Category: Press Releases

PRESS RELEASE : The UK calls for urgent action as the rights of women and girls come under attack – UK statement at the UN Security Council [October 2023]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 25 October 2023.

Statement by Ambassador Barbara Woodward at the UN Security Council meeting on Women and peace and security.

Thank you, Mr. President. I thank the Secretary-General and all of our briefers today. 23 years on from Security Council Resolution 1325, the United Kingdom remains resolute in our commitment to the Women, Peace and Security agenda. Yet our collective gains are being reversed. Women and girls’ rights are under attack and we need to take urgent and coordinated action. President, in the spirit of today’s theme of bringing theory to practice, I’d like to highlight three areas.

First, participation. We know that women’s participation significantly boosts the chances of long-lasting peace. The UK’s new National Action Plan focuses on putting women’s meaningful participation into action. Most recently, my Foreign Secretary met with Sudanese women peacebuilders to hear their insights into enhancing women’s participation. The UK was also proud to support Colombia in developing its WPS National Action Plan, and we applaud its extensive consultation with women and civil society.

We will continue to advocate for women to take on leading roles in resolving conflict, including in UN-led peace processes. As a member of the WPS Shared Commitments, we are committed to amplifying women’s voices and following up on the recommendations of civil society. We hear clear calls-to-action from the women who brief this Council – women from Afghanistan, from Ukraine, the DRC, Syria, and beyond – and we should turn those calls into action.

Second, empowerment. Women’s rights organisations are vital to sustaining conflict prevention and resolution efforts. As part of our International Women and Girls Strategy, we launched a $46 million programme to support grassroots women’s rights organisations around the world. Through our Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative, we are putting survivors at the centre of decision-making and promoting their leadership, supported by a dedicated Survivor Advisory Group.

And in Ukraine, we are providing expertise on conflict-related sexual violence and providing over $4 million of funding on gender-based violence in Ukraine and across the region.

And third, protection. Women and girls are disproportionately impacted by conflict. From South Sudan to Israel and Gaza, we see the impact of conflict on women’s lives. And this is particularly true for women’s rights defenders. The Secretary-General’s report highlights that 172 women human rights defenders were subjected to reprisals because they engaged with the United Nations. President, we’ve heard today clear and specific recommendations from the Secretary-General, and from the Executive Director of UN Women and from many others. Let’s commit to moving from words to action.

Thank you.

November 1, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Government continues children’s social care reform [October 2023]

The press release issued by the Department for Education on 25 October 2023.

Funding for over 460 new children’s social worker apprenticeship opportunities across the country.

Recognising the vital role social workers play in supporting some of the most vulnerable children and families, local authorities will today be allocated a share of £11.7 million to hire up to 461 extra social work apprentices, as part of government plans to build a social worker workforce fit for the future. The extra funding will bolster the workforce and better support the most vulnerable families and children across the country.

Over 1,000 new trainee social workers have also been recruited, and will be supported in their initial education this academic year through the fast track to social work and step-up programmes.

Supporting children’s social workers is an integral part of the ambitious, wide-ranging children’s social care implementation strategy. Backed by £200 million over the next two years, the strategy will transform the current care system to focus on more early support for families, reducing the need for crisis response at a later stage.

Building on the commitment to reduce the overreliance on agency social workers, the government has today also published its response to the consultation on agency child and family social worker workforce. The response sets out proposed national rules to improve the stability and quality of the social worker workforce, with the aim of increasing transparency around the use and cost of agency social workers.

Care leavers will also be celebrated this week as part of care leavers week, which begins today, with a series of events hosted by the government, including an event at 10 Downing Street for ministers to meet with and celebrate care leavers. Minister Johnston will also visit West Ham Football Club to see their Future Programme in action. The programme helps care experienced young people develop skills, access new experiences and connects them to their communities.

David Johnston, Minister for Children and Families, said:

A strong social care workforce is key to achieving our ambition to reform the children’s care sector.

Children’s social workers play a vital role in helping the country’s most vulnerable families, which is why we’re boosting training opportunities and strengthening rules on using agency staff.

This care leavers week we want to shine a light on the inspirational care workers who have overcome challenges.

Recognising the need for high-quality training, the government has appointed the first wave of early adopter local authorities for the early career framework training programme which will support children’s social workers as they join and develop in the profession.

The local authorities, including Birmingham and Tower Hamlets, are now working with the department to co-design the programme, alongside an expert writing group that is drafting the framework itself.

The government is also supporting local authorities to provide positive working environments, to attract and retain children’s social workers to these important roles. A national virtual hub is to be created containing resources to support local authorities to improve working conditions, workload, health and wellbeing and organisational culture and the national workload action group is looking into unnecessary drivers of bureaucracy to promote more time with children and families.

November 1, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : New laws to make charging an electric vehicle easier and quicker [October 2023]
The press release issued by the Department for Transport on 25 October 2023.

Regulations to improve the EV charging experience for millions of drivers.
- new laws passed to make charging an electric vehicle easier, quicker and more reliable
- drivers will have access transparent, easy-to-compare pricing information, simpler payment methods and more reliable chargepoints
- follows the commitments in the government’s Plan for Drivers to put drivers back in the driving seat and boost chargepoint infrastructure ahead of the 2035 zero emission vehicle goal
Millions of electric vehicle (EV) drivers will benefit from easier and more reliable public charging thanks to new laws approved by MPs last night (24 October 2023).

New regulations will ensure that prices across chargepoints are transparent and easy to compare and that a large proportion of new public chargepoints have contactless payment options.

Providers will also be required to open up their data, so drivers can easily find an available chargepoint that meets their needs. It will open up data for apps, online maps and in-vehicle software, making it easier for drivers to locate chargepoints, check their charging speeds and determine whether they are working and available for use.

These measures come as the country reaches record levels of public charging infrastructure, with numbers growing 42% year on year.

Technology and Decarbonisation Minister, Jesse Norman, said:

Over time, these new regulations will improve EV charging for millions of drivers, helping them find the chargepoints they want, providing price transparency so that they can compare the cost of different charging options, and updating payment methods.

They will make the switch to electric easier than ever for drivers, support the economy and help the UK reach its 2035 goals.

Once the regulations come into force, drivers will also be able to contact free 24/7 helplines for any issues accessing charging on public roads. Chargepoint operators will also have to open up chargepoint data, making it easier to find available chargers.

James Court, CEO, Electric Vehicle Association England, said:

Better reliability, clearer pricing, easier payments, plus the potentially game-changing opportunities of open data are all a major step forward for EV drivers and should make the UK one of the best places to charge in the world.

As the rollout of charging infrastructure gathers momentum, these regulations will ensure quality and help put consumers needs at the heart of this transition.

These regulations follow the government’s recent announcement of a range of measures to speed up the installation of chargepoints through the Plan for Drivers. This includes reviewing the grid connections process for installation and extending chargepoint grants for schools.

The government also continues to support the rollout of charging infrastructure in local areas. Applications are currently open to local authorities in the first round of the £381 million Local EV Infrastructure fund, which will deliver tens of thousands more chargepoints and transform the availability of charging for drivers without off-street parking. In addition, the On-Street Residential Chargepoint Scheme (ORCS) is open to all UK local authorities.

The government recently set out its world-leading path to reaching zero emission vehicles by 2035, which will require 80% of new cars and 70% of new vans sold in Great Britain to be zero emission by 2030. Today’s regulations will help support drivers as more and more switch to electric.

Today the government has also published its response to the Future of Transport Zero Emission Vehicles consultation, confirming its intention to introduce laws to require local transport authorities to produce local charging strategies if they have not done so as part of local transport plans. This will ensure that every part of the country has a plan for EV charging infrastructure.
November 1, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : 30,000 hours of extra patrols help reduce antisocial behaviour [October 2023]
The press release issued by the Home Office on 25 October 2023.

Targeted uniformed patrols in hotspot areas have helped drive down antisocial behaviour by over 30% in some areas, according to reports from policing.
These extra patrols, along with hundreds more arrests and stop and searches, were just one part of the government’s Anti-Social Behaviour Action Plan, launched 6 months ago.

The latest data shows that since hotspot uniformed patrols have been rolled out in 10 pilot areas, there have been over 250 arrests, over 600 stop and searches and around 1,000 other enforcement actions such as community protection notices and public protection orders.

Through the Anti-Social Behaviour Action Plan, up to £20 million of funding will be invested in 16 pilot areas to trial either hotspot police and enforcement patrols, or a new ‘Immediate Justice’ scheme to bring in swift and visible punishments to perpetrators of antisocial behaviour. Some areas are trialling both schemes.

Thanks to this work, several hotspot trial forces have reported significant declines in antisocial behaviour. The Lancashire Constabulary have reported that in Brunswick, Blackpool, there has been a 36% fall in reported incidents of antisocial behaviour compared to the same period last year when hotspot patrols were not in place.

Staffordshire Police have reported a combined 20% fall in reported incidents of antisocial behaviour across 5 locations in Stoke-on-Trent and Newcastle-under-Lyme compared to the previous year.

It is estimated that at least 150,000 hours of additional individual police and partner hotspot patrols will be delivered by March 2024 across the 10 pilot areas before the initiative is rolled out across every police force in England and Wales later in the year.

Crime and Policing Minister Chris Philp said:

Antisocial behaviour ruins neighbourhoods and brings fear and misery to local people, be it people smoking cannabis in the street, intimidating gatherings in public spaces or acts of vandalism.

We will not tolerate it. I am delighted that our action plan and zero-tolerance approach is beginning to have a positive impact in communities up and down the country.

By giving the police and local partners the tools they need to tackle antisocial behaviour we can help ensure wherever people live they can feel safe and proud of the place they call home.

Today’s announcement coincides with a meeting of the antisocial behaviour taskforce. Jointly led by the Home Secretary and the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, this will bring together police and crime commissioners, police chiefs and local partners to continue to drive progress on the government‘s Anti-Social Behaviour Action Plan.

Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Michael Gove said:

The poison of antisocial behaviour stops people from feeling safe in their community and erodes local pride.

That’s why our Anti-Social Behaviour Action Plan is a vital part of our mission to level up. As we can see from today’s data, that plan is starting to deliver results – showing victims and communities across the country that thuggish behaviour will never be tolerated.

The meeting will allow those on the ground to give first-hand account of what is working in the fight against antisocial behaviour in their local area community and enable ministers to be sure that those on the front line have the tools they need.

This comes after the government recently announced that possession of nitrous oxide, also known as ‘laughing gas’, will be illegal from 8 November 2023, delivering on the Home Secretary’s pledge to get tougher on flagrant drug taking in local communities and associated antisocial behaviour.

Other measures that have been delivered since the launch of the plan include:

every police and crime commissioner in England and Wales has been allocated up to £1 million as part of the Safer Streets Fund to cover the period from 1 October 2023 to 31 March 2025, to run local projects to combat antisocial behaviour, acquisitive crime and violence against women and girls

additional funding of up to £2.5 million has been put in place for transport safety officers to make public transport safer, including specially-trained staff to deal with low-level nuisance and disorder

punishment for those who graffiti, litter or fly tip has been increased with fines of up to £500 and £1,000

an extra one million hours of youth services has been provided for areas with the highest rates of antisocial behaviour to put people on the right track and prevent them from offending in the first place

In the coming months we will launch the Anti-Social Behaviour One-Stop Shop where people can report antisocial behaviour to the right local responders and get feedback on the response. This will also enable local agencies to share information on perpetrators of antisocial behaviour within communities, identify repeat offenders and take necessary action. This tool will ensure that members of the public can find local services that are best placed to act on their reports of antisocial behaviour and to build confidence that reports will be taken seriously and addressed.

Further action also being taken over the coming months includes:

more powers being put in place for landlords and housing associations to evict unruly tenants who ruin their neighbours’ lives through antisocial behaviour

parks and green spaces being restored with up to £5 million to make them safer with new CCTV and repairing equipment and playgrounds, and to plant more trees and flowers

work underway to bring forward legislation to repeal the outdated Vagrancy Act 1824, with a package of new measures to better equip the police and local authorities to respond to nuisance begging and rough sleeping which can be harmful to individuals themselves and to the wider public

Rebecca Bryant OBE, Chief Executive of Resolve said:

We know from our own research that many victims and witnesses don’t report antisocial behaviour, but they’d be more likely to report behaviour if there was a more visible police and agency presence.

This ‘hotspot’ approach makes the best use of limited resources, and we very much look forward to seeing it rolled out across the country.

Case study 1: Lancashire Constabulary

This year, hotspot patrols in Brunswick, Blackpool by Lancashire Constabulary during July, August and September have seen police working with local partners to tackle antisocial behaviour including begging, sex working and threatening behaviour. The increased presence of officers on the street has seen reports of incidents antisocial behaviour decline by 36.6% compared to the same period last year.

Case study 2: Staffordshire Police

This year, hotspot policing by Staffordshire Police during July, August, and September in 5 hotspot areas in Stoke-on-Trent and Newcastle-under-Lyme has seen a combined decline in reported incidents of antisocial behaviour of 20% by members of the public compared to the same period last year.

In Newcastle-under-Lyme town centre, additional police patrols were put in place to combat drug and alcohol related antisocial behaviour. After identifying areas where drug paraphernalia was being discarded, follow-up work with partner agencies by the police took place to clean up the area alongside high visibility patrols to provide reassurance to the local community and deter drug users.

After dispersing groups of young people, a quantity of drugs, including monkey dust and cannabis, was seized alongside several knives.

Case study 3: Essex Police

Over 2,757 hours of police patrols and 1,400 hours of Community Safety Partnership patrols have now been delivered in 11 antisocial behaviour hotspots across Essex. As a result, there has been:

35 arrests

109 stop and searches

58 informal warnings issued

45 fixed penalty notices issued

In one pilot area, Debden, police and Community Safety Partnership teams have worked collaboratively to use a public space protection order (PSPO) to tackle a high volume of antisocial behaviour incidents relating to drug taking, nuisance noise, aggressive begging, intimidation and fighting. This work has made a difference to local business owners and the public who praised the positive proactive work of the team.

Case study 4: Sussex Police

In Sussex, a man was caught graffiti tagging on an industrial estate, damaging property and causing a negative effect on surrounding businesses, staff and members of public passing through the area.

The individual was referred by officers into the ‘Immediate Justice’ scheme and he was required to carry out reparative work within Brighton’s city centre, including litter picking and weeding public planters in an area known for ASB incidents.
November 1, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Barrister fee increase to help vulnerable victims bring attackers to justice [October 2023]
The press release issued by the Ministry of Justice on 25 October 2023.

Fees for barristers who help vulnerable witnesses and victims to pre-record a cross examination will rise to £1,000, the government announced today (25 October 2023).
fees for barristers working on pre-recorded evidence increased to £1,000

pre-record helps victims of rape and sexual assault give best evidence sooner

allows more people give testimony to bring more rapists and abusers to justice

The recording takes place as close to the time of the offence as possible, while memories remain fresh, and helps victims avoid the stress of giving evidence in a live trial setting, which many find traumatic.

This fee increase seeks to increase the number of barristers available for such hearings to reduce victim dropout rates and bring more rape and sexual assault cases to trial.

A research report published in April found that rape victims who pre-record their evidence are more likely to have a better experience of the court process and find it less intimidating. It also meant they were able to access vital support services earlier, such as therapy, without fear that it could be used against them in cross-examination.

The government is determined to stamp out appalling crimes such as rape and domestic abuse and has launched an action plan to overhaul the criminal justice system to transform support for victims, drive up prosecutions and ensure cases are investigated fully. All three ambitions in this plan have been met eighteen months ahead of schedule, restoring the number of police referrals to the CPS, CPS charges and cases reaching the Crown Court to 2016 levels.

Lord Chancellor and Justice Secretary, Alex Chalk, said:

Boosting payments for this work will help more sexual violence victims testify earlier, away from the full glare of a courtroom.

It’s the latest step in our ongoing work to further increase the number of rape victims getting support and justice.

Pre-recording of evidence allows victims and witnesses of crimes such as rape and modern slavery to have their cross-examination video-recorded and played later during trial. This is subject to a successful application to the court.

Fees were originally set at £670 in January when the government announced barristers would receive advance payments for work on pre-recorded evidence and for any wasted preparation for the first time.

This increase comes after an agreed review and as part of the ongoing work with the professional bodies under the new Criminal Legal Aid Advisory Board, chaired by Her Honour Deborah Taylor.

Government investment in the criminal legal aid system is expected to reach £1.2 billion a year, after the recent 15 per cent uplift in barrister fees and fees for most solicitors. This includes:

police station work, including pre-charge engagement

magistrates’ court work, including youth court

Criminal Cases Review Commission work

advocates’ graduated fees

expert fees

The fee rise will come into effect as soon as possible when parliamentary time allows.

Note to editors

Fees are increasing from £670 (+VAT) to £1,000 (+VAT)
November 1, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : £45 million to be reinvested in government to boost long-term productivity as the Cabinet Office sells stake in SSCL [October 2023]
The press release issued by the Cabinet Office on 25 October 2023.

The Cabinet Office is to sell its 25% stake in SSCL for £82.3 million. £45m of the proceeds will be put aside to increase cross-government productivity to deliver for the public in the long-term.
The Cabinet Office is to sell its 25% stake in SSCL for £82.3 million.

£45m of the proceeds will be put aside to increase cross-government productivity to deliver for the public in the long-term.

The Cabinet Office has today exercised its option to sell its 25% stake in Shared Services Connected Ltd (SSCL) for £82.3m, it has been announced today.

After 10 years of this successful partnership, Sopra Steria Ltd will fully acquire SSCL, a joint venture founded by Sopra Steria and the Cabinet Office, as envisaged in the original contract.

SSCL provides consolidated digital solutions for the public sector including finance and accounting, procurement, and HR and payroll.

Of the £57m sale proceeds that will be retained by the Cabinet Office, £45m will be reinvested into accelerating programmes that increase cross-government productivity. This will help to set the country on the right path to strengthen public services by increasing efficiency across government.

This will include a particular emphasis on digital capability across Government.

Minister for the Cabinet Office, Jeremy Quin, said:

The SSCL joint venture was set up to drive greater efficiency.

The Government is now realising its successful investment, securing additional value for the taxpayer and using it to make the long-term decisions to deliver the best public services and boost productivity across the Civil Service.

The joint venture has generated significant savings for the public purse, providing more funds for front line public services, and delivering value for money for the taxpayer to help change the country for the better.

It has also encouraged collaborative working with the private sector. For example, the establishment of SSCL involved the transfer of around 1,100 civil servants to the private sector.

Finally, SSCL met the government’s goal to consolidate shared services, such as HR and payroll, across numerous departments, including The Department for Work and Pensions, The Home Office and The Ministry of Justice, ensuring services operate at the highest efficiency.

The Cabinet Office will also channel the proceeds from this sale to continue its work streamlining services and processes across government. The remaining balance will be returned to HM Treasury.

With the benefits of the joint venture having now been met, the proceeds of the sale will fuel a fresh investment in cross-government efficiency as part of long-term action to create a more productive workforce and stronger services for the public.
November 1, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Non-judicial member appointed to the Sentencing Council [October 2023]

The press release issued by the Ministry of Justice on 25 October 2023.

The Lord Chancellor has approved the appointment of Johanna Robinson as a non-judicial member of the Sentencing Council with experience of the promotion of the welfare of victims of crime.

The Lord Chancellor has approved the appointment of Johanna Robinson as a non-judicial member, with experience of the promotion of the welfare of victims of crime, for 3 years from 5 October 2023.

The Sentencing Council (SC) was established under Section 118(1) of the Coroners and Justice Act 2009 to promote greater transparency and consistency in sentencing, whilst maintaining the independence of the judiciary. The SC’s responsibilities include: developing sentencing guidelines and monitoring their use; assessing the impact of guidelines on sentencing practice; and promoting the understanding of and increasing public confidence in sentencing and the criminal justice system.

The appointment of non-judicial SC members is made by the Lord Chancellor after consulting the Lord Chief Justice.

The appointment of non-judicial SC members are regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments and recruitment processes comply with the Governance Code on Public Appointments.

Biography

Ms Robinson was appointed, in September 2022, as one of the National Advisers on Violence against Women, Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence for the Welsh Government. She provides expert perspective to the development and implementation of policy across the Welsh Government; working with victims and survivors to ensure their experience informs policy development. From 2016 – 2018, she served as Head of Victims Services for Gwent Police and, from 2013 – 2016, as the National Development Manager for The Survivors Trust.

November 1, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Employment boost for thousands of parents on Universal Credit [October 2023]
The press release issued by the Department for Work and Pensions on 25 October 2023.

Thousands of parents on Universal Credit will be supported to increase their chances of getting a job or up their work hours from today.
- Unemployed parents to be given more support to get back into work
- Move follows over 45 per cent increase to support with childcare costs for parents on Universal Credit, as UK Government ‘backs working families’
- Changes brought in this year set to benefit over half a million parents of 1-to-12-year olds
Thousands of parents on Universal Credit will be supported to increase their chances of getting a job or up their work hours from today (Wednesday 25th October).

Parents of 3 to 12-year-olds will agree with their Work Coach to spend more time in work or applying for jobs, up to a maximum of 30 hours a week. Commitments will be tailored to parents’ personal circumstances, including the availability of childcare. Alongside local Jobcentre support, this action could include time updating CVs or developing skills through courses and workshops.

The move comes after the UK Government boosted childcare support for low-income families, with up-front and increased costs of up to £951 a month for one child and £1,630 for two or more children – a near 50% increase on the previous Universal Credit childcare offer.

Eligible parents who increase their working hours are now also receiving up to 85% of their upfront childcare costs back before their next month’s bills are due, helping them cover costs one month in advance going forward. Prior to these changes many low-income families struggled with upfront childcare bills, making it harder for them to move into work.

Over half a million parents are set to benefit from these improved work chances, building on changes announced in July for parents with young children to meet their Work Coach more often.

Work is the best way to move out of poverty. According to the latest figures, working age adults living in workless households are over seven times more likely to be in absolute poverty after housing costs than working age adults in households where all adults work.

Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Mel Stride MP said:

“We are pulling down barriers that stop parents working and fulfilling their potential, because we know full time work not only benefits mum and dad but the whole family too.

“These changes will support thousands on their back to work journey. We’re backing working families, and as they step up for their careers, we are taking action to halve inflation, grow the economy and make everyone’s money go further.”

One person to already benefit from changes to conditionality is Kacee from Gateshead. Kacee who is 19 is a single parent of a one-year-old son who has already started to meet more frequently with her Work Coach. Since August, she has tapped into the more generous childcare costs through Universal Credit and is now working as a retail assistant part-time.

Households are at least £6,000 a year better off in full-time work than out of work on benefits, according to data covering the impact of moving onto Universal Credit and since 2010, there are almost 700,000 fewer children growing up in workless households, transforming their life chances.

Almost half (49%) of non-working mothers also say if they could arrange good quality childcare they would prefer to be employed, according to a Department for Education childcare and early years survey.

Those impacted will see updates to their expected Work-Related Activity which includes searching and applying for jobs, updating CVs, and developing transferable skills through workshops. All activity is designed to prepare parents to increase their likelihood of getting a job or increasing their hours.
November 1, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : We regret the draft resolution proposed by the United States has not been adopted – UK statement at the UN Security Council [October 2023]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 25 October 2023.

Explanation of vote by Ambassador Barbara Woodward at the UN Security Council meeting on the Middle East.

President, we regret that the draft resolution proposed by the United States was not adopted. The text would have had a real impact on the ground by calling for hostages to be released, for aid to get in, including through humanitarian pauses. Through this resolution the Security Council would have rightly, and for the first time, unequivocally condemned Hamas’ terrorist attacks.

The United Kingdom could not support the resolution proposed by Russia, which once again failed to recognise Israel’s right to self-defence.

As so many of us have said, there is a grave crisis unfolding in the Middle East. The Russian text was put to a vote without a single minute of consultation with the Council members. It was not a serious attempt to have this Council speak with one voice.

We are committed to continuing to work across the Council towards a balanced text that condemns Hamas, reaffirms Israel’s right to defend itself, is clear on the need for everything to be done to protect civilians in line with international humanitarian law and gets more aid flowing into Gaza.

I thank you.

November 1, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Prime Minister calls for global responsibility to take AI risks seriously and seize its opportunities [October 2023]
The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 25 October 2023.

UK Government officially publishes report on capabilities and risks from frontier AI for the first time, drawing on sources including intelligence assessments.
UK Government officially publishes report on capabilities and risks from frontier AI for the first time, drawing on sources including intelligence assessments.

This will inform discussions at next week’s AI Safety Summit at Bletchley Park, which aims to build a shared global understanding of the risks posed by frontier AI.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak will today give a speech on how we have a global responsibility to understand and address the risks surrounding AI, in order to realise all its benefits and opportunities for future generations.

A new paper into the capabilities and risks from frontier AI has been published for the first time by the UK Government today (Thursday 26 October), as the Prime Minister is set to give a speech on the global responsibility to address the risks head on and make the most of the opportunities AI can bring.

There are a range of views in the scientific, expert and global communities about the risks in relation to the rapid progress in frontier AI, which is expected to continue to evolve in the coming years at rapid speed. The report published today draws on various sources, including UK intelligence assessments.

One of the key objectives of the AI Safety Summit – the first ever global summit to discuss AI safety – is to come to a shared understanding on the emerging risks, which can then inform how nations manage them. It also highlights the need for countries around the world to understand the pitfalls presented by frontier AI to unlock its enormous benefits.

The publication will serve as a discussion paper at next week’s summit. It forms part of the UK Government’s action to take long-term decisions for a brighter future, leading the way globally on AI safety. It is in the long-term interest of the country to understand and grip the risks of AI in order to seize the enormous opportunities it brings to improve people’s lives, public services and economic growth and productivity.

The publication comes ahead of a speech by the Prime Minister today on AI. He will set out how the UK Government will do what is right to make AI safe, cement the UK as a global leader in AI safety, and ensure we can harness its benefits to build a better future for generations to come.

In his speech, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is expected to say:

“AI will bring new knowledge, new opportunities for economic growth, new advances in human capability, and the chance to solve problems we once thought beyond us. But it also brings new dangers and new fears.

“So, the responsible thing for me to do is to address those fears head on, giving you the peace of mind that we will keep you safe, while making sure you and your children have all the opportunities for a better future that AI can bring.

“Doing the right thing, not the easy thing, means being honest with people about the risks from these technologies.”

The report is made up of three parts:

Capabilities and risks from frontier AI: A discussion paper on the need for further research into AI risk. It covers the current state of frontier AI capabilities, how these might improve in the future, as well as the risks they currently present, including societal harms, misuse and loss of control.

Safety and Security Risks of Generative Artificial Intelligence to 2025: A report drawing on sources including intelligence assessments, which states that generative AI development has the potential to bring significant global benefits but will also increase risks to safety and security by enhancing threat actor capabilities and increasing the effectiveness of attacks.

Future Risks of Frontier AI: A report from the Government Office for Science, which considers key uncertainties in frontier AI development, the risks future systems might pose, and a range of potential scenarios for AI out to 2030.

The Summit will focus on risks at the frontier of AI around the misuse of AI by non-state actors to perform harms like cyber-attacks or to design bioweapons, as well as risks around the loss of control of AI, where systems may act autonomously in a way that does not align with our intentions or values.

Recognising that AI can have broader impacts on society too, the Summit will also include discussions on the risks from the integration of frontier AI on society like election disruption, bias, crime and online safety. There is also a vast amount of work taking place to address other risks from AI in other international forums and at national level.

Technology Secretary Michelle Donelan said:

“This marks a watershed moment, as the UK becomes the first country in the world to formally summarise the risks presented by this powerful technology.

“There is no question that AI can and will transform the world for the better, from making everyday tasks easier, to improving healthcare and tackling global challenges like world hunger and climate change. But we cannot harness its benefits without also tackling the risks.

“No country can do this alone, which is why we will be welcoming governments, academics, civil society groups and businesses to Bletchley Park next month to build a shared understanding of the risks while discussing how we can develop and use AI safely and responsibly so that it changes lives for the better.”
November 1, 2023