent review of Border Force to assess its structure, powers, funding and priorities to ensure it can keep pace with rapidly evolving threats and continue to protect the border.

Members appointed by the Rwandan Government

Diko Mukete

Diko Mukete is the Vice Chair of the Board of Rwanda Finance Limited. He is on the Management Board of the African Legal Support Facility in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire. He is an experienced economist and lawyer with a 25 year career at the African Development Bank (AfDB), where he led several successful economic and financial policy dialogues with governments across Africa. He is a Barrister-at-Law of Gray’s Inn, London, and a member of the Cameroon Bar Association.

Julien Kavaruganda

Julien Kavaruganda is founder and senior partner of K-Solutions & Partners, a corporate law firm in Kigali in Rwanda, and an experienced lawyer who has held various leadership posts in regional bar associations. He practiced at the Brussels Bar Association in Belgium, before joining the Rwanda Bar Association where he is the immediate past president. He is also Vice Chairman of the Kigali International Arbitration Centre, and on the Board of the Commonwealth Lawyers Association.

John P Sendanyoye

John P Sendanyoye is a retired senior official of the International Labour Organization (ILO), where he headed the Service Sectors Team and previously served as Regional Programming Officer for Africa and Asia and the Pacific in Cote d’Ivoire and Thailand respectively. He has vast experienced in international labour activities including global dialogue on the impact of financial crisis on workers, and has published numerous papers and articles related to his work in ILO.

Marie Sylvie Kawera

Marie Sylvie Kawera has been a commissioner of Rwanda’s National Commission for Human Rights since 2017, where she is actively involved in the monitoring, evaluation and investigation of diverse human rights issues. Previously, she has been a lawyer and adviser to civil society organizations and political parties.

The candidates were chosen following a rigorous selection process led by the Joint Committee. Appointments were jointly agreed by the co-chairs of the Joint Committee.

September 3, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : Expansion of polio sewage surveillance to areas outside London

The press release issued by the UK Health Security Agency on 2 September 2022.

UKHSA and MHRA are expanding polio sewage surveillance to a range of areas outside of the capital.

Following the findings of poliovirus in sewage samples collected from the London Beckton Sewage Treatment Works, which covers parts of North and East London, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) working with the Medicines and Healthcare product Regulatory Agency (MHRA) are now expanding the surveillance to a range of areas outside of the capital.

This is on a precautionary basis to determine whether the virus is spreading to other areas. To date, sewage sampling has been conducted in London and Glasgow, and no polio virus has been detected in Glasgow.

The additional sites where the sampling will be rolled out are Sewage Treatment Works covering parts of Birmingham, Blackburn with Darwen, Bradford, Brighton and Hove, City of Bristol, Bury, Castle Point, Leeds, Leicester, Liverpool, Luton, Manchester, North Tyneside, Newcastle upon Tyne, Gateshead, Nottingham, Preston, Salford, Sheffield and Watford.

These areas have been chosen on the basis of an assessment of risk, which takes into consideration a number of factors. This includes demographics – population groups living in the area with links to countries overseas where wild poliovirus is still found or where live oral polio vaccine is still used; areas with low polio vaccination coverage; areas with pockets of under-vaccinated communities; and areas adjacent to the locations in London where poliovirus has been detected.

The sewage sampling strategy will continue to be reviewed and adapted as new evidence emerges. Nationally the overall risk of paralytic polio is considered low because most people are protected from this by vaccination.

Dr Vanessa Saliba, Consultant Epidemiologist at UKHSA, said:

“No cases of polio have been reported and for the majority of the population, who are fully vaccinated, the risk is low.

We are now expanding the sewage sampling nationally to areas that are at highest risk of new poliovirus importations and areas most likely to see spread of poliovirus from London. We are in touch with public health colleagues in these areas and will work closely with local areas as the need arises.

In the meantime it is vital parents across the country check their children are fully vaccinated for their age. Following advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), all children aged 1 to 9 years in London need to have a dose of polio vaccine now – whether it’s an extra booster dose or just to catch up. It will ensure a high level of protection from paralysis. This may also help stop the virus spreading further.”

September 3, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : Political Members appointed to the Committee on Standards in Public Life
The press release issued by Downing Street on 2 September 2022.

The Prime Minister has today confirmed the appointment of three political members to the Committee on Standards in Public Life. Jeane Freeman is appointed as the Scottish National Party Member, Baroness Finn is as the Conservative Party Member, and Margaret Beckett has been reappointed as the Labour Member for the Committee.

The Prime Minister has today confirmed the appointment of three political members to the Committee on Standards in Public Life (CSPL). Jeane Freeman will commence her role on 1st December 2022, Baroness Finn on 21st November 2022, and Margaret Beckett’s new term begins on 1st November 2022.

Jeane Freeman

Jeane Freeman OBE is the former SNP MSP for Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley constituency from 2016 to 2021.

Jeane Freeman was the Minister for Social Security 2016-2018 and the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Sport, 2018-2021 in the Scottish Government.

Outside of politics she has been appointed an honorary professor at Queen Margaret University (QMU) and appointed to a University of Glasgow role within the University’s College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences.

Baroness Finn

Baroness Finn, of Swansea, became a Conservative peer in 2015, and has served as a special adviser in the Cabinet Office, the Foreign Office and Department of Business, Innovation and Skills, and to the Prime Minister in 10 Downing Street. She has been a member of the advisory council of Transparency International, a trustee of the think tank Demos, a Parliamentary Fellow at St Antony’s Oxford, a member of the advisory board of the Centre for Politics, Philosophy and Law, King’s College, London, and served as a Non-Executive Director of the Cabinet Office.

Margaret Beckett

The Rt Hon Margaret Beckett DBE MP was originally appointed to the Committee on Standards in Public Life on 1 November 2010 and was most recently reappointed on 31 October 2019.

Margaret Beckett has been Labour MP for Derby South since 1983. She was Secretary of State for Trade and Industry 1997-1998, President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons 1998-2001, Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 2001-2006, Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs 2006-2007, and Minister for Housing and Planning 2008-2009. She has also been Chair of the Intelligence and Security Committee. Margaret is a member of the Labour National Executive Committee (1980-1981, 2012-) and is Chair of the Joint Committee on National Security Strategy.

Lord True, Minister of State at the Cabinet Office welcomed the new Members appointments, and Margaret Beckett for her continued work on the Committee saying:

“I would like to congratulate Jeane Freeman and Baroness Finn on their appointment to the Committee and I am grateful to Margaret Beckett for her continued service to the Committee. I have no doubt that all these appointees will continue to display their strong commitment to the principles of public life.”

Notes:

The Committee on Standards in Public Life:
- The Committee on Standards in Public Life (CSPL) is an independent advisory non-departmental public body that advises the Prime Minister on ethical standards across the whole of public life in the UK. It conducts broad inquiries, collecting evidence to assess institutions, policies and practices and makes recommendations to the Prime Minister where appropriate.
- The Committee promotes the Principles of Public Life, which outline the ethical standards those working in the public sector are expected to adhere to. The Principles apply to all public office holders and private and voluntary organisations delivering services paid for by public funds.
Political Members are appointed for three-year renewable terms.
September 3, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : UK monkeypox case numbers continue to decline

The press release issued by the UK Health Security Agency on 2 September 2022.

The latest UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) technical briefing has been published, showing further decline in the number of new monkeypox cases being identified.

As of 26 August, there are 3,389 confirmed and highly probable cases of monkeypox in the UK. 3,239 of these are in England. Although new cases continue to be identified in all regions of the country, the number of new cases continues to slow.

Out of 3,215 confirmed cases in England where gender information was available, 3,174 were men (99%) and 41 were women. 70% of cases are in London. The median age of cases in the UK is 36.

Available data shows that the virus continues to be transmitted primarily in interconnected sexual networks of gay, bisexual, or other men who have sex with men (GBMSM) and there is no robust evidence of sustained transmission outside these networks.

Some new cases which may be linked to travel continue to be identified.

UKHSA genomic surveillance indicates that all recent cases have fallen within Clade IIb.

As of 30 August 2022, a total of 38,079 administered doses of vaccine have been recorded, of which 33,918 doses have been administered as pre-exposure vaccination, primarily to GBMSM. A further 1,992 doses have been given to healthcare workers managing monkeypox cases and 2,169 doses have been given to close contacts of cases.

Dr Meera Chand, Director of Clinical and Emerging Infections, UKHSA, said:

It is encouraging that the number of new monkeypox cases in the UK continues to fall, however the outbreak in the UK and around the world is not over. Please remember to check yourself for symptoms such as rashes and blisters, particularly if you have had new sexual partners recently and before you have sex with new partners.

If you do have symptoms, please take a break from sex, and call 111 or a sexual health clinic. Symptoms can take up to 3 weeks to appear.

If you are eligible for a vaccine, please wait to be called forward by the NHS and you will receive one once supply is available in your area. We are working with the manufacturer to ensure delivery as quickly as possible.

Close contacts of those with monkeypox no longer need to isolate for 3 weeks. However, if you have been in close contact with someone with monkeypox, please take a break from close contact with others, including sex. This will help limit the chances of you passing on the virus if you do have it.

We are contact tracing to identify those who have monkeypox, and to provide this information to their close contacts, but your sexual partner may choose to let you know directly.

UKHSA will continue to publish regular technical briefings as the response to the outbreak continues.

September 3, 2022