Category: Press Releases

PRESS RELEASE : Ukraine’s resilience remains nothing short of extraordinary – UK Statement to the OSCE [February 2025]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 13 February 2025.

UK Military Advisor, Lt Col Joby Rimmer, says nobody desires peace more than Ukraine, yet peace must be just and sustainable. It is our responsibility to ensure that they do not stand alone.

Thank you, Mr Chair. As we approach the fourth year of Russia’s illegal war of aggression, Ukraine’s resilience remains nothing short of extraordinary. Despite immense challenges, Ukraine continues to demonstrate an unbreakable spirit and an unyielding commitment to its sovereignty, freedom, and the rules-based international order.

Last week at the FSC, the Russian Delegation stated that they owned ‘the strategic initiative along the entire line of contact’. But Ukrainian forces continue to hold their ground, not only defending their homeland but also reclaiming and securing additional territory, including in Kursk. Russian open sources report the Russian VDV 11th Airborne brigade commander has been relieved of duty following his failure to stop this recent Ukrainian counterattack. DPRK Troops deployed to the frontlines in December 2024, were withdrawn from their positions to recuperate following heavy losses. As of mid-January 2025, DPRK forces had highly likely sustained c4,000 casualties, more than one third of the 11,000 troops deployed to Kursk. Far from maintaining the ‘strategic initiative’, Russia has to resort to recklessly deploying DPRK troops to the front line, showing a complete disregard for human life, whilst not even officially acknowledging their presence on the battlefield.

There is no evidence of a Russian willingness to compromise. Russia spoke of being ‘open to reasonable initiatives to achieve a peaceful resolution’. But when examining the options available, Moscow has chosen a path of aggression, regardless of the catastrophic loss of life on both sides. There is no sense of reason. This is not a ‘special military operation’. It is a full-scale invasion and occupation attempt, a blatant violation of international law, and a direct challenge to global stability.

No one desires peace more than Ukraine. The Ukrainian people have suffered relentless bombardment and forced displacement, and we see the UN reports of war crimes committed by Russian forces. Yet peace must be just and sustainable. A truly just and lasting peace means one that respects the UN Charter and the Helsinki Final Act. Ukraine cannot be expected to surrender its sovereignty or accept a dictated settlement that rewards Russian aggression. The Russian delegation in this forum said there will be no ‘freeze along the line of contact’. We would agree. Russia must withdraw from all of Ukraine’s sovereign territory. Any peace that fails to hold Russia accountable will only invite further aggression – not just against Ukraine, but against other nations that dare to assert their independence.

President Putin’s war is built on a demand for total submission through violence. No sovereign nation could or should, accept such terms. The international community has a moral and strategic obligation to stand with Ukraine. Our commitment to Ukraine remains absolute. We will continue to confront Russian aggression through military, economic, and diplomatic means. We will hold President Putin and his regime accountable for their war crimes. We will ensure that Ukraine has the resources necessary to defend itself for as long as it takes. Ukraine’s courage and determination have already defied expectations. It is our responsibility to ensure that they do not stand alone. Thank you, Mr Chair.

February 24, 2025
PRESS RELEASE : Russia’s deceit did not work in 2022 and it will not work now – UK statement to the OSCE [February 2025]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 13 February 2025.

Ambassador Holland recalls Russia’s deceit at the OSCE in the weeks leading up to their full-scale invasion of Ukraine and reiterates that UK will support Ukraine to achieve a just and lasting peace.

Thank you, Mister Chair. In just over a week, we will reach yet another unwelcome milestone: three years since Russia launched its illegal and unprovoked full-scale invasion of its sovereign neighbour, Ukraine.

A war that Russia believed would be over in three days will enter a fourth year. A war Russia launched under the false pretext of protecting Ukrainian civilians has instead caused thousands of them to be killed. A war which we were told would not happen has, since those denials, violated every principle of the Helsinki Final Act and demonstrated contempt for the rules that govern armed conflict.

Let us recall, using their own language, what Russia told us in the days and weeks leading up to their full-scale invasion. On the 20th of January, we were told that “the myth of Russia’s alleged impending” invasion had been “hyped up.” On the 3rd of February we were told that the speculation of an invasion was “unsubstantiated conjectures”. This was an “information campaign being whipped up primarily by the United States and the United Kingdom”. On the 10th of February, apparently the facts showed that these were “scare stories” and nothing more than “a puff of propaganda and idle talk”.

We all know what happened on the 24th of February. The records of our meetings offer incontrovertible evidence of Russia’s disinformation and deceit. It continues to this day, week in and week out.

Mister Chair, on that note we have recently heard Russia single-out on multiple occasions the UK’s role in providing military support to Ukraine. The UK makes no secret of our unbreakable support for Ukraine. We have agreed a new 100-year partnership with Ukraine. We are proud to have committed to providing £3 billion of military aid to Ukraine every year for as long as is needed. I want to be clear, though – this is not about fuelling war but supporting an innocent, sovereign and independent State in an ongoing defence against a barbaric onslaught that Russia assured us would never happen.

We have always said that we will support Ukraine to achieve a just and lasting peace. Our priority remains to put Ukraine in the strongest possible position to achieve this.

Thank you.

February 24, 2025
PRESS RELEASE : Fellowships launched to explore how AI could change the way scientists drive new discoveries [February 2025]
The press release issued by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology on 13 February 2025.

New government-funded fellowships will see researchers explore how AI can change the way we conduct research while 23 projects have been awarded funding to explore wider research and innovation.

New government-funded fellowships exploring how AI could change the way scientists drive future discoveries are now open for applications, Science Minister Lord Vallance has announced today (Thursday 13 February).

Metascience – the study of how science works – examines research practices, funding models, and how institutions operate to improve how science and research is conducted, and discoveries are made and applied. By understanding what makes scientific research more effective, metascience helps drive research breakthroughs faster and with greater impact – boosting economic growth and prosperity to drive our Plan for Change.

The AI Metascience Fellowship Programme will fund research into key questions, including how AI is reshaping the research landscape and both changing and supporting the daily work of scientists. It will explore ethical concerns such as biases in AI-driven research and transparency in AI-generated discoveries and economic impacts like shifts in research jobs and funding priorities.

The new fellowship builds on the momentum of the recent AI Action Summit, as global leaders work to ensure AI’s development benefits society and be rolled out across society in the public interest.

AI is already revolutionising research with DeepMind’s AlphaFold accelerating drug discovery, while AI-powered lab robotics are automating complex experiments and machine learning is transforming how scientists analyse vast datasets.

The programme will also examine how governments and businesses should respond, from ensuring AI-driven science remains rigorous and delivers reliable outcomes to supporting researchers to maximise their creative potential and spend less time on mundane tasks.

Funding will go towards researchers to apply their expertise in examining the technology’s broader effects on research. The £4 million UK programme will run alongside a US-based cohort funded by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, creating a transatlantic research effort to examine AI’s impact on science. Fellows from both countries will attend a fully funded summer school, strengthening international collaboration and knowledge exchange.

Applications are especially encouraged from projects exploring the impact of AI on research jobs and skills, how it affects the speed of scientific progress, and the challenges of ensuring AI-driven research remains reliable and explainable.

Science Minister, Lord Vallance said:

AI presents new opportunities in a range of sectors, and if researchers can demonstrate its potential to increase transparency, robustness and trust in science then this could pave the way to freeing them up from mundane paperwork tasks while driving growth.

Supporting researchers to explore how AI can change the way we conduct research and through our joint support with Open Philanthropy for 23 projects exploring wider research and innovation, we will build a better understanding of what works in research – maximising impact, driving discoveries and improving lives.

In addition to the Fellowship, Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) and UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) have awarded £4.8 million in funding for 23 new research projects, which will tackle key questions about how to improve research and innovation, including AI’s impact on science, research integrity, and new models for funding and publishing research.

It follows a funding call launched last year and includes £1.8 million in co-funding from Open Philanthropy, a US-based foundation.

Among the winning projects:
- University of Sheffield: Assessing whether large language models – like ChatGPT – can reliably review academic work and contribute to the UK’s Research Excellence Framework and journal peer review
- University of Bath: Partnering with Sage Publishing and the Royal Society to test a two-stage peer review process, designed to increase trust in academic findings
- University College London (UCL): Working with Google DeepMind and the UN Development Programme (UNDP) to explore how AI-driven research can be applied to global challenges, including sustainability and healthcare
Notes to editors

List of the Metascience grant winners.

AI Peer: Large language models and academic peer review outcomes
Michael Thelwall, University of Sheffield.

Analysing the Reliability of Quantitative Impact Evaluations (ARGIE)
Jack Blumenau, University College London.

Assessing compliance with the FAIR Guiding Principles: a systematic evidence map of data availability in metabolomics research
Matt Spick, University of Surrey.

Big Science Beyond Science: The Innovation Impact of Research Infrastructure Procurement
Riccardo Crescenzi, LSE.

Commercialising Deep Tech: Understanding Frictions to University Invention Disclosure
Ramana Nanda, Imperial College London.

Cultural Traction: Embedding research culture strategy
S Martin Holbraad, University College London.

Evaluating the Development and Impact of AI-Assisted Integrity Assessment of Randomised Trials in Evidence Syntheses
Alison Avenell, University of Aberdeen.

Everything we (think we) know about Narrative CVs
Liz Simmonds, University of Cambridge.

Financial structures for enabling innovator participation and success: experimental evidence from challenge prizes
Vidal Kumar, Nesta.

Fostering a Dynamic Academic Ecosystem: Innovative Platforms and Methodologies for Econometrics
Martin Weidner, University of Oxford.

Making Replications Count: Identifying Barriers and Enhancing Impact with Innovative Dissemination Tools
Lukas Wallrich, Birkbeck, University of London.

Mapping impact pathways: improving our understanding of what mechanisms work in research translation
Alexandra Pollitt, King’s College London.

Metascience, research funding and policy priorities
Annette Boaz, King’s College London.

People or Projects (PoP)? Investigating different research funding styles
Ohid Yaqub, University of Sussex.

PRIME: Peer Review Improvement for Minimizing Bias in Evaluation
Katherine Button, University of Bath.

Providing empirical evidence to support greater equality, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) in research funding
Philip Clarke, University of Oxford.

Public value mapping for AI
Jack Stilgoe, University College London.

Research Software Engineer Metascience
Heather Packer, University of Southampton.

Sharing Code for Medical Research: An Audit Tool and Pilot at The BMJ
Nicholas DeVito, University of Oxford.

Supporting Research and Researchers through the deployment of Digital Notebooks: A framework for implementation and impact
Andrew Stewart, University of Manchester.

Transparent and Reproducible Science in the 21st Century: Unlocking the Benefits of Open Source Code
Albert Bravo-Biosca, Nesta.

Understanding Scientific Prizes – Structure, Evolution and Impact
Ching Jin, University of Warwick.

Working together or writing together?
Steven Wooding, University of Cambridge.
February 24, 2025
PRESS RELEASE : Thousands of small businesses to benefit from new government buying rules, boosting local jobs, growth and innovation [February 2025]
The press release issued by the Cabinet Office on 13 February 2025.

Thousands of small businesses across the country will have more opportunities to win valuable contracts with public sector organisations, kickstarting local economic growth and innovation
- Complicated government buying processes will be simplified to make it easier for small businesses to win contracts, bringing jobs and growth to local areas and across the UK as government delivers on its Plan for Change.
- Alongside measures for small business, companies that win public sector contracts will be told to advertise vacancies at local job centres to help get Britain back to work and breaking down barriers to opportunity for millions across the country.
- Further measures introduced to cut government waste and drive value for money.
Thousands of small businesses across the country will have more opportunities to win valuable contracts with public sector organisations, kickstarting local economic growth and innovation and creating jobs for local communities as the Government delivers on its Plan for Change.

Measures announced by the Government today will speed up and simplify procurement processes in the public sector, where £400 billion is spent each year on essential goods and services – driving growth and improving the lives of working people.

The changes outlined today include proposals for a major shake-up of spending rules, with local councils able to reserve contracts for small businesses to maximise spend within their area and help boost local economies.

Alongside this, a new duty will be placed on firms that win contracts with government bodies to advertise jobs at job centres, delivering real change for people, bringing good jobs closer to home and getting Britain back to work.

The National Procurement Policy Statement (NPPS), will gear all parts of the public sector towards delivering growth. The new rules include eight actions to return public procurement back into the service of the country and working people, and drive forward the Plan for Change.

Georgia Gould, Parliamentary Secretary at the Cabinet Office, said:

Businesses tell me that the current system isn’t working. It is slow, complicated and too often means small businesses in this country are shut out of public sector contracts.

These measures will change that, giving them greater opportunity to access the £400 billion spent on public procurement every year, investing in home grown talent and driving innovation and growth.

This new policy statement sets out our vision for how procurement can put this country back into the service of working people, and deliver our Plan for Change – by making sure the public sector is committed to growing the economy and empowering our communities with innovation and opportunity.

Current processes require Social Value measures on contracts, which put requirements on businesses to help bring forward positive change in communities and the country as a whole.

However, there are currently multiple different approaches used across the public sector and potentially many different criteria, confusing business and making it harder to ensure the commitments made are actually delivered.

The Government will be updating and streamlining the system used by all central government departments and their agencies to align it with the Government’s missions.

This will make it simpler to use, giving small businesses a better chance when bidding for contracts, and will make sure companies who profit from government work give back to the community.

Small Business Minister Gareth Thomas said:

For too long small businesses have been stuck on the sidelines of the procurement process with complicated bureaucracy and a confusing system. That changes today.

These measures will mean small firms can more easily offer their expertise to key projects both locally and nationally, helping SMEs to scale up, securing jobs and creating opportunities across the country.

AI and Digital Government Minister Feryal Clark said:

There is a £45 billion jackpot of potential productivity savings if we make full use of technology across our public services, it is not an opportunity we can miss.

To get this right, we need to make sure public sector organisations can get their hands on the right technology for them, quickly. That’s why our Digital Commercial Centre of Excellence will help the rest of the public sector invest in long-term solutions and stop hasty quick fixes.

Alongside the NPPS, a range of measures to support its delivery and make savings across government are also being introduced.

This includes the development of a new AI tool for commercial teams across government to cut bureaucracy wherever possible – such as to simplify redacting contracts and quality assurance of procurement documents.

As first announced in the blueprint for a modern digital government, a new Digital Commercial Centre of Excellence will also be set up in the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology to embed a “buy once and well” attitude, and drive innovative solutions to problems facing our public sector, securing long-term solutions rather than short-term fixes for digital and IT products and opening up opportunities for small and medium businesses to work on digital transformation.

The current system is broken: two departments might buy two types of equipment for the same purpose, requiring two teams with different individual skills to service and maintain.

The new approach means buying only once – requiring only one team, and one set of skills, removing duplication, saving the taxpayer money, and reducing waste in government.

A new Commercial Innovation Hub is also being considered, to establish a golden link across government departments, embedding learnings from extraordinary events such as vaccine procurement into our day to day processes. This will support departments to deliver greater value from the new flexible powers offered by the Procurement Act – and act as a workshop to seek out innovative commercial solutions that drive greater value.

The NAO recently estimated there are between 8,000 and 21,000 frameworks available to public sector buyers through external third party organisations. These agreements are often not transparent, with hidden fees and charges, racking up the cost of common goods and services.

A new Register of Framework agreements will be produced, shining a light on those rip-off frameworks from third party providers that are profiting off our local councils and NHS, taking money away from front line services.

The Government will also be consulting on more reforms including a requirement for large contracting authorities to publish their three-year targets for small business and social enterprise spend and report on this annually – as well as the exclusion of suppliers from contracts worth more than £5million if they don’t complete prompt payments of invoices.
February 24, 2025
PRESS RELEASE : New industry bonus opens to support good jobs and low carbon manufacturing factories [February 2025]
The press release issued by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero on 13 February 2025.

Industrial heartlands and coastal areas will receive a major economic boost as the government backs renewable energy firms investing in industrial communities.
- Government launches new investment to support clean energy manufacturing, and highly skilled jobs in industrial towns and cities
- offshore wind developers can now bid for financial support if they drive investment in UK’s most deprived regions, build low carbon factories, or support net zero supply chains
- the bonus will kickstart growth and support good jobs – delivering the mission to become a clean energy superpower through the government’s Plan for Change
Industrial heartlands and coastal areas will receive a major economic boost as the government backs renewable energy firms investing in industrial communities – backing good jobs through the government’s Plan for Change.

The application window has opened for the Clean Industry Bonus, which provides financial support for offshore wind developers, on the condition they prioritise their investment in areas that need it most, including traditional oil and gas communities – supporting highly skilled jobs such as engineers, electricians or welders.

The support also rewards developers who build more sustainable low carbon factories, offshore wind blades, cables and ports to reduce industrial emissions across the clean energy supply chain.

By encouraging developers to use less polluting suppliers, the bonus will help tackle the climate crisis while also addressing supply chain blockages in renewable technologies driven by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine – supporting industry on the transition to clean, secure, homegrown energy that Britain controls.

The UK produces more offshore wind than any other European country, making it the backbone for plans to deliver a clean power system by 2030 and become a clean energy superpower. This bonus will help accelerate the drive for clean power – incentivising developers to build the infrastructure the country needs to end reliance on unstable fossil fuel markets and help keep energy bills down for good.

Since July, the government has seen £34.8 billion of private investment into UK’s clean energy industries. In November, the government launched its carbon capture and storage industry supporting 4,000 jobs in the North West and Teesside. ScottishPower awarded a £1 billion turbine contract for its East Anglia TWO offshore windfarm to Siemens Gamesa, including blade production at its Hull blade factory – the company employ over 1,300 people in Humberside.

Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said:

We are backing our proud manufacturing, coastal and oil and gas communities with good jobs, skills and private sector investment – delivering on the government’s Plan for Change.

This is our clean energy superpower mission in action, kickstarting growth, delivering energy security and transforming towns and cities as part of the transition – from the ports of Nigg and Leith to the manufacturing hubs of Blyth and Hull.

Steve Foxley, Chief Executive of the Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) Catapult, said:

This news is an important signal from government to industry of intent to grow our offshore wind sector in a way that benefits both our climate and our economy, supporting expansive regional job creation and bolstering national energy security.

Alongside innovating to develop next-generation technologies, delivering the right levels of future deployment and fulfilling the ambitions of the Industrial Growth Plan for offshore wind, it will drive up confidence in our ability to secure the clean investments we need in the years to come.

Dan McGrail, CEO of RenewableUK, said:

The offshore wind industry already employs over 34,000 people in the UK, but there’s an opportunity to treble this number by the end of the decade if we grow the sector’s supply chain. Government initiatives like the Clean Industry Bonus, coupled with industry initiatives to support innovation and the upcoming Industrial Strategy, could drive hundreds of millions of pounds of private investment into new manufacturing.

Whilst we’re right to focus on securing investment in manufacturing new turbine foundations, blades and cables, we shouldn’t forget that there are also thousands of jobs in the construction and maintenance of wind farms too. You can go to places across the country like Grimsby and Great Yarmouth and Buckie on the Moray Firth and see boats full of engineers ensuring our wind farms operate at maximum efficiency.

Dhara Vyas, Energy UK, Chief Executive, said:

Offshore wind is set to become the backbone of a decarbonised power system. To build an industry that is resilient to supply chain challenges, we need a framework that supports sustainable deployment, while fostering investment in the UK’s industrial heartlands.

The Clean Industry Bonus will help to unlock economic growth, create job opportunities, and maintain the UK’s position as a global leader in offshore wind.

Alongside the development of a broader industrial strategy, the Clean Industry Bonus will play an important role in strengthening the Contracts for Difference mechanism. Clarity will be critical in ensuring we can deliver Allocation Round 7, which is likely to be the single most important auction to achieving the Clean Power goal.

The UK is already home to the world’s first floating offshore wind farm and has the highest deployment of offshore wind in Europe. As a result, the UK’s offshore wind industry is supporting thousands of highly skilled jobs across the country.

This latest boost for renewable developers comes after the government delivered the most successful renewables auction round in history last year, securing contracts for Europe’s largest and second largest offshore wind farm projects.

The bonus will come with an initial £27 million per gigawatt of offshore wind projects. That means if developers commit to 7-8 GW of offshore wind, up to £200 million of funding could be made available.

Funding will be allocated competitively with the results announced by the Energy Secretary in the summer.
February 23, 2025
PRESS RELEASE : Government unveils plans for next generation of new towns [February 2025]
The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 13 February 2025.

Hundreds of thousands of working people and families will reap the rewards new towns across Britain, as the Prime Minister paves the way for the largest housebuilding programme since the post-war era.
- Over 100 sites across England have come forward to be considered for next generation of new towns
- Government on track to create beautiful communities, provide affordable homes, and deliver much needed infrastructure, including schools and nurseries, GP surgeries, and bus routes
- By taking on the blockers, 20,000 homes, along with new schools and health facilities, will move forward following government action, and we will now turn to unblock the remaining 700,000 homes across 350 sites
- Comes as government rolls out major planning reforms to sweep away the blockers and push through its housebuilding agenda as part of the Plan for Change
Hundreds of thousands of working people and families will reap the rewards new towns across Britain, as the Prime Minister paves the way for the largest housebuilding programme since the post-war era.

Visiting a housing development today, the Prime Minister will unveil the government’s plans for the next generation of new towns – well-designed, beautiful communities with affordable housing, GP surgeries, schools and public transport where people will want to live.

Over 100 proposals from across every region in England were submitted, showing local areas and housebuilders’ ambition to get on board to build the next generation of new towns – playing their part in getting Britain building and tackling the worst housing crisis in living memory. Every new town will have the potential to deliver 10,000 homes or more.

Delivering security is central to this government’s Plan for Change, because the least working people deserve when they graft hard is a secure home. That’s why the government is providing much-needed housing in the right places with the right infrastructure, and the New Towns Taskforce has today set clear principles on what the next generation of new towns will deliver: affordable housing, vital infrastructure and access to open green spaces and nature, to transform the lives of working people.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer said:

For so many families, homeownership is a distant dream. After a decade of decline in housebuilding, the impact is a disconnect between working hard and getting on.

This is about more than just bricks and mortar. It’s about the security and stability that owning your own home brings. I know what this means for working people – the roof above our head was everything for our family growing up.

We’ve already made progress in just seven months, unblocking 20,000 stuck homes. But there’s more to do.

We’re urgently using all levers available to build the homes we need so more families can get on the housing ladder. We’re sweeping aside the blockers to get houses built, no longer accepting no as the default answer, and paving the way for the next generation of new towns.

As part of the largest housebuilding programme since the post-war era, our ambitious Plan for Change will transform the lives of working people, once again connecting the basic principle that if you work hard, you should get on.

Deputy Prime Minister and Secretary of State for Housing, Angela Rayner said:

Time and again we are seeing too many new homes stuck or stalled that not only act as a barrier to growth but also has real-world consequences for working people and families who see homeownership as nothing more than a distant dream.

I will not run away from the tough choices to fix the housing crisis we inherited that has left thousands of families on housing waiting lists, allowed homelessness to spiral out of control, and stopped an entire generation from picking up the keys to their first home.

While our vision for the next generation of new towns is setting the stage for a housebuilding revolution in the years to come, urgent action is needed now to build the homes and infrastructure that our local communities are crying out for. That’s why our New Homes Accelerator is working at pace to find solutions and remove blockages in the system, executing long-lasting solutions to get spades in the ground.

Today we are embarking on the next chapter in our Plan for Change to build 1.5 million new homes, deliver the biggest boost in social and affordable housing in a generation, and raise living standards for working people and families across the country.

For far too long, working people have been let down by a decline in housebuilding. That’s why the government is rolling up its sleeves and is taking on the blockers with major reforms to planning regulation to get Britain building.

That work is already underway, with a staggering 20,000 new homes now successfully unblocked by the government’s novel ‘New Homes Accelerator’ programme, which deploys planning expertise to speed up the delivery of housing sites held by unnecessary delays.

Areas that have already benefitted from direct government action include:
- Over 1,000 homes unlocked at Cowley Hill in Liverpool, where an agreement has been reached with the Environment Agency who withdrew its previous objections on both flood risk and biodiversity grounds, subject to planning.
- And at Wolborough in Devon, the Accelerator has worked with Natural England to help accelerate this development, whilst ensuring environmental improvements are secured. On top of the 1,100 homes the site is injecting £1.75 million towards off-site pedestrian and cycle improvements, playing pitches, bus services and a local travel plan.
Housebuilders and local councils have put forward over 350 housing development sites stuck in the system under the previous government – that together could unlock around 700,000 new homes.

Around a quarter of sites submitted are already receiving government attention since the call for evidence closed in October – demonstrating success of the programme, and local ambition to support the government’s 1.5 million homes target.

This goes hand-in-hand with government action to overhaul the planning system, supporting the builders and not the blockers, taking the brakes off economic growth, raising living standards, and making the tough decisions to deliver for working people and families.

This includes:
- Publishing a new growth-focused National Planning Policy Framework, which introduced new mandatory for councils to deliver the right homes in the right places, with a combined total of 370,000 homes a year.
- Introducing the Planning and Infrastructure Bill next month. The Bill will overhaul environmental regulations to no longer accept the failed status quo where bats are more important than trains or newts more important than homes, and remove blockers to fast-track delivery of the homes and infrastructure that local communities need.
To get Britain building now – the government today announces plans to fast stream planning through brokering disagreements between the agencies and expert bodies, which by law must be consulted within the planning process. Bodies including National Highways, Natural England and the Environment Agency will need to bring planners and housebuilders to the table and iron out concerns that have been holding back development.

Responding to sector concerns on pinch points, work stepping up with the Building Safety Regulator to ensure greater timeliness and efficiency when new tall buildings are signed off – to provide more homes for more people.

This work will be bolstered by extra government funding announced today, including:
- £1 million for government agencies, including National Highways, Natural England and the Environment Agency, to speed up the planning approval of new homes and improve feedback to local authorities and industry where required.
- £2 million to support the Building Safety Regulator to continue improving the processing for new-build applications.
- Over £3 million of grants for local councils to bolster planning capacity, alongside direct advice and navigate through some of the more complex issues holding up new development.
Alongside the Accelerator, the government is also supporting local partners through a clearing service to help accelerate the sale of uncontracted and unsold affordable homes, with nearly 300 housebuilders, local councils and registered providers signing up in the first 50 days of its launch.

In December, the government set a clear hierarchy of brownfield first, grey belt second and green belt third. Today, further funding is being injected to drive regeneration and brownfield deliver in the following areas:
- £20 million to help transform neglected small-scale council-owned sites into new homes, for areas most in need.
- Nearly £30 million from the Brownfield Infrastructure and Land Fund in Bradford to transform derelict brownfield sites into a vibrant residential area with 1,000 new homes, three community parks, shops, cafés, restaurants, and offices.
- £1.5 million to support a regeneration programme at Manchester Victoria North, delivering a new district of 15,000 homes with transport links and green spaces.
Getting homes built for working people is a priority and is backed by investment in housing which is increasing to £5 billion for this year, including a top-up of £800 million being injected into the existing Affordable Homes Programme to help deliver tens of thousands of new affordable and social homes across the country.

This is in addition to an extra £100 million of cash to bolster local resources with increased planning fees to cover costs and funding to recruit 300 planning officers, making sure councils have the capacity they need to rubberstamp new homes and infrastructure.
February 23, 2025
PRESS RELEASE : Growth boost to support more first time buyers [February 2025]

The press release issued by HM Treasury on 13 February 2025.

The government commits to a new, permanent, comprehensive mortgage guarantee scheme to increase homeownership.

Further plans to modernise home buying have been unveiled this week, helping more people to realise their ambitions of owning their own home as part of the government’s Plan for Change.

The government has committed to launching a new, permanent, comprehensive mortgage guarantee scheme that will open the door to homeownership for more young families and hardworking renters.

Alongside this the Economic Secretary to the Treasury has written to the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) following their response to the government’s call for regulators to support growth, setting out the government’s support for their proposal to review mortgage rules. The government has made clear it wants the FCA’s review to be as ambitious and rapid as possible to help as many people as possible to achieve the dream of owning a place of their own.

It follows an announcement last week that the government is streamlining and digitising the process for buying and selling homes to help homebuyers save time and money, and reducing the number of house sales that fall through. Fall throughs impact one in three transactions and cost people around £400million a year in total and currently there are delays of almost five months in the system.

Millions of hardworking people have been locked out of home ownership – the number of first-time buyers fell to a 10 year low in 2023 and today’s under 30s are less than half as likely to be home owners than those at the same age in 1990.

The government’s Plan for Change has clear ambitions for delivering 1.5 million more homes and driving growth – cutting unnecessary red tape in order to be on the side of builders and working people who want to get on the property ladder.

City Minister Emma Reynolds said:

“For too long politicians have ducked and dodged the decisions needed to support homeownership.

“Simplifying responsible lending rules and putting in place a permanent mortgage guarantee scheme shows our commitment to making the dream of owning a home a reality. I will work closely with regulators and industry to get this done quickly and in a way that supports as many people as possible.”

Housing Minister Matthew Pennycook said:

“The affordability challenges facing first-time buyers mean that we now have a generation locked out of homeownership . This government is determined to change that, ensuring that young families and hardworking renters can buy a home of their own.”

New details on the new Mortgage Guarantee Scheme will be announced in due course and will replace the existing Mortgage Guarantee Scheme, which was due to expire this year. By making the Mortgage Guarantee Scheme permanent and comprehensive, banks and building societies will have long-term confidence to continue offering low-deposit mortgages.

Many working people continue to find it extremely difficult to secure a deposit, meaning for too many the dream of home ownership has depended on access to the ‘Bank of Mum and Dad’, leaving those without that option often trapped in a cycle of renting without a way out.

This commitment to a new Mortgage Guarantee Scheme means first-time buyers, including young families, will be able to take that crucial first step onto the property ladder, with only a small deposit, tackling one of the biggest barriers to homeownership and giving them the stability they need to plan for the future.

February 22, 2025
PRESS RELEASE : Home Secretary to appoint a Windrush Commissioner [February 2025]

The press release issued by the Home Office on 13 February 2025.

An advertisement inviting applications to become the Windrush Commissioner has been launched today.

Windrush communities will be given an independent voice within government as an advertisement inviting applications to become the Windrush Commissioner has been launched today (13 February). This will ensure the lessons of the Home Office Windrush scandal are driven forward, and that justice is finally delivered for victims.

Having set out a fundamental reset of the government’s response to the scandal, the Home Secretary is committed to working more closely with communities affected by previous scandals as part of the plan for change.

Delivering on the government’s manifesto promise, she intends to appoint the first ever Windrush Commissioner by the summer, following a rigorous recruitment process to select a candidate capable of driving forward change and holding government to account on its Windrush commitments.

The commissioner will be an independent advocate for all those affected by the scandal, which saw thousands suffer through no fault of their own because of their inability to prove their right to live in the UK. The commissioner will engage with victims, communities and stakeholder organisations, and provide advice directly to ministers, to lead the change the Home Secretary is committed to delivering.

The successful candidate will advise on the Home Office’s delivery of the compensation and status schemes and the implementation of the department’s response to the Windrush Lessons Learned Review, as well as acting as a trusted voice for families and communities, driving improvements and promoting lasting change.

Minister for Migration and Citizenship, Seema Malhotra MP said:

The appointment of a Windrush Commissioner will mark a vital step in resetting the government’s response to the Home Office Windrush scandal and delivering the change that the victims of this scandal want and deserve to see.

This independent advocate will ensure the voices of victims and communities are heard and acted on throughout government. By engaging with communities, driving improvements, and holding government to account, the commissioner will help ensure that lasting change is delivered and the lessons of the past are truly learned.

The Home Secretary and I look forward to working side by side with the successful candidate in this crucial work to ensure that such an injustice can never happen again, and that dignity is restored to those who have suffered.

Jeremy Crook OBE, Chief Executive of Action for Race Equality, stated:

We want the Windrush Commissioner to have the power and resources to engage with Windrush victims and community advocacy organisations, hold the government to account and drive positive change. Action for Race Equality looks forward to working with the new Windrush Commissioner.

Upon appointment, the commissioner will work alongside the Windrush Unit, which was re-established by the Home Secretary, to oversee the department’s response to the scandal and embed permanent cultural change.

This comes after the Home Secretary set out, in October, the first steps the government is taking to fundamentally reset how the government plans to right the wrongs of the Home Office Windrush scandal.

As well as re-establishing the Windrush Unit, she committed to better supporting victims to apply for compensation with £1.5 million in grant funding to increase advocacy support.

This government is determined to hear first-hand from the Windrush generation, their families and wider Commonwealth communities to ensure that their experiences are listened to and learned from.

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February 22, 2025
PRESS RELEASE : Fourth UK-India Energy Dialogue – Joint Statement [February 2025]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 12 February 2025.

This joint statement was released following the meeting between UK Energy Secretary, Ed Miliband and India’s Minister of Power, Manohar Lal.

The Fourth India-UK Energy Dialogue, co-chaired by Shri Manohar Lal, Union Minister of Power, India and Mr Ed Miliband, Secretary for Energy Security and Net Zero for United Kingdom, was held in, New Delhi on Monday 10th February, 2025.

The dialogue focused on reviewing progress made in the energy sectors of both nations, including power and renewable energy, and reaffirming the commitment to a sustainable, resilient, and inclusive energy future. including across the breadth of sectors represented. They expressed satisfaction over the progress made to support green and sustainable growth, alongside accelerating the clean energy transition and ensuring energy security. The Ministers underscored the importance of ensuring that the energy transition and economic growth proceed together, while maintaining affordable and clean energy access for all.

The Ministers underscored the importance of ensuring energy security and sustainable development and emphasised expanding the cooperation in the areas of power distribution, sector reforms, industrial energy efficiency and de-carbonisation, and electric mobility while exploring new opportunities in the emerging fields such as energy storage, green data centres, and offshore wind, with an increased focus on MSMEs.

The Ministers were pleased to announce the launch of Phase-2 of the India-UK bilateral Accelerating Smart Power & Renewable Energy in India programme. This phase will aim to provide technical support for ensuring round the clock power supply, expanding renewable energy initiatives, and accelerating industrial energy efficiency and de-carbonisation, in collaboration with the Ministry of Power (MOP) and Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE).

The Ministers were pleased to observe the bilateral collaboration between the two sides to promote growth and jobs, through technical assistance cooperation and investment. They also discussed the progress of trade missions focusing on offshore wind and green hydrogen, as well as the cooperation between the UK’s Energy Systems Catapult and India’s Power Trading Corporation.

Recognising the shared ambition for advancing offshore wind development, the Ministers announced the establishment of a UK-India Offshore Wind Taskforce, which will focus on advancing offshore wind ecosystem development, supply chains, and financing models in both countries. Mr Miliband commended India’s ambitious initiatives in the renewable energy sector and shown a strong interest in gaining insights from India’s experience in implementing the Solar Rooftop Programme (PM – Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojna).

The Ministers agreed on the importance of power market regulations in driving the energy transition and ensuring greater energy security and access. To support this, they announced the continuation of the Power Sector Reforms programme under the UK Partnering for Accelerating Climate Change (UKPACT). Additionally, a new taskforce has been proposed between the UK’s Office of Gas and Electricity Markets and India’s Central Electricity Regulatory Commission to support renewable energy integration and grid transformation in India.

Both Ministers emphasised the ongoing value of the India-UK Energy Dialogue in advancing mutual energy transition goals, ensuring energy access, and building secure and sustainable clean energy supply chains while aligning these efforts with economic growth.

The Ministers expressed their intention to further strengthen their collaboration through the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and looked forward to the fifth UK-India Energy Dialogue in 2026. The dialogue concluded with the launch of the ‘Best Practices Compendium of Industrial Energy Efficiency/Decarbonisation’ and a ‘Pathways for Energy Efficiency and Decarbonisation in the Indian Aluminium Sector’.

February 22, 2025
PRESS RELEASE : Government completes legislation for infected blood scheme [February 2025]
The press release issued by the Cabinet Office on 12 February 2025.

Completed legislation will widen compensation service to all eligible victims of the Infected Blood Scandal.
- New draft laws will be debated and approved by Parliament before becoming law in March
- Over £13.4 million already paid out to infected individuals, and £11.8 billion allocated in the Autumn Budget
Today the government will deliver on its commitment to complete its legislation underpinning the Infected Blood Compensation Scheme, which will widen the compensation service to all eligible victims of the Infected Blood Scandal.

This will ensure that parents, partners, children, siblings and some carers of those who contracted illnesses will also be able to apply for compensation, and take another important step towards justice.

Existing legislation underpinning the compensation scheme applied to people who contracted illnesses, as a result of the scandal, rather than those who were indirectly affected.

This first phase of legislation was established in August 2024, just weeks after the General Election. It gave the Infected Blood Compensation Authority the powers to pay compensation to both living and deceased victims who contracted illnesses.

The Government allocated £11.8 billion in the Autumn Budget to compensate victims of the Infected Blood Scandal, with these new laws setting out more detail on how funds will be administered.

The draft laws will be debated and must be approved by both Houses of Parliament to then formally be established as laws, which the Government hopes will happen by the 31st March 2025.

Once this happens, the Infected Blood Compensation Authority will have the required powers to pay compensation to all victims who are eligible under the Infected Blood Compensation Scheme.

The Infected Blood Compensation Authority is an independent organisation set up by the Cabinet Office on recommendation from the Infected Blood Inquiry. It has already started to provide compensation to victims who contracted illnesses, with over £13.4 million paid by mid-January.

Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office, The Rt Hon. Nick Thomas-Symonds MP, said:

This Government is determined to deliver justice for the victims of the Infected Blood Scandal and is going further than any other before.

Having met many of the infected blood community, I know the scale of suffering people have endured. These new laws will be vital to delivering compensation to people who did such a huge amount and often suffered so much themselves when caring for their loved ones who contracted life-changing illnesses.

I hope that completing this legislation and allocating over £11 billion in the budget brings a sense of reassurance to the community of how committed this government is to delivering justice.
February 22, 2025