Category: Press Releases

PRESS RELEASE : Government sets out next steps to create ‘smokefree generation’ [October 2023]
The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 12 October 2023.

The government has launched a public consultation on youth vaping as part of measures to clamp down on vapes being promoted to children.
- Launch of public consultation following Prime Minister’s historic proposals to create first smokefree generation and crack down on youth vaping
- Teenagers, parents, teachers, medical professionals, academic experts and others have 8 weeks to submit views on government plans and to share experiences
- The government is committed to clamping down on vapes being promoted to children while ensuring adults who want to quit smoking remain supported
People of all ages are being invited to take part in a public consultation seeking views on plans to crack down on youth vaping by reducing the appeal, affordability and availability of vapes to our children.

The consultation launched today (12 October 2023) is open to anyone, of any age, in the UK and includes proposals to restrict child-friendly flavours and bright coloured packaging. People have 8 weeks to share their experiences and opinions and help shape future policy on vaping and smoking.

Last week, the Prime Minister unveiled plans to introduce a new law to stop children who turn 14 this year or younger from ever legally being sold cigarettes, in a bid to create the first ‘smokefree generation’. Smoking is the UK’s biggest preventable killer – causing around 1 in 4 cancer deaths and 64,000 in England alone – costing the economy and wider society £17 billion each year.

He also set out the government’s concerns about the worrying rise in vaping among children, with youth vaping tripling in the last 3 years and 1 in 5 children having now used a vape. Vaping is rightly used by adults as a tool to quit smoking, but the health advice is clear – if you don’t smoke, don’t vape and children should never vape.

Views on these proposals are now being sought from everyone, including the public, the retail sector, clinicians and medical professionals, public health stakeholders, academic experts, employers and trade unions.

The consultation has generated widespread support right across the 4 corners of the UK, with the Welsh Government, Scottish Government and the Department of Health in Northern Ireland all giving it their backing and agreeing to a joint consultation.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said:

Last week I promised to create the first smokefree generation and I am wasting no time to deliver on that promise.

Our ambitious plans will reverse the worrying rise in youth vaping while protecting our children from the dangerous long-term effects of smoking as quickly as possible.

Proposals being consulted on include:
- making it an offence for anyone born on or after 1 January 2009 to be sold tobacco products
- restricting the flavours and descriptions of vapes so that vape flavours are no longer targeted at children – we want to ensure this is done in a way that continues to support adult smokers to switch
- regulating point of sale displays in retail outlets so that vapes are kept out of sight from children and away from products that appeal to them, such as sweets
- regulating vape packaging and product presentation, ensuring that neither the device nor its packaging is targeted to children
- considering restricting the sale of disposable vapes, which are clearly linked to the rise in vaping in children. These products are not only attractive to children but also incredibly harmful to the environment
- exploring further restrictions for non-nicotine vapes and other nicotine consumer products such as nicotine pouches
- exploring whether increasing the price of vapes will reduce the number of young people using them
- introducing new powers for local authorities to issue on-the-spot fines (fixed penalty notices) to enforce age of sale legislation of tobacco products and vapes
Health and Social Care Secretary Steve Barclay said:

There has been a surge in vaping among children, which is why we’re taking action to reduce the appeal and availability of vapes. Vapes should never be used by children and we’re committed to reversing this trend.

We also need to take bold action to protect future generations from the harms of smoking addiction, which damages health at every stage of life and costs the economy billions.

These proposals build on previous initiatives to crack down on vapes becoming commonplace in classrooms while recognising them as an effective quit tool for smokers and central to the ambition for England to be smokefree by 2030. A UCL study estimated that swapping to vaping is already helping 50,000 to 70,000 smokers in England quit each year – saving thousands of lives.

Professor Chris Whitty, Chief Medical Officer for England, said:

Smoking causes cancers, heart and lung disease, stroke, stillbirth and dementia. Ensuring people do not become addicted to smoking, and helping them overcome addiction to stop smoking are 2 the best interventions for health.

Vaping is less dangerous than smoking but still has risks and can cause addiction. Vaping can be useful for smokers to quit, but should not be marketed to non-smokers and marketing them to children is utterly unacceptable.

Selling vapes to children is already illegal, but it is clear from recent statistics that vapes are too often targeted at children with the promotion of cheap, colourful and sweet flavours commonplace. This is despite the addictive nature of nicotine and the long-term harms of vapes being unknown. Nicotine vapes in particular can be highly addictive and withdrawal causes anxiety, trouble concentrating and headaches.

Recent figures show the number of children using vapes in the past 3 years has tripled, with 20.5% of children aged between 11 and 17 having tried vaping in 2023, according to Action on Smoking and Health (ASH). Similar trends are reflected globally, including in Canada and New Zealand. Use among younger children is also rising, with 9% of 11 to 15 year olds reportedly using vapes, according to a 2021 survey by NHS Digital.

Scottish Government Health Secretary, Michael Matheson, said:

We have already committed to a tobacco-free Scotland by 2034 and we welcome the opportunity to take part in this UK-wide consultation on creating a smoke-free generation.

Scotland has a range of world-leading tobacco control measures – we were the first country in the UK to introduce a ban on smoking in indoor public places in March 2006. As a result, smoking rates are at an all-time low. We continue to be ambitious and have more work to do to create a tobacco free Scotland, and I look forward to the refreshed tobacco action plan being published shortly.

We will continue to work with the UK government and other devolved administrations on joint approaches where appropriate.

Welsh Government Deputy Minister for Mental Health and Wellbeing, Lynne Neagle, said:

We want to take all actions possible to stop young people from starting smoking in the first place and from vapes being use by and targeted at children.

We have decided to consult jointly on these proposals as we believe they will be stronger if undertaken on a 4 nations basis. I therefore encourage anyone with an interest in tobacco or vaping to take part in the consultation and share their views on how we can best protect children and young people from these products.

Permanent Secretary at Northern Ireland’s Department of Health, Peter May, said:

Northern Ireland’s Department of Health has agreed that NI will be included in the public consultation, to help inform future decision making.

Professor Sir Nilesh Samani, Medical Director at the British Heart Foundation, said:

Following the government’s very welcome signal that it intends to take decisive action to ensure future generations are smokefree, we are pleased to see it also consult about vaping. This is an important opportunity to ensure that regulations around vaping are effective, and that any actions carry the confidence of the public.

Sarah Woolnough, Chief Executive at Asthma + Lung UK, said:

We welcome today’s consultation on vaping announced by the government. It is clear we must urgently act to stop children accessing vapes. Disposable vapes at their current pocket money prices, with cartoons and bubblegum flavour options, are far too attractive and easy for children to access. We also want to see restrictions on the marketing of vapes and on flavours so that they do not target children.

If you’re a smoker and you want to quit tobacco, vaping can be a helpful way to give up smoking. But for children and those who don’t smoke, starting to vape isn’t a good idea, especially if you have a lung condition.

Deborah Arnott, Chief Executive of health charity ASH, said:

Groundbreaking legislation to protect the next generation from smoking and vaping is needed, wanted and workable.

This consultation will ensure all voices are heard and the balance is struck between protecting children while still helping adult smokers quit. However, consultation must be followed rapidly by legislation to be passed in this Parliamentary session.

There is no time to waste, every day hundreds of children start smoking for the first time, two-thirds of whom will go on to become daily addicted smokers.

Cancer Research UK’s Chief Executive, Michelle Mitchell, said:

We’re pleased that the UK government’s consultation into youth vaping and smoking has launched. Preventing young people from taking up vaping is an area that needs stronger regulation, and we look forward to responding.

But it’s important to remember that based on current evidence, vaping is far less harmful than smoking cigarettes, and can help people to quit. The government is right to consider how any changes will impact people who use e-cigarettes as a smoking cessation tool.

Dr Jeanette Dickson, Chair of Council of the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges, said:

The Academy welcomes the consultation on smoking and vaping.

Smoking causes death and disability across all ages due to premature birth, heart disease, lung cancer and dementia. Eradicating smoking can only benefit the health of the population.

The introduction of cheap and accessible disposable vape products is also causing major environmental harm. Latest figures from Material Focus show 5 million disposable vapes are thrown away each week, a rapid increase from 1.3 million last year and is equivalent to the lithium batteries of 5,000 electric vehicles.

Environment Minister Rebecca Pow said:

The scale of the waste created by disposable vapes in the UK is shocking – industry research shows nearly 5 million single-use vapes are thrown away every week.

Not only will the Prime Minister’s historic proposals to crack down on cheap and accessible disposable vapes help create the first smokefree generation, but they will be of major benefit to the environment by tackling a particularly problematic waste stream.

The new plans are backed by concrete evidence following the department’s youth vaping call for evidence. This received 441 responses, with the majority (324) coming from individual respondents and 117 coming from organisations.

Concerned parents and carers, education professionals and charities echoed the Prime Minister’s concerns about underage use and availability of often counterfeit or illicit products – frequently displaying cartoons. Parents told us more children are trying vapes than ever before because of the cheap price of disposable options, diverse range of flavours and marketing which makes vapes look more like sweets than a smoking alternative.
October 19, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : UK statement for 74th session of the UNHCR Executive Committee [October 2023]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 11 October 2023.

This statement was delivered by the UK Human Rights Ambassador Rita French at the 74th UNHCR Executive Committee.

Thank you Chair, High Commissioner, and distinguished delegates.

The UK expresses its deepest sympathies to those killed by the earthquakes in Afghanistan and the terrorist acts in Israel. We express our steadfast support to the State of Israel, and our unequivocal condemnation of Hamas and its appalling acts of terrorism.

As you recognised, High Commissioner, the conflict in the Middle East is a ‘dangerous piece in a growing mosaic of crises,’ alongside rising forced displacement – now at over 110 million people.

In recognition of these rising urgent humanitarian needs, in 2024-2025, the UK intends to spend £1 billion globally. We have also sustained our core, unearmarked funding in 2023 and encourage others to likewise provide flexible contributions.

High Commissioner, I would like to express our deep gratitude to UNHCR staff for your invaluable work and we applaud UNHCR’s ongoing Business Transformation efforts to make the organisation more effective and efficient.

I want to recognise the continued generosity and leadership of host nations and communities for providing sanctuary to forcibly displaced people.

We are gravely concerned about displacement globally, including the continued crisis in Sudan which has displaced 1.1 million people, with more affected by the day. The continued widespread violence across the country and significant civilian death toll are horrific. The Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have dragged Sudan into a wholly unjustified war, with utter disregard for the Sudanese people, and they will be held accountable.

Chad, Egypt and South Sudan have led the way in providing protection to those fleeing violence. But the impact on these generous host nations – all of whom are facing their own humanitarian or economic challenges – is immense.

In addition to £21.7 million for humanitarian assistance inside Sudan, we have committed £5 million to help meet the urgent needs of refugees and returnees in South Sudan and Chad.

We will tirelessly pursue all diplomatic avenues to press for a permanent ceasefire, allow unfettered humanitarian access, and commit to a sustained and meaningful peace process.

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has also displaced around 11 million people and leaves nearly 18 million in humanitarian need.

In response, we have provided £347 million in humanitarian assistance since the start of the invasion and, as of 25 September, there have been 186,600 arrivals of Ukrainian refugees to the UK.

To reiterate our Foreign Secretary’s clear message, we remain steadfast in our commitment to support Ukraine to recover its territory and ‘win the peace’.

These are just two examples, but we are committed to using all our diplomatic, development and humanitarian levers to support all forcibly displaced people and peacebuilding globally. We will renew our commitment to doing so in our Development White Paper later this year.

The UK remains committed to the Global Compact on Refugees as the best strategy to achieve greater burden- and responsibility-sharing. We recognise the fundamental part the Compact plays in ensuring the international protection regime is fit for the 21st century, including supporting inclusion and protection of the most vulnerable, including women and girls, the LGBT+ community and those with disabilities.

Therefore, the UK aligns itself with the statement of Group of Friends on the Charter on Disability Inclusion.

The Global Refugee Forum is an opportunity for the international community to recommit to the Global Compact. And we look forward to announcing our pledges at the Forum in December.

UNHCR estimates there are 10 million stateless people worldwide with the Rohingya the single largest stateless population of two million and increasing, and the UK aligns itself with the statement of the Group of Friends on Statelessness.

Over the past six years, the UK has provided £365 million to the response in Bangladesh and nearly £30 million to Rohingya and other Muslim minorities in Rakhine State.

But the situation remains desperate.

The long-term solution for this crisis must be the safe, voluntary, and dignified return of the Rohingya to Rakhine state, once the conditions allow.

We remain committed to making this a reality, and to supporting Rohingya refugees across the region until they can return home.

High Commissioner, the UK Minister for the region is pleased to be co-convening the Rohingya Conference in Bangkok next week alongside UNHCR.

On the International Day of the Girl, I want to highlight that statelessness is a gender equality issue.

There are 24 countries that do not allow women to pass on their citizenship on an equal basis to men. These laws are a root cause of childhood and multi-generational statelessness. We call on these countries to reform their nationality laws.

Statelessness can be ended. And we look forward to joining the Global Alliance to End Statelessness when it is launched in 2024 to help make this happen.

Thank you very much.

October 18, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Readout of Technology Secretary’s meeting with social media companies on antisemitism and violence online [October 2023]

The press release issued by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology on 11 October 2023.

Readout from the Technology Secretary’s roundtable with social media companies on 11 October 2023.

The Technology Secretary today convened UK leaders of social media companies Google, Meta, X, TikTok and Snapchat to discuss the proliferation of antisemitism and extremely violent content following Hamas’ acts of terrorism in Israel.

In the meeting, the Technology Secretary asked social media platforms to clearly set out what action they were taking to swiftly remove illegal content and content that breaches their terms and conditions. She specifically urged the platforms to step up their actions to keep children safe from violent content from these acts of terrorism.

Secretary of State was clear she wanted to see action and the companies were clear that they are ready to act swiftly to protect users and stop the spread of terrorism and antisemitism online. The Secretary of State noted that the next few days will reveal their preparedness, and asked for each company to follow up in writing to confirm the steps they are taking to tackle extremely violent and antisemitic content.

The meeting comes ahead of the Online Safety Bill receiving Royal Assent which, when it becomes law, will for the first time place a legal duty on companies to remove illegal content from their platforms, enforce the agreements they make with users through their terms, and keep children safe online. Under the bill, if platforms fail to comply they could face severe fines from Ofcom, and executives could even face prison.

October 18, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : UN Human Rights Council 54 – Statement for Item 10 General Debate [October 2023]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 11 October 2023.

Statement for Item 10 General Debate. As delivered by the UK’s Human Rights Ambassador, Rita French.

Thank you, Mr Vice President,

The United Kingdom strongly supports the vital role of technical cooperation. The international community must challenge States with egregious human rights situations, but it is equally important to support States who are cooperating with the UN and those who are looking for assistance to meet their human rights obligations.

We welcome the many countries who are doing so, who have seen the long-term benefits of technical cooperation. There is perhaps no better example of this than the many years of cooperation between the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, and Colombia, where there is a significant country presence. We welcome the ongoing positive example demonstrated by Colombia, and welcome its willingness to share its experience with the Council over recent sessions.

We share the regret expressed by High Commissioner Turk over the recent closure of the Uganda country office. During its 18 years in Uganda the office engaged closely with the government and other partners on a range of important human rights issues. We share the High Commissioner’s hope that the Uganda Human Rights Commission will be provided with adequate human, technical and financial resources to execute its mandate.

The human rights situation in Yemen remains dire – we welcome the Arab Group’s resolution in providing technical assistance to Yemen. Monitoring and reporting to the Council by the Office of the High Commissioner would help ensure independent oversight as is the practice in other Item 10 resolutions. We encourage the Arab Group to these provisions in future resolutions on Yemen at the Council.

October 17, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : The UK remains committed to upholding self-determination and responsibilities in Overseas Territories – UK statement at UN Fourth Committee [October 2023]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 11 October 2023.

UK statement delivered by Mungo Woodifield, UK Spokesperson to the UN, at the UN Fourth Committee.

Thank you, Chair.

Chair, let me start by reiterating that the UK has a modern relationship with all of its Overseas Territories based on partnership; on shared values; and on the right of the people of each Territory to choose to remain British or not.

The UK Overseas Territories have a large measure of internal self-government, subject only to the UK retaining powers to carry out its obligations under international law.

We have a close bilateral relationship with each Territory, but the UK and Overseas Territory Governments also hold a Joint Ministerial Council each year to monitor and drive forward collective priorities for action in the spirit of partnership.

We are committed to supporting the Territories on their priorities including environmental protection and to carrying out our constitutional responsibilities, including ensuring security. Across the Territories, we provide financial and practical support to build local capacity and resilience and have projects underway to build new infrastructure, including a new hospital, ports and much more.

Mr Chair, I would like to address a couple of specific points relating to two of the UK’s Overseas Territories.

Firstly, Gibraltar. In the coming days, we anticipate that the Committee will hear directly from the Chief Minister of Gibraltar as the elected representative of its people. We welcome their participation and restate that the UK’s longstanding commitment to the people of Gibraltar remains unchanged.

The UK will not enter into arrangements under which the people of Gibraltar would pass under the sovereignty of another state against their freely and democratically expressed wishes.

The United Kingdom also reaffirms that it will not enter into a process of sovereignty negotiations with which Gibraltar is not content.

Following the UK’s departure from the European Union, the UK Government, together with the Government of Gibraltar and the Government of Spain, agreed to a Political Framework on how a future agreement between the UK and EU in respect of Gibraltar would function in the interests of all parties.

These negotiations began in October 2021 and the UK, working side-by-side with the Government of Gibraltar, is committed to concluding a UK-EU treaty as soon as possible.

Mr Chair, the second specific issue I wish to address is the Falkland Islands.

Let me reiterate that the UK has no doubt about its sovereignty over both the Falkland Islands, and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, and their surrounding maritime areas. Nor do we have any doubt about the Falkland Islanders’ right to self-determination. This is enshrined in the UN Charter and in Article One of both of the two UN covenants on human rights, by virtue of which they freely determine their political status and freely pursue their economic, social and cultural development.

In the 2013 referendum, which was conducted in line with international standards and was observed by independent, international observers, 99.8 per cent of those who voted wanted to maintain their current status as a Territory of the United Kingdom. This result sent a clear message of self-determination, and that the people of the Islands do not want dialogue on sovereignty.

These wishes – expressed freely – should be respected.

The people of the Falkland Islands are an established and diverse community, with families being able to trace their South Atlantic ancestry back ten generations, and over 60 different nationalities are represented across the population.

The Falkland Islanders remain resilient in the face of harassment from Argentina – they are looking to a future in which their young people can freely travel the globe to play sports without fear of backlash from Argentina; in which they can share their wealth of knowledge on environmental protections with international partners; and importantly, a future in which they can have a peaceful and cooperative relationship with their neighbours, free from hostility.

The UK continues to hope for a stronger, more productive relationship with Argentina, including in relation to the Falkland Islands. We believe this is in everybody’s interest and stand ready to take that forward, but not at the expense of the Falkland Islanders right to determine their own future. This means that there can be no dialogue on sovereignty unless the Falkland Islands so wish.

Chair, in conclusion, the UK remains committed to respecting and defending the right of the people of each Territory to determine their own future, in line with the UN Charter.

Let me also reassure you that the UK will continue to carry out our responsibilities as part of our modern relationship with each of the territories.

Thank you, Chair.

October 17, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Russia continues its brutal attacks causing widespread destruction – UK statement to the OSCE [October 2023]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 11 October 2023.

UK military advisor, Nicholas Aucott, says Russia’s attack in Hroza was despicable, killing more than 50 people, but notes Russia continues to blunder as it shoots down one of its own fighter jets.

Madam Chair, before I turn my attention to Ukraine, I would now like to say a few words about the terrible events that unfolded over the weekend in Israel. The UK strongly condemns Hamas’ appalling acts of terror against Israeli citizens, and we call for an end to the attacks on Israel. Hamas’s indiscriminate use of violence and the resulting civilian casualties is horrific. The number of Israeli citizens killed has surpassed 1,200 and continues to rise. The taking hostage of over one hundred Israeli citizens is heinous. The UK stands steadfast in support of Israel and its right to self-defence. Hamas does not represent the legitimate aspirations of Palestinian people and offers them nothing other than more terror and bloodshed. Hamas’ despicable acts have also resulted in the deaths of over 830 Palestinians in Gaza and at least 19 Palestinians in the West Bank.

Turning now to events in Ukraine, it has been two weeks since this Forum last sat and during this period we have unfortunately witnessed Russia continue its despicable attacks, causing the death and destruction of Ukraine’s civilians and civilian infrastructure. Russia conducted heavy shelling over the weekend in Kherson and Donetsk resulting in several civilian casualties. This comes after Russia’s missile strike in the village of Hroza which killed more than 50 people, including an 8-year-old boy. Reporting estimates that Russia killed one in five of the population of Hroza in one single event.

Meanwhile, the Ukrainian people are resisting Russia’s unprovoked attack with resolute conviction. While the fighting is hard going, Ukraine continues to enjoy success on the battlefield. Ukrainian headway in clearing Russia’s minefields and defensive fortifications has taken time and cost many lives. But Ukraine has made steady progress. Ukraine’s armed forces recaptured more than half the territory Russia seized illegally in February 2022, including Snake Island, Kharkiv and Kherson. Russia has been unable to defend Bakhmut, the only gain in Russia’s winter counter-offensive. And, since this Forum last met to discuss Ukraine, Russia has committed further blunders, shooting down one of its own Su-35 jets. In contrast, Ukraine’s armed forces have shown bravery, ingenuity and determination in reclaiming their land.

A critical aspect of Ukrainian success has been the sustained pipeline of military aid that the United Kingdom and our partners have provided to Ukraine. As a key member of the Ukraine Defence Contact Group, the United Kingdom will continue in its military support to Ukraine for as long as it takes. In a demonstration of the United Kingdom’s unwavering commitment to Ukraine, the United Kingdom has also committed £4.7 billion to non-military support.

Madam Chair, Russia continues to spend vast resources on its self-destructive war. The longer Russia fights, the more Russia loses, and the weaker Russia becomes. Russia has suffered almost 200,000 casualties and 50,000 fatalities. In spite of this, Russia continues with this morally abhorrent campaign. Declassified intelligence warned last month that the Russian military had attempted a missile strike against a cargo ship in the Black Sea. The UK declassified further intelligence last week showing that Russia may continue targeting civilian shipping, including by laying explosive devices in the approach to Ukrainian ports. Once again civilians and civilian infrastructure will bear the brunt.

As my Foreign Secretary said: “Russia’s pernicious targeting of civilian shipping in the Black Sea demonstrates Putin’s total disregard for civilian lives and the needs of the world’s most vulnerable. The world is watching – and we see right through Russia’s cynical attempts to lay blame on Ukraine for Russia’s attacks. We and our allies stand united against Putin and his attempts to harm Ukraine, and thus harm the rest of the world.”

Madam Chair, as we have highlighted many times in this Forum, we are presented with the clear situation of Russia, as a member of this organisation, having ruthlessly invaded Ukraine without provocation. We have also highlighted previously the multiple civilian deaths following Russian strikes in Kremenchuk and Kramatorsk. It is truly tragic, therefore, that we must now add the name of Hroza to the list of events which display the very depths of Russian depravity. In the face of these horrors, Ukraine will continue to fight for as long as is necessary and the United Kingdom will remain unwavering in its support. Thank you.

October 12, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Statement to the 104th Session of the Executive Council of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons [October 2023]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 11 October 2023.

Statement to the 104th Session of the Executive Council of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons by Her Excellency Joanna Roper, Permanent Representative of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

Mr Chairperson, Director General, Excellencies, colleagues,

We acknowledge the progress made in recent months towards the eradication of the use of chemical weapons, including the opening of the ChemTech Centre, the expansion of capacity building activities in support of States Parties and the destruction of all declared chemical weapon stockpiles, as set out by the Director General this morning. Thank you to the Director General, the Technical Secretariat and all those leading working groups and clusters of issues. Despite this progress, we know that challenges remain.

In August, we joined other States Parties in commemorating the 10th anniversary of the Assad regime’s horrific chemical weapons attack on Ghouta, which killed 1,400 innocent civilians – including hundreds of women and children. At the end of this week, we will recognise another important date – 10 years since Syria joined the Chemical Weapons Convention. This should be a moment to mark, as a step towards a world without chemical weapons. Instead, we reflect on at least 9 subsequent Assad regime chemical weapons attacks and the further, significant loss of innocent life in egregious violation of international law in Syria.

These attacks confirm beyond all doubt that, in spite of repeated Syrian Regime assurances, Syria did not declare and destroy all of its chemical weapons in 2013. The Syrian Regime has continued to obfuscate and block progress to resolve serious outstanding issues with its declaration. Until these outstanding issues are resolved, we cannot rule out the possibility that the Assad regime will use chemical weapons again.

Mr Chair,

We acknowledge the contents of the Noted Verbale submitted by Syria, but note that without meaningful engagement with the OPCW, its chemical weapons programme will continue to pose a threat to regional and international security. We must uphold the Convention by fortifying our pursuit of: Syrian compliance with the CWC, accountability and risk reduction.

Mr Chair,

Russia continues to make baseless allegations of chemical attacks in Ukraine and the prospect of Ukrainian ‘chemical provocation’. Considering Russia’s recent track record of using chemical weapons, we are gravely concerned that these allegations could be used as the pretext for Russian use of chemical weapons in their illegal and abhorrent violation of Ukraine’s sovereign and internationally recognised territory. Any use of chemical weapons by Russia in Ukraine would have severe consequences.

Ukraine’s Notes Verbale to the Technical Secretariat and a Russian state media report indicate widespread Russian use of riot control agents in the prosecution of its illegal war, in contravention of Article I of the CWC. We look forward to Russian answers to Article IX questions posed in a Note Verbale submitted to the Technical Secretariat on 6 October. The UK will remain steadfast in its support of Ukraine’s efforts to protect itself against the threat of chemical weapons and to investigate possible use, noting the option set out in the Convention and in decisions of policy-making organs.

Mr Chair,

We recognise important work, supported by the majority of states, to enhance the effectiveness of the OPCW and ensure its continuing viability. We commend progress made to establish the Working Group on Geographical Representation and to drive discussions on tenure policy.

We also welcome States Parties’ spirit of cooperation and the work of the Technical Secretariat to finalise the biennial budget. We recognise that the trade-offs are difficult, but we remain committed to supporting efforts to achieve affordable outcomes that protect OPCW core activity. Let me close by acknowledging all the hard work by the Director General and colleagues that has gone into pursuing these outcomes. Thank you Mr Chair.

October 12, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Chief Secretary hosts AI meeting to boost public sector productivity [October 2023]

The press release issued by HM Treasury on 11 October 2023.

John Glen spoke to experts in artificial intelligence to discuss the technology’s potential.

The Chief Secretary to the Treasury, John Glen, met with experts in artificial intelligence (AI) today (Wednesday 11 October) to discuss the technology’s potential to drive public sector productivity in a safe and secure way.

The Chancellor has been clear that public spending cannot continue to outpace growth without people paying more in taxes. To ensure this does not happen he has asked the Chief Secretary to look at ways to boost public sector productivity. The Public Sector Productivity Review will report in autumn.

Hosting a roundtable of academic and business leaders in the Treasury, the Chief Secretary emphasised that the safe use of AI can be a key driver of productivity growth, saving taxpayers money while improving public services – noting that in 90 per cent of stroke units across England, cutting edge AI tools are already supporting clinicians to treat patients that present with stroke more quickly, halving the time to get treatment and tripling the chances of patients living independently following a stroke.

The Chief Secretary listened to experts from academia and industry to better understand how companies are already using AI safely to benefit their staff and consumers, including using it to improve customer experiences and how the US Bureau of Labor Statistics has used artificial intelligence to relieve employees of tedious and repetitive tasks, saving staff 25,000 working hours.

The Chief Secretary asked for opinions on what would be required to implement AI safely and responsibly, noting the UK has attracted £18 billion of private investment since 2016 and is third in the 2022 Government AI Readiness Index and highest in Western Europe, but was placed tenth in the public sector category.

Chief Secretary to the Treasury John Glen said:

“If we don’t make our public services more productive, we will be trapped in an unsustainable cycle of spending increases.

“Through the use of safe AI, we can unchain our nurses, teachers, police officers and civil servants from time consuming admin – freeing them up to help the taxpayer.”

The Chief Secretary also took part in Google Cloud’s flagship annual event, Google Next London, by delivering a speech on the role of digital transformation, AI and innovation in driving productivity. The event was attended by public sector decision makers and businesses such as Unilever, John Lewis and BT.

October 11, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : UK to host Minerals Security Partnership for first time to boost investment in critical minerals [October 2023]
The press release issued by the Department for Business and Trade on 11 October 2023.

On Tuesday 10 October, the UK hosted the Principals’ meeting of the Minerals Security Partnership for the first time, at the London Metals Exchange.

The UK hosted a Principals’ meeting of the Minerals Security Partnership (MSP) for the first time ever in London yesterday (10 October), which focused on boosting responsible investment and sustainable finance in critical mineral supply chains.

Industry Minister Nusrat Ghani co-chaired the historic meeting of the MSP at the London Metals Exchange together with US Under Secretary for Economic Growth, Energy and the Environment Jose Fernandez yesterday afternoon.

The MSP is a group of 14 partners – representing over 50 percent of global GDP – that aims to catalyse public and private sector investment in responsible critical mineral supply chains globally.

Minister for Industry and Economic Security Nusrat Ghani said:

By 2040, the world will need four times more critical minerals than it does today. There’s a global rush towards securing these, so it is vital we secure them for the UK supply chain to support both our economy today and jobs for the future.

I was honoured to co-chair the latest Minerals Security Partnership meeting with Under Secretary Fernandez as we seek to boost investment in critical minerals and secure our supply chains for the long term.

Jose Fernandez, US Under Secretary for Economic Growth, Energy and the Environment said:

We have to work together to ensure that wherever there is new development of critical mineral projects, there is also fairness: respect for communities and host governments, local value addition and economic development and environmental protection.

At the meeting yesterday, MSP partners confirmed that they are driving forward a range of projects which will help to develop responsible critical mineral supply chains, including:
- 11 projects in upstream mining and mineral extraction, four projects in midstream minerals processing, and two projects in recycling and recovery – including a UK-based recycling technology led by HyProMag, commercialising rare earth magnet recycling (further details below).
- One project focusing primarily on lithium; three on graphite; two on nickel; one on cobalt; one on manganese; two on copper; and seven on rare earth elements.
- Five projects in the Americas, seven projects in Africa, three projects in Europe, and two projects in Asia-Pacific.
The meeting yesterday enabled collaboration between MSP partners, governments of existing and emerging mineral economies and the private sector to accelerate more extraction, processing and recycling projects across the critical minerals value chain, while promoting high environmental, social, and governance standards and ensuring economic prosperity for all.

MSP partners participating in the meeting included Australia, Canada, Finland, France, Germany, Japan, India, Italy, the Republic of Korea, Norway, Sweden, the UK, the USA and the EU (represented by the European Commission).

A select group of additional mineral-producing countries – including Brazil, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, South Africa and Zambia – also took part in the meeting.

About HyProMag:
- HyProMag is commercialising rare earth magnet recycling using Hydrogen Processing of Magnet Scrap (HPMS) technology, developed at the University of Birmingham, UK, which can liberate and recycle magnets from end-of-life scrap.
- Having commissioned the UK’s first rare earth magnet recycling pilot plant at the University of Birmingham in 2022, alongside the UK’s only facility to make sintered rare earth magnets, HyProMag, together with the University of Birmingham, are developing a large-scale recycling plant at Tyseley Energy Park, Birmingham, with first production by the end of this year and supported with funding from UK Research and Innovation.
- Investment from UK-Canada listed Mkango Resources in 2020 has helped scale-up and catalyse international growth initiatives, including in Germany where HyProMag has established a sister company, HyProMag GmbH, and in the U.S. through a new Maginito-CoTec 50:50 joint venture company, with evaluation of other jurisdictions underway. Maginito (79.4% Mkango; 20.6% CoTec) acquired HyProMag in 2023.
- In line with MSP’s commitment to recycling and reuse, the development of new sources of recycled rare earths can accelerate development of sustainable and competitive rare earth magnet production.
October 11, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Home Secretary announces new Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner [October 2023]
The press release issued by the Home Office on 11 October 2023.

Eleanor Lyons will take up the role to help combat modern slavery.

Eleanor Lyons, the current Deputy Children’s Commissioner, has been selected to take up the role of Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner.

She will play a key role in helping to drive the UK’s response to this devastating crime.

The unique role was established by the Modern Slavery Act 2015, and is independent of government. The Commissioner works collaboratively with the government and its partners to ensure modern slavery is effectively tackled in the UK, as well as working with international partners to promote best practice.

Ms Lyons was selected for the important role by Home Secretary Suella Braverman following a robust competition, conducted in accordance with the Governance Code on Public Appointments.

Home Secretary, Suella Braverman said:

I congratulate Eleanor Lyons on her appointment and look forward to working with her to tackle modern slavery. She will provide tremendous insight and expertise as she takes up this role.

Ms Lyons said:

Modern slavery and human trafficking are abhorrent crimes. Our response must be focused on prosecuting those responsible, preventing further exploitation and protecting victims, particularly those least often heard. The Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner was created to drive efforts forward and encourage best practice across the UK.

I look forward to working constructively with stakeholders and building on the progress that has been made since the role was created. I am committed to a victim-centric approach and to ensuring that survivors’ experiences inform my work to effect meaningful change.

Ms Lyons will be expected to:
- encourage good practice in the prevention, detection, investigation and prosecution of slavery and human trafficking offences and in the identification of victims
- work alongside Government in its implementation of the reform of National Referral Mechanism (NRM) to improve UK’s ability to identify and support victims of modern slavery
- commission specific research, studies and inquiries to strengthen the evidence base on modern slavery to support the mobilisation of appropriate responses and the commissioning of interventions
- build positive relationships with the modern slavery leadership community, including the Devolved Administrations, business, academia, civil society, international partners and victims of modern slavery
The appointment is designated for a fixed period of three years, with Ms Lyons taking up the role from 11 December 2023, after she concludes her role as Deputy Children’s Commissioner. Between November 2019 and July 2020, Ms Lyons was Director for Portland Communication Consultancy. Between November 2017 and August 2019, she was Special Adviser to the Prime Minister, Defence Secretary and Chief Whip.
October 11, 2023