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Category: Press Releases

  • PRESS RELEASE : Floods Minister and Environment Agency hold further meeting to bolster flood response and recovery [January 2025]

    PRESS RELEASE : Floods Minister and Environment Agency hold further meeting to bolster flood response and recovery [January 2025]

    The press release issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 7 January 2025.

    Minister Hardy and Philip Duffy discussed the response to flooding in the East Midlands, Lincolnshire and across the country.

    Floods Minister Emma Hardy convened a further meeting with Environment Agency Chief Executive Philip Duffy this afternoon to discuss the nation’s response to the recent flooding events.

    During the meeting, the Floods Minister was briefed on the current situation on the ground, and the response being led by the Environment Agency and the emergency services. She also discussed the further action being taken to protect communities over the next few days with minor flooding possible in some parts of the country continuing into Thursday. Together, they discussed how to continue to support the collective efforts of the Environment Agency, emergency services, and local authorities in responding to flooding.

    Protecting communities around the country from flooding and coastal erosion is one of the Government’s priorities. It’s why £2.4 billion is being invested over the next two years to bolster the nation’s resilience, which is vital if we are to protect homes and business across the country.

    The meeting comes as a mixture of snowmelt and saturated catchments has brought further disruption to parts of England, particularly in the Midlands, following the heavy rainfall over the New Year that saw significant river and surface water flooding across the North West of England and Yorkshire.

    Since New Year’s Eve, the Environment Agency estimates that, in total across England, more than 41,000 properties have been protected but at least 300 properties have sadly flooded, with reports of further flooding being investigated.

    The Environment Agency continues to monitor the forecast and impacts on river levels. Its message to the public remains to check their flood risk, sign up for free flood warnings and keep up to date with the latest situation.

    Floods Minister Emma Hardy said:

    This afternoon I held an urgent meeting with the Environment Agency about the ongoing flooding incident.

    My sympathies go out to the people, businesses and communities impacted by the recent flooding across the country.

    I want to express my heartfelt thanks for the vital work that the Environment Agency and emergency services are doing to keep people safe. People must continue to follow their advice and sign up for flood warnings.

    This Government is working at pace to accelerate the building of flood defences through our new Floods Resilience Taskforce and investing £2.4 billion, so we can continue to protect people and their homes.

    Chief Executive Philip Duffy said:

    My thoughts are with the people affected by flooding over the last week. We will continue our work to support flooded communities, and I want to thank teams from the Environment Agency and our partners for their tireless efforts this week.

    With the risk from floods increasing due to climate change, I want to reassure people that we are intensifying our efforts to repair and maintain flood defences and work with communities nationwide to prepare for future wet weather.

    The Government is working in lockstep with the Environment Agency to enhance preparations as we navigate the winter season and is swiftly integrating the insights from recent floods into the new Floods Resilience Taskforce. The taskforce is speeding up the delivery of flood defences and enhancing our national resilience to protect communities from extreme weather conditions.

    Environment Agency teams continue to be out on the ground, operating flood defences, taking action to reduce the impact of flooding, issuing flood warnings and supporting those communities affected.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Government crackdown on explicit deepfakes [January 2025]

    PRESS RELEASE : Government crackdown on explicit deepfakes [January 2025]

    The press release issued by the Ministry of Justice on 7 January 2025.

    Predators who create sexually explicit ‘deepfakes’ could face prosecution as the Government bears down on vile online abuse.

    • Government to make creating sexually explicit ‘deepfake’ images a criminal offence
    • Perpetrators to face up to two years behind bars under new offences for taking an intimate image without consent and installing equipment to enable these offences
    • Package delivers on Government’s Plan for Change and manifesto commitment to protect women and girls

    Predators who create sexually explicit ‘deepfakes’ could face prosecution as the Government bears down on vile online abuse as part of its mission to make our streets safer.

    The proliferation of these hyper-realistic images has grown at an alarming rate, causing devastating harm to victims, particularly women and girls who are often the target.

    To tackle this, the government will introduce a new offence meaning perpetrators could be charged for both creating and sharing these images, not only marking a crackdown on this abhorrent behaviour but making it clear there is no excuse for creating a sexually explicit deepfake of someone without their consent.

    The Government will also create new offences for the taking of intimate images without consent and the installation of equipment with intent to commit these offences – sending a clear message that abusers will face the full force of the law.

    Victims Minister Alex Davies-Jones said:

    It is unacceptable that one in three women have been victims of online abuse. This demeaning and disgusting form of chauvinism must not become normalised, and as part of our Plan for Change we are bearing down on violence against women – whatever form it takes.

    These new offences will help prevent people being victimised online. We are putting offenders on notice – they will face the full force of the law.

    While it is already an offence to share – or threaten to share – an intimate image without consent, it is only an offence to take an image without consent in certain circumstances, such as upskirting.

    Under the new offences, anyone who takes an intimate image without consent faces up to two years’ custody. Those who install equipment so that they, or someone else, can take intimate images without consent also face up to two years behind bars.

    The move delivers on the Government’s manifesto commitment to ban the creation of sexually explicit deepfakes as well as recommendations from the Law Commission relating to intimate images.

    Alongside existing offences of sharing intimate images without consent, this will give law enforcement a holistic package of offences to effectively tackle non-consensual intimate image abuse.

    Baroness Jones, Technology Minister, said:

    The rise of intimate image abuse is a horrifying trend that exploits victims and perpetuates a toxic online culture. These acts are not just cowardly, they are deeply damaging, particularly for women and girls who are disproportionately targeted.

    With these new measures, we’re sending an unequivocal message: creating or sharing these vile images is not only unacceptable but criminal. Tech companies need to step up too – platforms hosting this content will face tougher scrutiny and significant penalties.

    Campaigner and presenter Jess Davies said:

    Intimate-image abuse is a national emergency that is causing significant, long-lasting harm to women and girls who face a total loss of control over their digital footprint, at the hands of online misogyny.

    Women should not have to accept sexual harassment and abuse as a normal part of their online lives, we need urgent action and legislation to better protect women and girls from the mammoth scale of misogyny they are experiencing online.

    These new offences follow the Government’s action in September 2024 to add sharing intimate image offences as priority offences under the Online Safety Act. This put the onus on platforms to root out and remove this type of content – or face enforcement action from Ofcom.

    The new offences will be included in the Government’s Crime and Policing Bill, which will be introduced when parliamentary time allows. Further details of the new offences will be set out in due course.

    Further information

    • The sexually explicit deepfakes offences will apply to images of adults. This is because the law already covers this behaviour where the image is of a child (under the age of 18).
    • It is already an offence to share or threaten to share intimate images, including deepfakes, under the Sexual Offences Act 2003, following amendments that were made by the Online Safety Act 2023.
    • The Government will repeal two existing voyeurism offences that relate to the recording of a person doing a private act, and recording an image beneath a person’s clothing.
    • They will be replaced with a range of new offences:
      • Taking or recording an intimate photograph or film without consent or reasonable belief in it
    • Taking or recording an intimate photograph or film without consent and with intent to cause alarm, distress, or humiliation
    • Taking or recording an intimate photograph or film without consent or reasonable belief in it, and for the purpose of the sexual gratification of oneself or another
    • We will also introduce new offences that criminalise someone if they install or adapt, prepare or maintain equipment, and do so with the intent of enabling themselves or another to commit one of the three offences of taking an intimate image without consent.
  • PRESS RELEASE : Hundreds of thousands of Brits in rural villages and towns to benefit from UK government broadband boost [January 2025]

    PRESS RELEASE : Hundreds of thousands of Brits in rural villages and towns to benefit from UK government broadband boost [January 2025]

    The press release issued by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology on 7 January 2025.

    Around 131,000 homes and businesses across the country will no longer be stuck with slow internet speeds as the UK government’s rollout of gigabit connectivity races ahead.

    • Around 131,000 hard-to-reach homes and businesses to get lightning-fast broadband speeds, helping to break down barriers to opportunity and kickstart economic growth under the government’s Plan for Change
    • Over £289 million in contracts signed to connect some of Britain’s most remote locations including in the Dee Valley, Isle of Anglesey and Shropshire Hills, giving millions of people better access to vital online services such as healthcare and education
    • Funding forms part of the UK government’s Project Gigabit to end the plight of poor broadband across Great Britain, with work already underway to bring upgrades to over one million premises

    Some of Britain’s most isolated communities will benefit from faster broadband speeds, giving them better access to a range of services including healthcare at home through virtual consultations and remote monitoring, and helping to combat loneliness by ensuring pensioners can access high-quality video calls.

    It will also support businesses to better grow and serve their customers online and help young people have a better start in life through access to online education and the resources to apply and interview for jobs.

    Project Gigabit plays a key role in plans to kickstart economic growth and break down barriers to opportunity as part of the government’s Plan for Change. With faster internet speeds across the country, communities that would otherwise be left behind with outdated broadband networks will be able to make the most of what the digital world has to offer.

    Areas set to benefit include the Dee Valley, Isle of Anglesey, and Shropshire Hills as 4 new contracts – worth over £289 million – have been signed by the UK government and Openreach. This will deliver the fastest, most reliable broadband networks on the market to hundreds of towns and villages in rural Britain and plug the digital divide outside urban areas.

    Areas to benefit from the new contracts include North and Southwest Wales, Shropshire, Herefordshire, Devon, Somerset, Essex, North East England and Worcestershire.

    Technology Secretary Peter Kyle said:

    We are determined to deliver the infrastructure this country needs to thrive, and I am thrilled to see so many homes and businesses in all areas of the country getting access to the fastest broadband speeds on the market through Project Gigabit.

    With today’s £289 million investment, we are not only boosting connectivity, but making it easier to access remote healthcare, online education, shopping online. work, learn, shop and stay in touch with loved ones online.

    As part of this government’s Plan for Change, we will plug digital divides, helping to make the UK a more equal society where everyone is given a fair shot in life.

    The latest contracts add to the 96,600 premises already set to benefit under a UK government agreement with Openreach. The agreement signed earlier this year will make up to £800 million of funding available to modernise broadband infrastructure in rural areas of England, Scotland and Wales, ending the plight of buffering.

    Across the UK, Project Gigabit is now delivering gigabit connectivity to over 1.1 million hard-to-reach premises – a figure that will continue to rise in the months ahead, meeting the demand for reliable connectivity, stimulating rural economies and reducing regional disparities.

    For households, gigabit-capable broadband delivers faster speeds and fewer dropouts, providing a gateway to remote working and online education. Unlike traditional copper-based networks, gigabit connections won’t slow down at peak times, meaning no more battling for bandwidth with neighbours. Gigabit networks can easily handle over a hundred devices all at once with no buffering, meaning the whole family can seamlessly surf, stream and download at the same time.

    Across the UK, over 1 million hard-to-reach premises already have access to upgrades thanks to UK government investment. Over 85 per cent of the country can now access gigabit connections, putting the UK in a strong position to meet the government’s target of full gigabit coverage by 2030.

    Dozens of Project Gigabit contracts representing more than £2.2 billion investment have now been signed with over 10 different suppliers to deliver the upgrades, including many smaller, independent broadband providers.

    Openreach CEO Clive Selley, said:

    Our new Full Fibre broadband network now reaches more than half of all properties in the UK, and we’re confident we can reach as many as 30 million premises by the end of the decade, assuming the right regulatory and investment conditions exist. This is a British infrastructure success story which experts say will boost productivity by £73 billion and bring a raft of social and environmental benefits for the country. We believe that everyone deserves access to fast and reliable broadband, and we’re proud that this partnership will help extend our ultrafast, ultra-reliable network to areas that would otherwise be left behind by the private sector.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Government sets out plan to secure the long-term future of steelmaking and safeguard steel communities [January 2025]

    PRESS RELEASE : Government sets out plan to secure the long-term future of steelmaking and safeguard steel communities [January 2025]

    The press release issued by the Department for Business and Trade on 7 January 2025.

    The Government has launched a new Steel Council, made up of steel sector leaders, industry experts, trade unions, trade associations and devolved governments.

    • Government launches new Steel Council to advise on rebuilding the industry and developing its upcoming Steel Strategy.
    • Council led by the Business Secretary and Chair of the Materials Processing Institute Jon Bolton, will bring together industry figures, experts, trade unions and devolved governments to secure the long-term future of steelmaking in the UK.
    • New council demonstrates the Government’s partnership with industry and trade unions to revitalise UK steelmaking and secure economic growth, delivering on the Plan for Change.

    The Government is ramping up its plans to rebuild the UK’s steel sector with the launch of a new Steel Council which will bring together leaders from across the industry to advise on the upcoming Steel Strategy.

    Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds will chair the first meeting of the Council today (7 January) together with co-chair Jon Bolton, Chairman of the Materials Processing Institute – a globally-recognised non-profit research and innovation centre based in the iconic steel community of Teesside.

    A secure future for the steel industry is vital to both the UK’s national security and delivering growth, the foundation of the Government’s Plan for Change, and with the launch of the Council the Government is taking another important step towards safeguarding the sector for the long term.

    The Council will bring together steel sector leaders such as CEOs from Tata Steel and British Steel with trade union leaders, industry experts, devolved government representatives and trade associations to address the challenges facing the steel industry and make the changes needed to secure steelmaking in the UK.

    It will meet regularly as the Government prepares to launch its Steel Strategy, providing a vital link between industry, workers, experts and government in every part of the UK and ensuring that both the workforce and economic growth are at the heart of its plans to rebuild the steel sector.

    Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds said:

    The industry and steel communities have had enough of lurching from crisis to crisis – this government will take the action needed to place steel on a secure footing for the long term. With the launch of the Steel Council we’re placing workers and local communities at the heart of our plans as we bring forward up to £2.5 billion of investment to secure growth right across the country.

    Steel was a neglected industry in this country under the previous government, but with the launch of this Council and our upcoming Strategy, we’re proving once again that we are the Government that’s committed to driving growth and innovation in the sector.

    A vibrant steel sector is crucial for economic growth and our national security, and by reflecting views from industry across the UK as we bring forward our Steel Strategy we’re delivering on the Plan for Change and boosting economic stability.

    Gareth Stace, Director-General, UK Steel said:

    The establishment of the Steel Council marks a defining moment for the future of steelmaking in Britain. The Council represents a crucial step towards creating a comprehensive Government Steel Strategy – one that lays the foundations for a sustainable and resilient industry.

    This strategy is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to foster a competitive business environment that encourages long-term investment and ensures steelmaking remains at the heart of the UK economy.

    We are committed to collaborating with the Government, trade unions, and industry partners to turn this vision into a shared success, securing the sustained growth that our sector, its workforce, and our communities rightfully deserve.

    Jon Bolton, Chairman of the Materials Processing Institute said:

    I am honoured to be asked to co-chair the Steel Council. I have worked in the steel industry globally for over 40 years, and it’s clear this sector has faced many challenges.

    However, I believe the UK has all the essential elements to attract investment into the steel industry: demand, skills, technology, unrivalled research and development and, critically, a supportive government having announced up to £2.5 billion of support.

    I see the Council’s task being to develop a strategy that details the core elements of that investment plan and to establish a roadmap towards a rejuvenated, competitive and environmentally progressive industry.

    The Government will work closely with the Steel Council towards the launch of the Steel Strategy in Spring, and the Council will continue to meet regularly following its publication to help drive investment into steelmaking communities across the country.

    Full list of the Steel Council’s membership:

    • Jonathan Reynolds, Secretary of State for Business and Trade (Chair)
    • Jon Bolton, Chairman of the Materials Processing Institute (Co-chair)
    • Sarah Jones, Minister of State for Industry and Decarbonisation
    • British Steel
    • Tata Steel
    • Liberty Steel
    • Marcegaglia UK
    • Sheffield Forgemasters
    • Celsa Steel
    • UK Steel
    • British Metals Recycling Association
    • Materials Processing Institute
    • Warwick Manufacturing Group
    • Community Trade Union
    • GMB Trade Union
    • Kate Forbes, Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Gaelic, Scottish Government
    • Rebecca Evans, Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning, Welsh Government
    • Conor Murphy, Minister for the Economy, Northern Ireland Executive
  • PRESS RELEASE : FCDO statement on DPRK missile launches [January 2025]

    PRESS RELEASE : FCDO statement on DPRK missile launches [January 2025]

    The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 6 January 2025.

    The FCDO has released a statement following a ballistic missile launch by The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) on 6 January.

    An FCDO spokesperson said:

    DPRK’s ballistic missile launch on 6 January is another breach of multiple UN Security Council resolutions (UNSCRs). Unlawful ballistic missile launches continue to destabilise the peace and security of the Korean Peninsula.

    The UK strongly urges the DPRK to stop such provocations, return to dialogue and take credible steps towards denuclearisation.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Joint Expeditionary Force activates UK-led reaction system to track threats to undersea infrastructure and monitor Russian shadow fleet [January 2025]

    PRESS RELEASE : Joint Expeditionary Force activates UK-led reaction system to track threats to undersea infrastructure and monitor Russian shadow fleet [January 2025]

    The press release issued by the Ministry of Defence on 6 January 2025.

    Joint Expeditionary Force partners and NATO will be alerted by the system of any ships deemed a risk to key areas of interest.

    The Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) has activated an advanced UK-led reaction system to track potential threats to undersea infrastructure and monitor the Russian shadow fleet, following reported damage to a major undersea cable in the Baltic Sea.

    The 10-nation strong Joint Expeditionary Force, of which the UK is the framework nation, has also released a statement expressing concern at the damage caused to Estlink2 and highlighting the Alliance’s commitment to working together to safeguard shared interests.

    The operation, activated last week and named Nordic Warden, harnesses AI to assess data from a range of sources, including the Automatic Identification System (AIS) ships use to broadcast their position, to calculate the risk posed by each vessel entering areas of interest. The JEF action reinforces existing and planned NATO responses.

    Specific vessels identified as being part of Russia’s shadow fleet have been registered into the system so they can be closely monitored when approaching key areas of interest.

    If a potential risk is assessed, the system will monitor the suspicious vessel in real time and immediately send out a warning, which will be shared with JEF participant nations as well as NATO Allies.

    Prime Minister Keir Starmer said:

    Growth and national security are vital to our Plan for Change, which is why this government is working closely with our allies to protect critical national infrastructure, such as undersea cables.

    I am pleased we are launching this cutting-edge technology so soon after the JEF Summit to enhance European security and deliver on our Plan for Change.

    Nordic Warden was activated last week under JEF protocols, which provide a series of options to the Alliance that can be activated in order to protect against potential threats. The initiative highlights how the JEF is using innovative technologies to boost collective European security, while supporting and complementing NATO’s own operations.

    It comes following reported damage on Christmas Day to the Estlink2 undersea cable in the Baltic, which authorities in Finland suggest may have been caused by a tanker which forms part of Russia’s shadow fleet of vessels it uses to attempt to bypass international sanctions.

    Defence Secretary John Healey MP said:

    The UK and JEF are leading the way in providing support to our Allies to help safeguard the offshore infrastructure we all rely on against potential threats.

    Nordic Warden will help protect against both deliberate acts of sabotage as well as cases of extreme negligence which we have seen cause damage to underwater cables.

    Harnessing the power of AI, this UK-led system is a major innovation which allows us the unprecedented ability to monitor large areas of the sea with a comparatively small number of resources, helping us stay secure at home and strong abroad.

    22 areas of interest – including parts of the English Channel, North Sea, Kattegat, and Baltic Sea, are currently being monitored from the JEF’s operational headquarters in Northwood, where personnel from all JEF nations work side by side.

    Nordic Warden was first trialled during the summer of 2024 and again during the JEF’s Exercise Joint Protector, which saw more than 300 UK personnel deploy to Latvia to demonstrate the ability of the UK to deploy its operational headquarters for JEF abroad at short notice.

    The UK has led international efforts through a global alliance to disrupt the shadow fleet. As part of the initiative launched by the Prime Minister at the European Political Community last year, the UK has sanctioned 93 oil tankers which Putin has been using to soften the blow of sanctions and bankroll his illegal war in Ukraine. Today’s announcement complements last month’s agreement between the UK, Denmark, Sweden, Poland, Finland and Estonia to request proof of insurance from suspected shadow vessels as they pass along the Baltic route.

    Commenting on the reported Estlink2 damage, the joint statement from Joint Expeditionary Force members said:

    This is another example of maritime incidents causing direct economic and security implications for Finland and Estonia, highlighting the risks to vital communication and energy networks essential for the security and prosperity of all our nations.

    The JEF commends Finland and Estonia for their decisive actions in dealing with the Estlink-2 power cable incident. We remain committed to supporting Participant Nations, NATO, and Allies in safeguarding our shared interests and regional stability.

    Keeping the country safe is the Government’s first priority, and an integral part of its Plan for Change. The work of the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force, is critical to the security and stability of the UK, and Nordic Warden will help protect against threats.

    The Joint Expeditionary Force is comprised of 10 like-minded nations, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Netherlands, Sweden and the UK as the Framework Nation.

    The JEF by design is a high readiness, adaptable force which enhance the ability of the grouping to respond rapidly to threats, anywhere in the world.

  • PRESS RELEASE : We call on the Sudanese authorities to fully cooperate with humanitarian response – UK statement at the UN Security Council [January 2025]

    PRESS RELEASE : We call on the Sudanese authorities to fully cooperate with humanitarian response – UK statement at the UN Security Council [January 2025]

    The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 6 January 2025.

    Statement by Ambassador James Kariuki, UK Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN, at the UN Security Council meeting on the protection of civilians in Sudan.

    First, the United Kingdom expresses its alarm at the latest IPC report confirming that famine is rapidly spreading in Sudan.

    As we’ve heard, children are acutely malnourished, preventable disease is spreading and basic services collapsing. On current projections, over 630,000 people face famine by May 2025.

    Urgent action is needed now or more lives will be lost.

    We are concerned that the Sudanese authorities have halted their participation in the IPC system in response to this report. Continuing to deny the food insecurity spreading across Sudan will only exacerbate suffering.

    We call on the authorities to fully cooperate with the humanitarian response.

    Second, we reiterate our support for bold international action, including by the UN, to tackle the humanitarian crisis.

    In November, the UK doubled its aid commitment to Sudan and the region to almost $140m.

    We call on the international community to step up support to both the UN and Sudanese local responders on the front line.

    Third, President, we know that these devastating IPC figures are driven by the ongoing conflict and poor humanitarian access. It is within the power of the warring parties to prevent a deepening of this man-made crisis.

    We welcome the Sudanese Armed Forces agreement to establish humanitarian supply hubs and extend permissions for the Adre crossing, which should be sustained.

    But humanitarian access needs to be expanded to all civilians in need. This includes enabling other access routes, including through South Sudan and cross-line.

    We also encourage the authorising of further humanitarian hubs, including in areas held by the Rapid Support Forces.

    We urge both sides to lift all bureaucratic impediments and to put in place necessary safety guarantees for aid workers. And we fully condemn the killing of three WFP staff members in December and call for a thorough investigation.

    President, to conclude, with excess deaths potentially reaching into the millions, the latest IPC warning should be a rallying call for action to end this conflict now and to scale up humanitarian support.

    In 2025, this Council and the international community must work together to bring an end to this dark chapter for Sudan and to forge a pathway towards lasting peace.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Emma Bunce, Teresa Anderson and Julia Mundy appointed as Trustees of Royal Museums Greenwich [January 2025]

    PRESS RELEASE : Emma Bunce, Teresa Anderson and Julia Mundy appointed as Trustees of Royal Museums Greenwich [January 2025]

    The press release issued by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on 6 January 2025.

    The Prime Minister has appointed Emma Bunce, Teresa Anderson and Julia Mundy as Trustees of Royal Museums Greenwich for four year terms from 20 November 2024 to 19 November 2028.

    Professor Teresa Anderson MBE

    Appointed from 20 November 2024 to 19 November 2028.

    Teresa Anderson is Founder and Director of The University of Manchester’s Jodrell Bank Centre for Engagement and is professor of Cultural and Creative Industries in the School of Arts, Languages and Cultures at the University of Manchester. She has a BSc in Physics, an MSc in Instrumentation, a PhD in Electrical Engineering, and a Master’s degree in Fine Art.

    The Centre first opened in 2011 and (pre-COVID) attracted over 150,000 visitors each year, including 25,000 school children, who participate in a curriculum-linked Education programme. The Centre takes innovative approaches to increasing diversity and engaging new audiences with science.

    In 2016, Teresa co-founded the bluedot festival at Jodrell Bank, which brings together science, music, art and culture, breaking down barriers between sectors and celebrating creativity and innovation. The festival typically attracts 25,000 people each year. Teresa also led, together with Tim O’Brien, the ten-year project that resulted in Jodrell Bank being awarded UNESCO World Heritage Site status in 2019. In June 2022, the award-winning £21million ‘First Light Pavilion’ was opened at Jodrell Bank. Teresa led and directed the project from inception in 2008 to delivery.

    In 2013 Teresa was awarded an MBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list for services to Astrophysics. In 2014 she was awarded the Institute of Physics Kelvin Medal for Public Engagement with Physics. In 2024 she was named one of the National Lottery’s ‘Heritage Gamechangers’ for her work on the heritage and cultures of science.

    Professor Emma Bunce OBE

    Appointed from 20 November 2024 to 19 November 2028

    Professor Emma Bunce is the Director of the Institute for Space at the University of Leicester and previously Head of the School of Physics and Astronomy. She is Professor of Planetary Plasma Physics, studying the electromagnetic interaction between the Sun and the planets. Emma has worked on multiple international space missions: the NASA Cassini mission to Saturn, the ESA/JAXA BepiColombo mission to Mercury, and the ESA Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer mission to Jupiter and Ganymede. She is the Principal Investigator of the only UK science instrument on the BepiColombo mission, and leads the international science team. She is the European Co-Chair of the JUICE-Europa Clipper Joint Steering Committee, aiming to identify opportunities for joint science between these two independent flagship missions.

    Emma was President of the Royal Astronomical Society (RAS) from 2020-2022, and worked on the Board of Trustees of the National Space Centre from 2014-2023. Emma has received multiple distinctions for her work including the RAS Chapman medal (2018) and the European Geophysical Union David Bates medal (2022) for her “exceptional contribution to planetary science”. In 2023 Emma was awarded an OBE in the King’s New Year’s Honours for “services to Astronomy and Science Education”.

    Dr Julia Mundy

    Appointed from 20 November 2024 to 19 November 2028

    Dr Julia Mundy has attained international recognition for her academic research into strategic risk, accountability, and organisational performance. She is Deputy Director of the Institute for Political Economy, Governance, Risk & Accountability at the University of Greenwich. After a career in financial services, including as an investment analyst, she obtained an MBA in Finance from the Bayes Business School (formerly City University Business School) and a PhD in Accounting from the University of Melbourne. She also qualified as a Chartered Secretary.

    Julia brings extensive committee experience with a government department and other public sector bodies, including regulators. She currently serves on the Audit & Risk Assurance Committee of the UK Statistics Authority (Office for National Statistics and the Office for Statistics Regulation) and on the Financial Conduct Authority’s statutory Consumer Panel where she advises and challenges the FCA in its development of policy and regulation. Julia served for seven years on the Board of Lewisham & Greenwich NHS Trust, where she was Vice Chair and Senior Independent Director and where she chaired the Audit & Risk Committee and the Finance, Investment & Performance Committee. Other independent roles include the audit committee of a housing association and the Research Advisory Board of the ICAEW.

    Remuneration and Governance Code

    Trustees of Royal Museums Greenwich are not remunerated. This appointment has been made in accordance with the Cabinet Office’s Governance Code on Public Appointments. The appointments process is regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments. Under the Code, any significant political activity undertaken by an appointee in the last five years must be declared. This is defined as including holding office, public speaking, making a recordable donation, or candidature for election. Julia has declared that she canvassed for Rachel Blake MP on two occasions during the 2024 General Election, and held the post of Honorary Treasurer for Labour Humanists from 2009 until 2016. Teresa and Emma have not declared any significant political activity.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Power to patients as government sets out plan to cut waiting lists [January 2025]

    PRESS RELEASE : Power to patients as government sets out plan to cut waiting lists [January 2025]

    The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 6 January 2025.

    Patients will be offered a wider choice of providers and the process of booking treatments and appointments will be made as smooth as possible.

    • An upgraded NHS App will enable patients to choose providers, book appointments in more settings and receive test results, all in one place
    • Proposals are part of the elective reform plan, setting out proposals to cut waiting lists and reduce waiting times to 18 weeks
    • Greater choice and control for patients will sit at heart of reforms, as government delivers on its Plan for Change to rebuild NHS
    • It will establish minimum standards patients should expect as they wait for care

    A revolutionised NHS App is among a raft of proposals aimed at giving patients greater power over how and when they receive elective treatment, as the government sets out its roadmap to cutting waiting times as confirmed in the Plan for Change.

    Currently, less than a quarter of patients recall being offered a choice of hospital for their treatment. Patients have a legal right to choose their provider and the government wants to give them more control over their own care.

    Under measures in the forthcoming elective reform plan, patients will be offered a wider choice of providers and the process of booking treatments and appointments will be made as smooth, supportive and convenient as possible.

    Planned NHS App upgrades will enable patients requiring non-emergency elective treatment to:

    • view and manage appointments at a time and place that is convenient to them, reducing missed appointments, which are costly to the NHS – in 2023 to 2024, there were 8 million missed appointments in elective care
    • choose from a wide range of providers, including in the independent sector
    • book diagnostic tests through the NHS App at convenient locations, such as a community diagnostic centre (CDC) in a local shopping centre
    • receive test results quickly through the app before choosing the next step – whether a remote consultation or surgery – at a convenient time and location

    As a first step, by March 2025, patients at over 85% of acute trusts will be able to view appointment information via the NHS App.

    Patients will also be able to contact their treatment provider at their convenience, and receive clear information and regular updates, including on how long they are likely to wait for their appointment.

    Currently, most patients receive test results through a phone call from a clinician, or a letter with either the result or instructions to book an appointment to discuss them further. This can be a significant time after the diagnostics took place. Enabling patients to receive test results quickly through the app will help address these inefficiencies in the process.

    The proposals are part of the elective reform plan, set to be announced this week, which sets out how the government and NHS will deliver on its Plan for Change to slash the waiting list and cut waiting times to 18 weeks by the end of this Parliament.

    The plan marks the start of a new era for the health service that will put patients in the driving seat and in control of their own care.

    Health and Social Care Secretary, Wes Streeting, said:

    If the wealthy can choose where and when they are treated, then working class patients should be able to as well, and this government will give them that choice.

    Our plan will reform the NHS, so patients are fully informed every step of the way through their care, they are given proper choice to go to a different provider for a shorter wait, and put in control of their own healthcare.

    This government’s reform agenda will take the NHS from a one size fits all, top down, ‘like it or lump it’ service, to a modern service that puts patients in the driving seat and treats them on time – delivering on our Plan for Change to drive a decade of national renewal.

    By bringing our analogue NHS into the digital age, we will cut waiting times from 18 months to 18 weeks and give working class patients the same choice, control and convenience as the wealthy receive.

    The NHS currently lags behind in digital communications, with just 8% of bookings after a referral being made via the NHS App or the Manage Your Referral website. The proposals will drive up this figure by making the NHS App and Manage Your Referral site the default route for patients to choose their provider, or decide not to make that choice themselves.

    Greater choice will be available so people can take control of their health, with strengthened communications to patients through the app, making them aware of the options available to them.

    More widely, the plan establishes minimum standards patients should expect – giving them more power over decision-making and what they can expect to be able to do:

    • choose how they receive follow-ups for care, whether this be digitally or in person
    • receive a shortlist of providers to choose from, have the option to choose an appointment that suits them, and receive information on how to change their appointment
    • decide whether a follow-up appointment is necessary or whether it is more beneficial to continue recovering at home
    • have the ability to contact their provider for any necessary follow-up, rather than being called back at intervals that do not suit their circumstances
    • get clear communications that meet their needs throughout their time on the waiting list – including to check whether they still want to be on the list

    NHS Chief Executive, Amanda Pritchard, said:

    NHS staff are providing record levels of elective care but with too many patients waiting, we know we need to reform further and faster so we can take our progress on the backlog to the next level.

    That is why as part of the elective reform plan we will fully harness the potential of the NHS App, giving patients more information, choice and control over their care while freeing up the time of our staff so they can work more productively too.

    Using technology to revolutionise access to NHS care, alongside offering more availability of tests, checks and scans closer to people’s homes will help us tackle waiting times and put patients in the driving seat of elective care.

    Measures to improve 2-way communication between patients and clinicians, as well as making better use of AI to predict missed appointments, could also save an additional one million missed appointments.

    Missed appointments add significant delay to patients receiving care, increasing pressures on elective services and potentially other areas of the health service. Sending reminders has been shown to reduce missed appointments by up to 80%, and trusts report better results when communication is 2-way with the patient.

    Work is underway to pilot AI services that identify patients more likely to miss appointments and provide support, such as free transport to those most in need.

    And accessible and alternative language, as well as tailored communications, will be made available, particularly in areas of highest inequalities, to ensure all patients have the information they need to take control of their care.

    The plan puts the patient back at the heart, meaning they can receive care that best suits them and their individual needs, by empowering them to take more control over when, where and how they will be treated.

    The plan, Reforming elective care for patients, is available on the NHS England website.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Deal between NHS and independent sector to cut NHS waiting lists [January 2025]

    PRESS RELEASE : Deal between NHS and independent sector to cut NHS waiting lists [January 2025]

    The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 6 January 2025.

    New agreement struck between NHS and independent sector to help tackle waiting lists and give patients greater choice.

    • Specialist areas of treatment to be targeted, including women on gynaecological waiting lists and record numbers of orthopaedics patients
    • Agreement will also benefit patients in deprived areas of the country, enabling a greater choice of providers

    A new agreement has been struck with the independent sector as part of plans to end the hospital waiting list backlog set out by the Prime Minister today (6 January 2025).

    Hitting the 18-week NHS waiting time standard for operations and other planned procedures is a key part of the government’s Plan for Change.

    The new deal will mean the NHS makes better use of the independent sector to tackle waiting lists as well as providing millions more appointments itself.

    The NHS and independent sector partnership agreement will help expand capacity and widen patient choice by setting out how more treatments can be delivered through the independent sector, with care remaining free at the point of use.

    The independent healthcare sector estimate that they have capacity to provide an additional one million appointments a year for NHS patients.

    Prime Minister Keir Starmer said:

    Mission-led government is about doing things differently. When the waiting lists have ballooned to 7.5 million, we will not let ideology or old ways of doing things stand in the way of getting people’s lives back on track.

    As we deliver our Plan for Change to rebuild the NHS, it would be a dereliction of duty not to use every available resource to get patients the care they so desperately need.

    That’s why this agreement will make sure working people get greater choice over when and where they receive their treatment, and provide more support to the areas in greatest need.

    The new deal will set out how independent sector capacity can be used to tackle some of the longest waits in specialist areas of treatment, such as gynaecology, where there is a backlog of 260,000 women waiting more than 18 weeks for treatment.

    Orthopaedics will also be a key focus, where over 40% of patients are waiting longer than the 18-week target.

    The agreement will also give patients in more deprived areas, where NHS provision is more limited, a greater choice over where they are treated.

    Currently, less than a quarter of patients recall being offered a choice of hospital for their treatment. The government wants all NHS patients to have the opportunity to choose who cares for them, and through the wider elective reform plans set out today will give them more control over their own care.

    Health and Social Care Secretary, Wes Streeting, said:

    Millions of patients are being forced to wait unacceptably long for treatment, failed by 14 years of neglect of the NHS. This government will pull every lever available to get patients treated on time again.

    I’m not going to allow working people to wait longer than is necessary, when we can get them treated sooner in a private hospital, paid for by the NHS. If the wealthy can be treated on time, then so should NHS patients.

    This new agreement will help to cut waiting time faster in parts of the country where the need is greatest, and in gynaecological care where women are left waiting far too long.

    The steps we have already taken in the first 6 months have seen waiting lists begin to fall. The investment and reform we are now making will ensure we deliver on the Plan for Change and cut waiting times from 18 months to 18 weeks.

    The partnership is key to the government’s plans to meet the NHS constitutional standard that 92% of patients in England will wait no longer than 18 weeks from referral to treatment. The standard has not been consistently met since 2015.

    As part of the new agreement, NHS England and the independent sector will:

    • work on aligning NHS and independent sector digital systems around a national set of standards so patients can more easily see appointments and results on the NHS App
    • encourage longer-term contractual relationships to be established, enabling further independent sector investment in NHS capacity
    • work together to grow and develop the elective workforce, including ensuring training occurs consistently in the independent sector

    Delivery of extra elective care by the NHS has already been ramping up as the government aims to provide an extra 2 million appointments, scans and operations in its first year to get patients seen more quickly.

    And a renewed relationship with the independent sector will help provide patients with a greater choice of providers for tests or scans, paid for by the NHS, so it remains free at the point of use.

    The agreement has been published alongside the government and NHS’s elective reform plan, which sets out a roadmap to meeting the 18-week standard this Parliament.

    NHS Chief Executive, Amanda Pritchard, said:

    The independent sector is playing a vital role in supporting hospitals to get on top of the backlog, delivering more than 100,000 elective appointment and procedures every week for the NHS – up by more than half since 2021.

    But we are under no illusions that we must go further and faster if we want to get the waiting list down to levels last seen in 2015.

    This new agreement will enable the NHS to make better use of capacity within the private sector where it is needed most, and help us see more patients, free at the point of use.

    David Hare, Chief Executive of the Independent Healthcare Providers Network (IHPN), said:

    This new agreement is a clear statement from government, the NHS and independent sector that independent providers are a critical part of the NHS’s long-term recovery and renewal.

    Independent providers already treat millions of NHS patients every year, and this agreement builds on these strong foundations by making full use of existing capacity in the sector, ensuring that patients are offered proper choice of provider as well as supporting the sector to invest in, and deliver, an even wider choice of high quality services to NHS patients to bring waiting times down – all delivered free at the point of use and paid for at NHS prices.