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Category: Press Releases

  • PRESS RELEASE : IAEA Board of Governors on the JCPoA – E3 statement [November 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : IAEA Board of Governors on the JCPoA – E3 statement [November 2023]

    The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 23 November 2023.

    France, Germany and the UK (E3) gave a joint statement to the IAEA Board of Governors on Iran’s implementation of its nuclear commitments under the JCPoA.

    Chair, on behalf of France, Germany and the United Kingdom, I thank Director General Grossi for his latest report GOV/2023/57, and Deputy Director General Aparo for his technical briefing.

    The E3 are extremely grateful to the Agency for the professional and impartial work of the team of inspectors and for the objective reporting on Iran’s nuclear programme. We encourage the Director General to keep the Board informed of all activities and developments requiring clarification by Iran.

    Regrettably, the report again confirms that Iran has pursued its nuclear activities in further violation of its JCPoA commitments. Recent actions by Iran such as the de-designation of Agency inspectors in September demonstrate Iran’s continued, and determined denial of cooperation with the IAEA [International Atomic Energy Agency] as required.

    Chair, since 2019, Iran has expanded its activities to levels unprecedented for a state without a nuclear weapons programme. In the reporting period, Iran has continued enriching far beyond what it committed to in the JCPoA [Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action]. Its stockpile of uranium enriched up to 60% as reported by the Director General is now likely 3 IAEA Significant Quantities, ie likely 3 times the approximate amount of nuclear material from which the possibility of manufacturing a nuclear explosive device cannot be excluded according to the IAEA definition. Its stockpile of enriched uranium is now 22 times JCPoA limits. Iran has also installed additional advanced centrifuges in Natanz and continues to expand its centrifuge infrastructure which could be used to support a significantly increased ability to produce enriched uranium in blatant disregard for JCPoA provisions. We also recall significant work previously reported on uranium metal, which is a key step for the development of a nuclear weapon, and takes Iran dangerously close to actual weapons-related activity.

    As the DG’s report makes clear the list of activities that the Agency is unable to carry out in relation to JCPoA monitoring is extensive and includes verification of: the production of heavy water; the amount of in-process low-enriched uranium; stable isotope production; as well as a number of broader nuclear commitments. The extent of this frustration of the Agency’s responsibilities was further exacerbated in June 2022 following Iran’s decision to remove all of the agency’s JCPoA related surveillance and monitoring equipment. These actions severely weaken the Agency’s ability to provide assurance of the peaceful nature of Iran’s nuclear programme.

    As E3, we have unreservedly called upon Iran to resume full compliance with the JCPoA, including by triggering the Dispute Resolution Mechanism (DRM) in January 2020. Since then, we have strived in good faith to resolve the issues arising from Iran’s non-compliance. We have made all reasonable efforts to negotiate a return to the JCPoA, for which viable deals were tabled in March and again in August 2022. On both occasions, Iran refused to sign these agreements by making unacceptable demands going beyond the scope of the JCPoA, and instead has continued to advance its nuclear capabilities.

    Iran’s decision to stop the implementation of its commitments, including the Additional Protocol, has seriously affected the Agency’s verification and monitoring capabilities and activities. Furthermore, as the DG notes, the decision taken by Iran to de-designate experienced inspectors in September “directly and seriously affects the Agency’s ability to conduct effectively its verification activities in Iran, in particular at the enrichment facilities”. These factors, in addition to the Agency’s statement that it would no longer be able to re-establish continuity of knowledge of the process and inventories of core elements of Iran’s nuclear programme show Iran’s disregard for the Agency’s responsibilities.

    Chair, since 2019, Iran has deliberately and consistently chosen to escalate its nuclear activities beyond all credible civilian justification and in non-compliance with its JCPoA commitments. As a direct response to Iran’s serious and escalating non-compliance we, as E3, notified the JCPoA Coordinator of our decision not to proceed to further sanctions-lifting, in accordance with the JCPoA and with UNSCR 2231. We have subsequently taken the necessary measures to implement this decision. These steps are reversible should Iran fully comply with its JCPoA commitments.

    It is now for Iran to de-escalate its nuclear programme by:

    • stopping the production of uranium enriched beyond 3.67%, and starting to reduce its stockpile of uranium enriched above this level, and returning to agreed limitations regarding the R&D, production, installation, feeding and use of centrifuges
    • re-applying all transparency measures that Iran stopped in February 2021 and that were agreed to in the 4 March Joint Statement between Iran and the IAEA
    • re-implementing and swiftly ratifying its Additional Protocol, as well as by
    • cooperating fully with the IAEA, including by re-designating experienced IAEA inspectors and issuing visas for IAEA officials

    These steps would contribute to restoring the transparency required and help re-build urgently needed trust between Iran and the international community.

    Chair, Iran’s nuclear advances significantly harm international security and undermine the global nonproliferation architecture.

    We will continue consultations, alongside international partners, on how best to address increasing doubts about the peaceful nature of Iran’s nuclear programme. We remain committed to a diplomatic solution and stand ready to use all diplomatic levers to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons. We call upon Iran to de-escalate its programme and expect swift and meaningful further steps to fully restore the agreed level of cooperation with the IAEA for effective verification and monitoring.

    Finally, we ask the Director General to keep the Board of Governors informed well ahead of the next meeting in March 2024, and provide earlier updates as necessary. We also ask for the report to be made public.

    Published 23 November 2023
  • PRESS RELEASE : New digital map of underground pipes and cables on track to grow economy by £5 billion [November 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : New digital map of underground pipes and cables on track to grow economy by £5 billion [November 2023]

    The press release issued by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology on 23 November 2023.

    NUAR now available across England and Wales; measures introduced to deliver efficiency and economic growth from better access to underground infrastructure data.

    • The emerging digital map of underground pipes and cables is on track to deliver an estimated £5 billion economic growth through increased efficiency, reduced accidental damage and reduced disruptions for citizens and businesses
    •  The National Underground Asset Register (NUAR) is now accessible across all parts of England and Wales, ahead of becoming fully operational by 2025
    • Updates to existing legislation are being sought to ensure workers have immediate access to all the data they need, when they need, through NUAR – reducing time taken from six days to 60 seconds
    • New discovery project is launched to explore potential opportunities to widen access for new purposes, such as electric vehicle chargepoint rollout and property development

    The emerging digital map of power and broadband cables, gas and water pipes and other underground infrastructure is now available across the whole of England and Wales in a boost to economic growth and public services for people across the country.

    The National Underground Asset Register (NUAR) will revolutionise the way we install, maintain, operate and repair the pipes and cables buried beneath our feet, growing our economy and reducing disruption to the public. From today, it has expanded coverage to include the South East, South West, North West, Yorkshire and The Humber and East of England.

    NUAR includes data from all of the major energy and water providers, such as Welsh Water, Cadent Gas and UK Power Networks, several major telecommunications companies, including CityFibre and Virgin Media O2, as well as smaller providers of these services, transport organisations and local authorities. It is estimated to deliver £490 million per year (circa £5 billion over a decade) of economic growth through increased efficiencies in construction and development, less accidental damage to pipes and cables, and reduced disruption to the public and businesses (from extended road closures and congestion), as well as improved workers’ safety.

    Measures were also tabled in Parliament yesterday to update existing legislation, taking advantage of opportunities provided by data and technology advancements, to simplify and expedite the process by which this kind of asset data is shared.

    These updates will ensure workers have access to up-to-date, comprehensive and standardised data when they need it. This will reduce the time taken for workers to get all the location data they need to carry out safe digging from six days to 60 seconds – 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Legislative reforms being sought would also ensure a sustainable service through fair and reasonable charges to asset owners.

    Viscount Camrose, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, Department for Science, Innovation and Technology said:

    The National Underground Asset Register is on track to transform how the UK manages the pipes and cables beneath the ground. Thanks to government working closely with industry, workers across the whole of England and Wales now have data, at their fingertips, about the infrastructure under our feet.

    The Register is a prime example of the Geospatial Commission and wider government driving innovation that will deliver improved public services, create new better-paid jobs and grow the economy, and I’m delighted that legislative updates are being progressed to support this.

    The Geospatial Commission also published a project update, including sharing information on a discovery project, supported by the Government Office for Technology Transfer, to explore the potential for increased economic growth that could be realised through widening access to the vital national asset, including opportunities for the wider market. This could include, for example, supporting the rollout of electric vehicle chargepoints, flood risk planning, emergency response or conveyancing.

    Alexandra Notay, Independent Commissioner, Geospatial Commission said:

    It is fantastic to see the progress being made on delivering the core ‘safe dig’ use case that NUAR is intended to meet, and I am very proud of the team at the Geospatial Commission for delivering this collaborative project for and with a wide range of industry stakeholders. The supportive statements from users in the project update is a testament to the value that NUAR is already bringing to those who manage our underground assets.

    However, I am particularly excited to see work commence on exploring the potential benefits that NUAR could bring to other users, especially in the property sector. I believe that NUAR could enable huge amounts of innovation in construction, development and operations across the real estate spectrum – supporting better decisions being made more quickly.

    Background

    There is estimated to be around 4 million kilometres of buried pipes and cables in the UK, and a hole dug every 7 seconds to install, fix, maintain or repair these assets that are critical in keeping the water running, gas and electricity flowing and our telecommunications lines connected. Approximately 1 in every 65 holes dug results in an accidental asset strike (c. 60,000 a year), causing around £2.4 billion worth of economic cost, putting workers’ lives at risk and disrupting our day-to-day lives.

    There are 700+ asset owners across the public and private sectors (including energy, water and telcos) who hold data about their own assets, which they are required by law to share for the purposes of ‘safe digging’. However, currently there is no standardised method to do this with multiple organisations having to be contacted for each dig, providing information in varied formats, scales, quality and on different timelines resulting in a complex process for installing, maintaining, operating and repairing buried assets.

    NUAR is a government-led programme creating a single, comprehensive data-sharing platform on the location and condition of underground assets. The fundamental purpose of NUAR is to streamline the data-sharing process, reduce the risk of potentially lethal utility asset strikes and promote more efficient management and maintenance of underground assets.

    NUAR will improve efficiency in construction and development, reduce disruption to the public and businesses (from extended road closures and congestion), improve workers’ safety and is estimated to deliver £490 million economic growth per year through increased efficiency, reduced asset strikes and reduced disruptions for citizens and businesses.

    NUAR will underpin the government’s priority to get the economy growing; expediting projects like new roads, new houses and broadband roll-out and organisations who have been fully onboarded can now use NUAR in their geographical area of business.

    The MVP provides users in England and Wales access to the emerging platform. In line with the Government Service Standard, the Geospatial Commission is committed to iterative delivery where users are placed at the centre of product and service design, and are given access to core functionality early and often to help ensure the service best meets user needs and expectations. NUAR will be iteratively enhanced until it is fully operational, including the service’s features, as well as data completeness, coverage and currency, and user base.

    MVP coverage will be expanded to Northern Ireland by spring 2024 and the platform will be fully operational across the three nations by the end of 2025. Scotland already benefits from a system of this kind (Scottish Community Apparatus Data Vault). Scottish Government officials have helped inform the development of NUAR, ensuring consistency across the two services.

    Notes to editors

    Stakeholder comments can be found below:

    Nigel Myers, Senior Statutory and Streetworks Manager, Virgin Media O2 said:

    Virgin Media are fully aware of the benefits to being a contributing asset owner to the NUAR initiative and look forward to being part of the next steps of the journey.

    As a works promoter with a national footprint, we are delighted with the news that the MVP is being rolled out and expanded across England, Wales and Northern Ireland, marking a significant contribution towards a standard and consistent process for sharing of safe digging data.

    David Capon,Co-Chair, HAUC (UK) said:

    As Co-Chair of HAUC (UK) I fully support what you are doing and am excited especially with the direction of travel of the project and the MVP expansion. The NUAR data is key for our industry and will provide a platform to drive better planning and execution of works.

    I am also pleased that legislative reform is now at the forefront of the thinking and the potential for this being a more inclusive data set with wider community access should be applauded. The launching of a new discovery project signals the value of NUAR and the community it serves and shows the project has reached a maturity and confidence level to move forward.

    Heidi Mottram, Chief Executive, Northumbrian Water said:

    We are proud to already be using the national underground asset register in our northern planning and operations teams where we operate as Northumbrian Water. We are delighted with the news that the MVP is now expanding across the country sooner than planned, marking a significant step towards a smarter and more resilient future. It also means that our colleagues and customers in our Essex and Suffolk operating region will soon also benefit from more efficient ways of working.

    Colin Sawkins, Assurance and Enabling Specialist, Cadent Gas said:

    The continued updating of the NUAR platform and expansion of the MVP area gives asset owners the confidence that those enquiring about asset locations will have the available tools at their fingertips to plan accordingly. Furthermore, the potential for NUAR to become legislation for all asset owners to supply their asset information is a positive step forward in ensuring all asset data is available in one place.

    Clive Bairsto, Co-Chair, HAUC (UK), said:

    These are important steps for the NUAR programme and I look forward to seeing the benefits of NUAR rolled out to a wider group of participants. Streetworks UK are particularly keen to see the maximum utilisation of a system that will ensure the safety and security of all ‘the underworld players’ that are operating in our streets and roads close to or around asset owners systems, and so welcome the wider engagement in the Discovery Projects for other users and other cases of use.

    The legislative reform aspects of who pays, what for and when for the NUAR system is a critical agreement to be reached – and it is hoped that careful consideration will be given to all the stakeholders involved. Good luck to the NUAR Team: there is much still to get done, but today’s announcements are a positive signal.

    Matt Edwards, Chief Data Officer, Anglian Water said:

    Anglian Water Services congratulate NUAR on achieving readiness for expansion of the MVP across England and Wales, and the significant work and support provided to national infrastructure. We welcome and appreciate the engagement to this point, and the ongoing commitment for inclusion of all interested parties going forward.

    Simon Hamlyn, CEO, Chartered Institution of Civil Engineering Surveyors (CICES) said:

    CICES is pleased to support the Geospatial Commission as they continue to develop NUAR, especially through their Discovery project. The anticipation is there will be more efficient management and maintenance of underground assets, especially plans to consider universal access and the opportunity for additional use cases. Collaboration is vital to the success of the NUAR and the institution looks forward to engaging with the Geospatial Commission as they look to update existing legislation and promote the MVP.

    Tom Duncan, Head of Design and Records, GTC-UK said:

    We are pleased to see that the MVP coverage will now extend over the whole of England and Wales and that all major gas, electricity and water asset owners are signed up to the NUAR platform. We are looking forward to working with you further on the NUAR Discovery Project to understand possible new use cases for the NUAR data.

  • PRESS RELEASE : UK and Türkiye to boost stability, security and prosperity [November 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : UK and Türkiye to boost stability, security and prosperity [November 2023]

    The press release issued by the Ministry of Defence on 23 November 2023.

    Two NATO Allies, the UK and Türkiye, have today agreed to work more closely together to help bring greater stability, security and prosperity to both nations.

    • Blueprint signed for a closer defence relationship between the two nations.
    • Both sides agreed on the need to maintain support for Ukraine.

    Defence Secretary, Grant Shapps, today signed a Statement of Intent on defence co-operation, with his Turkish counterpart, Minister of National Defense, Yaşar Güler. This will provide the framework for closer working to deliver additional activities that will benefit the security and prosperity of both countries and, in so doing, enhancing national, regional and international security.

    Following the signing, activity will see closer collaboration between both countries’ defence industries, the identification of possible joint training exercises in the Mediterranean, and the exploration of security support around North Africa and the Middle East.

    As well as discussing the need for de-escalation in the Middle East, the Defence Secretary thanked his counterpart for utilising Türkiye’s influence as the gatekeeper to the Black Sea to enable the export of millions of tons of Ukrainian grain to nations who need it most.

    There was strong agreement on the need to keep focused on our collective support for Ukraine in the face of Russia’s continuing aggression.

    Defence Secretary, Grant Shapps said:

    “I was very pleased to meet my counterpart, Minister Güler, and to jointly agree to deepen the UK-Turkish defence relationship.

    “Türkiye stands at the crossroads of three continents and, at a time of such global instability, their influence cannot be underestimated.

    “The agreement we’ve signed will see our relationship go from strength-to-strength and enhance our nations’ defence and security co-operation.”

    In his first face-to-face meeting with his Turkish opposite number, the Defence Secretary welcome the progress made on Sweden’s accession to NATO and hoped to see Turkish ratification through parliament as soon as possible.

    The signing of the agreement and bilateral meeting came following increased co-operation between the UK and Türkiye on defence matters over the preceding years.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Safeguards Agreement with Iran – Quad statement to the International Atomic Energy Agency [November 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : Safeguards Agreement with Iran – Quad statement to the International Atomic Energy Agency [November 2023]

    The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 23 November 2023.

    The UK, France, Germany, and the US (the Quad) gave a statement on Iran implementing its Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty Safeguards Agreement obligations.

    Chair, France, Germany, the United Kingdom and the United States thank Director General Grossi for his report on the implementation of safeguards in Iran contained in GOV/2023/58.

    We fully support and commend the DG and the Secretariat for their professional, independent and impartial verification of Iran’s fulfilment of its safeguards obligations. We commend their repeated efforts to engage Iran to clarify information concerning the correctness and completeness of its declarations under its NPT Safeguards Agreement.

    Chair, one year ago, this Board adopted a resolution in response to Iran’s persistent lack of substantive cooperation with the Agency on outstanding safeguards issues. This was its third resolution on the subject since the IAEA raised questions 5 years ago regarding possible undeclared nuclear material and activities in Iran. Since then, the IAEA at varying points has raised questions about such activities at four locations. In this resolution, the Board decided that it was “essential and urgent” that Iran take action and clarify all outstanding safeguards issues in order to ensure verification of the non-diversion of nuclear material.

    One year later, Iran’s continuing disregard for its obligations, including to adhere to the decisions of this Board, now appears in the clearest light. The DG’s report is stark: Iran is not only dragging its feet on cooperating with the Agency to resolve the remaining outstanding issues, but it is also wilfully hampering the Agency’s ability to perform its verification mandate. Iran’s actions are not only inconsistent with its legal obligations, but also undermine the global non-proliferation architecture in disregarding the commitments and obligations at its core.

    First, Iran has still not provided the Agency with technically credible explanations for the presence of uranium particles of anthropogenic origin at outstanding locations of Varamin and Turquzabad on which the Agency is currently seeking clarifications. It has not informed the Agency of the current location of related nuclear material and contaminated equipment. Iran has not engaged even at the most superficial level, despite the fact that cooperating with the Agency is a legal obligation stemming from Iran’s NPT Safeguards Agreement. This raises the question as to whether any of the nuclear material and/or contaminated equipment used at these locations remains in Iran and is not included in Iran’s declaration.

    Second, the nuclear material discrepancy at the Uranium Conversion Facility remains unresolved. Previous explanations by Iran were not technically credible and therefore not acceptable by the Agency. This issue touches upon the very core of the Agency’s safeguards mandate: it is about Iranian undeclared activities at undeclared locations involving uranium metal, some of which is of unknown origin and might still be outside of safeguards. It is also worth recalling that this issue relates to safeguards concerns the Agency was pursuing previously over the Lavisan-Shian site – which Iran also failed to substantively address.

    Third, Iran has “frozen” the implementation of the March 4 Joint Statement in spite of the Director General’s extensive efforts to achieve progress. The reports are once again very clear: “the lack of progress in implementing any of the three elements of the Joint Statement, put into question the possibility of continuing with its implementation”. It is now clear that Iran has not approached the Joint Statement in good faith and has not demonstrated any serious intention to fully implement its commitments. We urge Iran to promptly cooperate with the Agency on installing surveillance and monitoring equipment where requested, providing urgent access to camera data which it is currently withholding and addressing the gaps in the recordings. Without this information the Agency lacks key insight into Iran’s capability to expand its uranium enrichment program – possibly even in ways not declared to the Agency – at a time when it is advancing.

    Fourth, Iran has doubled down on its hostile attitude towards the Agency and is threatening the safeguards system through its decision to de-designate a number of experienced inspectors in September. In the DG’s words, this “extreme and unjustified” decision directly and seriously affects the Agency’s ability to effectively conduct its verification mandate in Iran. The DG makes clear this stance is “not only unprecedented but unambiguously contrary to the cooperation that is required in order to facilitate the effective implementation of its NPT Safeguards Agreement”. It is unacceptable for Iran to retaliate against statements from IAEA member states by withdrawing Agency inspector designations of the same nationality. The independent technical work of the Agency cannot be subject to Iran’s political interpretation of other member states’ views in this way. We echo the Director General’s strong condemnation of Iran’s actions and urge Iran to reverse it and to promptly re-designate these inspectors.

    Finally, we stress that implementation of Modified Code 3.1 of the Subsidiary Arrangements General Part to Iran’s Safeguards Agreement is a legal obligation for Iran that cannot be suspended or unilaterally modified. Iran has announced the locations of new nuclear facilities and the Agency has asked Iran to provide required preliminary design information. Iran must provide its response immediately. Iran’s unwillingness to work with the Agency to resolve this in accordance with its legal obligations, alongside its lack of transparency, is entirely unacceptable and deeply concerning given Iran’s history of constructing covert nuclear facilities. Is Iran attempting to claim a loophole that does not exist to enable the construction of clandestine nuclear facilities? Iran is the only state with significant nuclear activities implementing a comprehensive safeguards agreement but not modified Code 3.1.

    Chair, the Director General has made clear asks in his reports and requested engagement from Iran. Unless and until Iran provides technically credible explanations in response to the Agency’s outstanding questions, the Agency will not be able to confirm the correctness and completeness of Iran’s declarations under its NPT Safeguards Agreement or provide assurance that Iran’s nuclear programme is exclusively peaceful. Such assurances are critical for the international community and the international non-proliferation regime.

    Our concerns with this behaviour are widely shared, as was reflected at the September Board by the statement made by Denmark on behalf of a group of 63 member states. We have already indicated that if Iran fails to implement the essential and urgent actions contained in the November 2022 Resolution, the Board will have to be prepared to take further action in support of the Secretariat to hold Iran accountable in the near future, including the possibility of additional resolutions. Iran cannot continue its lack of cooperation Board after Board without bearing consequences. The further Iran goes down its conscious path of non-cooperation, the closer this Board will get to reaching the conclusion that the Agency is not able to verify that there has been no diversion of nuclear material.

    We reiterate that, should Iran enable the IAEA Director General to conclude that these issues have been clarified and resolved and are no longer outstanding, we will not deem further reports and Board discussion necessary.

    We would like to thank the IAEA for their impartial and professional work on this issue. We request the Director General to continue reporting to the Board of Governors and welcome making the report contained in GOV/2023/58 public, in line with longstanding practice.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Badenoch welcomes Autumn Statement that backs British business and unlocks economic growth [November 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : Badenoch welcomes Autumn Statement that backs British business and unlocks economic growth [November 2023]

    The press release issued by the Department for Business and Trade on 22 November 2023.

    The Secretary of State for Business and Trade reacts to today’s Autumn Statement and what this means for businesses and consumers.

    At today’s Autumn Statement the Chancellor announced a range of proposals promoted by the Department for Business and Trade that provide further financial backing to UK businesses, will improve regulation, and stimulate investment and growth across the country. The government will further set out its priorities for supporting growth and attracting investment at the Global Investment Summit on Monday 27 November.

    Welcoming the Autumn Statement, Business and Trade Secretary Kemi Badenoch said:

    My department put forward a number of measures for the Autumn Statement intended to help boost British businesses of all sizes and place their success at the heart of the Government’s agenda.

    The Autumn Statement has taken on several of these proposals and gives businesses the certainty to invest in the future, cuts costs through lower taxes, and provides small and medium-sized businesses with greater confidence that they will be paid on time.

    As the department for economic growth, DBT will continue to bring together the Government’s work to open markets abroad and back business at home.

    The Autumn Statement contained a range of pro-business, pro-growth measures including:

    • More than £2 billion over the next five years earmarked for the automotive industry via the Advanced Manufacturing Plan. The funding will support the UK’s manufacturing sector, supply chain and development of zero emission vehicles and will oversee £975 million of funding to support Airbus and Rolls-Royce develop technologies for the next generation of aircraft and engines. The new funding builds on the UK’s existing strong investment environment and support, including support such as the British Industry Supercharger and the Industrial Energy Transformation Fund, as well as cross-economy measures, such as the lowest corporation tax in the G7 and making full expensing for plant and machinery investments permanent.
    • Permanent Full Expensing – giving businesses the certainty to confidently invest for less. A company can now permanently claim 100% capital allowances on qualifying main rate plant and machinery investments, meaning that for every pound invested its taxes are cut by up to 25p.
    • A business rates support package worth £4.3 billion over the next 5 years will help high streets and protect those small businesses that are the backbones of communities. This includes a rollover of 75% Retail, Hospitality and Leisure relief for 230,000 properties and a freeze to the small business multiplier, which will protect around 90% of ratepayers for a fourth consecutive year.
    • We intend to establish a new Growth Fund within the British Business Bank (BBB) with a permanent capital base of over £7bn to crowd-in pension scheme capital to the UK’s most promising businesses.
    • Further funding for two BBB programmes – the Long-Term Investment in Technology and Science (LIFTS) scheme which will make £250 million available to successful bidders in order to increase investment in key science and technology sectors, and £50 million for the Future Fund Breakthrough scheme to continue backing businesses which focus heavily on Research and Development.
    • SME support – including tougher regulation on late payers, Smarter Regulation on improving price transparency for consumers, the expansion of Made Smarter in Great Britain and continued funding for Help to Grow.
    • The existing R&D Expenditure Credit and Small and Medium Enterprise Scheme will be merged from April 2024, simplifying the system and boosting innovation in the UK.
    • Freeport tax reliefs in England will be extended from five to ten years until September 2031, providing greater certainty to businesses looking to invest, delivering growth and jobs, and levelling up the economy.
  • PRESS RELEASE : The UK is committed to building a fairer international tax system for all – UK statement at the UN Second Committee [November 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : The UK is committed to building a fairer international tax system for all – UK statement at the UN Second Committee [November 2023]

    The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 22 November 2023.

    Explanation of vote by Ambassador to the General Assembly Richard Croker at the UN Second Committee.

    The UK strongly supports developing countries’ efforts to scale-up domestic resource mobilisation to finance sustainable development.

    At the UN General Assembly this year, our Deputy Prime Minister announced a new £17 million package to help developing countries collect taxes owed to them. We are funding peer-to-peer capacity building for revenue authorities in African countries including Ghana and Rwanda. We currently chair the OECD Forum on Tax Administration’s Capacity Building Network and we are contributing to the UNDP-OECD Tax Inspectors Without Borders initiative.

    As I set out earlier, our new International Development White Paper published on Monday commits to building a stronger and fairer international tax system for all.

    We champion this work through the OECD’s Inclusive Framework on Base Erosion and Profit Shifting and the Global Forum on Tax Transparency, which uniquely have the technical expertise, wide-reaching global membership, and political support to advance this agenda effectively through consensus-based policy-making.

    These are strengthening our collective ability to address tax evasion and avoidance, combat harmful tax practices, and tackle evolving challenges posed by digitalisation.

    We are also supporting efforts to strengthen the inclusion and voice of developing countries in these mechanisms.

    As we have acknowledged during negotiations on this resolution, we think there is space for intergovernmental discussions on tax at the UN, which builds on existing initiatives. We believe it is possible to achieve this without duplicating the work of the Inclusive Framework and Global Forum, putting greater resource burdens on countries or fragmenting the international tax system.

    Proceeding with Option 2, a “framework convention”, would be duplicative and create a parallel system rather than a complementary process. This risks fragmenting the international tax system, and would be negative for all countries.

    That is why we and many others are not able to support this resolution today.

    Any new process on tax at the UN should be based on a broad consensus to be effective. Unfortunately, as we have seen from the vote just now, this resolution does not command a consensus, with over a third of all Member States not supporting it today.

    That is why we proposed a compromise based around Option 3 of the Secretary General’s report which could have achieved consensus, and put that to a vote. We hope that members continue to see that as an option which can be returned to in the future.

    Thank you.

  • PRESS RELEASE : The UK welcomes the agreement for a coordinated release of hostages and pause in the fighting in Gaza – UK statement at the UN Security Council [November 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : The UK welcomes the agreement for a coordinated release of hostages and pause in the fighting in Gaza – UK statement at the UN Security Council [November 2023]

    The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 22 November 2023.

    Statement by Ambassador James Kariuki at the UN Security Council meeting on Gaza.

    Thank you, President, I thank Executive Directors Bahous, Russell, and Kanem for briefing us today.

    The humanitarian crisis unfolding in Gaza is acute. The loss that innocent civilians are suffering is incomprehensible. Too many – including women and children – are losing their lives. Our collective priority must be to alleviate this suffering. It is crucial that all sides uphold international humanitarian law and take all possible measures to protect innocent civilians, including at hospitals and schools.

    We welcome the announcement of the agreement reached today for a coordinated release of hostages and pause in the fighting. This is a crucial step towards providing relief to the families of the hostages and addressing the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. We urge all parties to ensure the agreement is delivered in full.

    The UK welcomes the immense international cooperation, including the efforts from Qatar, Egypt, the US, and Israel, that has led to an agreement being reached.

    President, this pause provides an important opportunity to ensure much greater volumes of food, fuel and other life-saving aid can reach Gaza on a sustained basis. We are particularly concerned for civilians in northern Gaza, where there has been no water or food supplied for at least two weeks, and hospitals and health centres are unable to function. These people urgently need help, and they need it now.

    The UK continues to call and advocate for increased land access through the Rafah crossing, and the full opening of the Kerem Shalom crossing, to get critical goods into Gaza at much greater speeds. We continue to press Israel to authorise the entry of at least 200,000 litres of fuel per day.

    Whilst the UK regrets that resolution 2712 could not clearly condemn Hamas’ terror attacks of 7 October, we strongly support the objective of that resolution: to get aid in, and hostages and civilians out. And to achieve that objective, we call for the resolution’s urgent implementation.

    Finally, President, we share colleagues’ concerns about escalatory actions which disrupt regional peace and security. The UK is intensively engaging with partners to prevent further escalation. We condemn the unlawful seizure of the MV Galaxy Leader by the Houthis on 19 November and call for the immediate, and unconditional, release of the ship and its crew.

    We continue to work towards a two-state solution which provides justice and security for both Israelis and Palestinians.

    I thank you.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Trade Update – UK-Gulf Cooperation Council FTA [November 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : Trade Update – UK-Gulf Cooperation Council FTA [November 2023]

    The press release issued by the Department for Business and Trade on 22 November 2023.

    Update on the fifth round of negotiations for a free trade agreement between the UK and the Gulf Cooperation Council.

    The fifth round of negotiations for a free trade agreement (FTA) between the UK and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) took place between 5 and 16 November.

    The round was hosted by the GCC in Riyadh and held in a hybrid fashion. A number of UK negotiators travelled to Riyadh for in-person discussions with others attending virtually.

    Draft treaty text was advanced across the majority of chapters. Technical discussions were held across 21 policy areas over 40 sessions. Good progress was made and both sides remain committed to securing an ambitious, comprehensive and modern agreement fit for the 21st century.

    An FTA will be a substantial economic opportunity and a significant moment in the UK-GCC relationship. Total trade was worth £61.5 billion according to latest figures.

    The sixth round of negotiations is expected to be held in the first quarter of 2024.

    His Majesty’s Government remains clear that any deal signed will be in the best interests of the British people and the United Kingdom economy.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Foreign Secretary commits to working closely with Islamic states on Israel-Gaza crisis at Lancaster House meeting [November 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : Foreign Secretary commits to working closely with Islamic states on Israel-Gaza crisis at Lancaster House meeting [November 2023]

    The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 22 November 2023.

    The Foreign Secretary hosted a delegation of Foreign Ministers from Arab and Islamic countries in London.

    • the Foreign Secretary hosted Foreign Ministers from Arab and Islamic countries at Lancaster House today to discuss co-operation on the crisis in Israel and Gaza
    • discussions with the Arab-Islamic Ministerial Committee focused on how to secure the release of all hostages, increase the amount of aid into Gaza, and reach a long-term political solution to the crisis
    • visit followed agreement reached overnight between Israel and Hamas on coordinated hostage releases and a pause in the fighting

    Following the agreement reached between Israel and Hamas for coordinated hostage releases and a 4-day pause in the fighting, the Foreign Secretary emphasised the importance of allowing humanitarian organisations to bring in more fuel so they can carry out lifesaving work unimpeded – including powering hospitals or desalination plants, which supply 80% of Gaza’s water.

    The Foreign Secretary discussed with leaders at the meeting how to reinvigorate diplomatic efforts towards a viable two-state solution, which provides security for both Israelis and Palestinians, and restated the UK’s condemnation of the rise in settler violence in the West Bank.

    He committed to continued UK support to prevent wider regional escalation, including in Lebanon and Yemen.

    Foreign Secretary David Cameron said:

    Today I have chaired a meeting of leaders from Arab countries and other Islamic states on the situation in Israel and Gaza.

    The agreement reached last night is an important opportunity to get the hostages out and more aid into Gaza to help the Palestinian people.

    We discussed how to use this step forward to think about the future and how we can build a peaceful future which provides security for Israel but also peace and stability for the Palestinian people.

    Foreign Ministers from Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Egypt, the Palestinian Authority, Turkey, Indonesia and Nigeria, as well as the Secretary General of the League of Arab States and Ambassador of Qatar attended the event in London.

    The group was formed as a ‘Peace Committee’ at the Joint Arab Islamic Extraordinary Summit, held in Riyadh on 11 November. The group are visiting the capitals of Permanent Members of the UN Security Council, arriving in London after meetings in Beijing and Moscow, with further travel planned to Paris and Washington.

    The UK has helped lead the international response to the humanitarian crisis, by recently announcing £30 million in additional aid to the Occupied Palestinian Territories on 23 October – more than doubling the existing aid commitment for this year (£27 million).

  • PRESS RELEASE : Chancellor backs business and rewards workers to get Northern Ireland growing [November 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : Chancellor backs business and rewards workers to get Northern Ireland growing [November 2023]

    The press release issued by HM Treasury on 22 November 2023.

    Tax cuts for working people and UK businesses headlined Chancellor Jeremy Hunt’s Autumn Statement.

    • Plan for stronger economy will reward hard work, with 800,000 workers in Northern Ireland to benefit from £311 back into their pocket thanks to National Insurance tax cut from January.
    • Biggest permanent tax cut in modern UK history for businesses will help them invest for less and boost investment by £20 billion per year over the next decade.
    • Government is making work pay with National Living Wage rise to benefit 140,000 in Northern Ireland, representing boost of £1,800 to the average annual earnings of a full-time worker.
    • Pubs, breweries and distillers in Northern Ireland backed by freezing alcohol duty for six months to August 2024.
    • Public finances in a better position than in March thanks to government action, with borrowing and debt as a share of the economy down on average across the next five years.
    • Autumn Statement gets the economy growing, debt falling and helps return inflation to its 2% target – long-term decisions to build a brighter future.

    Tax cuts for working people and UK businesses headlined Chancellor Jeremy Hunt’s ‘Autumn Statement for Growth’ today, Wednesday 22 November.

    Aimed at building a stronger and more resilient economy, the Chancellor set out a plan to unlock growth and productivity by boosting business investment by £20 billion a year, getting more people into work, and cutting tax for 29 million workers across the UK – the biggest tax cut on work since the 1980s.

    Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Chris Heaton-Harris, said:

    “Today’s Autumn Statement provides welcome support for Northern Ireland people on the cost of living, measures for businesses to promote growth, and exciting plans to foster further innovation.

    “The National Insurance cut combined with the increase in the National Living Wage will mean a pay boost for nearly one million people in Northern Ireland, while tax measures such as full expensing will benefit local businesses.

    “There’s also exciting news that the Belfast region has secured £3.8 million wireless innovation funding to become one of the UK’s 10 5G Innovation Regions.

    “Since the 2021 Spending Review, the UK Government has provided an average of £15 billion per year for Northern Ireland public services.

    “We will work with the Northern Ireland Executive once power sharing is restored to determine how the UK government can continue supporting Northern Ireland going forward.”

    With higher revenues resulting from stronger growth than previously projected and the pledge to halve inflation having been met, the government has stabilised the economy through taking sound decisions. As set out by the Prime Minister this week, the stronger outlook means taxes can now be cut in a serious, responsible way.

    To that end, Mr Hunt announced that a 2 percentage cut to Employee National Insurance from 12% to 10% will come into effect from January 2024.

    Taxes for the self-employed in Northern Ireland will also be cut and reformed. From April 2024, Class 4 NICs for the self-employed will be reduced from 9% to 8% and no self-employed person will have to pay Class 2 NICs.

    Taken together, this is the largest ever cut to employee and self-employed National Insurance – a UK-wide tax cut of £9 billion per year that amounts to a £311 average annual tax cut for 800,000 workers in Northern Ireland, almost immediately improving living standards for hundreds of thousands of people and rewarding hard-work as the government builds an economy for the future.

    Businesses will also benefit from the biggest business tax cut in modern British history. As signalled at Spring Budget, the Chancellor announced permanent Full Expensing: Invest for Less for those investing in IT equipment, plant, and machinery.

    Full Expensing: Invest for Less is an effective permanent tax cut of £11 billion a year, boosting business investment by £14 billion across the forecast period and helping to grow the economy. With the tax cut now permanent, the UK will continue to have both the lowest headline corporation tax rate in the G7 and the most generous capital allowances in the OECD group of major advanced economies, such as the United States, Japan, South Korea and Germany. Since the introduction of the super deduction – the predecessor to full expensing – in 2021, investment in the UK has grown the fastest in the G7.

    To further ensure that work pays, Mr Hunt confirmed that the National Living Wage will increase by nearly 10% to £11.44 an hour from April 2024, the largest ever cash increase.

    Measures to help families and businesses include an alcohol duty freeze to 1st August 2024, benefitting pub-goers and industry following common-sense changes of the duty system. Actions today take the government’s total support for the cost-of-living between 2022-25 beyond the £100 billion mark, to an average of £3,700 per household.

    As a result of decisions taken today that do not apply UK-wide, the Barnett Formula will provide £185 million to the Northern Ireland Executive over the next two years. Recognising the unique challenges Northern Ireland faces, the UK Government has provided around £7 billion in additional funding to Northern Ireland since 2014, on top of the Barnett-based block grant. The Northern Ireland Budget per person remains around 20% higher than equivalent UK Government spending in other parts of the UK.

    Decisions on how the £185 million will be allocated with regard to repaying Reserve claims will be set out in due course, as is routine.

    Earlier this year, the UK government agreed the Windsor Framework delivering the smooth flow of trade and protecting Northern Ireland’s place in the Union, providing a good basis for the return of a restored Executive.

    The UK government remains attentive to the needs of the people of Northern Ireland in the absence of the Executive, with the Chief Secretary to the Treasury recently granting a request to make available £15 million of reallocated funding to support communities hit by flooding. It was also confirmed today that £3 million of funding will be delivered for the Tackling Paramilitarism Programme, as was announced at Spring Budget.

    Accompanying forecasts by the OBR confirm that today’s measures will make the economy permanently bigger, with growth every year of the forecast period. Borrowing and debt as a share of the economy are lower than in Spring this year and next year, with borrowing also lower on average across the forecast by comparison. They also confirm that inflation is expected to return to target in line with the Prime Minister’s economic priorities.

    Tax

    With inflation halved and debt forecast to fall, Mr Hunt delivered on the government’s commitment to cut taxes – rewarding and incentivising work as part of its long-term plan to grow the economy.

    • The main rate of Employee National Insurance will be cut by 2 percentage points from 12% to 10%, coming into effect from January 2024 – delivering the benefit of a tax cut quickly for 27 million workers.
    • The combined rate of income tax and National Insurance for employees paying the basic rate of tax will therefore fall from 32% to 30% – the lowest combined basic rate since the 1980s.
    • The rate of Class 4 NICs on all earnings between £12,570 and £50,270 will be cut by 1p, from 9% to 8% from April 2024.
    • The weekly Class 2 NICs – the flat rate compulsory charge which is currently £3.45 paid by self-employed people earning more than £12,570 – will effectively be abolished, with no-one required to pay from April 2024. Access to contributory benefits will be maintained and those currently paying voluntarily will still be able to do so at the same rate.
    • The cuts to Class 4 and Class 2 together amount to a tax cut of £350 a year for the average self-employed person on £28,200, with around 2 million individuals to benefit.

    Business

    Measures to back British businesses big and small will remove barriers to investment and help to bridge the productivity gap between the UK and its G7 peers – unlocking £20 billion extra business investment per year over the next decade.

    • Permanent Full Expensing will create the certainty that businesses need to confidently invest for less. A company can now permanently claim 100% capital allowances on qualifying main rate plant and machinery investments, meaning that for every pound invested its taxes are cut by up to 25p.
    • Pension reforms, including through establishing a new Growth Fund within the British Business Bank, will help unlock an extra £75 billion of financing for high-growth companies by 2030 while providing an extra £1,000 a year in retirement for the average earner saving from 18.
    • SMEs will be supported with tougher regulation on late payers to improve prompt payments and continued funding for Help to Grow.
    • The existing R&D Expenditure Credit and Small and Medium Enterprise Scheme will be merged from April 2024, simplifying the system and boosting innovation in the UK.
    • The rate at which loss-making companies are taxed within the merged scheme will be reduced from 25% to 19%, and the threshold for additional support for R&D intensive loss-making SMEs will be lowered to 30%, benefiting a further 5,000 SMEs.
    • The Climate Change Agreement Scheme will be extended, giving energy intensive businesses like steel, ceramics and breweries around £300 million of tax relief every year until 2033 to encourage investment in energy efficiency and support the Net Zero transition.

    Pay

    Mr Hunt set out steps to reward work and help make work pay in recognition of the need to expand the workforce and get those out of work back into work to deliver growth.

    • From 1 April 2024, the National Living Wage will increase by 9.8% to £11.44 an hour for eligible workers. For the first time this will include 21- and 22-year-olds. This represents an increase of over £1,800 to the annual earnings of a full-time worker on the NLW and is expected to benefit 140,000 low paid workers in Northern Ireland.
    • The government will also substantially increase the National Minimum Wage rates for young people and apprentices: for people aged 18-20 by 14.8% to £8.60 an hour, for 16-17 year olds and apprentices by 21.2% to £6.40 an hour.

    Infrastructure and levelling up

    The Chancellor unveiled supply-side measures and funding packages to benefit businesses and local communities across Northern Ireland.

    • £4.5 billion of funding for UK manufacturers in the high-growth industries of the future, including £960 million earmarked for the Green Industries Growth Accelerator to support clean energy.
    • £3.8 million wireless innovation funding confirmed for Belfast region to become one of the UK’s 5G Innovation Regions.
    • To prioritise those who want to invest in the UK’s future, the government has accepted in principle the headline recommendations of Lord Harrington’s review into increasing foreign direct investment. This includes additional resource for the Office for Investment, allowing it to deepen its world-class concierge offer to strategically important investors.
    • The life sciences will also be supported as one of the Chancellor’s key-growth sectors, with £20 million to speed up the development of new dementia treatments coming as part of the government’s full response to the O’Shaughnessy Review of commercial clinical trials in the UK.