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Category: Press Releases

  • PRESS RELEASE : Funfair heir, Harry Jones, has prison sentence extended [November 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : Funfair heir, Harry Jones, has prison sentence extended [November 2023]

    The press release issued by the Attorney General’s Office on 14 November 2023.

    Harry Jones, from Cradley Heath, Wolverhampton, had his 10-year term increased by four years after the Solicitor General referred his sentence as being unduly lenient.

    The court heard that Jones had fallen out with his colleague Daniel Tulley and the pair arranged a fight over social media.

    On 4 November 2019, Jones drove round to Tulley’s home in Bloxwich where he threatened his partner before tracking Tulley down on Clayhanger Road, Brownhills.  The incident culminated in Tulley being struck by a car and thrown off the bonnet when the vehicle stopped.

    Jones fled the scene without checking on Tulley who was left with serious injuries and in need of emergency brain surgery. He spent more than a month in hospital and has been left with serious long-term injuries.

    The Solicitor General, Michael Tomlinson KC MP, said:

    Harry Jones may have been a respectable local businessman but his actions that day were utterly deplorable. His personal dispute with Daniel Tulley has left him with severe long-term injuries which will impact his life forever.

    The court also took a dim view of Harry Jones’ heinous actions and have increased his prison term, sending a stark warning that leaving someone for dead has serious consequences.

    Harry Jones was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment at Wolverhampton Crown Court on 21 July 2023 for one count of grievous bodily harm with intent.

    On Tuesday 14 November the Court of Appeal increased Jones’s sentence to 14 years after it was referred under the Unduly Lenient Sentence scheme.

  • PRESS RELEASE : 44th Universal Periodic Review of human rights – UK statement on Bangladesh [November 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : 44th Universal Periodic Review of human rights – UK statement on Bangladesh [November 2023]

    The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 14 November 2023.

    Simon Manley, the UK’s Permanent Representative to the WTO and UN, delivered a statement during Bangladesh’s Universal Periodic Review at the Human Rights Council.

    Thank you, Mr President,

    The United Kingdom welcomes steps taken by the government of Bangladesh to promote and protect human rights, as well as its continued hosting of nearly 1 million Rohingya. We look forward to a free, fair, participatory, and peaceful national election next year.

    We recommend that Bangladesh:

    1. Take measures to guarantee a safe and transparent environment for civil society, human rights defenders and the media, ensuring that they can exercise their right to freedom of expression and assembly without fear of repercussions.
    2. Take steps to ensure the full independence of the judiciary from the Executive and Parliament.
    3. Continue working with partners at all levels to protect the rights of women and girls, empowering them to fulfil their potential and lead a healthy life, free from gender-based violence.

    Thank you.

  • PRESS RELEASE : 44th Universal Periodic Review of human rights – UK statement on Russia [November 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : 44th Universal Periodic Review of human rights – UK statement on Russia [November 2023]

    The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 14 November 2023.

    Simon Manley, the UK’s Permanent Representative to the WTO and UN, delivered a statement during Russia’s Universal Periodic Review at the Human Rights Council.

    Thank you, Mr President

    Where does one start? Since the last UPR, Russia’s repression at home has intensified, enabling its oppression overseas, not least the continuing atrocities in Ukraine, many of which the Commission of Inquiry and OHCHR consider amount to war crimes.

    The UK recommends that Russia:

    • Cease the forcible transfer and deportation of Ukrainian children to Russia and within the temporarily Russian-controlled territories of Ukraine; and immediately returns all affected Ukrainian children.
    • Release all those detained on political grounds, such as Alexei Navalny, or for opposing the war, including Vladimir Kara-Murza.
    • Repeal legislation that enables its crackdown on anti-war protest, independent media and civil society.
  • PRESS RELEASE : Scottish Secretary responds to Labour Market stats for Nov 2023 [November 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : Scottish Secretary responds to Labour Market stats for Nov 2023 [November 2023]

    The press release issued by the Office of the Secretary of State for Scotland on 14 November 2023.

    Alister Jack says measures to remove barriers to work are effective, with a near record number of people on company payrolls in Scotland.

    Scottish Secretary Alister Jack said:

    Our employment record remains strong and our reforms are working – with a near record number of people on company payrolls in Scotland, up 23,000 from this time last year.

    Bolstered by our direct investment in Scotland of £2.5 billion from our levelling up agenda, we are on track to halve inflation and grow the economy for long-term prosperity right across the UK.

    Additional information:

    • Measures from the UK Government’s £3.5 billion investment in removing barriers to work are making a difference – including the mid-life MOT for over-50s and increasing the amount that can be claimed for childcare by those on Universal Credit.
    • The ONS has published a regional breakdown on payrolled employees. The estimates for Scotland show that the number of payrolled employees rose by 0.9% compared with October 2022, a rise of 22,654 employees to 2,456,355.
    • The number of payrolled employees in Scotland was up 3.7%- since February 2020, a rise of 87,660 employees.
    • Pay estimates for Great Britain show that annual growth in regular pay (excluding bonuses) in Great Britain was 7.7% in July to September 2023, slightly down on the previous periods, but is still among the highest annual growth rates since comparable records began in 2001.
    • In real terms annual growth for total pay rose on the year by 1.4%, and regular pay rose on the year by 1.3%.
  • PRESS RELEASE : British Prime Ministers who returned to government [November 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : British Prime Ministers who returned to government [November 2023]

    The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 14 November 2023.

    David Cameron became the latest former British Prime Minister to serve in a government led by another PM this week.

    There is no fixed role for former British Prime Ministers once they leave office, and many have remained as Members of Parliament or returned to serve in governments led by others.

    This week, David Cameron was appointed Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, making him the latest former Prime Minister to return to Cabinet under a different Prime Minister.

    He served as Prime Minister from 2010 to 2016, leading Britain’s first coalition government in nearly 70 years before forming the first majority Conservative government in the UK for almost two decades.

    Now, he becomes Foreign Secretary – making him the first former Prime Minister to serve in the position after Sir Alec Douglas-Home, who took up the role from 1970-1974.

    Here are some of the past Prime Ministers who returned to Cabinet after their premiership.

    See David Cameron’s first Cabinet meeting as Foreign Secretary with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak here.

    Alec Douglas-Home

    After his four-seat defeat to Harold Wilson at the 1964 general election, Douglas-Home returned to join Edward Heath’s Cabinet as Foreign Secretary in 1970.

    He was an unexpected Prime Minister and did not originally seek the position before being elected in 1963. He served for 363 days, and his government is remembered for overseeing the abolition of resale price maintenance.

    Neville Chamberlain

    Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain stood down as Prime Minister after coming under attack from all political sides after the failure of the British efforts to liberate Norway.

    Following his resignation in May 1940, Chamberlain remained leader of the Conservative Party and acted briefly as Lord President of the Council, with ministerial responsibility for the Privy Council Office.

    The Privy Council advises on the exercise of prerogative business and certain functions assigned to The King and the Council by Acts of Parliament.

    Soon after standing down as Prime Minister, he was struck down with bowel cancer, forcing him to resign from Winston Churchill’s coalition government and as leader of the party. He died shortly after his resignation.

    Arthur Balfour

    Arthur Balfour was Prime Minister for three years before defeats in the Commons and in by-elections led to his resignation in December 1905.

    He continued to lead his party until 1911 and would go on to serve as a Cabinet Minister for eleven years during and after the First World War.

    In 1915 he became First Lord of the Admiralty – the government’s most senior advisor of naval affairs – in the wartime coalition. He became Foreign Secretary in David Lloyd George’s coalition in 1916, and for the greater part of the 1920s he was Lord President of the Council in Stanley Baldwin’s government.

    Other Prime Ministers who returned to serve in government include Lord John Russell, Viscount Goderich and the Duke of Wellington, who after two brief terms as Prime Minister served as a minister in Robert Peel’s government.

    Former Prime Ministers who have returned to government:

    • David Cameron.

    Premiership: 2010 to 2016

    Role: Foreign Secretary

    • Alec Douglas-Home

    Premiership: 1963 to 1964

    Role: Foreign Secretary

    • Neville Chamberlain

    Premiership: 1937 to 1940

    Role: Lord President of the Council

    • James Ramsay Macdonald

    Premiership: 1924 to 1924, 1929 to 1935

    Role: Lord President of the Council

    • Stanley Baldwin

    Premiership: 1923 to 1924, 1924 to 1929, 1935 to 1937

    Role: Lord President of the Council

    • Arthur Balfour

    Premiership: 1902 to 1905

    Role: First Lord of the Admiralty, Foreign Secretary, Lord President of the Council

    • John Russell

    Premiership: 1846 to 1852, 1865 to 1866

    Role: Foreign Secretary

    • Arthur Wellesley

    Premiership: 1828 to 1830, 1834 to 1834

    Role: Foreign Secretary, Leader of the House of Lords

    • Frederick Robinson

    Premiership: 1827 to 1828

    Role: Lord Privy Seal, President of the Board of Trade, President of the India Board

    • Henry Addington

    Premiership: 1908 to 1916

    Role: Home Secretary

    • William Cavendish-Bentinck

    Premiership: 1783 to 1783, 1807 to 1809

    Role: Home Secretary

    • Frederick North

    Premiership: 1770 to 1782

    Role: Home Secretary

    • Augustus FitzRoy

    Premiership: 1768 to 1770

    Role: Lord Privy Seal

    • William Cavendish

    Premiership: 1756 to 1757

    Role: Lord Chamberlain

    • Thomas Pelham-Holles

    Premiership: 1754 to 1756, 1757 to 1762

    Role: Lord Privy Seal

    Click here to find out more about the latest ministerial appointments

  • PRESS RELEASE : Culture Secretary celebrates northern creativity in Manchester [November 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : Culture Secretary celebrates northern creativity in Manchester [November 2023]

    The press release issued by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on 14 November 2023.

    • Culture Secretary hosts WeCreate conference in Manchester to meet with businesses in the creative industries and forge ahead with plans to grow creative industries by £50 billion by 2030
    • Six areas across England awarded share of £10.9 million to scale up hundreds of creative industry businesses, boosting access to private finance and business support
    • Grassroots music venues, promoters and festivals across England encouraged to apply for share of £5 million investment to help develop new audiences and income opportunities

    Hundreds of creative businesses will benefit from more than £10 million of targeted support to attract investment and create jobs as part of the Government’s goal to grow the creative industries by £50 billion by 2030.

    It comes as Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer brings together more than 140 cultural and creative businesses across film, TV, fashion, music and video games at the WeCreate conference at Aviva Studios in Manchester, to celebrate the success of the creative industries across the North of England and discuss how government and the sectors can work together to maximise their potential even further.

    Firms across Greater Manchester – such as Broaden Films and Scoop PR – have already benefited from the first round of the government’s Create Growth Programme. Today the Culture Secretary is doubling the areas covered by the programme, announcing six new areas that will receive a share of £10.9 million for targeted business support, bringing the total number of creative organisations expected to be supported by the programme to 1,800.

    The expansion of the Create Growth Programme will see creative businesses across Nottinghamshire, Hull and East Yorkshire, West Midlands, West Yorkshire, Devon and Hertfordshire supported to access private investment and scale-up advice – to turn today’s start-up founders into tomorrow’s CEOs.

    The Culture Secretary is also calling on grassroots music venues, recording studios, promoters and festivals to apply for grants of up to £40,000 to develop new revenue streams, make repairs and improvements, and enhance the live music experience for millions of gig-goers across the UK.

    Addressing creative industry leaders in Manchester, Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer is expected to say:

    Today is about not only celebrating all the things that make our creative industries special, but looking ahead to the future and how we, together, can chart a course that keeps these crown jewels of our economy shining for years to come.

    We’re already making progress towards the ambitious goals set out in our sector vision, unveiling millions in new funding to drive growth in our grassroots and scale ups and banging the drum for creative careers.

    From 2010 to 2019, the creative industries grew more than one and a half times faster than the wider economy and in 2021 they generated £108 billion in economic value. In 2021, they employed 2.3 million people – a 49% increase since 2011. The Government has identified the creative industries as one of five priority sectors to deliver future growth and the Creative Industries Sector Vision set out an ambition to grow these sectors by £50 billion by 2030.

    As part of the work to reach this ambition, the WeCreate conference will include a panel discussion on how business and government can work together to maximise investment in the creative industries, as well as a discussion about the adoption of emerging tech in order to drive growth and the challenges and opportunities which AI brings to this.

    The conference will be attended by key organisations in the creative industries from across the North of England, including Wakefield Production Park, the Royal Armouries Museum and the Manchester Film Festival, as well as national organisations such as Pinewood Studios, Channel 4 and the British Fashion Council.

    The Culture Secretary is launching a new round of the Supporting Grassroots Music Fund, which has been expanded to ensure grants reach more parts of the grassroots industry, including rehearsal and recording studios, promoters, festivals and venues hosting electronic music. The broader eligibility criteria reflects the wide range of spaces and skills that are needed to help musicians perform and thrive.

    Darren Henley, Chief Executive of Arts Council England, said:

    This investment by the UK Government and Arts Council England reaffirms our commitment to supporting this hugely important part of the music industry. People value the opportunity to develop and express their creativity, and the grassroots music sector excels at allowing communities to design and develop creative and cultural activity where they live.

    We hope this new funding will continue to address the needs of the sector and empower it to carry on offering high-quality live music experiences for audiences across the country.

    A pipeline of skills is key to industry growth, and the WeCreate conference comes at the beginning of this year’s Discover! Creative Careers Week, with digital resources and over 70 in-person and virtual events in more than 270 schools and colleges across the country to introduce the next generation of creatives to different sectors, job roles and career pathways. This builds on support from the Local Skills Improvement Fund – announced last week – to improve creative skills training, deliver new creative courses and invest in new facilities and equipment across West Yorkshire, Berkshire, Hampshire, Hertfordshire and London.

    It will see Calderdale College in Halifax, West Yorkshire, receive £1.2 million to establish a state-of-the-art creative skills hub in Halifax, which will develop and deliver new digital courses covering the latest digital technologies being used across theatre, film, TV, music and video games. Meanwhile, North Hertfordshire College will receive £485,000 to develop courses that meet the skills needs of the film and production industries, and deliver industry-standard equipment for film and media projects.

    Notes to editors

    Create Growth Programme

    The Create Growth Programme, delivered by Innovate UK, was extended with new funding as part of the government’s vision for the creative industries announced earlier this summer, taking the fund’s total to £28.4 million. The funding will enable businesses to better monetise their ideas, access resources and attract private investment to scale up and maximise their potential. Businesses will be able to get access to relevant workshops and masterclasses as well as one-to-one mentoring with industry experts. The programme also provides support for hiring and scaling up and investment training programmes.

    The six areas awarded funding today as part of the £10.9 million expansion of the Create Growth Programme are:

    • Nottinghamshire
    • Hull and East Yorkshire
    • West Midlands
    • West Yorkshire
    • Devon
    • Hertfordshire

    The amount of funding each area will receive is not set and depends on the individual area’s business needs and the number of businesses that apply for grants and support. More details will become available as the programme progresses.

    Since launching in 2022, the programme has funded support for businesses across six regions to help local companies like Broaden Films, a Manchester-based video production company, which has been able to host its own entertainment festival, start building a new sustainable studio and work with more clients as a result of the support.

    The six areas already participating in the Create Growth Programme are:

    • Greater Manchester
    • Leicestershire
    • West of England, and Cornwall and Isles of Scilly
    • East Anglia
    • North East
    • Kent and the South East

    Supporting Grassroots Music Fund

    England’s grassroots music industry can now apply for grants from the £5 million Supporting Grassroots Music Fund, managed by Arts Council England (ACE). Grants of up to £40,000, available until March 2025 and delivered through National Lottery Project Grants, will help recipients do things like improve lighting and sound equipment, pay for repairs, and produce more live streamed content to diversify their income and build new audiences.

    Since ACE launched the original Supporting Grassroots Live Music Fund in 2019, more than £9 million has been invested in over 450 projects. For example, music venue Komedia in Bath received £44,000 to help improve their sound and lighting equipment, while The Smokehouse in Ipswich received £15,000 to help them book a more diverse range of artists, and offer local artists opportunities to play alongside established names.

    More information about the Supporting Grassroots Music Fund can be found on the Arts Council website.

    Creative skills

    The seven creative projects receiving a share of £165 million from the Local Skills Improvement Fund are being led by:

    • Sparsholt College, Hampshire
    • Hertford Regional College, Hertfordshire
    • North Hertfordshire College, Hertfordshire
    • Havant and South Downs College, Hampshire
    • Activate Learning, Berkshire
    • West Thames College, London
    • Calderdale College, West Yorkshire
  • PRESS RELEASE : Transition period for XL Bully owners begins [November 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : Transition period for XL Bully owners begins [November 2023]

    The press release issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 14 November 2023.

    Owners who wish to keep their dogs must apply to an exemption scheme or instead can apply for compensation related to euthanasia costs.

    Further legislation to ban XL Bully type dogs has come into force today [14 November] as the transition period for owners to apply for an exemption scheme begins.

    During the transition period, which runs from now until 31 January 2024, owners who wish to keep their dogs must apply to an exemption scheme. Applications for exemption certificates are now open.

    Owners who instead choose to have their dog euthanised can apply for compensation.

    To receive a Certificate of Exemption, owners must hold active public liability insurance for their dog, have had their dog microchipped and pay the application fee.

    Owners will also be required to provide proof that their dog has been neutered by a certain date, depending on the age of the dog.

    If an XL Bully is less than one year old on 31 January 2024, it must be neutered by 31 December 2024. If an XL Bully is older than one year old on 31 January 2024, it must be neutered by 30 June 2024.

    Owners who successfully apply for a Certificate of Exemption must also comply with strict requirements throughout the lifetime of the dog. This includes keeping their dog on a lead and muzzled in public, and keeping the dog in a secure place so it cannot escape.

    After the transition period, owners without a Certificate of Exemption could receive a criminal record and an unlimited fine if they are found to be in possession of an XL Bully type.

    During the transition period, owners who no longer wish to keep their dogs and who arrange for a vet to euthanise them may apply for compensation towards this. Owners and their vets will need to complete a form in order to make a claim.

    Chief Veterinary Officer Christine Middlemiss said:

    “The transition period for XL Bully dogs has now started. It is important that XL Bully owners read the guidance and take all the necessary steps. This includes applying for a Certificate of Exemption if you want to keep your dog and ensuring they are muzzle trained by the end of the year, as your dog will need to be muzzled and on a lead in public after 31 December 2023.

    “XL breeders should have also now stopped breeding their dogs and I would advise all owners to make an appointment with your vet to get your XL Bully neutered as soon as possible.”

    The announcement follows the introduction of laws last month adding XL Bully type dogs to the list of dogs banned under the Dangerous Dogs Act.

    That legislation set out the requirement from 31 December for XL Bully type dogs to be kept on a lead and muzzled in public, and prohibits breeding, selling, advertising, gifting, exchanging and abandoning these dogs or letting them stray.

    All of these measures ensure that decisive action will be applied quickly to safeguard public safety.

    Owners can access the most up to date information on what action they need to take and when on this dedicated page, Prepare for the ban on XL Bully dogs – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).

    Owners whose dogs are dangerously out of control are already breaking the law, and the enforcement authorities have a full range of powers to apply penalties to them. Under the Dangerous Dogs Act, people can be put in prison for up to 14 years, be disqualified from ownership and their dangerous dogs can be euthanised.

  • PRESS RELEASE : New NIHR Research Delivery Network created [November 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : New NIHR Research Delivery Network created [November 2023]

    The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 14 November 2023.

    The network will play a critical and active role in supporting the health and care research system to bring innovative new treatments and care to patients, carers and the public.

    The new National Institute for Health and Care Research – Research Delivery Network (NIHR RDN) will commence in 2024 to support the successful delivery of health and social care research in England. It will take over from NIHR – Clinical Research Network (NIHR CRN) building on its successes, including the remarkable efforts made during the COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent recovery of the research system.

    The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has designated the University of Leeds as the single host of the new NIHR RDN Co-ordinating Centre (RDNCC) from 1 April 2024. This contract has been awarded following a commercial procurement exercise.

    From October 2024, they will be joined by 12 Regional Research Delivery Networks (RRDNs), hosted by NHS organisations the length and breadth of the country, to make up the NIHR RDN.

    The network will operate as one organisation across England and will play a critical and active role in implementing government policy, including:

    NIHR RDN will be a new organisation with new processes, structures and governance, working to ensure co-ordination and support through a consistent, customer-focused approach. It will increase capacity and capability across the health and care research system, supporting the successful delivery of high-quality research across England for the benefit of patients and the public. It represents a significant government investment to bolster the UK’s position as one of the best places in the world for innovative companies and investigators to carry out research.

    It will work across the health and care system, with staff in all health and care settings, to support the effective and efficient initiation and delivery of research. This will benefit people receiving care now and in the future, support the NHS and social care services and generate benefits for the economy of the UK.

    Growing the amount of commercial clinical research will be a key strategic ambition for the new network. This follows the publication of the review into commercial clinical trials by Lord O’Shaughnessy in May 2023 which set out a clear blueprint for how the UK can return to its global leadership role. The government will shortly be responding to the review in full.

    The network will focus on portfolio monitoring, identifying and resolving strategic challenges to ensure the research system is able to achieve its ambitions around innovative study methodology, increasing the diversity of populations taking part in research and broadening the settings in which research takes place. Research funders, sponsors and sites will remain responsible for the delivery of individual studies.

    It will provide funding to study sites that can be used to support the costs of research delivery across the entire study delivery pathway. It will provide financial oversight to ensure this funding is being used to support research and development activities and provide dedicated support to ensure study sites are recovering all appropriate costs to sustainably fund and grow research delivery staff and facilities.

    The network will provide an enhanced study support service which will facilitate smoother, interconnected access to research infrastructure for the life sciences industry and researchers. The expertise and site-level intelligence of staff from RRDNs will be drawn together with the national oversight and leadership of the RDNCC to provide a more effective end-to-end service for customers across the whole study pathway.

    Background

    DHSC funds research through NIHR, who work in partnership with the NHS, universities, local government, other research funders, patients and the public to fund, enable and deliver world-leading health and social care research that improves people’s health and wellbeing and promotes economic growth.

    See the NIHR press release for more information.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Winners of the first King’s Award for Voluntary Service announced [November 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : Winners of the first King’s Award for Voluntary Service announced [November 2023]

    The press release issued by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on 14 November 2023.

    • 262 charities, youth groups and museums across the UK recognised for their outstanding work
    • Previously known as The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service, this year marks the first award in the name of His Majesty King Charles III
    • Isle of Wight Literary Festival, Bangladeshi Youth Organisation and Swannington Heritage Trust among those awarded

    262 organisations across the UK have been awarded the first ever King’s Award for Voluntary Service, the highest award given to local volunteer groups in recognition of their outstanding community service.

    Formerly known as The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service, the award was established in 2002 to celebrate Queen Elizabeth II’s Golden Jubilee. It is equivalent to an MBE and is the highest honour awarded to voluntary groups.

    Awarded annually to some of the UK’s most inspiring volunteer-led groups for their charitable endeavours, this year 227 organisations from England, 20 from Scotland, six from Wales and nine from Northern Ireland have received the first ever King’s Award.

    Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer said:

    Each year, millions of volunteers give up their time to provide care and support, and this award recognises those truly making a difference to the lives of others across the United Kingdom.

    It’s brilliant to see the King continue the legacy of Her Late Majesty and reward those who support their local communities with kindness and compassion. Congratulations to all those who have been awarded.

    Sir Martyn Lewis CBE, the KAVS Chair said:

    I have no doubt that these awards will delight His Majesty The King, with his well-known commitment to volunteering, on his birthday. This year’s 262 King’s Awards for Voluntary Service honour truly impressive recipients across the length and breadth of the UK.

    The awardees work selflessly as groups of volunteers to address every conceivable kind of local issue across all our communities. We owe them huge congratulations, but also much more than that for the inestimable value they bring to our society.

    From charities offering financial and practical support to cardiac patients; local community arts and culture centres; search and rescue services and volunteer-run community radio stations, the work of the awardees is wide ranging. Organisations support young people, those suffering from loneliness and isolation, and ethnic minority groups amongst others.

    Recipients include:

    • BEEP Doctors (BASICs) Cumbria – a local charity delivering free highly-skilled emergency medical care to seriously injured patients across rural and urban Cumbria. In 2022, the organisation attended to 262 call outs and dedicated 1656 hours of volunteering.
    • Pegasus Men Wellbeing Centre in Redruth – a support centre offering free one-to-one counselling and wellbeing support to those in Cornwall experiencing a range of issues, including depression, relationship and family issues and managing stress.
    • Brill Village Community Herd – a volunteer group caring for a community-owned herd of cows grazing the common in the village of Brill, conserving the habitat and restoring biodiversity. Volunteers check on the herd and work together to relocate it to new grazing areas, bringing the local community together.
    • Northumberland Log Bank – a log bank delivering logs to those in need due to financial constraints, poor health, advanced age or rural isolation in rural Northumberland, aiming to support around 300 households this winter.
    • Isle of Wight Literary Festival – a registered charity promoting literature to enhance the education and wellbeing of the Island community. They currently have 50 volunteers who provide support to festival goers and speakers alike, maintaining the rooms and ensuring the annual event runs smoothly. The organisation also runs a Schools’ Programme to enrich the education of under 18s by increasing available cultural experiences.
    • Wolverhampton ALZ Cafe – a bi monthly gathering offering integrated support to people living with dementia, their families and the community in the West Midlands. They offer a range of free activities including social evenings where beneficiaries can enjoy music, dancing, food and drink as well as day trips.

    Throughout her 70-year reign, Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II took a keen interest in recognising outstanding work and acts of service by individuals and groups, a legacy being continued by His Majesty The King. From this year onwards, awardees will be announced annually on 14 November to mark The King’s birthday.

    The next round of awards will be assessed from December 2023 until May 2024, with the awardees being announced in November 2024.

  • PRESS RELEASE : New multi-million pound Programme helps British SMEs lead the way on net zero air travel [November 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : New multi-million pound Programme helps British SMEs lead the way on net zero air travel [November 2023]

    The press release issued by the Department for Business and Trade on 14 November 2023.

    The new ATI SME Programme will provide up to £10 million per year in funding opportunities for UK aerospace SMEs’ cutting-edge R&D projects.

    • Government launches new funding Programme targeting cutting-edge SME aerospace research projects to advance net zero aviation and boost high-skilled jobs.
    • Worth up to £10 million per year, the Programme will help secure more high-skilled aerospace jobs across the UK.
    • Funding provided through the Aerospace Technology Institute (ATI) will drive innovative UK SME research projects and grow UK’s share of global aerospace sector, helping to grow the economy.

    Cutting-edge British aerospace companies are set to benefit from a new multi-million pound SME Programme that will secure high-skilled jobs and help the UK lead the way on greener air travel.

    The Aerospace Technology Institute (ATI) SME Programme will offer UK-based small and medium-sized firms the chance to bid for a share of £10 million total funding per year towards their innovative research projects.

    The Programme is being announced by Industry Minister Nusrat Ghani today (14 November) at the ATI’s 2023 Conference in Birmingham. It will be delivered in partnership with the ATI and Innovate UK.

    Industry Minister Nusrat Ghani said:

    I’m delighted to announce the new ATI SME Funding Programme, which will help propel our world-leading aerospace sector to new heights in the pursuit of innovative, clean, green air travel.

    UK aerospace businesses, with their expertise and innovation, are helping drive the industry on its journey to Net Zero by 2050, and in the process are helping us grow the UK economy and support high-skill, high-wage jobs.

    ATI CEO Gary Elliott said:

    We know from the success of the ATI Programme that supporting advanced technologies secures market share for the UK, bringing economic benefit and delivering against the sector’s sustainability commitments on our journey to Destination Zero.

    By connecting capability and funding technology development, the SME Programme will benefit organisations of all sizes across the nations and regions of the UK.

    The new Programme will open to applications in February 2024 and aims to give SMEs the best opportunities possible to apply for funding to develop innovative technologies supporting the Government’s commitment to Jet Zero.

    This is the plan to achieve net zero carbon emissions for commercial aircraft by 2050, while also keeping the UK’s aerospace industry competitive in the sustainable design, manufacture, assembly and operation of future aircraft.

    The Programme will allow SMEs in the UK aerospace sector to bid for grants of up to £1.5 million each, helping to boost high-skilled jobs in the industry across the UK.

    It also builds on the Government’s commitment to backing UK aerospace R&D to succeed, as demonstrated by the ATI Programme, for which government provided £685 million in 2022.

    Support for organisations engaging with the SME Programme will be delivered by the ATI Hub. This will include sessions with ATI technologists, themed innovation workshops and guidance on preparing for a pitch-panel presentation.

    The ATI Hub can also generate new connections between start-ups, SMEs, bigger and tier one organisations which could become consortia applications to the SME Programme.