Category: Press Releases

PRESS RELEASE : New women’s sport investment scheme kicks off first round with seven sports represented [October 2023]
The press release issued by the Department for Business and Trade on 31 October 2023.

The Department for Business and Trade’s new Women’s Sport Investment Accelerator scheme has held its first session, with seven different sports represented.

20 top tier women’s sport leagues, teams and competitions across seven different sports took part in the first session of a new Government scheme to boost investment and increase broadcast audiences.

The Women’s Sport Investment Accelerator, launched by the Department for Business and Trade (DBT), will run for a year and bring together UK-based sports rightsholders – such as leagues, teams, competitions and events – who are seeking investment together with industry experts and sports investors.

Participants included elite women’s sport competitions such as the FA Women’s Super League, England Rugby, England Netball, England and Wales Cricket Board, Volleyball England and more.

Seven different sports were represented in total: football, rugby, netball, cricket, golf, sailing and volleyball. Investment in women’s sport is growing rapidly, and the industry is expected to be worth £1 billion a year by 2030.

Industry Minister Nusrat Ghani said:

It’s fantastic to see this scheme get off the mark as we aim to make the UK the world’s number one destination for women’s sport investment.

We’ve had so many brilliant women’s sport success stories this year. I’m excited to see the overwhelming appetite from leagues, teams and competitions from right across the breadth of women’s sports, and am proud to back this fast-growing sector as it pushes boundaries and grows to the next level.

In association with Deloitte’s Sports Business Group and supported by the International Working Group (IWG) on Women and Sport, the scheme is providing a series of sessions offering market insights, connections and networking events alongside comprehensive mentoring for rightsholders who are looking for investment.

This week marked the first of three flagship sessions of the scheme – the next of which takes place in January – with DBT also providing dedicated workshops for rightsholders on specific areas, such as growing broadcast revenues, unlocking new audiences and best practice for working with investors.

Holly Murdoch, The FA’s Head of Operations for the Women’s Professional Game, said:

We are proud to be involved in the new Women’s Sport Investment Accelerator initiative. This group will help to provide a platform that will benefit women’s sport across the country, through shared intelligence and support.

We have seen first-hand the incredible growth that women’s football is going through in England, with the unprecedented success of the Lionesses and the record-breaking seasons from across the Barclays Women’s Super League and the Barclays Women’s Championship.

Women’s sport has proven that it has the power to inspire people and positively impact lives – and we believe that creating this group of industry experts can be a catalyst to drive positive change for women’s sport across the country.

Tony Sutton, CEO of the Rugby Football League said:

We had an excellent first session of the Women’s Sport Investment Accelerator last night, with a really good mix of people, sports and organisations in the room which led to a high standard of debate, the benefit of some very relevant experience and some positive networking.

Personally, I made some good contacts from across the wider sports sector which I feel will be of a high value as we move through the programme.

Hannah Bruce, Head of Public Policy, England and Wales Cricket Board said:

Women’s sport is on an upward trajectory and cricket is proud to be on the journey to becoming a gender balanced sport. The first accelerator session was a fantastic opportunity for rightsholders to come together, share best practice and explore emerging trends.

We are grateful to the Department of Business and Trade and Deloitte for their support in showcasing what the best of UK women’s sport has to offer now and in the future.

Fiona McIntyre, Managing Director of the Scottish Women’s Premier League said:

I am delighted to have been selected to participate in the Women’s Sport Investment Accelerator programme on behalf of The Scottish Women’s Premier League (SWPL). External investment has been crucial to our recent growth, and will be even more vital as we strive to challenge women’s football in Scotland to think innovatively and ensure it meets its undoubted potential, both on and off the pitch.

This programme is exactly what women’s sport in the UK needs – creativity, innovation and support combined with the passion and motivation of those striving to raise the bar and create a new future for women’s sport in the UK.

Phoebe Tomlinson, England Rugby’s Commercial Partnerships Manager for the Women’s and Girls’ Game said:

It was hugely valuable to be part of the dynamic conversations around women’s sport. The open forum to discuss strategic plans, digital development and learn from other sports rights holders is key to the positive movement of women’s sport.

One of the highlights of the evening was learning about the robust commitment to investing in the women’s game and the exciting strides that have been made in commercialising it through innovative means.

Mark Foster, Chief Commercial Officer at England Netball said:

It was fantastic to attend the first session of the Women’s Sport Investment Accelerator programme on behalf of England Netball. The room was full of highly impressive people all with a passion and desire to support the further growth of Women’s Sport and this programme can help us all to learn from and support each other as well as benefit from the expertise of DBT & Deloitte and the channels for investment that they can help us to unlock.

Off the back of our Vitality Roses making their first World Cup Final in the summer and the recently announced re-launch of Netball Super League planned for 2025 this programme comes at the ideal time for us as a sport as we enter into a substantial growth period, which will require investment from a variety of different sources to help us to achieve our ambitious targets.

Rob Payne, National Competitions Manager at Volleyball England said:

I’m delighted to participate in the Women’s Sport Investment Accelerator programme on behalf of Volleyball England. The prospect of attracting new investment is a key priority in our ambitions to professionalise the Women’s game, and this programme will be an important stepping stone in achieving them.

A fundamental part of our organisational strategy is focused on raising the profile of the MAAREE Women’s Super League, and the opportunity to receive dedicated mentoring, network with world-leading organisations and build my knowledge through insights from industry experts will be hugely valuable to transform our sport.

Jenny Mitton, Women’s Sport Lead at M&C Saatchi Sport and Entertainment and mentor for the scheme said:

Women’s sport is the progressive start-up to the men’s sport commercial giant, and the potential is clear to see. New audiences, innovation and aggressive growth, it has all the fundamental qualities that investors look for.

The UK is home to some of the most exciting women’s sport properties, this scheme will equip them with the knowledge to attract investment and make the UK the number one destination for elite women’s sport.

Tim Bridge, lead partner for Deloitte’s Sports Business Group, said:

The Women’s Sport Investment Accelerator has already generated huge interest from parties across a range of industries, demonstrating that investors and commercial partners are alive to the opportunities that women’s sport offers.

This will be crucial for growth, providing funds to be channelled towards professionalisation, digital strategies, infrastructure, and more. This programme will carve out the clear lines of communication that are needed so that commercial partners and investors understand the growth strategies and make-up of women’s sport organisations.

Secretary General of the IWG Women and Sport, Lisa O’Keefe said:

The first session of the Women’s Sport Investment Accelerator brought together sports rightsholders from a range of sports from across the UK, which was brilliant to see, as well as industry experts and potential investors.

I heard some excellent discussions taking place about the current commercial landscape, the factors driving the growth in investment, and what the learnings have been from the past, and I’m now looking forward to seeing what opportunities will emerge.

Background:
- The application process for the Women’s Sport Investment Accelerator is open to rightsholders of any UK-based women’s sports leagues, teams, competitions or events aiming to attract investment and boost their growth.
- The scheme is also being made available at no cost to taxpayers, with all speakers and mentors providing their time and expertise on a pro bono basis and the scheme being delivered through DBT’s collaboration with Deloitte, who are providing event space and facilitating several of the scheme sessions.
- Source for £1 billion women’s sport industry value projection figure: Women’s Sport Trust research.
November 3, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : First Central America Association Ministerial Council held in London [October 2023]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 31 October 2023.

The first United Kingdom Central America Association (UK-CAAA) ministerial Council has taken place in London, to discuss issues including co-operation and trade.

The inaugural meeting, which took place on 16 and 26 October, saw Central American Foreign Ministers, Trade Ministers and Ambassadors come together to discuss the three pillars of the UK-CAAA Agreement, with sessions on Political Dialogue, Co-operation, and Trade. A further Plenary session welcomed progress on the implementation of the Agreement.

Delegates from Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Panama met with Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office Minister, David Rutley, and Department of Business and Trade Minister, Nigel Huddleston.

Minister for the Americas, David Rutley, chaired sessions on politics and co-operation – two pillars that are central to the 2019 Agreement. He said:

Our relationship with Central America continues to go from strength to strength and I am delighted that we have hosted the inaugural meeting of the UK Central America Association Council here in London.

This is an important partnership. We continue to foster cooperation and work together on a broad range of issues, from trade to the environment, so we can deliver on our shared objectives.

Discussions covered topics including regional integration, climate, environment, human rights, and migration, and it was agreed that a political dialogue sub-committee within the Agreement would be established to enable further progress to be made.

UK Minister for Trade, Nigel Huddleston, met with trade ministers from the Central American nations to discuss ways of advancing trade between members of the UK-CAAA. He said:

This event is a perfect opportunity to boost our £2.7 billion trading relationship with this vibrant region by identifying trade priorities and unlocking barriers standing in the way of businesses. I was delighted to meet with trade ministers from across Central America to foster closer trade ties which will fuel economic growth, jobs, and exciting new opportunities for British companies.

A reception took place at Lancaster House following the conclusion of the first day of the Council on 16 October. In attendance were MPs from the Central America all-party parliamentary group as well as leading members from the business and academic community leading on Central America matters.

Members of the Council meet every four years, with an official-level Committee annually.

November 3, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Our efforts have focussed on the protection of civilians, humanitarian access, and the release of hostages: UK statement at the UN Security Council [October 2023]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 30 October 2023.

Statement by Ambassador Barbara Woodward at the UN Security Council emergency meeting on Gaza.

Thank you, President.

I’d like to thank Commissioner-General Lazzarini, Executive Director Russell and Director Doughten for your stark and clear briefings.

Let me start by recognising the courage, commitment and sacrifice of UN employees and humanitarian workers in Gaza, and in particular the 103 aid workers – including the 64 UNRWA staff – who have been killed in Gaza in the last 22 days.

We also offer our sincere condolences to all Palestinians and Israelis who have suffered or lost loved ones.

Since Hamas’ terrorist attack against Israel on 7 October, the United Kingdom has underscored Israel’s right to self-defence against terrorism. We continue to be clear that this must be done in accordance with international humanitarian law.

Our efforts, with our international partners, have focussed on the protection of civilians, securing and scaling up humanitarian access, and the release of hostages. Sadly, despite these efforts the situation in Gaza deteriorates daily. Hamas bears sole responsibility for starting this conflict.

President, I would like to highlight three priorities.

First, we call on all parties to respect international humanitarian law, including the principles of proportionality, distinction and necessity. This requires all parties to take every possible step to avoid the harming of civilians and the immediate and unconditional release of hostages.

Second, we must urgently co-operate to scale up aid into Gaza, and to ensure sufficient access points are open. For this to happen successfully there needs to be a safer environment, which necessitates humanitarian pauses. We support UN-led efforts in this regard.

Since the latest escalation in Gaza, the UK has committed over $36 million in additional aid to the Occupied Palestinian Territories. An RAF flight arrived in Egypt on 25 October carrying 21 tonnes of UK aid for Gaza. But the access environment needs to improve immediately so that these and other lifesaving resources can reach the people who desperately need them.

Third, we cannot allow this conflict to spread. We call on all countries in the region to help avoid escalation and warn non-state actors not to exploit the current situation.

President, the Palestinian Authority has a key role as the legitimate representative of the Palestinian people. We call on Israel and other states to support the PA. We call on Israeli authorities to tackle the rising number of settler attacks and killings in the occupied West Bank, recalling that it is their responsibility to protect Palestinian civilians there.

The UK retains the long-term goal of a Two State Solution with Israel and Palestine coexisting peacefully.

To reach that goal, we have a responsibility to ensure a plan for Gaza that offers the population hope, security, stability, prosperity, and effective governance so that their political wishes can be fulfilled. In this regard, some fundamental principles apply.

There should be no mass displacement of Gazans to neighbouring countries. The Palestinian Authority should play a central role. And nothing should be done that cuts across progress towards a Two State Solution, with Gaza as an integral part of a Palestinian state.

Thank you, President.

November 3, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Home Secretary’s speech on tackling AI-generated child sex abuse material [October 2023]

The press release issued by the Home Office on 30 October 2023.

The Home Secretary convened an event in partnership with the Internet Watch Foundation.

Thank you very much to all of you for being here today.

Nothing is more important than keeping children safe. Those who would hurt children are relentless in their efforts and never stop looking for new opportunities to satisfy their depraved perversions.

So it’s vital that we stay ahead of them.

Advancements in technology have led to major, even revolutionary benefits to society.

In particular, Artificial Intelligence can be a powerful tool for good, with immense opportunity to grow the global economy, deliver better public services, and tackle some of the world’s biggest challenges.

However, whilst such technologies have enabled us to enhance our livelihoods and our societies, they also pose significant risks with their misuse for criminal purposes – one of which is the sexual abuse of children.

As Home Secretary, I continue to champion efforts across the UK and internationally to bear down on the threat posed to our children.

AI presents a huge risk, but also an opportunity to tackle child sexual abuse.

This month I visited the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, with my counterpart at the Department for Homeland Security, Secretary Mayorkas, and saw first-hand the abhorrent material being generated right now.

In the UK, the Internet Watch Foundation is a critical partner in our efforts to eradicate child sexual abuse online. They said recently that they have begun to see AI-generated child sexual abuse imagery.

I am very grateful to the Internet Watch Foundation for your tireless efforts to ensure that the images and videos of children being abused are removed from the internet.

I’m very pleased that you have joined me as partners on this important event today.

Generative AI poses a particular risk, because it provides child sexual abusers with the capability to produce unprecedented quantities of life-like child sexual abuse imagery.

We will hear shortly in more detail about the impact that this will have on our collective ability to respond to online abuse. It will only make the internet a more dangerous place.

Now is our opportunity – which we simply must seize – to ensure that these risks do not materialise.

Only through collective joint action that harnesses our combined expertise, resources, and knowledge can we ensure that appropriate safety measures are put in place.

Later in this session, the Policing Minister will lead a discussion with leading experts and voices from across the tech industry, safety tech sector, and law enforcement.

This will explore the innovation required to ensure appropriate safety measures are in place, and how AI can also be utilised as a force for good, including in tackling child sexual abuse and exploitation.

Inevitably, AI does not respect borders. That’s why international action and cooperation is so vital.

As a global leader in tackling child sexual abuse, the UK is uniquely placed to bring the world together to ensure that AI is built safely and securely so the huge benefits can be enjoyed by all.

With countries coming from different starting points and with different perspectives, we have to find a way to come to a shared understanding of the risks posed by AI, and the need to test and monitor them.

We also need to collaborate on safety research and highlight the shared best practice for AI developers internationally.

So I’m delighted to see so many different organisations represented here today.

This is just the start of the conversation, and the UK Government wants to continue working collaboratively with you over the next few weeks and months on these issues.

And I hope that we can speak as one voice with the joint statement we have prepared – which will send an unequivocal message that AI must be a force for good, and not a threat to children.

Thank you.

November 3, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Home Secretary joins forces with big tech to fight AI child sex abuse images [October 2023]

The press release issued by the Home Office on 30 October 2023.

The Home Secretary hosted an event with the Internet Watch Foundation, and committed to clamp down on the spread of AI-generated child sex abuse material.

Tech giants including Tiktok, Snapchat and Stability AI have all signed a pledge vowing to tackle the despicable rise of AI-generated child sexual abuse images at an event hosted by the Home Secretary Suella Braverman today (30 October).

Charities, tech firms, academics and international government representatives all gathered to focus on how to tackle the threat of child sexual abuse material generated by Artificial Intelligence (AI) after data from the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) showed that thousands of images depicting the worst kind of abuse could be found on the dark web and is realistic enough to be treated as real imagery under UK law.

At the event, hosted in partnership with the IWF and taking place in the lead up to the government’s AI Safety Summit, the Home Secretary addressed attendees, many of which have come together to sign a statement pledging to cooperate to mitigate the spread of AI-generated images depicting children being abused.

The government is also exploring further investment into the use of AI to combat child sexual abuse, and will continue to examine potential options for innovation to tackle the threat from AI generated child sexual abuse material.

Home Secretary Suella Braverman said:

“Child sexual abuse images generated by AI are an online scourge. This is why tech giants must work alongside law enforcement to clamp down on their spread. The pictures are computer-generated but they often show real people – it’s depraved and damages lives.

“The pace at which these images have spread online is shocking and that’s why we have convened such a wide group of organisations to tackle this issue head-on. We cannot let this go on unchecked.”

The IWF has warned that the increased availability of this imagery not only poses a real risk to the public by normalising sexual violence against children, but some of the imagery is also based on children who have appeared in ‘real’ child sexual abuse material in the past. This means innocent survivors of traumatic abuse are being revictimized.

The surge in AI-generated images could also slow law enforcement agencies from tracking down and identifying victims of child sexual abuse, and detecting offenders and bringing them to justice.

Signatories to the joint statement, including tech giants like TikTok, Snapchat and Stability AI, have pledged to sustain “technical innovation around tackling child sexual abuse in the age of AI”. The statement affirms that AI must be developed in “a way that is for the common good of protecting children from sexual abuse across all nations”.

Statistics released by the IWF last week showed that in a single month, they investigated more than 11,000 AI images which had been shared on a dark web child abuse forum. Almost 3,000 of these images were confirmed to breach UK law – meaning they depicted child sexual abuse.

Some of the images are based on celebrities, whom AI has ‘de-aged’ and are then depicted being abused. There are even images which are based on entirely innocuous images of children posted online, which AI has been able to ‘nudify’.

Susie Hargreaves OBE, Chief Executive of the IWF, said:

“We first raised the alarm about this in July. In a few short months, we have seen all our worst fears about AI realised.

“The realism of these images is astounding, and improving all the time. The majority of what we’re seeing is now so real, and so serious, it would need to be treated exactly as though it were real imagery under UK law.

“It is essential, now, we set an example and stamp out the abuse of this emerging technology before it has a chance to fully take root. It is already posing significant challenges. It is great to see the Prime Minister acknowledge the threat posed by the creation of child sexual abuse images in his speech last week following the publication of our report.

“We are delighted the government has listened to our calls to make this a top international priority ahead of the AI summit, and are grateful to the Home Secretary for convening such a powerful discussion.”

Chris Farrimond, Director of Threat Leadership at the National Crime Agency (NCA), said:

“We are starting to see realistic images and videos of child sexual abuse created using Artificial Intelligence, and an exponential growth in offenders discussing how to use it to generate images of real children.

“We know that as AI technologies mature and become more widely applied, they will create opportunities for offenders. But there will also be new opportunities for law enforcement and technology platforms to take action that protects children and aids identification of their abusers.

“That is why the NCA is bringing together international law enforcement and industry partners at the Virtual Global TaskForce in Washington next month. It is vital that all of our combined creativity, skills and resources are being utilised to protect our most vulnerable.

“We estimate that there are 680,000 to 830,000 adults in the UK (1.3% to 1.6% of the adult population) that pose some degree of sexual risk to children, which is why tackling child sexual abuse is a priority for the NCA and our policing partners. We will investigate and prosecute individuals who create, share, possess, access or view AI generated child sexual abuse material in the same way as if the image is of a real child.”

Sir Peter Wanless, NSPCC Chief Executive, said:

“AI is being developed at such speed that it’s vital the safety of children is considered explicitly and not as an afterthought in the wake of avoidable tragedy.

“Already we are seeing AI child abuse imagery having a horrific impact on children, traumatising and retraumatising victims who see images of their likeness being created and shared. This technology is giving offenders new ways to organise and risks enhancing their ability to groom large numbers of victims with ease.

“It was important to see child safety on the agenda today. Further international and cross-sector collaboration will be crucial to achieve safety by design.”

The government also recognises that AI can be a powerful tool for good and the Home Secretary emphasised at the event that AI also poses opportunities to improve the way we tackle child sexual abuse. Together with the police and other partners, the Home Office has developed the world-leading Child Abuse Image Database (CAID), which is already using AI to grade the severity of child sexual abuse material.

The AI tool helps police officers sort through large volumes of data at a faster pace, bringing certain images to the surface for the officer to focus on to aid investigations. This enables officers to more rapidly identify and safeguard children, as well as identify offenders. These tools also support the welfare of officers, as they reduce prolonged exposure to these images. Other tools are also in development which will use AI to safeguard children and identify perpetrators more quickly.

While the opportunities posed in this space are promising, AI is advancing much quicker than anyone could have realised.

Without appropriate safety measures that keep pace with its development, this technology still poses significant risks, and that is why the Home Secretary is placing an emphasis on working constructively with a wide range of partners to mitigate these risks and ultimately, protect the public.

This week, the UK is hosting the first ever major global AI Safety Summit at the start of November at Bletchley Park.

The summit will turbocharge global action on the safe and responsible development of frontier AI around the world – bringing together key nations, technology companies, researchers, and civil society groups.

November 3, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Government pledge to help reduce leaseholder insurance premiums [October 2023]

The press release issued by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities on 30 October 2023.

Government pledge promises to stop a practice that is driving up buildings insurance premiums for leaseholders in buildings with identified fire safety issues.

The government has agreed a pledge with five sector-leading insurance brokers, which could mean thousands of leaseholders in buildings with identified fire safety issues see a significant reduction in their insurance premiums.

Each broker is committing to stop the practice of sharing commissions with those parties who place or arrange buildings insurance, such as property managing agents, landlords, and freeholders.

They are also promising to have a cap of 15% on the proportion of the premium that brokers take to compensate for their work in arranging the insurance. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) report on broker remuneration found that this amount can be as high as 60% of the cost of the premium paid by leaseholders.

The FCA’s findings have strengthened the Government’s resolve to see a ban on the practice of sharing commissions, as announced by the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, Michael Gove, in January 2023. This pledge is an important step towards implementing that policy.

Minister for Building Safety, Lee Rowley, said:

“I strongly welcome the decision of these brokers to step up and demonstrate their willingness to do more on bringing premiums down.

“These brokers are to be congratulated on their decision; we now need to see further action from others in the broader insurance and broker industry to accompany it.”

The brokers that have individually taken the voluntary decision to sign up to the pledge are: Lockton LLP, Bridge Insurance Brokers , Brown & Brown Insurance Brokers (UK) Limited, PIB Group Insurance Brokers/ St Giles, and Willis Limited (WTW).

The pledge will benefit leaseholders who are living in buildings over four storeys or 11m in height with identified fire safety defects, which have been made known their insurance brokers.

The brokers who have signed up to the pledge have also confirmed their commitment under new FCA rules, from 31 December 2023, to share information about the buildings insurance policy with leaseholders if requested.

These companies will act with immediate effect for new policies and the Government will monitor the adherence to and impact of the pledge.

Department officials stand ready to discuss the pledge with any relevant broker and expect to see the numbers of responsible brokers increase over coming weeks.

November 3, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : UK Minister visits Chile to strengthen collaboration and celebrate 200 years of bilateral relations [October 2023]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 30 October 2023.

Minister Rutley and Chile’s Under-Secretary for Foreign Affairs will sign a joint commitment to work together to enhance the protections for the Antarctic.

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office’s Minister for the Americas and the Caribbean, David Rutley MP, arrives today in Chile to strengthen collaboration between the UK and Chile, as both nations celebrate 200 years of bilateral relations.

While in the country, Minister Rutley, together with Chile’s Under Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Gloria de la Fuente, will sign a joint commitment to work together to enhance the protections for the Antarctic.

The Letter of Intent on Antarctic Co-operation reaffirms both countries commitment to enhancing environmental protection for the Antarctic and to ensuring that it remains a region that is dedicated to peace and scientific research.

During his visit minister Rutley will also meet young climate leaders who have been selected by Chile to attend COP28 later this year. He will hear about their work with the British Embassy Chile and discuss the efforts of both countries to mitigate the impacts of climate change and achieve the roadmap to net zero.

The Minister will then go on to Villa Grimaldi, a former detention centre during Chile’s dictatorship to demonstrate the UK’s strong commitment to democracy and human rights, and to mark the 50th anniversary of the military coup in Chile and reflect on the suffering it caused.

His visit to the country also includes a trip to the Araucanía Region to meet and engage with members of the indigenous community, as well as regional authorities and local organisations that promote women’s entrepreneurship.

FCDO Americas Minister David Rutley MP said:

It is an honour to be able to visit Chile as we celebrate 200 years of bilateral relations.

Ours is a friendship underpinned by longstanding historical links, shared values and commitment to democracy, and we’re putting that into action this week with a clear commitment to extend our landmark co-operation agreement on the Antarctic.

November 3, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Aid and political solutions are needed to alleviate the humanitarian crisis in Syria – UK statement at the UN Security Council [October 2023]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 30 October 2023.

Statement by Ambassador Barbara Woodward at the UN Security Council meeting on Syria.

Thank you, President, and I join others in thanking Special Envoy Pedersen and Director Wosornu for their briefings.

As we have heard today, this remains a live conflict and an entrenched humanitarian crisis. I want to set out three tangible steps that would improve the situation for the people of Syria and these overlap very closely with Special Envoy Pedersen’s four priorities.

Firstly, we need to ensure sustainable, predictable and efficient aid flows across the whole of Syria. There is no substitute for cross-border access to deliver for people in the North West. Short term, last minute agreements are inappropriate.

As Director Wosornu just said, we must insist that cross-border access is granted for as long as humanitarian needs demand, across all three crossing points.

We have also heard that humanitarian funding remains inadequate. The UK continues to be a top donor for Syrians in humanitarian need, pledging up to $180 million this year alone. But as a donor, we are concerned that 17 cents of every dollar in aid being sent to UN agencies based in Damascus is being lost to the regime who manipulate exchange rates for their benefit.

Secondly, at a fragile moment for the region all parties should be focused on avoiding further escalation of conflict elsewhere in the Middle East. We are concerned at reports of increased Iranian-affiliated militia activity, and increasing hostilities between Israel and militia groups in southern Syria. We call on the regime to prioritise de-escalation and to focus on fostering stability and prosperity.

Thirdly, this backdrop of violence in the region underscores even more urgently the need for a viable political process in Syria. We call on the regime to act in good faith and engage.

Thus far, attempts at normalisation have not borne fruit. Insecurity persists, the captagon trade continues, and the safe, dignified and voluntary return of refugees remains out of reach. The UK’s position has not changed – we will not engage Damascus without evidence of genuine, consistent behaviour change.

Resolution 2254 provides the framework to deliver an inclusive and sustainable political process. The Constitutional Committee has been deadlocked for too long. We strongly support efforts to convene a meeting, with the Syrian parties alone if necessary, in Geneva later this year.

Thank you, President.

November 3, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Op-ed: New procurement rules will strengthen our national security [October 2023]

The press release issued by the Cabinet Office on 30 October 2023.

An Op-Ed by Ministers Jeremy Quin and Alex Burghart, originally published in The Telegraph.

Under the new rules in the Procurement Act we are throwing complicated and bureaucratic EU rules into the bin. We are stripping back red tape and making it easier for small businesses to win government contracts, delivering on one of the Prime Minister’s five priorities to grow the economy.

But as well as bringing economic benefits, the new rulebook also strengthens our national security, as part of this government’s commitment to take long term decisions for a brighter future.

We are all too aware that the UK is a target for state-sponsored spying and that we need to protect it from those who seek to disrupt our democracy.

Our approach must be scrupulous, with safeguards and deterrents built into every avenue of access to our public services; this is about actions rather than words.

We have also passed the National Security Act, which gives us stronger legal powers to protect our industries and institutions. But we must go further to ensure we always outsmart those who want to disrupt our everyday lives.

One important way of keeping public services safe from foreign spies is by securing how they are procured for in the first place.

We have seen time and again that dangerous actors infiltrate states by giving their operations the camouflage of a company – a company offering essential services like communications or administration assistance. This can allow them to have unhindered access to public services information and potentially give them the capability to interfere with those services.

Our response to this challenge must be unequivocal. That’s why as part of our landmark Procurement Act we have strengthened the scrutiny facing companies that bid for public contracts.

Alongside the new rules, we are creating a new National Security Unit for Procurement, sitting within the Cabinet Office. This will work across government, including with our national security community, to investigate suppliers who could pose a risk to national security. The Unit will create a new layer of protection, by assessing whether companies should be struck off from competing to supply goods and services to the public sector where they pose a threat.

Next week the UK will lead the first ever, and UK-hosted, AI safety summit. As we take action to seize the opportunities of new technology, our new National Security Unit for Procurement will coordinate with the national security community to assess whether public sector use of AI and procurement with emerging tech companies could do us harm.

This new approach means that we’re strengthening our defences, ensuring that those who seek to use their influence in all areas to undermine our security, cannot prevail.

So this landmark legislation will not only simplify our procurement rules and help small businesses, it will help us protect our security for decades to come.

November 3, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : UK supports moratorium on deep sea mining to protect ocean and marine ecosystems [October 2023]
The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 30 October 2023.

UK announces support for moratorium on granting of exploitation licences for deep sea mining by the International Seabed Authority.

The UK government has today announced its support for measures designed to protect the world’s ocean and improve the conservation of marine biodiversity.

Ahead of International Seabed Authority (ISA) negotiations starting today, and a month ahead of COP28, the UK government has announced its support for a moratorium on the granting of exploitation licences for deep sea mining projects – which involve the extraction of minerals such as precious metals, copper and cobalt – by the ISA.

This means the UK will not sponsor or support the issuing of any such licences until sufficient scientific evidence is available to assess the potential impact of deep sea mining activities on marine ecosystems and strong, enforceable environmental regulations, standards and guidelines have been developed and adopted by the ISA.

The UK is an international advocate for the highest possible environmental standards and has been pushing the ISA to develop strong and enforceable environmental regulations, standards and guidelines on deep sea mining.

To support this, a new UK-based environmental science expert network on deep sea mining will be launched to gather scientific data and increase the effective use of the UK’s world-class research through cross-disciplinary learning. This will build on the independent evidence review on deep sea mining carried out by independent experts following a government commission in 2022.

The network will bring together the UK’s environmental science expertise to help fill the current evidence gaps on the environmental impact of deep sea mining and share internationally.

Environment Secretary Thérèse Coffey said:

The UK is a global leader when it comes to protecting the marine environment. That is why we will use our scientific expertise to fully understand the impact of deep sea mining on precious ecosystems; and in the meantime, we will not support or sponsor any exploitation licences.

This work will go alongside our wider efforts to conserve and enhance precious marine habitats around the world.

The Rt Hon Andrew Mitchell MP, Minister of State (Development and Africa) said:

The UK is an international advocate for the highest possible environmental standards and we will keep pushing for strong and enforceable regulations, standards and guidelines for deep-sea mining. Until we fully understand the impact of deep-sea mining on our marine ecosystems, it is right that we seek to protect them.

Clare Brook, CEO of Blue Marine Foundation, said:

Deep-sea mining threatens some of the rarest and most vulnerable ecosystems on Earth. Blue Marine is therefore delighted to see the UK supporting a moratorium on deep-sea mining, along with other leading economies such as Germany, France and Sweden.

There are cheaper, cleaner and more secure ways of producing minerals as the world transitions to net zero without causing the catastrophic and permanent destruction of fragile ocean life.

Blue Marine welcomes the Government’s proposal to convene a UK scientific expert group on deep-sea mining, which would underline the UK’s position as a leading voice in ocean conservation.

The measures set out today further demonstrate the UK’s commitment towards ocean conservation and protection.

Over recent years, the UK has:
- Committed to protecting at least 30% of the global ocean by 2030 through a network of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) and Other Effective Area-based Conservation Measures (OECMs), and driven this forward through UK-chaired Global Ocean Alliance
- Supported developing countries to protect the marine environment through projects to protect and restore habitats such as mangroves, coral reefs and seagrasses through the £500 million Blue Planet Fund
- Tackled the scourge of plastic pollution, recently consulting on a ban on wet wipes containing plastic, as part of efforts to eliminate all avoidable plastic waste by 2042
- Designated the first three Highly Protected Marine areas in English waters, enabling nature to fully recover by removing all harmful activities including fishing, construction and dredging, increasing marine biodiversity and supporting climate-resilient ecosystems to thrive
- Created a network of 178 marine protected areas across 35,000 square miles of English waters, with a commitments for 70% of designated features to be in a favourable position by 2042
This action will support the delivery of targets in the UK’s Environment Act, underpinned by its Environment Improvement Plan – the five-year blueprint for action to halt and reverse the decline of nature.
November 3, 2023