UKPOL.CO.UK

Category: Press Releases

  • PRESS RELEASE : Conclusion of UK presidency of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance – Lord Pickles’ speech [March 2025]

    PRESS RELEASE : Conclusion of UK presidency of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance – Lord Pickles’ speech [March 2025]

    The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 3 March 2025.

    International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance Chair Lord Pickles spoke about the UK’s achievements over the past year and handed over the presidency to Israel.

    In February 1980, I first watched a sunrise over Jerusalem. Whenever I’ve returned to this wonderful city over the past 45 years, I still feel that feeling of warmth and wonderment.

    As we stand at the Crossroads of Generations, there is no better place on Earth to draw together the future of remembrance.

    The UK presidency aimed to bring out the best in the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA), engender confidence in difficult times, and, above all, to strengthen the organisation.

    During our year, following a general election, Britain’s government changed from the Conservatives to Labour. There were many disagreements on political issues during the campaign, but there was complete unity on the need to fight antisemitism and to further Holocaust education and remembrance.

    Both governments were clear that our presidency would put the interest of IHRA and remembrance before narrow national interest. I hope you agree that we have met those responsibilities.

    Those of us who attended the poignant 80th-anniversary ceremony of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau in January know that we will never see the like again. Ten years from now, at the 90th anniversary, it is unlikely there will be Holocaust survivors to speak.

    We are now the custodians of their memory. We must remember and tell the truth. We must uphold our founding document, the Stockholm Declaration, which is as relevant today as 25 years ago.

    IHRA is a consensus organisation, which can be frustrating at times. But there is an upside – it requires the skills of listening and debate. IHRA is not a place for the repetition of prepared statements, it is a place where experts speak the truth to government.

    One feature of the past year was bringing remembrance closer to local communities. The ‘My Hometown’ initiative asked young people to research what happened in their towns during the Holocaust. It showed them that history is not distant – it is personal.

    The ‘Holocaust in 80 Objects’ project used artefacts to tell the stories of victims and survivors. It reminded us that the Holocaust is not just statistics – it is millions of individual interlocking lives.

    Under our leadership, the IHRA-UNESCO Capacity Building Training expanded. It now includes diplomatic networks and embassy staff. Those shaping international discourse must understand the dangers of Holocaust distortion.

    This work has left a lasting impact – embedding Holocaust memory into education, public policy, and diplomacy. The move to new technologies that allows memory preservation will ensure that future generations can still connect with survivor voices.

    I hope Israel can build on the AI conference we hosted in London. We must unlock the potential of AI, if we don’t our opponents certainly will.

    IHRA is the only international organisation focusing on Holocaust remembrance, education and research. That is worth holding on to. To remain relevant, we must be adequately resourced.

    I am grateful that the Israeli presidency has pledged there will be proposals to make our finances sustainable when we meet in Jerusalem in June.

    I wish Israel a successful presidency. With Dani at the helm and with the support of Ruty and Yossi, Richelle, and Rob Rozette, I look forward to 2025 with confidence.

    Finally, I wish for 3 things. As the United Kingdom passes the flickering torch of Holocaust remembrance to Israel:

    • may its light shine bright over Jerusalem
    • may it illuminate the Crossroads of the Generations
    • may it show us the right path
  • PRESS RELEASE : Government to take over redress for convicted postmasters from Post Office [March 2025]

    PRESS RELEASE : Government to take over redress for convicted postmasters from Post Office [March 2025]

    The press release issued by the Department for Business and Trade on 3 March 2025.

    All postmasters who have had their convictions overturned will now have their conviction claims administered by the government.

    • Government to manage redress for postmasters who have had convictions overturned by the Courts to ensure it is delivered promptly and sensitively
    • The Post Office will cease to be involved in the redress for postmasters with overturned convictions following calls from campaigners and postmasters
    • Redress for victims of Horizon scandal has more than doubled under this government, delivering on a key manifesto commitment

    All postmasters who have had their convictions overturned, whether by a court or legislation last year, will now have their conviction claims administered by the government, completely taking them out of the hands of the Post Office – fulfilling a key request from those impacted by the scandal.

    After a three-month transitional period, the Department for Business and Trade’s Horizon Convictions Redress Scheme (HCRS) will broaden its scope to take on responsibility for redress for postmasters who have had their convictions overturned by the Courts. These are currently dealt with by the Post Office through their Overturned Convictions scheme. This is something that postmasters, campaigners, and Parliamentarians, including the Business and Trade Select Committee, have all called for.

    Postmasters have suffered a huge amount. While the government can’t fully put right what they have been through, it can make sure the compensation process works better for them by listening to their grievances and acting upon them where possible to ensure postmasters are treated with dignity and respect. Today, this means ending the difficulty of dealing with the organisation which upended so many of their lives.

    The delivery of redress for victims of the Post office Horizon scandal is a key government manifesto commitment, with a commitment of £1.8 billion to ensure all postmasters receive the justice and financial redress they deserve.

    Post Office Minister Gareth Thomas said:

    My priority upon coming into office was to speed up the delivery of compensation to the victims of the Horizon scandal. We have made significant progress, and we are now moving to ensure there is a quick transfer of schemes from the Post Office to the Department.

    In the meantime, I encourage all those eligible to apply for redress under the Overturned Convictions scheme and continue to progress their claims with the Post Office until the transfer date.

    The Department for Business and Trade will formally take over on 3 June 2025. The three-month transitional period between now and then will allow for the smooth transfer of active claims from one scheme to the other, ensuring there is no gap in service for postmasters who have claims in the system.

    As of 31 January, approximately £663 million has been paid to over 4,300 claimants, which has more than doubled since the end of June 2024.

    Today’s announcement is the latest in a series of government actions to address the Post Office Horizon Scandal, including:

    • launching the Horizon Convictions Redress Scheme (HCRS) for postmasters whose horizon-related convictions were quashed by Parliament. This scheme has made 364 interim payments to eligible claimants and has fully settled 208 claims, paying out a total of £156 million;
    • on the HCRS, committing to provide first offers on receipt of detailed claims within 40 working days in 90% of cases;
    • beginning payments of a £75,000 fixed offer for those postmasters in the Horizon Shortfall Scheme (HSS) who want to accept it: approximately £171 million has been paid in award top-ups and £75,000 awards;
    • publishing our response to the consultant’s report into the Post Office Capture software (predecessor to Horizon) and have committed to offering redress to all non-convicted postmasters who fell victim to flaws in Capture software;
    • announcing an independent appeals process for the HSS to provide individuals with a chance to have their claims reassessed through a DBT-run process. We expect the first cases will be ready for submission in the Spring;
    • confirmed the Horizon Compensation Advisory Board in place.
  • PRESS RELEASE : Beginning of the end for the ‘feudal’ leasehold system [March 2025]

    PRESS RELEASE : Beginning of the end for the ‘feudal’ leasehold system [March 2025]

    The press release issued by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government on 3 March 2025.

    The government has published the Commonhold White Paper today.

    • Commonhold, a radical improvement on leasehold ownership, will be reinvigorated under major reforms
    • New leasehold flats to be banned as the government takes steps to honour its manifesto commitment to ensure commonhold becomes the default tenure
    • Major change will give homeowners a stake in the ownership of their buildings and will hand them more power, control and security over their homes.
    • Change will ensure flat owners are not second-class homeowners and that the unfair feudal leasehold system is brought to an end, building on the Plan for Change ambition to drive up living standards

    Homeowners will have a stake in the ownership of their buildings from day one, not have to pay ground rent, and will gain control over how their buildings are run under major plans to bring the feudal leasehold system to an end.

    Plans to reinvigorate commonhold and make it the default tenure have been announced today. Unlike leasehold ownership where third-party landlords own buildings and make decisions on behalf of homeowners, these changes will empower hard working homeowners to have an ownership stake in their buildings from the outset and will give them greater control over how their home is managed and the bills they pay.

    Supporting delivery of a manifesto commitment – these reforms mark the beginning of the end for the feudal leasehold system. The changes complement the Plan for Change milestone to build 1.5 million homes, combatting the acute and entrenched housing crisis by making homeownership fit for the future, by putting people in control of the money they spend on their home.

    Commonhold-type models are used all over the world. The autonomy and control that it provides for are taken for granted in many other countries. It can and does work and the government is determined, through both new commonhold developments and by making conversion to commonhold easier, to see it take root – so millions of existing leaseholders can also benefit from this step change in rights and security.

    Housing and Planning Minister Matthew Pennycook said:

    “This government promised not only to provide immediate relief to leaseholders suffering now but to do what is necessary to bring the feudal leasehold system to an end – and that is precisely what we are doing.

    “By taking decisive steps to reinvigorate commonhold and make it the default tenure, we will ensure that it is homeowners, not third-party landlords, who will own the buildings they live in and have a greater say in how their home is managed and the bills they pay.

    “These reforms mark the beginning of the end for a system that has seen millions of homeowners subject to unfair practices and unreasonable costs at the hands of their landlords and build on our Plan for Change commitments to drive up living standards and create a housing system fit for the twenty-first century.”

    Following the introduction of a comprehensive new legal framework for commonhold, new leasehold flats will be banned, and in the meantime the government will continue to implement reforms to help millions of leaseholders who are currently suffering from unfair and unreasonable practices at the hands of unscrupulous freeholders and managing agents.

    The government has already empowered leaseholders with more rights and security – enabling them to buy their freehold or extend their lease without having to wait two years from the point they purchased their property, and overhauling the right to manage – putting more leaseholders in the driving seat of the management of their property and service charges.

    Progress will be made as quickly as possible to make it cheaper and easier for leaseholders to buy their freehold or extend their lease, and to make it easier for leaseholders to challenge unreasonable service charge increases.

    Changes set out in the Commonhold White paper include:

    • New rules that will enable commonhold to work for all types of developments, including mixed-use buildings and allowing shared ownership homes within a commonhold.
    • Greater flexibility over development rights, helping developers build with confidence and maintaining safeguards for the consumer.
    • Giving mortgage lenders greater assurance with new measures to protect their stake in buildings and protect the solvency of commonholds – such as mandatory public liability insurance and reserve funds and greater oversight by commonhold unit owners to keep costs affordable.
    • Strengthening the management of commonholds, with new rules around appointing directors, clear standards for repairs, and mandating use of reserve funds; and
    • Providing an enhanced offer for homeowners – including requiring greater opportunities for democracy in agreeing the annual budget, clarifying how owners may change “local rules” over how a building is run and new protections for when things go wrong.

    A new Code of Practice will set out how costs should be apportioned in commonhold, aimed at providing consumers with transparency and clarity, and the Government is committed to strengthening regulation of managing agents. The government will also launch a consultation to ban new leasehold flats later this year to explore the best way forward.

    An ambitious draft Leasehold and Commonhold Reform Bill will be published later this year setting out the legal framework for how reformed commonhold will work.

    Further information

    Under the current system, leasehold ownership hands the homeowner the right to occupy land or a property for a set period which reverts back to the freeholder once this expires. It means leaseholders don’t own their property outright, are forced to pay potentially escalating ground rent costs in some cases, and have a landlord who determines how the building is run and determines service charges the leaseholder must pay.

    Commonhold ownership allows people to fully own their property outright, with no expiring term or need to save to extend a lease. They can have a say in managing their building, and have the benefit of not needing to pay ground rent or have a third party landlord. There are no leases, with the rights, responsibilities and rules for all property owners set out in the Commonhold Community Statement (CCS). This “rulebook” establishes how the shared areas and facilities will be managed, maintained and funded, as well as the obligations for each person. It establishes a democratic system of decision-making and helps prevent disputes.

    Each property owner will become part of a commonhold association upon buying their home, which oversees both the governance and management of the building unless it decides to bring in a managing agent – which will be accountable to the commonholders, not to a landlord, including the power to hire and fire them.

    Through the commonhold association, homeowners will have a vote on the annual budget, which is for upkeep and for maintenance of the building, and on the charges they have to pay – equivalent to what service charges are used for under the current leasehold system. Homeowners will also be able to effectively plan for longer-term repairs or maintenance under commonhold, and vote on issues that affect them including adopting ‘local rules’ – specific to how they and their neighbours in the same block of flats want to live.

    The government is pushing forward the majority of the Law Commission’s recommendations due to the benefits of this tenure over leasehold.  Initially introduced in England and Wales in 2002, commonhold has struggled to take off due to flaws in its legal framework, despite its success in Europe, New Zealand, Australia, the US and other parts of the world.

    Key differences between commonhold and leasehold:

    • Commonhold offers full freehold ownership – real homeownership – unlike leasehold, whereby a property is leased out for a set amount of time before reverting back to the landlord and homeowners have a lack of control over their building.
    • Commonhold allows homeowners a say on the annual budget for their building – including how their charges for upkeep and maintenance are spent – unlike leasehold, where a bill is usually imposed on leaseholders by landlords often even after the money has been spent.
    • There is no ground rent in a commonhold property, compared to older leasehold properties. The ground rent requirement for newer properties was removed in 2022 (2023 for retirement properties) through the Leasehold Reform (Ground Rent) Act 2022.
    • Forfeiture is not possible under commonhold, meaning a unit owner cannot be threatened with losing their home and equity as they can in leasehold. The government will also address the disproportionate and draconian threat of forfeiture as a means of compliance with a lease agreement.
    • Commonholders have the power to hire or fire a managing agent who works in their interests, unlike in leasehold where one is appointed by the landlord.
  • PRESS RELEASE : UN Human Rights Council 58 – UK Statement at the Interactive Dialogue on the High Commissioner’s Report on Myanmar [March 2025]

    PRESS RELEASE : UN Human Rights Council 58 – UK Statement at the Interactive Dialogue on the High Commissioner’s Report on Myanmar [March 2025]

    The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 3 March 2025.

    UK Statement at the 58 Human Rights Council during the Interactive Dialogue on on the High Commissioner’s Report on Myanmar. Delivered by UK Ambassador for Human Rights to the UN, Eleanor Sanders.

    Thank you High Commissioner for your update.

    We are now in the fourth year since the coup and the crisis in Myanmar is only deepening. The military continues to intensify its violent and repressive onslaught. Schools and hospitals have been targeted. Indiscriminate airstrikes on civilians have increased. There is no justification for such abhorrent attacks on innocent civilians.

    The UK is alarmed by the escalating violence, human rights violations and gender-based violence. All actors, especially the Myanmar Military, must prioritise the protection of civilians. We call on the Military to stop the violence – especially the airstrikes – and release all those arbitrarily detained.

    The humanitarian situation is critical, with almost 20 million people in need of assistance. We call on all actors, especially the military, to allow safe and unimpeded humanitarian access. The UK is providing more than £66 million in assistance this year.

    Accountability is vital. We must break the cycle of impunity. This is why the UK supports the work of the International Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar. And this is why we announced our nineteenth round of sanctions in November last year targeting the military regime’s access to arms, aviation fuel and dual-use equipment.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Foreign criminals to be deported quicker [March 2025]

    PRESS RELEASE : Foreign criminals to be deported quicker [March 2025]

    The press release issued by the Ministry of Justice on 3 March 2025.

    Foreign national offenders (FNOs) will be deported quicker thanks to a new £5 million government investment in prisons across England and Wales.

    • Immigration crack squad deployed to prisons to speed up removal of foreign national offenders
    • Deportation drive will save taxpayers’ money and help ease jail capacity crisis
    • Part of government’s Plan for Change to create safer streets

    Foreign national offenders (FNOs) will be deported quicker thanks to a new £5 million government investment in prisons across England and Wales.

    The money will fund the deployment of specialist frontline staff to 80 jails with one clear mission – speeding up the removal of prisoners who have no right to be in this country.

    The new crack squad will also support the Home Office to identify and manage those going through the immigration process, ensuring cases are progressed as quickly as possible.

    FNOs make up around 12 percent of the total prison population and deporting them sooner will help save taxpayers’ millions while easing the capacity crisis inherited by the new government.

    The move is expected to further bolster efforts which have seen 23 per cent more FNOs removed since July 2024 compared to the same period in 2023.

    Minister for Prisons, Probation and Reducing Reoffending, James Timpson, said:

    It cannot be right for British taxpayers to foot the bill for jailing foreign criminals who have brought misery to our communities.

    Under this Government removals are up by nearly a quarter. We’re now taking action to ensure this is done swifter, easing pressure on overcrowded prisons and on the public purse.

    This is part of our Plan for Change – fixing the broken prison system we inherited and keeping our streets safe.

    The investment will create 82 specialist roles to oversee removals from jails. They will be in post and fully operational by 1 April.

    Further information

    • HM Prison and Probation Service work with the Home Office to remove thousands of FNOs via the Early Removal Scheme (where they can be deported up to 18 months before the end of their custodial sentence) and via transferring FNOs to serve their sentences in their home country
    • Since July 2024, we have removed 2,580 foreign criminals, a 23 per cent increase on the same period 12 months prior
  • PRESS RELEASE : UK concludes presidency of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance [March 2025]

    PRESS RELEASE : UK concludes presidency of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance [March 2025]

    The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 3 March 2025.

    After a successful year as Chair of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance, the UK hands over the presidency to Israel on 3 March 2025.

    The UK has concluded its presidency of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA), which ran from March 2024 to February 2025.  The presidency’s theme, “In Plain Sight”, drew attention to the fact that the Holocaust did not happen in a dark corner.  This highlighted the nature of society that allowed the murder of 6 million Jewish men, women and children, and shone a spotlight on all those who had a part to play.

    Our presidency focused on safeguarding remembrance of the Holocaust and securing the narrative for the future. This included tackling Holocaust distortion, and exploring the role of artificial intelligence as a force for both good and bad in Holocaust education and distortion.

    During our presidency, we delivered our ‘My Hometown’ project, supporting young people across the IHRA membership in learning about their local Holocaust history.  Fifty six schools from across 15 countries took part.  A gallery of all the projects can be found on our implementing partner’s website.

    We also published the 80 Objects-80 Lives digital exhibition, delivered in partnership with the Association of Jewish Refugees. In the exhibition, Holocaust survivors shared personal stories connected to their possessions in a series of eighty short videos.

    We were also pleased to work with the Association of Jewish Refugees to launch their new UK testimony portal. This brings together UK testimony on one platform for the first time.

    The UK hosted 2 plenary meetings, bringing together around 300 IHRA delegates in Glasgow in June and London in December, to discuss efforts to strengthen Holocaust remembrance, education and research.

    We made progress in a range of areas, including the launch of the Archival Access Forum, to facilitate the sharing of best practice in accessing and preserving Holocaust-related archive materials.

    We launched guidance on the implementation of the IHRA definition of antisemitism for sporting institutions. We also hosted a successful Roma conference attended by representatives of the Roma community from across Europe, and launched IHRA’s recommendations for Teaching and Learning about the Roma.

    Our presidency also explored the role of emerging technologies in Holocaust education and distortion. We co-hosted an event with the OSCE in Romania. This considered how artificial intelligence could be used as a force for good in Holocaust education and in identifying and tackling instances of antisemitism and Holocaust distortion online. It also explored its more negative uses in facilitating Holocaust distortion. We continued these discussions in the margins of the London plenary, during a follow up conference on the role of artificial intelligence

    Domestically, we published the outcome of a review establishing the facts around the number of prisoners who died on Alderney during the Nazi occupation. This review played an important role in bringing to an end conspiracies and misinformation surrounding this crucial period of history.

    Finally, we marked the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau and the 25th anniversary of the Stockholm Declaration on Holocaust Remembrance. In February, we brought together IHRA delegates alongside key figures who have played a role in strengthening international action on Holocaust commemoration over the past 25 years. Together we reflected on our achievements and look ahead to the future of remembrance.

    The Holocaust will sadly soon move from our living memory into the history books, and we will no longer be able to hear survivors tell their stories first-hand. It is therefore essential that we continue to do all we can to safeguard Holocaust sites, encourage greater transparency of Holocaust-related archives, and promote testimony and the stories of Holocaust-related objects.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Young people urged to ‘Think Fraud’ over rent offers [March 2025]

    PRESS RELEASE : Young people urged to ‘Think Fraud’ over rent offers [March 2025]

    The press release issued by the Home Office on 3 March 2025.

    New data shows 18 to 39 year olds account for almost 3 quarters of rental fraud reports as phase 2 of nationwide ‘Stop! Think Fraud’ campaign launches.

    Young people aged between 18 and 39 account for almost three quarters of cases of rental fraud, according to exclusive National Fraud Intelligence Bureau (NFIB) data released by the Home Office today.

    Rental fraudsters typically target their victims by offering access to properties that do not exist, or which are not theirs to rent, often using fake details and photos, and usually offering prices at well below market rate. To secure the property or even arrange a viewing, they will usually demand a deposit or the first month’s rent, and many individuals desperate to find a home will make the upfront payment to avoid missing out.

    According to the NFIB data, the resulting fraud losses amounted to nearly £9 million across around 5,000 reported cases last year. The 18 to 29 age group accounted for 48% of all reported rental fraud cases in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland last year, with the 30 to 39 age group accounting for 25%.

    With many students and young workers using the spring months to search for new rented accommodation, Home Office ministers are urging renters to avoid rushing into a quick decision or paying over any money for a property before they have viewed it in person.

    And with rental fraud often taking place through properties advertised on social media websites, the government is also renewing its calls for tech companies to go further and faster to tackle fraud on their platforms ahead of convening the next Joint Fraud Taskforce meeting later this month.

    Fraud Minister Lord Hanson said:

    Rental fraud is an utterly shameful crime, and this new data should serve as a stark reminder that anyone can be a victim. It doesn’t matter how streetwise and tech-savvy you are, fraudsters will get to anyone who doesn’t stop and think before handing over their money.

    That’s why I am determined to root out fraud from our society, crack down on the callous criminals behind it, and ensure that stronger protections are put in place by the tech companies on whose platforms much of this fraud takes place.

    The Home Office will be making progress on all of those issues through the next phase of our Stop! Think Fraud campaign, and the new, expanded fraud strategy we are developing this year as part of this government’s Plan for Change.

    Oliver Shaw, Commander for Fraud and Cybercrime, City of London Police, said:

    Young people are disproportionally targeted by criminals whilst they look for new accommodation or housing opportunities. This can result not only in a devastating financial loss but can also lead to a negative impact on their mental health. The data from the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau highlights clearly how much of a critical issue this is in affecting 18 to 29 year olds.

    That’s why we, as the national lead force for fraud, continue to support the Stop! Think Fraud campaign’s ongoing efforts to raise awareness of this vital issue. And we continue to work to highlight emerging cybercrime and fraud types that could be a threat, understanding the importance of reporting, and advocating ways the public can prevent themselves from becoming victims of fraud.

    The new figures are published on the same day as the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) – part of GCHQ – launches the second phase of a nationwide campaign encouraging individuals and small businesses to set-up 2-step verification (2SV) on their most important accounts.

    2SV adds an extra layer of security, making it much harder for attackers to access your accounts even if your password is compromised.

    NCSC Chief Operating Officer Felicity Oswald said:

     Online fraudsters are constantly finding new ways to trick you into sharing personal information or money, but thankfully, there are ways to protect yourself.

    Today, we’re launching a nationwide campaign urging everyone to strengthen their security by enabling 2SV, which adds an extra layer of protection to keep your accounts safe.

    Toughen up your online security by enabling 2SV today – usually found in the security settings of your accounts – and keep the fraudsters out.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Dr Penelope Dash confirmed as new chair of NHS England [March 2025]

    PRESS RELEASE : Dr Penelope Dash confirmed as new chair of NHS England [March 2025]

    The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 3 March 2025.

    Wes Streeting, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, has today confirmed Dr Penny Dash will be the new chair of NHS England.

    Dr Dash is currently the Chair of the NHS North West London Integrated Care Board and is leading a major review into the regulation of health and social care quality in England. Her interim report, published last year, shone a light on the scale of the failure at the Care Quality Commission, and sparked the appointment of new leadership to turn around the health and care regulator.

    A former NHS doctor, senior partner at McKinsey and Company working on healthcare globally, and Head of Strategy at the Department of Health and Social Care, Dr Dash has a wealth of experience in the public, private and government sectors.

    As chair of NHS England, she will be drawing on her vast knowledge in these fields to focus on rebuilding the NHS as part of the government’s 10 Year Health Plan.

    She was selected following an open public appointment process to appoint a successor to Richard Meddings, who is due to step down next month.

    Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting said:

    I am delighted to confirm Dr Penny Dash as the new chair of NHS England. She is a radical reformer, with the skills and experience we need to help fix our broken NHS and make it fit for the future.

    I look forward to working with her as we continue to tackle the waiting list backlog, unleash innovation in health services, and support our healthcare staff to deliver the timely care patients deserve.

    I would also like to thank Richard Meddings for his dedicated service, helping to guide the NHS through the aftermath of the pandemic.

    Dr Penny Dash said:

    I am honoured to have been appointed the new chair of NHS England.

    I am excited to start working with my NHS colleagues and the government to accelerate the process of renewal and rebuilding to make sure the NHS continues to serve the needs of its communities and its staff.

    The 10 Year Health Plan is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to shape the NHS to take on the challenges of the future and I look forward to playing my part.

    Dr Dash was confirmed as the government’s preferred candidate in February. The Secretary of State took the final decision following a hearing with the Health and Social Care Committee on 26 February 2025.

    This appointment is a 4-year term and begins 1 April 2025.

  • PRESS RELEASE : New measures to boost small businesses benefitting from UK’s defence investment [March 2025]

    PRESS RELEASE : New measures to boost small businesses benefitting from UK’s defence investment [March 2025]

    The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 3 March 2025.

    Government announces major support for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) following historic commitment to increase spending on defence.

    • New SME spending targets for defence will boost access to UK defence investment.
    • A new support hub will provide guidance to small businesses on accessing the defence supply chain, unlocking new jobs and putting more money in people’s pockets.
    • Move will ensure more money is spent directly with British small businesses and boost the economy of small towns and suburbs in every region of the UK as part of the Government’s new Defence Industrial Strategy.

    Thousands of small businesses in the UK will receive new government support to ensure they benefit from the historic decision to increase defence spending to 2.5% of GDP. This investment will protect UK citizens from threats at home, but also create a secure and stable environment in which businesses can thrive, supporting the Government’s number one mission to deliver economic growth.

    The government has today announced its plans to launch a new hub to provide small and medium enterprises (SMEs) with better access to the defence supply chain and committed to set direct SME spending targets for the Ministry of Defence by June this year. This is a chance for small, often family-owned, firms to bring their innovations, their agility and their expert workforce to the task of strengthening Britain’s defences. It will help create new jobs, boosting the economy of small towns and suburbs in the UK.

    It follows the Government’s historic uplift in defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by April 2027, with a commitment to hit 3% in the next Parliament. This investment in defence will deliver the stability that underpins economic growth, and will unlock prosperity through new jobs, improving the lives of people in every corner of the UK.

    The new hub and investment targets announced today will ensure this increased spending directly benefits SMEs as much as possible – supporting jobs, growth and innovation. This is a vote of confidence in the prospects of up to 12,000 SMEs, supporting them to raise finance and train workers with confidence. It marks further progress to deliver the government’s Plan for Change, putting more money in people’s pockets and rebuilding Britain.

    The move is designed to boost the resilience of the UK’s defence industrial base and to seize the full power of rapid technological change as part of the Government’s forthcoming Defence Industrial Strategy.

    Nearly 70% of defence spending goes to businesses outside London and the South East, bolstering local economies from Scotland to the North West. However, only 4% of this spending went to SMEs in 2023-2024, which is why the Government is stepping up to provide more support to SMEs and help them get their foot in the door in the defence supply chain.

    Prime Minister Keir Starmer said:

    The UK’s defence industry is a source of national pride. It supports hundreds of thousands of good jobs up and down the country and represents British manufacturing at its best.

    Increasing our investment in defence is not only bolstering our national security, it is an opportunity to put more money into working people’s pockets and boost economic growth.

    By helping smaller businesses to access this money, we’re making communities across the UK better off and opening up more opportunities to train for good, skilled, productive jobs.

    Defence Secretary John Healey MP said:

    This Government’s historic increase in defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by April 2027 will boost national security and make defence an engine for economic growth throughout the UK.

    For too long small businesses felt locked out of defence, but we’ve listened and we’re acting. Today’s announcement will ensure that smaller firms benefit from increased defence spending, attracting new suppliers and fast-tracking the technologies of the future into the hands of our Armed Forces.

    This a new era for defence and we will ensure it plays the fullest part in our national economic growth.

    The new Hub will work with suppliers across the nations and regions of the UK to ensure that it fully meets their needs. This will strengthen defence procurement through increased choice and faster access to innovation. It will keep the UK at the forefront of defence technology, improving the capabilities available to our Armed Forces, the competitiveness of UK industry and growing potential exports benefits.

    Defence is an engine for jobs and growth in every nation and region of the UK. In 2023-24, defence spending by the Government supported over 430,000 jobs across the UK, the equivalent to one in every 60. In the same year, the Ministry of Defence spent a total of £28.8 billion with UK industry, with spending in the East Midlands increasing by 30%, equivalent to £328 million, on the previous year. Northern Ireland also saw a rise of 20%, with other increases in Yorkshire and the Humber and the North West, up 19% and 18% respectively. With increased support for SMEs and the upcoming Defence Industrial Strategy, the Government plans to increase this further.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Northern Ireland Secretary meets with Windsor Framework Monitoring Panel [March 2025]

    PRESS RELEASE : Northern Ireland Secretary meets with Windsor Framework Monitoring Panel [March 2025]

    The press release issued by the Northern Ireland Office on 3 March 2025.

    Secretary of State for Northern Ireland met Independent Monitoring Panel following announcement of first monitoring period for UK Internal Market Guarantee.

    The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland and the Independent Monitoring Panel met today (3 March) to discuss the panel’s role in scrutinising the ‘UK Internal Market Guarantee’.

    Both parties discussed the announcement made to Parliament by the Northern Ireland Secretary on 24 February 2025, confirming the first six month reporting period for the Internal Market Guarantee commenced on 1 January and will conclude on 30 June 2025. The Panel will report to the Secretary of State thereafter.

    The Internal Market Guarantee relates to movements taking place under the UK Internal Market System and undertakes that more than 80% of all freight movements from Great Britain to Northern Ireland will be treated as ‘not at risk’ of moving onwards to the EU, and therefore moving within the UK internal market.

    The members of the Panel expressed their commitment to the role and thanked those who have been involved in supporting the arrangements for it to scrutinise and report on goods movements data. The Panel confirmed to the Secretary of State that it will engage with business organisations representing affected traders and other stakeholders in support of the commitments in Safeguarding the Union Command Paper and commence that in the second half of the reporting period.

    The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland said:

    “Today’s meeting demonstrates our continued commitment to protecting the UK internal market. I look forward to working with the panel and receiving their recommendations.”

    Alastair Hamilton, Chair of the Independent Monitoring Panel said:

    “Our desire is to ensure, within the parameters of the Windsor Framework, that our work will help to reduce and remove burdens for businesses and citizens and maximise the competitiveness and opportunities for Northern Ireland businesses.”

    Background

    A commitment to establish the Independent Monitoring Panel was made in the Safeguarding the Union Command Paper published in January 2024. The Panel’s role is to report to the Government on:

    • the performance of the ‘UK Internal Market Guarantee’ as set out in the Command Paper;
    • the activities of public authorities delivering the operational activity to give effect to the Windsor Framework; and
    • how the Government’s wider ambitions on improving UK-EU trade could support smooth flows of trade within the UK internal market.

    On 19 September 2024, the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland appointed Alistair Hamilton CBE, Aidan Reilly and Dr Anna Jerzewska to the Panel.

    Further information on the Panel’s work will be made available online in due course.