Category: Press Releases

PRESS RELEASE : New regulations for schools in next stage of attendance drive [February 2024]

The press release issued by the Department for Education on 29 February 2024.

Every state school in England will now share their daily attendance registers across the education sector – including with the department for education, councils, and trusts in the next stage of the government’s drive to reduce pupil absence in school.

The sharing of daily school registers will form a new world-leading attendance data set that will help schools spot and support children displaying worrying trends of persistent absence or those in danger of becoming missing in education.

Schools, trusts and councils will be able to access this data via an interactive secure data dashboard maintained by the department for education. This will allow them easy use of the data to not only spot pupils in need of support but also to understand how their attendance position compares locally and nationally so they can look at where they might need to drive improvements.

These reforms are the next phase in the government’s plan to improve attendance following the pandemic which has seen a worldwide rise in absence and persistent absence driven by broken habits of attendance, and new and exacerbated barriers like mental ill health.

The government’s plan to improve attendance has included expanding the attendance hubs programme to 32 hubs across the country, which share best practice to schools supporting more than one million pupils, plus piloting attendance mentors, who work directly with pupils to tackle their barriers to attendance alongside a national awareness campaign aimed at helping parents. Our plan is already working, with 380,000 fewer pupils persistently off school over the course of last year.

Parent fines for unauthorised absences will also be brought under a national framework to help tackle inconsistencies in their use. A fine to parents must be considered if a child misses 5 days of school for unauthorised absence. Alongside this, costs for fines will go up from £60 to £80 if paid within 21 days and from £120 to £160 if paid in 28 days which will ensure all parents are aware of when they might face a fine to ensure all councils are issuing fines appropriately.

Today the Department for Education has also announced Rob Tarn, CEO of Northern Education Trust and the founder of England’s first attendance hub, as the new national attendance ambassador. Rob will work with schools and school leaders to champion attendance, share effective practice, and support the ongoing development of the attendance hubs programme nationally.

Education Secretary Gillian Keegan said:

Our fantastic schools and teachers unlock children’s imagination, potential and social skills which is why improving attendance is my number one priority.

Today we are taking that next step to further boost attendance and I want to thank those who are working with us including teachers and heads.

Education standards have risen sharply across the country, with Ofsted ratings up from 68% to nearly 90% since 2010 – and pupils’ performance is ranked as some of the best globally – so it has never been more valuable to be in school.

Key guidance setting out how schools and local authorities must take a ‘support-first’ approach to help pupils and their families to tackle barriers to attendance will be made statutory from August 2024. The working together to improve school attendance guidance sets expectations including regular meetings between schools and local authorities to agree plans for the most at-risk absent children.

It particularly emphasises the importance of support for pupils with SEND and mental ill health who often need more individual consideration due to wider barriers. It asks schools, local authorities and wider services to work together to support these pupils, encouraging early intervention and close working with families to address their individual needs.

Rob Tarn, CEO of Northern Education Trust said:

Attendance is one biggest challenges facing the school system today, so I’m pleased that the Department has announced this package of important measures including making the attendance guidance statutory.

I am also delighted to have been named as the Department for Education’s attendance ambassador. I look forward to working with attendance hub schools around the country to share effective practice and support school leaders to improve attendance locally and nationally.

Today’s announcement is the next step in the government’s national drive to improve attendance and tackle persistent absence, launched in January.

This sits alongside the national communications campaign raising awareness of the importance of attendance, which is running until Easter. Under the strapline ‘Moments Matter, Attendance Counts’ it outlines the importance of attendance for attainment, wellbeing, and development as well as signposting to advice for further support for parents and carers.

Steve Wilkinson, President of the Association of Education Welfare Management who run attendance support in local councils said:

We welcomed the opportunity to work closely with the DfE to share the vast expertise of our members with improving attendance in schools and other educational provisions.

Putting these measures on a statutory footing helps reinforce the importance of school attendance and the need to ensure families receive the support they need, when they need it, working together to ensure any barriers to attendance for children are removed.

This government is making long-term decisions to ensure all pupils have world class education. Improving attendance builds on that work which has delivered 89% of schools rated good or outstanding by Ofsted, up from just 68% in 2010.

School standards are rising across the board and England has catapulted up the international rankings for academic attainment through our multimillion-pound maths and English hubs programme and phonics screening check. Thanks to reforms introduced since 2010 England is now one of the top performing countries in the world for maths, reading and science, and the government will continue to build on this progress by delivering crucial reforms including by creating the Advanced British Standard.

March 18, 2024
PRESS RELEASE : Putin’s vanity project for his imperial ambitions has come at enormous cost to the Russian people: UK statement to the OSCE [February 2024]

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

Two years on, the international community’s support of the principles of democracy and freedom, and the Ukrainian people’s bravery and resilience, remain steadfast.

Thank you, Mr Chair. We have recently passed 2 landmark dates in Russia’s illegal aggression against Ukraine. Over a decade ago, on 20 February 2014, Russia illegally, and unacceptably sought to annex Crimea. While, last week, Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine entered the third year. That President Putin supposedly intended his full-scale invasion to be a 3-day operation is a testament to many things; to Putin’s arrogance and hubris, to his strategic miscalculation, to the international community’s steadfast support of the principles of democracy and freedom, and to the enormous bravery and resilience of the Ukrainian people.

Although the land war in Ukraine continues to be strongly contested, any territorial land gains come at enormous strategic cost to the Russian armed forces, for limited tactical gains. Russia originally deployed 130 Battalion Tactical Groups for its invasion of Ukraine, comprising 1,300 tanks, over 5,000 infantry fighting vehicles and armoured personnel carriers (IFVs and APCs), and at least 100,000 personnel. In 2 years of conflict, Russia’s losses now match – and in many cases surpass – those that comprised its original force. Confirmed Russian losses include over 2,700 tanks and 5,000 IFVs and APCs, whilst Russia’s killed and wounded stand at over 350,000 personnel.

20% of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet has now been destroyed. Further losses were sustained on 14 February 2024 when Ukrainian forces conducted a successful Uncrewed Surface Vessel attack on the Russian Ropucha-class landing craft ‘Tsezar Kunikov’. As a consequence, 3 of 10 Ropucha-class vessels have now been destroyed by Ukrainian strikes and the commander of the Black Sea Fleet, Admiral Viktor Sokolov, has been removed from his post.

In the air domain, Russia has lost its second A-50 MAINSTAY early warning and airborne control aircraft in 6 weeks. NATO now has more member states as a direct consequence of Putin’s illegal war of aggression. In contrast Russia’s military alliances are diminishing in recognition of the security proposition on offer.

Mr Chair, this all matters because Russia would love for nothing more than to deflect from the realities of its strategic errors. It would like for us to debate the technical wranglings of arms control, perversely attempting to obfuscate the key point that Russia invaded another country. Russia’s continual efforts to focus on the tactical to deflect from the strategic bigger picture. This is a reinforcement of the very behaviour that enabled it to send a generation of Russian boys into the meat grinder. This has all been done as part of Putin’s vanity project to realise his imperial ambitions, the sole aim of which is to preserve power for himself and a narrow Russian elite as part of his despotic regime.

When we reflect on where things stand, 2 years after the start of the full-scale invasion, we see a stronger NATO, a defiant, democratic Ukraine, the consolidation of an international community drawn together around the principles of democratic institutions and the respect for law and sovereignty. The vast majority of members in this Forum have aligned with these principles and will stand up against a nation that believes it can invade another with impunity. The vast majority of nations recognise, that for all of Russia’s attempts to divide us, to sow misinformation, to deflect, we will remain focussed on the strategic reality that Russia invaded its neighbour, Ukraine, and we will stand by Ukraine now and for as long as it takes. Thank you.

March 18, 2024
PRESS RELEASE : His Majesty The King honours Mr Katsusada Hirose, former Governor of Oita Prefecture [February 2024]

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

His Majesty King Charles III has approved the award of Honorary Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (MBE) to Mr Hirose in recognition of his exceptional contribution to furthering UK-Japan relations.

Mr Katsusada Hirose has had a long and distinguished career as a public servant, including as former Vice-Minister at the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, and as Governor of Oita Prefecture in Kyushu Japan from 2003 to 2023. During his time as Governor, Mr Hirose was instrumental in building deep and lasting links between Oita Prefecture and the United Kingdom, and with Wales in particular. His vision for closer collaboration between Wales and Oita began with the warm hospitality shown to the Welsh rugby team and fans when Oita hosted two of the Wales matches during the Rugby World Cup 2019; and it culminated in the signing in 2022 of a Memorandum of Understanding between Oita Prefecture and Wales. Focused on developing people-to-people links, through Arts and Culture, Sport, Academia, Tourism and Food and Drink, the MOU has laid the foundation of a relationship that continues to grow from strength to strength.

The British Embassy in Tokyo and Consulate General in Osaka look forward to building on Mr Hirose’s legacy over the coming years. We are committed to working with our partners in Oita to strengthen existing links and create new opportunities for collaboration in areas such as decarbonisation and innovation. We look forward to continuing to grow our economic, cultural and social links for the benefit of the people of both nations.

March 18, 2024
PRESS RELEASE : £31m committed to protect democratic process [February 2024]

The press release issued by the Home Office on 28 February 2024.

£31 million of new funding to protect democratic processes and enhance security measures for elected representatives.

The investment will be used to enhance police capabilities, increase private sector security provisions for those facing a higher risk, and expand cyber security advice to locally elected representatives.

It will also ensure all elected representatives and candidates have a dedicated named police contact to liaise with on security matters, significantly expanding the support provided under current policing arrangements.

Home Secretary James Cleverly will hold a roundtable with police chiefs today (Wednesday 28 February) to discuss what more can be done to better ensure the safety and security of elected representatives and protect democratic processes from intimidation, disruption or subversion.

The government recognises the importance of upholding the UK’s democratic processes following the impact of the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict and in advance of a general election.

Home Secretary James Cleverly said:

The government will take every possible step to safeguard the people, processes and institutions upon which our democracy relies.

I take the safety and security of all members of the House with the utmost seriousness. None of us should have to accept that enduring hate crimes, harassment, or threats is part of the job.

I will continue to work closely with my police counterparts to provide elected representatives with the support they need.

Security Minister Tom Tugendhat said:

Over the past few weeks we’ve seen disgraceful attempts to intimidate MPs and undermine our democratic processes.

That behaviour is a threat to our democracy, and toxic for our society.

We will do whatever is necessary to protect those who’ve been elected to represent their local communities, and to defend our democratic freedoms.

As part of the additional funding announced today, a new communities fund will be established to support the deployment of additional police patrols each week in England and Wales, in response to increased community tensions.

Local police forces will be able to draw upon the fund to surge policing presence in local areas in response to specific events. This will increase support available to vulnerable communities, bolstering police visibility, and increasing public confidence.

The UK’s protective security system has undergone significant reform in recent years, most notably following the murders of Jo Cox and Sir David Amess, with the latter resulting in the MP security review.

Improvements made under the review include the delivery of enhanced security advice and training, substantive improvements to existing security measures at members’ homes and offices, and the delivery of new security measures including the deployment of additional private sector delivered protective security.

Parliament, police, and the Home Office will continue to improve, adapt, and deliver security and risk reduction measures, as MPs and elected representatives’ requirements develop.

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

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 28 February 2024.

UK National Statement, delivered by Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon, the UK’s Minister of State (Middle East, North Africa, South Asia, United Nations and the Commonwealth).

Mr President,

The United Kingdom is proud to stand up for freedom and democracy.

We welcome the spotlight the Human Rights Council shines on the worst violations and abuses of human rights, and its work to hold those responsible to account.

I welcome the opportunity to reflect on three key areas of concern.

Ukraine / Russia
Beginning with President Putin’s barbaric assault on Ukraine, which has been marked by some appalling violations of human rights.

Within the last week, we have seen reports from the Ukrainian authorities of their soldiers being executed by Russian forces.

The independent Commission of Inquiry has uncovered mounting evidence of war crimes, and possible crimes against humanity.

From acts of torture and sexual violence to the killing and forced deportation of innocent civilians… it is vital to establish the full facts and gather evidence.

Only then can we bring those responsible to justice.

It is imperative that this session renews the Commission’s mandate.

Turning to matters within Russia, we were appalled by the news of Alexei Navalny’s death, and hold the Russian authorities fully accountable.

We offer our deepest sympathies to Mr Navalny’s family and are pleased that his body has finally been returned.

There must be a full and transparent investigation into the circumstances of his death.

We reiterate our call for the release of all those imprisoned in Russia on political grounds, including British dual national Vladimir Kara-Murza.

Israel / OPTs
Now turning to Israel, the immediate priority must be a humanitarian pause in the fighting, which is the best route to secure the safe release of hostages and significantly step up the aid reaching Gaza.

We want that pause to lead to a sustainable ceasefire without a return to further fighting.

That remains the focus of our diplomatic efforts.

There must be a reduction in civilian casualties, and we call on all parties to act within international humanitarian law.

We are particularly concerned about the prospect of a military offensive in Rafah, where more than half of Gaza’s people are sheltering.

We urge Israel to take greater care to limit its operations to military targets and avoid harming civilians and destroying homes.

Meanwhile, we have sanctioned extremist Israeli settlers involved in some of the most egregious abuses of human rights in the West Bank.

The UK remains committed to a two-state solution, guaranteeing security and stability for Israelis and Palestinians alike.

We must generate momentum now towards a permanent peace.

The UK wants to see all countries face appropriate scrutiny of their human rights record, but opposes the disproportionate focus of Item 7, which damages efforts to achieve peace.

China
Meanwhile, the UK will continue to press the Chinese authorities to improve their human rights record, including in multilateral institutions, where last year we led another record statement at the Third Committee on Xinjiang.

In Hong Kong, we urge the authorities to repeal the National Security Law, and release Jimmy Lai.

Mr President, I have only reflected on three of the many areas of concern.

We also continue to watch developments closely in Syria, Afghanistan, Myanmar and other countries where citizens’ most basic rights are being trampled.

Also South Sudan, where we have witnessed horrendous cases of sexual and gender-based violence as well as the targeting of journalists.

It is vital that the mandate of the Commission on Human Rights is extended.

Those who abuse or violate those rights must be held to account.

We will continue to support all efforts, including through this Council, to ensure that is the case.

March 18, 2024
PRESS RELEASE : Takeaway owner Zaman Shaa banned as company director for abusing Covid loan [February 2024]
The press release issued by HM Treasury on 28 February 2024.

The takeaway owner applied for a Bounce Back Loan and did not use the funds as declared in his application.
- Zaman Shaa fraudulently secured a £30,000 Covid Bounce Back Loan during the pandemic
- He illegally applied to dissolve his business and failed to inform creditors of his actions
- Shaa was handed a suspended sentence, banned as a company director for two years, and ordered to pay costs of £6,000
An Indian takeaway owner who used the funds from a Covid Bounce Back Loan for his own personal gain and ignored company law has been sentenced.

Zaman Shaa was sentenced to 36 weeks in prison, suspended for 18 months, when he appeared at Winchester Crown Court on Friday 23 February.

He was ordered to pay £6,000 in costs, at a rate of £250 per month, at the same hearing.

The 53-year-old was also disqualified as a company director for two years.

Pete Fulham, Chief Investigator at the Insolvency Service, said:

Zaman Shaa exploited a scheme intended to help businesses during a national emergency for his own personal gain.

His actions cannot simply be dismissed as something he did in the spur of the moment. They required a degree of planning and sophistication over a number of weeks to execute.

The sentence and disqualification order for Shaa demonstrate we will not hesitate to take action against directors who have abused Covid financial support in such a manner.

Shaa, of Woodside Road, Salisbury, applied for a £30,000 Bounce Back Loan in August 2020 when he was the director of Shaa Ventures Ltd.

His company used to manage the Chutneys Indian takeaway on Estcourt Road, Salisbury.

Shaa broke company law before securing the loan by applying to dissolve his business, even though it had been trading in the previous three months.

He also failed to fulfil his legal requirement to inform creditors that he had applied to dissolve the company.

Insolvency Service analysis of Shaa’s transactions indicated he transferred the funds into his personal accounts, sent some of the money abroad using a remittance service, and withdrew significant amounts in cash.

The disqualification order prevents Shaa from becoming involved in the promotion, formation or management of a company, without the permission of the court before February 2026.

Shaa no longer has any involvement at the takeaway.

Further information
- Zaman Shaa is of Woodside Road, Salisbury. His date of birth is 1 July 1970
- Sentenced for: Unlawful application for voluntary strike off, contrary to section 1004 of the Companies Act 2006; Failure to inform a creditor of striking off application, contrary to section 1007 of the Companies Act 2006; Fraud by false representation, contrary to section 2 of the Fraud Act 2006
- Shaa Ventures Ltd (11320134)
March 18, 2024
PRESS RELEASE : Homes and beds to help hundreds of rough sleepers off the streets [February 2024]
The press release issued by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities on 28 February 2024.

Nearly £220 million given to councils across the country to help deliver over 800 homes for rough sleepers and help prevent families from becoming homeless.

Hundreds of families will be prevented from becoming homeless and rough sleepers will be helped off the streets thanks to over £220 million of government funding being given to councils today.

The Minister for Housing and Homelessness Felicity Buchan has announced the funding boost which targets areas most in need and includes specialist support for the most vulnerable who require mental health or substance misuse support.

Further funding includes:
- £107 million to provide more than 800 homes for rough sleepers. The money is being made available immediately to councils to purchase or rent properties to give rough sleepers a safe space to stay whilst they rebuild their lives off the streets.
- A £109 million boost to the Homelessness Prevention Grant, the funding can be used by councils to prevent evictions before they occur or fund temporary accommodation. Bringing the total fund to £1.2 billion, with more than 160,000 people supported since the scheme opened in 2022.
- A further £6 million to boost the number off-street spaces for rough sleepers in winter, to provide warm and safe places to sleep and access services.
This brings total government investment to £2.4 billion over three years (2022-25) to tackle homelessness and end rough sleeping for good.

Minister for Housing and Homelessness Felicity Buchan said:

We are working alongside councils and charities to do all we can to help rough sleepers off the streets and to prevent homelessness.

Today’s announcement brings the total funding to tackle homelessness and rough sleeping to an unprecedented £2.4 billion, meaning we can help thousands of the most vulnerable people and give them the support they need to rebuild their lives.

The councils receiving additional funding to tackle homelessness and rough sleeping include:
- London boroughs will receive a combined £38 million for extra homes, beds and specialist mental health and substance misuse services for rough sleepers.
- Sheffield City Council will be given over £3 million which will include providing 10 properties for those with a history of rough sleeping.
- City of Liverpool will receive over £2 million to deliver 20 homes for single homeless young people to help them live independently to prevent a repeating cycle of homelessness.
The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities has partnered with councils to design tailored support for the issues in their area.

Government departments are working hand-in-hand with the homelessness sector and its partners in local government to tackle homelessness, including:
- Delivering 6,000 homes through the Rough Sleeping Accommodation Programme giving stable, long-term accommodation to those sleeping rough.
- Introducing the Rough Sleeping Drug and Alcohol Treatment Grant has helped over 10,600 vulnerable people access the help they need.
- Providing accommodation for Ex-Offenders programme which has supported 2,750 ex-offenders into their own homes in the private rented sector.
Today’s funding boost builds on the Government’s strategy to tackle homelessness and end rough sleeping for good.

Further information

City of Liverpool YMCA

YMCA Together have be given over £2 million to deliver 20 homes for single homeless young people across Liverpool. The funding will enable young people to move on to more independent living, equipped and empowered with the tools to prevent a repeating cycle of homelessness.

Jon Metcalf (Deputy Chief Exec City of Liverpool YMCA ):

We’re delighted with the announcement of SHAP funding in Liverpool which will enable us to create much needed homes for younger people experiencing homelessness and together with support that we will be able to provide we aim to help people develop their social capital so that they’re able to navigate safely through a challenging time in their lives.
- The Homelessness Code of Guidance is being updated to make it explicit that temporary accommodation should not be considered suitable for a family with children under two if there is not enough space for a cot and that housing authorities should support families to secure a cot where needed. This will help to ensure families can follow safer sleeping guidance and help prevent avoidable infant deaths.
- The StreetLink campaign is now running which enables members of the public to alert local council outreach workers if they see someone sleeping rough. Investment from government has made it simpler than ever for people to support a person sleeping rough off the streets and into safe accommodation.
March 18, 2024
PRESS RELEASE : Scottish Secretary reacts to GDP for Q4 2023 and December 2023 [February 2024]
The press release issued by the Scottish Office on 28 February 2024.

Alister Jack says boosting business and continuing to drive down inflation is key to long-term growth.

Latest figures show Scotland’s onshore GDP is estimated to have grown by 0.4% in December 2023. This follows no growth (0.0% change) in November (revised up from -0.1%) and a 0.8% fall in October (revised from -0.6%).

In the last quarter of 2023, (October to December), GDP is estimated to have contracted by 0.6%, following growth of 0.4% in Quarter 3 (July to September).

Secretary of State for Scotland Alister Jack said:

The UK Government has halved inflation and, in doing so, we’ve broken down the single biggest barrier to growth. We are sticking to our plan to achieve long-term sustainable recovery.

We are boosting business and encouraging trade and opportunities by investing more than £2.9 billion directly across all parts of Scotland. We’re also putting more money in the paypackets of 2.4 million people in Scotland by cutting National Insurance and rewarding hard-working families with the biggest ever increase to the national living wage from next month.

Additional information
- The combined impact of the Autumn and Spring policy packages is a permanent 0.5% increase in the level of potential output by the end of the OBR’s forecast.
- To reward work, we have cut National Insurance for 29 million people worth £9 billion per year, worth £450 for the average employee on £35,400 and £350 for the average self-employed person on £28,200.
- Full expensing is the biggest business tax cut in modern British history worth over £50 billion over the next five years – helping companies to invest for less.
- Since 2010, the UK has grown faster than France, Japan and Italy, and Germany.
- Recent figures have shown that by the end of 2021 the UK had recovered faster from the pandemic than France, Germany, and Japan.
March 18, 2024
PRESS RELEASE : UK’s Minister of State for the UN attends the Human Rights Council in Geneva [February 2024]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 28 February 2024.

UK’s Minister of State for the UN, Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon, on his official visit to Geneva to attend the United Nations Human Rights Council High-Level Panel.

Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon, Minister of State for the Middle East, South Asia, Commonwealth, UN and the Prime Minister’s Special Representative on Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict, will visit Geneva today (Wednesday) to address the 55th session of the UN Human Rights Council.

He will condemn Russia’s actions in Ukraine, as well as calling out states who violate human rights. He will also reaffirm the Foreign Secretary’s calls for the fighting to stop now, creating the conditions for a sustainable and permanent ceasefire in Gaza, as well as an irreversible pathway for a two-state solution that guarantees justice, peace, and security for the citizens of two states – Israel and Palestine.

Lord Ahmad will also deliver the UK’s national statement during the Conference on Disarmament’s High-Level Week, to an audience of 65 Member and over 20 Observer States. He will emphasise the importance of upholding multilateral institutions as multilateral institutions navigate growing strategic instability and politicisation.

The visit will provide the opportunity for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon to meet the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and discuss the UK’s human rights priorities.

Ahead of the visit, Lord Ahmad said:

“As we face some of the greatest global challenges of our time, the need for a strong multilateral system is more important than ever, and this visit will provide an important opportunity to come together with our international partners to protect and strengthen human rights across the world.”

Ends

Notes to Editors

The Human Rights Council will be in session from 26 February to 5 April. The session will open with a Ministerial High-Level Segment and will be attended by the Minister of State for the Middle East, South Asia, Commonwealth, UN and the Prime Minister’s Special Representative on Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict.

March 18, 2024
PRESS RELEASE : Royal Navy ship HMS Spey returns to the Philippines [February 2024]

The press release issued by the Ministry of Defence on 28 February 2024.

UK’s Royal Navy offshore patrol vessel, HMS Spey, has made her first visit of 2024 to the Philippines.

During the port call in Manila Bay, Royal Navy officers from HMS Spey joined a range of professional and social interactions with the Philippine Navy, Philippine Coast Guard and local community, including a friendly game of football.

Welcoming key personnel from HQ Armed Forces of the Philippines on board the Batch 2 Offshore Patrol Vessel, the British Embassy Embassy and UK Defence and Security Exports discussed ‘Re-Horizon 3’ defence modernisation and interoperability as part of the UK Defence Trade Company Mission to Manila from 26 – 28 February 2024. This Mission is showcasing the wares of 13 premier UK companies in the defence sector, including BAe Systems, Thales and Leonardo.

Welcoming the visit, British Ambassador Laure Beaufils, said:

The third visit of a Royal Navy ship to the Philippines in the past 18 months is a clear demonstration of our strengthening defence relationship. We deeply value cooperation and growing interoperability with the Philippines on maritime issues. This supports security and our shared commitment to upholding the rules-based international system, as well as of trade and environmental protection. The football match organised between the two Navies embodies our mutual commitment to building strong cultural partnerships and shared values, whether on the pitch or at sea.

The football match was held at the Philippine Marine Corps Barracks in Fort Bonifacio with players from the Philippines Navy taking on Royal Navy participants from HMS Spey. The games were facilitated by 10 football coaches from Football for Humanity, a UK-based sport for development charity that uses football-focused interventions to tackle complex social issues.

In addition, HMS Spey hosted tours for Philippine Navy and Philippine Coast Guard personnel, including the officers who had recently graduated from maritime planning course delivered by the Royal Navy in Manila 5 – 8 Feb 24 as part of the UK’s Defence engagement strategy.

The Commanding Officer of HMS SPEY, Commander Paul Caddy said:

It is excellent to visit Manila and improve our ability to work together with colleagues from the Philippine Navy and Philippine Coast Guard. This is part of an increasing level of engagement. With SPEY recently taking part in the multinational Exercise SAMA SAMA for the second time, it is clear that the relationship is only going to grow. The UK and Philippines firmly believe in, and promote the Rules Based International System; we share an interest in upholding international maritime law and supporting a free and open Indo-Pacific.

The Commanding Officer of HMS Spey met with Rear Admiral Cornelio of the Philippine Coast Guard to discuss future cooperation. After departing from Manila, HMS Spey conducted a Passage at Sea Exercise, known as a PASSEX, with Philippine Navy ship BNP VALENTIN DIAZ and an AW159 helicopter.

The ship visit follows two recent training delegations from the British Armed Forces. The British Army sent 20 Regular and Reservist military communications personnel and intelligence analysts to Manila to mentor cyber specialists from the Armed Forces of the Philippines for the first time on Exercise DEFENCE CYBER MARVEL, a global war game which took place 10-18 Feb 2024. The Exercise took international teams from Europe and the Indo-Pacific through their paces on a theoretical hacking attack against national infrastructure.

On 5 – 8 Feb 2024, the British Royal Navy International Maritime Training Team delivered an Integrated Maritime Mission Planning Course (IMMP) at the HQ Philippine Coast Guard. Attendees comprised 15 officers from the Philippine Navy and 15 from the Philippine Coast Guard. Students were taught a planning process to equip them to address threats and challenges whilst manoeuvring at sea, such as during conduct of humanitarian and disaster relief operations, and area reconnaissance. The course was also an ideal mechanism to build interoperability between maritime organisations and navies, and to further deepen the defence partnership between the UK and Philippines, both proud maritime nations.

March 18, 2024