Category: Press Releases

PRESS RELEASE : Demand for heat pumps surges as grant application increase by 39% [February 2024]
The press release issued by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero on 29 February 2024.

New figures show applications for the government heat pump grants are up by 39% compared to January 2023.
- Figures show applications up 39% on January 2023
- scheme has issued more than £133 million in vouchers to customers
- follows grants increasing to £7,500, making scheme one of the most generous of its kind in Europe
Demand for heat pumps continues to grow with the Boiler Upgrade Scheme enjoying the third best month for applications in its history.

Figures for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme released today (29 February) show there were over 2,000 applications for heat pump grants in January 2024 – only exceeded by October and November last year, which immediately followed the increase in government-funded heat pump grants.

The January figure is up 39% on the same month last year as families take advantage of the 50% grant increase introduced by the government last autumn, making the initiative one of the most generous of its kind in Europe.

The news follows recent government figures showing the UK is the first major economy to halve its emissions – having cut them by 50% between 1990 and 2022, while also growing its economy by 79%.

Energy Security Secretary, Claire Coutinho, said:

I don’t want families to have to choose between cutting costs and cutting emissions. I want families to feel supported, not forced, to make changes that are right for them.

After we made our heat pump scheme one of the most generous in Europe, applications have soared by 40% year on year – showing that our approach is the right one.

The figures also revealed the average monthly number of applications from November 2023 to January 2024, the months after the grant increase, has been 39% higher than the monthly average before the uplift.

Up to the end of January, the scheme has now received 33,424 applications in total and has issued more than £133 million in vouchers to customers.

The Boiler Upgrade Scheme helps households make the switch from fossil fuel heating systems to cleaner low carbon heating alternatives, by covering the majority of the average upfront cost of an air source heat pump.

In October, the Prime Minister increased grants for the installation of air source and ground source heat pumps to £7,500. The scheme also offers £5,000 off the cost of a biomass boiler.

The figures released today also show a regional breakdown of where heat pumps have been installed in England and Wales.

The South West has seen the most with 3,894 installations, followed by the South East with 3,886 and then the East with 2,671.

Chief Executive of the Heat Pump Association, Charlotte Lee, said:

It’s great to see interest in the Boiler Upgrade Scheme increasing, supporting the installation of over 20,200 heat pumps to date across England and Wales.

The uplift in the grant value for air source and ground source heat pumps in October 2023 to £7,500 has been well received by both the sector and consumers and we hope this increasing interest will be a trend which continues forward as we move to decarbonise home heating in line with the government’s legally binding net zero targets.
March 18, 2024
PRESS RELEASE : Trustee reappointed to the Natural History Museum board [February 2024]

The press release issued by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on 29 February 2024.

The Prime Minister has reappointed Robert Noel as a Trustee of the Natural History Museum.

Robert Noel

Appointed for a two year term commencing 24 April 2024.

Robert Noel’s career was spent in the real estate sector having started at property services firm Nelson Bakewell and becoming a Director in 1992. In 2002 he joined the Board of Great Portland Estates plc as Property Director. In 2010 he joined the Board of Land Securities Group PLC as Managing Director of its London Portfolio and was subsequently appointed Group Chief Executive Officer in 2012. He retired from Landsec in March 2020.

Mr Noel is currently Chair of Taylor Wimpey Plc; Chair of Hammerson plc and a Trustee of the Natural History Museum, where he is now being reappointed for a third term.

Mr Noel was previously a Trustee of LandAid the property industry charity. He served on the Board of the British Property Federation from 2016-2020 and was its President in 2018/19. He also served on the Prime Minister’s Business Advisory Group in 2015-2016.

Remuneration and Governance Code

Trustees of the Natural History Museum 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.

Robert Noel has not declared any significant political activity.

March 18, 2024
PRESS RELEASE : Russia’s mistreatment of civilian detainees and prisoners of war must end: UK statement to the OSCE [February 2024]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 29 February 2024.

Ambassador Holland calls on Russia to release all individuals arbitrarily detained in Crimea, the temporarily controlled territories, and those transferred to Russia. He notes that Russia’s actions may be in breach of the Geneva Conventions, constituting war crimes.

Thank you, Madam Chair. And thank you and the Minister for chairing last week’s Reinforced Permanent Council which was an important demonstration of overwhelming support for Ukraine.

10 years ago on 20 February 2014, Russia began its illegal annexation of Crimea, paving the way to its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Monday marked the Day of Resistance to Occupation of Crimea and Sevastopol – the democratic spirit of this day still rings true in Ukraine. The UK will never recognise Russia’s illegal annexation of Crimea, or of any Ukrainian territory.

Since 2014, Crimea has been used to further Russia’s war effort, including as a destination for illegally detained Ukrainian civilians. Many of them have been transferred to detention centres on the peninsula, and sometimes to the Russian Federation. Crimean Tatars continue to endure a ruthless campaign of persecution simply for existing in their homeland. Many who are legitimately politically active have been arrested and labelled as ‘extremists’.

As well as in Crimea, the number of Ukrainian civilian detainees and prisoners of war being held in the temporarily controlled territories and in the Russian Federation continues to rise. Their families do not know where they are or when they will return. There is no way to monitor the presence of these civilians and no mechanism to facilitate their release.

There are also widespread reports of human rights abuses and violations committed against prisoners of war and civilian detainees by Russian authorities – including torture, sexual violence and summary executions. Even within the last week Ukrainian authorities have reported several cases of their soldiers being executed by Russian forces in Avdiivka and Bakhmut.

Yesterday at an event hosted by the Ukrainian delegation, we heard from a Ukrainian prisoner of war, who was held at Volnovakha Colony No.120, in the temporarily controlled territory of the Donetsk oblast. They detailed horrendous conditions, including lack of access to medical treatment, food, and water, as well as being subjected to hours of torture.

Russia must also release all individuals arbitrarily detained in Crimea, the temporarily controlled territories, as well as those who have been transferred to Russia. Russia’s actions may be in clear and serious breach of the Geneva Conventions, constituting war crimes. We also call on Russia to uphold international humanitarian law and ensure the dignified and humane treatment of those detained. Russia must allow access for international humanitarian and human rights organisations. Only through this access can those responsible for Russia’s systematic campaign of human rights violations be held to account.

Madam Chair. We remain extremely concerned for the welfare of our three OSCE colleagues of the Special Monitoring Mission (SMM). They have been wrongly held by the Russian authorities for over 700 days. There is absolutely no justification for their detention. They and their SMM colleagues were simply performing their official duties, duties mandated by all participating States of the OSCE. They must be released and allowed to go home. Thank you.

March 18, 2024
PRESS RELEASE : UN Human Rights Council 55 – Statement on Occupied Palestinian Territories [February 2024]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 29 February 2024.

Statement for the Interactive Dialogue with the High Commissioner – oral update on: Occupied Palestinian Territories. Delivered by UK Human Rights Ambassador Rita French.

High Commissioner, thank you for your report and update.

On 7 October, Israel suffered the worst terror attack in its history at the hands of Hamas.

In Gaza, Palestinian civilians are facing a devastating and growing humanitarian catastrophe.

We need to avert this. We need the fighting to stop now.

That is why we are calling for an immediate cessation – to get aid in and hostages out, then progress towards a sustainable, permanent ceasefire with no return to fighting.

There is a desperate need for increased humanitarian support.

We have trebled humanitarian aid in Gaza to over 60 million pounds sterling including a further £4.25 million support for vulnerable women and girls.

As the occupying power, Israel has to make sure that humanitarian aid—including food, water and shelter—is available to civilians in Gaza.

The impact of IDF operations on the civilian population is deeply concerning. Already, too many civilians have been killed. International Humanitarian Law must be respected by all parties and civilians must be protected.

Mr President, we are committed to improving the lives of all Palestinians across the Occupied Palestinian Territories.

The United Kingdom continues to work intensively in support of a two-state solution that guarantees: security and stability for Israeli and Palestinian people; and two secure and sovereign states – Israel and Palestine.

Thank you.

March 18, 2024
PRESS RELEASE : Clare Lombardelli appointed as Deputy Governor for Monetary Policy at The Bank Of England [February 2024]

The press release issued by HM Treasury on 29 February 2024.

The Chancellor has announced that Clare Lombardelli will succeed Ben Broadbent as the next Deputy Governor for Monetary Policy (DGMP) at the Bank of England.

His Majesty The King has approved the appointment.

Clare will take up her role at the Bank on 1 July 2024 for a term lasting five years.

As the new Deputy Governor for Monetary Policy, Clare will be responsible for overseeing the formulation and implementation of UK monetary policy and will lead the Bank’s research, data and analytics. Clare will be a member of the Monetary Policy Committee, the Financial Policy Committee, the Court of the Bank of England, and will be part of the Executive Team charged with running the Bank to deliver its statutory objectives.

Clare will lead the actions in response to Ben Bernanke’s review of the Bank’s forecasting process, commissioned by the Bank’s Court of Directors. She will also be responsible for the Bank’s research agenda; will drive forward, jointly with the Bank’s Chief Operating Officer, an ambitious new data and analytics strategy; and will lead the Centre for Central Banking Studies that works closely with other parts of the UK Government to provide technical assistance to overseas central banks. Clare will represent the Bank on a number of national and international bodies.

Clare will succeed Ben Broadbent, who has served since 2014.

Jeremy Hunt, Chancellor of the Exchequer, said:

“I am delighted to appoint Clare Lombardelli as the next Deputy Governor for Monetary Policy at the Bank of England. Clare brings significant experience to the role tackling financial and economic issues both domestically and internationally.

“I would like to thank Ben for his decade of service as Deputy Governor of Monetary Policy at the Bank of England. Ben has played a vital role in helping the Bank maintain monetary and financial stability and I wish him the best in the next stage of his career.”

Andrew Bailey, Governor of the Bank of England, said:

“I’m really pleased to welcome Clare Lombardelli back to the Bank as Deputy Governor for Monetary Policy. Clare’s impressive career means she brings a huge amount of relevant experience and expertise to the Monetary Policy Committee, and the Bank more broadly, at a time of great importance for the UK economy.

“I would also like to thank Ben Broadbent for his service. He will be missed, and all at the Bank wish him the very best for the future.”

About the appointment

The Bank of England is the central bank of the UK. It is governed by the board of directors known as the Court. Further information can be found at the Bank of England website.

The Deputy Governor for Monetary Policy is appointed by His Majesty the King, on the recommendation of the Prime Minister and the Chancellor of the Exchequer.

The role is subject to pre-commencement scrutiny by the Treasury Select Committee.

Public appointments are made on merit following a fair and open competition process.

About Clare Lombardelli

Clare is the Chief Economist of the OECD where she is responsible for economic research and forecasting, analysis of OECD member and partner countries and represents the organisation at the G20, G7 and other international bodies. Prior to this, Clare was the Chief Economic Advisor to the Treasury and joint head of the Government Economic Service. Clare started her career at the Bank of England and has also worked at the International Monetary Fund.

March 18, 2024
PRESS RELEASE : Two Board Members appointed to the British Library [February 2024]

The press release issued by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on 29 February 2024.

The Secretary of State has appointed Shobi Khan and Kate Mosse CBE as Board Members to the British Library, for terms of 4 years commencing 1 March 2024.

Shobi Khan

Shobi Khan is the CEO of Canary Wharf Group (CWG). Previously, he served as President and Chief Operating Officer of GGP Inc. (a S&P 500 REIT). Prior to GGP, he served as the U.S. chief investment officer at Bentall Kennedy. Mr. Khan spent 11 years at Equity Office Properties Trust (a S&P 500 REIT), where he was the Senior Vice President of Investments. Mr. Khan served on the board of Alliance Shopping Centres (ALSO3, a public Brazilian mall owner) and the Chicago Public Library Foundation.

Kate Mosse CBE

Kate Mosse is an award-winning novelist, non-fiction author, playwright, campaigner and interviewer. The author of ten novels & short story collections, including The Languedoc Trilogy – Labyrinth, Sepulchre and Citadel – and No 1 bestselling Gothic fiction including The Winter Ghosts and The Taxidermist’s Daughter. Kate also has four works of non-fiction including the memoir An Extra Pair of Hands and Warrior Queens & Quiet Revolutionaries: How Women (Also) Built the World. Her latest international No 1 bestselling novel, The Ghost Ship, is the third in a quartet of historical novels, The Joubert Family Chronicles. Kate’s books have been translated into 37 languages and published in more than 40 countries.

In the New Year Honours list 2024, Kate was awarded a CBE for services to literature, to women and to charity. She is the founder director of the Women’s Prize for Fiction and the Women’s Prize for Non-Fiction and the Founder of the global #WomaninHistory campaign. She was appointed a member of the Royal Society of Literature in 2022.

Kate was formerly Deputy Chair of the National Theatre. Active in her local community, Kate is a Visiting Professor of Creative Writing and Contemporary Fiction at the University of Chichester, President of the Festival of Chichester, Patron of the Consort of Twelve and the Chichester Festival of Music, Dance & Speech and Patron of the Chichester Cathedral Festival of Flowers for 2024. She is also an Ambassador for Parkinson’s UK.

Remuneration and Governance Code

The Secretary of State has determined that remuneration at £9,130 per annum shall be payable to Kate Mosse. Shobi Khan has agreed to forgo the remuneration. Board Members are able to claim reasonable expenses in accordance with the British Library’s own rules.

These appointments have been made in accordance with the Cabinet Office’s Governance Code on Public Appointments.

The Governance Code requires that any significant political activity undertaken by an appointee in the last five years is declared; this is defined as holding office, public speaking, making a recordable donation or candidature for election. Shobi Khan and Kate Mosse have not declared any significant political activity.

March 18, 2024
PRESS RELEASE : UN Human Rights Council 55 – UK Statement on Eritrea [February 2024]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 29 February 2024.

The UK’s Statement for Enhanced ID on Human Rights in Eritrea, delivered at the UN Human Rights Council.

Thank you Mr Vice-President,

The UK thanks the speakers for their interventions, and we share their concerns, including on Eritrea’s continued policy of indefinite national service, which affects the lives of thousands, and is the reason many young Eritreans give for leaving their country. Eritrea should take steps to regularise the duration for national service and increase the exemptions to it.

Mr Vice-President,

We call again on the Government to fully respect the rights to freedom of opinion and expression, of religion or belief, and of peaceful assembly and association. All those arbitrarily detained or held incommunicado in Eritrea must be released, including those detained solely based on their religion or belief.

We regret that the human rights situation in Eritrea is not improving. We again call on Eritrea to re-engage with the international community, work with this Council and its mandate holders, implement fully its accepted UPR recommendations, and open itself to support and assistance, so progress toward full respect for human rights can start to be made.

A free and open society is the bedrock of stability and prosperity. The UK again restates our offer to engage with the government of Eritrea, in the hope that a better human rights situation can in turn deliver better economic opportunities for the people of Eritrea, particularly younger people.

Finally, Mr Vice-President,

We would like to ask the panellists for their assessment of whether any progress has been made or could possibly be made to hold perpetrators of human rights violations to account.

Thank you.

March 18, 2024
PRESS RELEASE : Work to deliver Midlands Rail Hub set to begin with £123 million [February 2024]
The press release issued by the Department for Transport on 29 February 2024.

Millions of people will benefit from more frequent rail services from central Birmingham and upgraded stations across the Midlands.
- design work on £1.75 billion Midlands Rail Hub project set to begin
- rail hub set to benefit millions of people with improved journey times and more frequent rail services
- investment demonstrates Network North commitment to deliver the Midlands Rail Hub with reallocated HS2 funding to benefit more people, in more places, more quickly
- comes as Midlands set to benefit from £2.2 billion through Local Transport Fund to improve local transport connections
Work on the Midlands Rail Hub is set to begin after ministers provided an initial £123 million funding injection.

The transformational upgrade project is part of the government’s plan to improve transport across the region and beyond, boosting the capacity and frequency of rail services for passengers while upgrading stations across the Midlands.

More than 50 stations – covering 7 million people across the region – will benefit from the plans, made possible by reallocated HS2 funding. The first phase of the Midlands Rail Hub will mean an additional train every hour in both directions between central Birmingham and locations including:
- Bristol
- Cardiff
- Cheltenham
- Worcester
This first wave of funding will enable design work to begin on creating space for extra services. This includes preparing detailed designs for the infrastructure improvements required, finalising operating plans for the new services, while continuing to move the rest of the programme forward.

The investment comes as part of the government’s Network North transport plan, which committed £1.75 billion to deliver the Midlands Rail Hub in full.

Transport Secretary, Mark Harper, said:

The Midlands Rail Hub will bring huge benefits to passengers in the region and beyond, so it’s great to be in Birmingham with Mayor Andy Street to kick start this important project.

Today’s announcement is part of the government’s plan to invest in transport projects with reallocated HS2 funding, helping to grow the economy and better connect communities across the Midlands.

More London to Birmingham services will be extended from Moor Street to Snow Hill station meaning the Chiltern line will also serve Birmingham’s Snow Hill business district.

In addition, Kings Norton station will be made more accessible, while platforms at Snow Hill, Moor Street, and Kings Norton stations will be upgraded. Passengers will also have greater access to HS2 services via Curzon Street station, meaning easier travel across the country.

When delivered in full, the hub will see services on most routes increase by between 50% and 100%. Birmingham’s Cross-City line will be given a ‘turn-up-and-go’ service with a train every 10 minutes.

The number of trains between Birmingham and Leicester will be doubled from 2 to 4 per hour, while additional trains are planned between Birmingham and Nottingham, and the new Birmingham to Worcester trains extended to Hereford.

Andy Street, Mayor of West Midlands and chair of the West Midlands Rail Executive (WMRE), said:

The Midlands Rail Hub will deliver a revolution in public transport for our region opening up more capacity on the routes in and out of central Birmingham which will allow us to run more services to more places both locally and nationally.

Midlands Rail Hub will also provide an opportunity for us to open more new stations and lines across our network as well as deliver faster journey times into central Birmingham from the new Camp Hill line stations that are currently under construction at Moseley Village, Kings Heath and Pineapple Road.

This investment will not only better connect communities to convenient and rapid public transport services but also attract further investment into our region, delivering jobs, growth and greater prosperity.

It’s important not to forget that this new funding comes on top of the billions of pounds worth of transport investment we have already secured for the West Midlands. That funding is really significant and will help turbo-charge our plans to improve public transport across the region, connecting local people to education, training, health and leisure services as well as job opportunities.

Maria Machancoses, Chief Executive of Midlands Connect, said:

This announcement marks a major milestone in this transformational, nationally significant project.

The Midlands Rail Hub programme is the result of years of collaboration and determination by cross-party leaders from all corners of the Midlands.

Today’s £123 million announcement is a clear sign of government’s trust in our partnership – getting us closer to finally delivering much need east-west connectivity across the region.

We will continue to work with government to progress the plans and ensure, as set out in Network North, Midlands Rail Hub is delivered in full, extending the benefits to towns and cities like Hereford, Nottingham, Derby and Leicester.

The Midlands Rail Hub announcement comes as the British Business Bank launched its £400 million Midlands Engine Investment Fund II today (29 February 2024), unlocking additional funding to help smaller businesses in the Midlands prosper and thrive.

The fund will drive sustainable economic growth by supporting new and growing businesses across the whole of the Midlands, increasing the access and diversity of early-stage finance for smaller businesses in the region. It includes a range of finance options with loans from £25,000 to £2 million and equity investments up to £5 million to help small and medium-sized businesses start up, scale up, or stay ahead.

The Midlands Rail Hub announcement also comes shortly after the government announced the Midlands will receive £2.2 billion from April 2025 to improve local transport connections in areas outside the city regions. The investment will give local authorities long-term certainty to invest in transport improvements such as building new roads and installing or expanding mass transit systems.

Over the 7 years as a whole, this funding will be on average at least 9 times more than these local authorities currently receive through the local integrated transport block, which is the current mechanism for funding local transport improvements in their areas.

Subject to future decisions, this first phase of the Rail Hub could be completed by the early 2030s.
March 18, 2024
PRESS RELEASE : UK and France to deepen research and AI links following Horizon association [February 2024]
The press release issued by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology on 29 February 2024.

New funding to boost research collaboration and a new partnership to further global AI safety are part of measures announced by the UK and France.
- French Minister for Higher Education and Research meets DSIT Secretary of State to deepen UK-France research and AI ties
- £800,000 joint funding announced to support more UK-French bids for research funding, like Horizon Europe
- UK-France AI partnership builds on plans to work together ahead of the AI Safety Summit that France will host later this year
New funding to boost research collaboration and a new partnership to further global AI safety are part of measures announced by the UK and France today (Thursday 29 February).

The French Minister for Higher Education and Research Sylvie Retailleau will visit London today for her first face-to-face meeting with Secretary of State Michelle Donelan since the UK’s association to Horizon Europe.

The two ministers will build on the already extensive links between British and French scientists, researchers, and businesses – which historically has led innovations like the Concorde making commercial supersonic flight a reality and the engineering marvel of the Channel Tunnel – by endorsing a joint declaration to strengthen UK-French research ties even further.

This includes a commitment to £800,000 in new funding towards joint research efforts both the UK and France are already involved in, such as Horizon Europe, to unlock more UK-France joint bids for grants to support cutting-edge R&D. This could spearhead research that improves lives around the world; under Horizon’s predecessor, British and French experts worked together to bring potential HIV–AIDS vaccines to the clinical trial stage.

They will also announce a landmark new partnership between the UK AI Safety Institute and France’s Inria (The National Institute for Research in Digital Science and Technology), to jointly support the safe and responsible development of AI technology. This comes ahead of France hosting the next in-person AI Safety Summit later this year, which will build on the historic agreement on frontier AI testing struck between world leaders and businesses at the UK’s world-first Summit, last year.

The French-British joint committee on Science, Technology and Innovation – which meets for the first time today – also represents a unique opportunity to bring key influencers from across both countries’ research sectors together, to work on shared and promising opportunities for R&D teamwork across the Channel: from low-carbon hydrogen and space observation, to AI and research security. It will meet every two years with a view to boosting UK-France scientific cooperation in priority fields such as emerging technologies like AI and quantum.

UK Secretary of State Michelle Donelan said:

The links between the UK and France’s brightest minds are deep and longstanding, from breakthroughs in aerospace to tackling climate change. It is only right that we support our innovators, to unleash the power of their ideas to create jobs and grow businesses in concert with our closest neighbour on the continent.

Research is fundamentally collaborative, and alongside our bespoke deal on Horizon Europe, this deepening partnership with France – along with our joint work on AI safety – is another key step in realising the UK’s science superpower ambitions.

French Minister of Higher Education and Research, Sylvie Retailleau, said:

This joint committee is a perfect illustration of the international component of research, from identifying key priorities such as Hydrogen, AI, Space and Research Security, to enabling collaborative work and exchange of ideas and good practices through funding.

Doing so with a trusted partner as the UK, who just associated to Horizon Europe, is a great opportunity to strengthen France’s science capabilities abroad, and participate in Europe’s strategic autonomy openness.

The UK-France joint declaration reinforces the campaign that is underway to supercharge UK researchers’ opportunities to collaborate with colleagues in France, across Europe, and beyond through Horizon Europe: the world’s largest programme of research collaboration. This push is emphasising the opportunities for European firms and researchers to collaborate with the tens of thousands of UK companies eligible for Horizon Europe grants. The UK is also participating in the Copernicus component of the EU space programme, providing a host of opportunities for our Earth observation sector, researchers, and the public.

Besides AI safety, the agreement looks at joint work on space, hydrogen and research security.

The AI partnership between the UK and France’s AI institutes brings France into a growing global network that is collaborating on AI safety testing. The UK has already agreed similar partnerships with the US AI Safety Institute, as well as the government of Singapore.

As the UK’s nearest continental neighbour and a science and tech world leader, France is a natural partner for UK researchers – while the UK, as home to 4 of the world’s top 10 universities, and a larger share of its own research among the world’s most highly-cited than any other G7 country, brings its own exceptional research and innovation strengths to the table.

In the past, pooling our expertise achieved things that were previously thought impossible – from Concorde making commercial supersonic flight a reality, to the engineering marvel of the Channel Tunnel. Today that work continues at the cutting edge of science and research, such as through the MicroCarb joint satellite project, and both countries’ membership of CERN, the European Laboratory for Particle Physics. And all of this comes alongside 2024 marking the 120th anniversary of the UK and France signing the Entente Cordiale.

This is the latest in a series of bilateral international science deals the UK has signed recently, which include partnerships with the Republic of Korea, Israel, India, Switzerland and South Africa, as well as recent international digital deals such as the UK-Japan Digital Partnership.

These bilateral agreements, alongside Horizon association, demonstrate the UK’s global ambitions to deepen collaboration with leading lights in science right across the globe. The government is determined to open up the broadest range of opportunities, for the brightest British minds to unlock breakthroughs with colleagues, the world over.
March 18, 2024
PRESS RELEASE : Defence Minister praises Scottish shipbuilding apprentices [February 2024]

The press release issued by the Ministry of Defence on 29 February 2024.

The Minister for Defence Procurement met with Scottish apprentices to discuss their positive experiences, ahead of Scottish apprenticeship week.

The important role apprentices play in driving innovation in British shipbuilding was recognised during a ministerial visit to key defence sites in Scotland this week.

Visiting Govan and Rosyth, Minister for Defence Procurement, James Cartlidge, met apprentices and workers, witnessing first-hand the construction of several new Royal Navy ships, including HMS Cardiff, HMS Glasgow, HMS Venturer and HMS Active.

The Minister received a full briefing regarding the progress on the build of the Type 26s currently happening in Govan and Scotstoun, and met with Babcock CEO, David Lockwood for a look at the Type 31s being built in Rosyth. Over the course of the build, Babcock will take on more than 500 apprentices.

Through the National Shipbuilding Office, the Government is committed to working closely with British industry to help the shipbuilding sector maximise its potential, creating more skilled jobs and levelling up communities in Scotland.

Touring the sites of BAE Systems and Babcock, the Minister spoke with workers and 180 apprentices and thanked them for their crucial role in building the future fleet of the Royal Navy.

Minister for Defence Procurement, James Cartlidge, said:

It was great to meet and chat with the skilled workers and apprentices who are working hard to design, manufacture and build the future fleet for our Royal Navy.

I’m pleased that a career in the defence sector can provide these unique opportunities and skilled technical training for young people, whilst making a huge contribution to the Scottish economy.

Babcock currently have more than 180 apprentices and 3,500 people employed in Scotland, with these numbers only set to grow in the coming years. In addition to this, Babcock have 1030 apprentices and more than 360 graduates across the UK. Babcock has invested £35 million in a new digitally enabled build hall at its Rosyth facility, with the Venturer Building capable of housing two Type 31s frigates side by side for parallel build and assembly, supporting increased productivity gains through improved access to the platforms and digital connectivity.

BAE systems in Glasgow currently have 3,750 employees and around 600 apprentices and graduates in Glasgow. In 2024, they are set to recruit almost 2,700 apprentices and graduates across the UK, with 300 based in Glasgow. In addition, construction has begun on a new £12m Applied Shipbuilding Academy at BAE Systems’ Scotstoun shipyard, which will develop the existing workforce and attract new talent to the historic profession of shipbuilding.

Additionally, construction of a modern shipbuilding hall in Govan is underway and, together with a range of additional investments in technologies and equipment, it forms part of an overall £300m investment in the two sites in Glasgow over the next five years.

David Lockwood CEO, Babcock said:

We were delighted to host the Minister for Defence Procurement, James Cartlidge MP, at our Rosyth site ahead of Scottish Apprenticeship week.

Apprenticeships play a really important role in workforces across the UK, ensuring we can sustain the technical skills needed to continue to deliver critical national defence programmes, while offering exciting opportunities with direct benefits to local communities.

Simon Lister, Managing Director of Naval Ships at BAE Systems said:

We have a proud tradition of equipping our apprentices with the skills and training needed to develop long and rewarding careers. They are the next generation of shipbuilders that will design and build ships for the Royal Navy for decades to come.

Training a world-class workforce requires world-class facilities. That’s why, as well as our new Ship Build Hall, we are building our new Applied Shipbuilding Academy here in Glasgow, working closely with our regional partners to build sector skills.

March 18, 2024