Category: Press Releases

PRESS RELEASE : Minister hails ‘world-class’ exporters as new data shows UK businesses reach record highs [September 2023]

The press release issued by the Department for Business and Trade on 29 September 2023.

Revised figures from the Office for National Statistics indicates that the UK’s total exports in 2022 were worth £834 billion, up from £815 billion.

Exports Minister Malcolm Offord has praised the UK’s ‘world-class’ exporters as new data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) released today (29 September) shows UK exports performed even better than previously thought.

The figures reveal that the UK’s total exports in 2022 were worth a huge £834 billion, putting the UK well on the way to hitting its target of £1 trillion of exports a year by the end of the decade.

2022 was a record year for the UK’s services exports in particular as they topped £400 billion for the first time, and new ONS data estimates they were worth £411 billion in total last year – £10 billion higher than the original estimation of £401 billion.

The ONS have said this is due to more data becoming available and more accurate methodologies being used to calculate export values – particularly for education services exports.

Minister for Exports Lord Offord said:

This is fantastic news and shows our world-class exporting businesses are doing even better than first thought and selling more of the goods and services to the world.

The UK is a services superpower, hitting over £400 billion in exports for the first time last year, but we want to see even more businesses exporting, so we can hit our ambitious target of £1 trillion of exports a year by 2030.

We’re backing British business by knocking down trade barriers, signing new trade deals, giving expert advice via our Export Support Service and funding through UK Export Finance – our award-winning export credit agency.

Marco Forgione, Director General of the Institute of Export & International Trade said:

It’s positive to see improvements across a range of exports within both trade in goods and services.

The Institute of Export & International Trade’s recent report ‘Global horizons: realising the services exports potential of UK nations and regions’ demonstrates why we are a services powerhouse. It’s vital that we maintain our global advantage as an exporter of services and one of the key recommendations of our report was creating regional sector specialisations – which, if implemented, will improve regional outputs.

We have a clear pathway to continue this success and by focusing on our nations and regions we can work together with businesses to reap the benefits of entering new markets.

The ONS has today published an article setting out a detailed assessment of its changes to the export stats, available online on its website.

October 1, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Using NHS data to improve healthcare [September 2023]

The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 29 September 2023.

Professor Sir Chris Whitty writes for The Times on how using data effectively and safely can improve patient care and bolster research.

This article was originally published in The Times and republished as a Government press release.

The NHS uses data every day for healthcare. All of us who use the NHS contribute to the data; all of us who use it benefit from the data being used effectively and safely. It serves three purposes all of which, done properly, improve healthcare now or in the future. The first is data for direct patient care. If data cannot be shared between different parts of the NHS, doctors and other healthcare professionals treating patients in one part of the NHS cannot access important information about us.

The second is to improve the effectiveness of the NHS. The third is to collate data for medical research to improve healthcare in the future. The more complete the data for all of these uses, the more effective current and future healthcare will be. By allowing the use of our data we benefit ourselves and others, but we also have an absolute expectation that these data will be kept securely, privately and only used for legitimate purposes.

Having our data shared across the NHS to assist directly in our own clinical care is a benefit to the great majority of patients in the NHS. We may receive care both from our GP and in hospital, and some people are treated in several different parts of the NHS. If a doctor or nurse in one part of the NHS does not know important facts from another, this can reduce the effectiveness of treatment and in some cases can be dangerous.

Currently the NHS has multiple data systems that do not talk to one another; we need to change that. Healthcare workers sometimes worry that sharing or accessing data might infringe some rule. When this is done in good faith for patient care, using standard guidelines and methods, it is extremely unlikely to cause any concern; indeed there is a strong clinical responsibility to share data when this will benefit an individual patient. The Information Commissioner, National Data Guardian and I have recently jointly written about this.

Using data integrated from patients across the NHS to improve its efficiency and effectiveness benefits us all. The more inclusive of everyone the data are, the easier it is for the NHS to make sure its resources are used efficiently to optimise healthcare for all of us. Covid-19 demonstrated this; by bringing together data from across the country and combining data from different parts of the system the NHS became steadily more effective at managing healthcare both for those who had Covid-19 and those needing care for other health problems. Knowing where there is ICU capacity, which A&E departments are under greater pressure, and optimising operation lists are all examples of things which need live, inclusive data.

The extraordinary improvements in health which have occurred as a result of medical research are the third area where using our patient data can be transformational. Again, taking Covid-19 as an example, we used data from patients from across the country, rapidly combined, to determine the safety and effectiveness of vaccines, drugs and other medical interventions.

Over a million UK citizens volunteered to take part in trials and other formal studies, and we should be very grateful to them. Many more contributed data which help to deliver new treatments, and assess their effectiveness for others in the future. Without data used in this way, the speed of medical improvements will be slowed down, and research aiming to improve future healthcare for diseases such as cancers or heart disease will be impossible.

People should know how their data is used and be involved in these decisions, so it is welcome that NHS England has today announced a programme of national conversations with the public on data policies and programmes. I encourage people to take part. The NHS has a responsibility to use data to improve individual patient care, its own effectiveness and support research. When we withhold our data from the NHS this can only reduce the effectiveness of care for us and others now, and medical advances for others in the future.

October 1, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : UK Denial of Benefits Notification [September 2023]
The press release issued by the Department for Business and Trade on 29 September 2023.

UK notification denying the advantages of Part III of the Energy Charter Treaty to the specified categories of investors of the Russian Federation.

The UK has taken the decision to exercise its right via notification to deny the benefits of the investment protection provisions within the Energy Charter Treaty to sanctioned Russian investors and Russian mailbox investors to ensure those investors cannot benefit from the treaty’s investment protection provisions.

Russia is not a Contracting Party to the Energy Charter Treaty. However, Russian owned or controlled investments that are structured through Contracting Parties could in some cases claim coverage under the Treaty and benefit from its investment protection provisions. This notification makes clear that those investors are not entitled to the benefits of those provisions, with respect to any investments made in the UK’s energy sector, where they are a sanctioned investor or a mailbox investor.

The United Kingdom hereby:

(i) denies, pursuant to Article 17 (1) of the Energy Charter Treaty (the “Treaty”), the advantages of Part III of the Treaty to all legal entities owned or controlled by any citizen(s) or national(s) of the Russian Federation where those entities have no substantial business activities in the Area of the Contracting Party in which they are organised; and

(ii) denies, pursuant to Article 17 (2) of the Treaty, the advantages of Part III of the Treaty to all Investments of Investors who:
- are Investors of the Russian Federation (within the meaning of Article 1.7 (b) of the Treaty); and
- are included in the UK Sanctions List (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-uk-sanctions-list), as that list may be amended from time to time, or in any list issued in replacement thereof, or who are otherwise subject to any sanctions regime imposed or administered by the United Kingdom from time to time.
October 1, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Fund reinstated to deliver specialist mobility equipment for seriously injured veterans [September 2023]
The press release issued by the Cabinet Office on 29 September 2023.

A new £2.52 million Veterans’ Mobility Fund (VMF) is set to provide veterans across the UK with mobility equipment to improve their quality of life.
New Veterans’ Mobility Fund will deliver grants to former armed forces personnel with mobility needs

Government funding to be awarded by Help for Heroes in partnership with Blesma, The Limbless Veterans charity

Funding will enable veterans to access vital mobility equipment such as wheelchairs and scooters

A new £2.52 million Veterans’ Mobility Fund (VMF) is set to provide veterans across the UK with mobility equipment to improve their quality of life.

The fund will deliver grants and equipment to veterans with mobility needs linked to their service. This includes mobility aids that are not usually available through the NHS, such as specialist wheelchairs and mobility scooters, and different orthotics such as splints and braces.

The Armed Forces Covenant Trust, funded by the government, has awarded £2.52 million to Help for Heroes, in partnership with Blesma. The charities will deliver high quality support to veterans with physical disabilities through grants across five years.

Minister for Veterans’ Affairs, Rt Hon. Johnny Mercer MP, said:

I want to make this the best country in the world to be a veteran. To do that, It is only right that those who have served our country should have access to high quality support that allows them to get back to what they love doing.

I’ve met so many inspiring veterans today who have told me how the previous fund helped them to make small steps to regain their independence and zest for life.

If you have mobility needs linked to your time in service, please get in touch with Help for Heroes to find out more.

The new VMF was secured in the Spring Budget by the Minister for Veterans’ Affairs. The reinstated fund will have a greater focus on evaluating impact, and will be part of the new physical health pathway in England under Op RESTORE.

James Needham, CEO of Help for Heroes:

The reinstatement of the Veterans’ Mobility Fund will make a vital difference to the lives of those injured during their military service, and it is great news that our charity has been recognised and trusted to deliver this fund.

Today’s announcement is a result of a joint two-year campaign by Help for Heroes and Blemsa, and wounded veterans will be pleased that the UK Government has listened and reinstated this life-changing fund.

We are now working quickly and carefully to establish a robust programme so we can open the fund to eligible veterans by March 2024.

Jon Bryant, Chief Executive, Blesma, the Limbless Veterans said:

Blesma is delighted to have been successful in bidding to run the Veterans Mobility Fund alongside our colleagues in Help for Heroes. Having campaigned for this funding, we know very well what a difference it will make to veterans who have been injured in the service of their country. We look forward to delivering this much-needed support to those who need it.

Army veteran, Paul Colling, said:

I’m delighted the government has decided to reinstate the VMF and award it to Help for Heroes and Blesma. Being able to access the previous fund meant I was able to receive a specialist leg brace -something I couldn’t afford on my own – which prevented me from going through a leg amputation. That brace, and the efforts of Help for Heroes, has enabled me to walk again.

By addressing mobility needs, the equipment will help with veterans’ wider issues such as reducing isolation and loneliness.

To further support the healthcare needs of veterans, the Office for Veterans’ Affairs (OVA) has worked with NHS England to deliver two dedicated healthcare pathways. Op RESTORE supports physical health needs, and Op COURAGE provides mental health and wellbeing support. The OVA launched a £5 million Health Innovation Fund this year, which includes a research project by Blesma and Anglia Ruskin University on how assistive technologies such as wheelchairs and mobility scooters help veterans in their everyday lives.
September 30, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Immediate action to improve HMP Woodhill [September 2023]
The press release issued by the Ministry of Justice on 29 September 2023.

HMP Woodhill will take urgent action to improve safety, security and living conditions including specialist psychological staff to support prisoners at risk of self-harm.
Ministers outline Action Plan to drive immediate improvements at HMP Woodhill

Extra prison staff and training to bolster prison safety and security

Prison conditions to be assessed and works carried out to improve living conditions

Today’s announcement (29 September 2023) follows a critical inspection by His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Prisons (HMIP) last month which identified serious concerns resulting in an Urgent Notification.

As part of the Urgent Notification process, Ministers have 28 days to respond, setting out what immediate action is required to improve the running of this prison.

Extra prison staff will be deployed and the population temporarily reduced to bolster the safety and security of HMP Woodhill, with all staff given fresh training on how to tackle prisoner violence.

A prison-wide cell condition survey is underway to identify necessary repairs and industrial-grade cleaning will be carried out across the prison to improve the standard of living conditions.

An Education, Skills and Work Manager will be hired to improve prison education and enhance the quality of time that prisoners spend outside their cell.

Prisons Minister Damian Hinds said:

The findings at HMP Woodhill were incredibly serious which is why I am taking the necessary action to order immediate improvements.

Extra safety staff, specialised mental health support and appropriate living conditions will ensure that offenders have the support they need to turn their backs on crime and live law-abiding lives on release.

The government introduced the Urgent Notification process in 2017 to ensure immediate, urgent action was taken when necessary to address serious concerns identified by inspectors.
September 30, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : UK announces new sanctions in response to Russian sham elections in Ukraine [September 2023]
The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 29 September 2023.

Latest sanctions package holds those who would undermine Ukraine’s sovereignty to account.
- UK sanctions Russian officials involved in recent sham elections in the Ukrainian oblasts of Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, Donetsk and Luhansk, and in illegally annexed Crimea
- Sanctions also target officials involved in last year’s sham referendums staged to legitimise the attempted annexation of Ukrainian territory
- 1,600 individuals and entities have now been sanctioned by the UK in response to Russia’s invasion
More Russian officials involved in the illegal invasion of Ukraine are hit with new sanctions, including movement and financial restrictions, announced by the Foreign Secretary today (29th September). Eleven new designations will be imposed by the UK in response to Russia’s attempts to use sham elections to legitimise its illegal control of Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, Donetsk, Luhansk and Crimea, which are all part of Ukrainian sovereign territory.

Among those designated are an organisation and senior Russian officials, who have all directly acted to undermine Ukraine and threaten its territorial integrity.

They include:
- The Central Election Commission (CEC) of Russia, the government agency that has arranged this month’s sham elections and last year’s referendums in illegally temporarily controlled parts of Ukraine.
- Natalya Budarina, CEC Secretary, one of the most senior officials in the Central Election Commission.
- Andrei Aleksyenko, Head of the so-called Kherson regional administration.
- Marina Zakharova, Head of the so-called election commission in Kherson.
Today’s announcement comes one year on from Russia’s illegal attempt to annex the Ukrainian oblasts of Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, Donetsk and Luhansk after falsified and illegitimate sham referendums. Conducted on sovereign Ukrainian territory, through intimidation at gunpoint, these referendums were overwhelmingly rejected by the UN General Assembly in October 2022.

The Ukrainian population living in these temporarily controlled territories has endured large-scale atrocities at the hands of Russian forces, including torture, sexual violence, and mass forced deportation. To date, the Ukrainian authorities report that at least 19,000 Ukrainian children have been forcibly deported from their homes.

Russia has sought to destroy Ukrainian culture and identity in a bid to strengthen its illegitimate claim to Ukrainian territory, including by forcible issue of Russian passports, and imposition of Russian law, media, education, and currency.

In the latest futile attempt to normalise Russia’s illegitimate control of sovereign Ukrainian territory, Russia arranged illegal sham “elections” earlier this month. These elections are another violation of the territorial integrity of Ukraine and of the UN Charter. Earlier this month the UK confirmed, to the UN Security Council, evidence that the results were pre-determined.

Foreign Secretary, James Cleverly said:

Russia’s sham elections are a transparent, futile attempt to legitimise its illegal control of sovereign Ukrainian territory. You can’t hold ‘elections’ in someone else’s country.

The UK will never recognise Russia’s claims to Ukrainian territory – Crimea, Zaporizhzhia, Donetsk, Luhansk and Kherson are Ukraine.

Last year, the UK took immediate action in response to the illegal sham referendums in Ukraine, sanctioning top Russian officials who enforced the illegal votes in the temporarily controlled territories of Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, Donetsk and Luhansk.

This latest package of designations comes ahead of a new commemoration day in Russia, declared by Putin to celebrate the anniversary of his purported annexations, despite Russia having no legitimate basis for any claim to Ukrainian territory.

The people of Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson oblasts voted overwhelmingly for Ukraine’s independence in 1991, and their continued resistance against Russian aggression shows their determination to remain part of an independent and sovereign Ukraine.

These latest sanctions serve as a stark reminder of the cost of such a flagrant assault on sovereignty, democracy and equality.

Together with our international partners, we have unleashed the largest and most severe package of sanctions ever imposed on a major economy.

The UK alone has sanctioned over 1,800 individuals and entities under its Russia sanctions regime, over 1,600 of which were sanctioned since Putin’s full-scale invasion. This includes 29 banks, accounting for over 90% of the Russian banking sector, and 129 oligarchs who had a combined net worth around £145 billion at the time of the invasion. Over £20 billion of UK-Russia bilateral trade (2021 figures) is now under full or partial sanction and there has been a 98.2% fall in Russian imports into the UK, and a 77.4% fall in UK exports to Russia.

Sanctions have sent Russia into recession, eroded Russia’s financial base and massively degraded the building blocks for Russia’s long-term growth.

Russia’s budget is heavily in deficit. Rather than the surplus the Russian government predicted for 2022, Russia suffered an annual deficit of $47bn—the second highest of the post-Soviet era. Many of the trends contributing to the deficit in 2022 will continue in 2023, especially downward pressure on oil and gas exports.

Now, over 60% of Putin’s ‘war chest’ foreign reserves – worth £275bn – have been immobilised.
September 30, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : New Prison Education Service to cut crime [September 2023]
The press release issued by the Ministry of Justice on 29 September 2023.

Overhaul of learning behind bars to include specialist teaching staff, apprenticeships and digital reading tools.
new Prisoner Education Service to get more offenders into work on release – keeping public safe

in the past 6 months 4 prisons have received a ‘Good’ rating for education provision from Ofsted.

Learning in jails is to be completely transformed through the introduction of a new Prisoner Education Service as part of a renewed push to skill up offenders and protect the public (28 September 2023).

Evidence shows most prisoners have poor levels of education, with almost half of all offenders having been previously expelled from school and just a third having the expected maths and English ability of an 11-year-old.

The government’s new Prisoner Education Service will include:

New Head of Education Skills and Work roles in every prison, working hand in glove with the Governor to provide tailored education plans to meet the needs of their jail

The first ever prisoner apprenticeships in catering and construction through ground-breaking partnerships with Greene King, Kier and Clipper, with talks underway to open up apprenticeships in other industries.

An extra £1.8 million invested to raise literacy rates as well as a new digital literacy app for prison leavers. Based on the ‘Turning Pages’ learning model, the app provides users with support from a dedicated coach and allows individuals to set personal goals such as learning to read a letter from their family or write a CV.

New Neurodiversity Support Managers in every prison to support offenders with neurodivergent needs in accessing education, skills and work opportunities within the prison.

Launching the Future Skills programme that will train up over 2,000 offenders over the next two years in vital industries such as scaffolding and electrics, before linking them up with employers in the local community and guaranteeing interviews on release.

New contracts for education providers with tough targets on maths, English and vocational qualifications, and quality of delivery – to ensure every prisoner can finish their sentence with a basic level of English and maths.

To further drive innovation and encourage creativity, prison governors in five prisons will be given increased freedoms on how they organise prison education, skills and work opportunities in their prison.

The new service is a cornerstone of the Prisons Strategy White Paper – and is the latest step in a package of measures to revolutionise learning behind bars and better prepare offenders for life on release.

This work to overhaul education in prisons is already well underway, and seeing positive results.

The number of prisoners in work following release more than doubling between 2021 and 2023, and in the past 6 months 4 prisons have received a ‘Good’ rating for education provision from Ofsted.

As part of this commitment the prison service is continuing to forge a closer working relationship with the education inspectorate, Ofsted, who have been delivering education sessions to prison leaders to ensure greater collaboration and clear expectations for prison education.

Prisons Minister Damian Hinds said:

Just as criminals must repay their debt to society, a forward-thinking prison system must give prisoners an alternative to the cycle of reoffending, and one of the best ways to do this is through education.

Our improved Prisoner Education Service with specialist staff, tougher targets and increased focus on employment will be more effective at cutting crime and keeping the public safe. I am grateful to Ofsted and the Chief Inspector of Prisons for their work championing this issue.

Ofsted’s Chief Inspector Amanda Spielman added:

I warmly welcome this investment to support the much-needed improvements in education, work and skills provision in prisons.

I look forward to continuing our work with the MOJ to make sure that education is a priority in prison, making a real difference to prisoners’ lives post release.

This announcement delivers on a key pledge in the Prisons Strategy White Paper to better protect the public by getting more prisoners skilled up while behind bars so they can find work on release – cutting crime, keeping the public safe, and reducing the £18 billion a year cost to society of reoffending.

Today’s announcement builds on work to get more prisoners skilled up while behind bars so they can find work on release, better protecting the public and reducing reoffending.

Ministers have already set up new Employment Advisory Boards – now up and running in all 92 resettlement prisons – which link up prisons to leading businesses, such as Co-op, Greggs and Iceland, to provide advice on how to get offenders into work on release.

Prisons have also continued to rollout Storybooks Dads and Mums, which helps over 5,000 prisoners a year record bedtime stories for their children, and rolled out new technology, including laptops for prisoners to take part in online courses with the Open University.

Today’s launch also coincides with the launch of the Future Skills Programme, running courses targeted at industry in prisons with direct links to employers. Courses will be delivered from autumn 2023 to spring 2025 in up to 23 prisons across England and Wales, reaching around 2,200 prisoners, who will be trained and offered guaranteed interviews for jobs on release in a variety of roles including scaffolders, electricians and case workers.
September 30, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Giant Kiwi monument shines after chopper chalk drop [September 2023]
The press release issued by the Ministry of Defence on 29 September 2023.

The well-loved ‘Bulford Kiwi’ monument has been restored after an RAF helicopter flew in 100 tonnes of chalk.
Well-loved ‘Bulford Kiwi’ monument restored by the Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO)

The monument was created by New Zealand soldiers waiting to return home after the First World War

RAF helicopter flew in 100 tonnes of chalk before volunteers set to work

A historically significant monument, created by New Zealand soldiers during World War I, has been restored in Wiltshire after a collective effort from UK Defence, the New Zealand High Commission and volunteers.

The ‘Bulford Kiwi’ is a large depiction of a kiwi, carved in the chalk on Beacon Hill above the village of Bulford on Salisbury Plain in Wiltshire. It was carved by soldiers from the New Zealand Expeditionary Force who were waiting to return home following the end of World War I.

After the war had been won, the New Zealand soldiers still in the UK decided to leave their mark on the countryside before they returned home. They carved a kiwi, a New Zealand icon, into the chalk of Beacon Hill.

DIO partnered with the New Zealand High Commission, local conservation groups, Landmarc and volunteers from the 3rd (UK) Division Signal Regiment and Operation Nightingale to restore the impressive carving.

As part of the project to ensure the historic significance of the kiwi is preserved, an RAF Chinook helicopter flew over the site and dropped 100 tonnes of chalk, which was then raked into place by volunteers across the partnership groups. A Waiata song and Kukuri dance were performed.

As the All Blacks prepare to take on Italy at the Rugby World Cup on Friday, DIO has highlighted the connection between the soldiers who created the Kiwi and the ‘Trench All Blacks’ – a team of soldiers from New Zealand who won ‘The Somme Cup’, a special rugby division for those fighting in the war.

The soldiers who created the monument fought alongside the ‘Trench All Blacks’ during the Battle of Messines – often regarded as one of the most successful battles of the war.

Richard Osgood, DIO’s senior archaeologist and co-founder of Operation Nightingale, said:

DIO is responsible for looking after 772 scheduled monuments across the MOD estate – dating from the pre-historic era right up to the Cold War.

Although the Bulford Kiwi is one of the youngest, being constructed in 1919, it is of national and international importance, given its association with the Armed Forces of New Zealand. This annual re-chalking reinforces the bonds between our countries and reminds us of the sacrifices made in the First World War.

Flight Lieutenant James Patrick piloted the Chinook helicopter, a special task for him as a pilot on an exchange programme from New Zealand.

Flight Lieutenant, James Patrick said:

It’s only since I came over to the UK on the exchange programme that I found out more about the Bulford Kiwi – I did know there was a chalked kiwi in the UK, but that was about it. I’ve flown over it a few times, which is interesting because it looks totally different from the air than it does from land.

The fact that it was made by New Zealand soldiers waiting to go home after the First World War just makes it special. Then knowing I’m involved in restoring it, it’s just awesome to be honest.

The soldiers who made this were fighting with the British forces on the Western Front, and I think that is important for us to remember. We have these relationships and things like this are perfect for us to keep up those bonds.

Shannon Austin, the New Zealand Deputy High Commissioner, said:

What a fantastic day it has been meeting and working with so many dedicated and enthusiastic volunteers. The Bulford Kiwi is well loved and has a long history that links the UK and New Zealand.

It has been a real pleasure to be involved in helping to protect and restore this significant monument.

Background

The Bulford Kiwi, which stretches 130 metres (420 feet), was declared a scheduled monument in 2017, meaning it is recognised as a nationally important archaeological site and is now protected from destruction or change.

Over the years, the Kiwi has been looked after by the New Zealand High Commission and local conservation groups.
September 30, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Coastal adaptation projects in South West England to receive £6m in funding [September 2023]

The press release issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 29 September 2023.

Three communities in the South West allocated £6 million to support adaptation to coastal erosion.

Local authorities in the South West have been allocated £6 million in funding to improve the resilience of communities to the effects of coastal erosion and benefit the local economy, Floods Minister Rebecca Pow has announced today (Friday 29 September).

The communities of Charmouth and Swanage on Dorset’s Jurassic Coast and Bude in northeast Cornwall have been selected as the next recipients for funding as part of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and the Environment Agency’s joint £36 million Coastal Transition Accelerator Programme.

The Coastal Transition Accelerator Programme helps communities to plan for the long term, including through interventions such as improving and replacing damaged community infrastructure like beach access or coastal transport links, repurposing land in coastal erosion zones for different uses such as temporary car parks, and restoring and creating habitats to include green buffer zones.

Today’s announcement follows last year’s launch of two initial projects in East Riding of Yorkshire and North Norfolk, identified as the areas to lead the programme as they have proportionally the highest number of properties at risk from coastal erosion in England.

The Environment Agency is managing the programme and the local project teams are supporting the communities as they develop and deliver their plans. The Environment Agency will also ensure that lessons are shared with other coastal areas facing similar challenges.

Floods Minister Rebecca Pow said:

It is vital that we support the communities that are most vulnerable to the effects of coastal erosion.

The funding announced today will help these towns to invest and grow as we continue to ramp up our flood and coastal erosion policies nationwide.

Alan Lovell, Chair of the Environment Agency, said:

Following the launch last year of the Coastal Transition Accelerator Programme in North Norfolk and East Riding of Yorkshire, I am pleased we are extending the programme for coastal communities in the South West. The £6 million of additional funding will help support communities at risk of coastal erosion in the South West to transition and adapt to climate change.

We will also be sharing our lessons learnt and innovative approaches with coastal groups and communities around the country.

Cllr Ray Bryan, Dorset Council’s Portfolio Holder for Highways, Travel and Environment, said:

Looking after our natural environment and tackling the impacts of climate change are key priorities for Dorset Council, so I’m pleased we’ve been able to secure this support from the CTAP programme.

Many of our beautiful coastal towns and villages in Dorset are vulnerable to flooding and coastal erosion and it is vital that we prepare for the challenges presented by extreme weather. These funds will help us work with partners and local communities to deliver ambitious projects that increase resilience and help residents and businesses get ready for the future.

Cllr Martyn Alvey, Cornwall Council’s Cabinet Member for Environment and Climate Change, said:

We have seen from the Cornwall Climate Risk Assessment that Cornwall will likely see some of the highest future increases in relative sea level rise in the UK, as well as an increase in storm surges and higher tides causing greater coastal erosion along its 1000km of coastline.

We welcome Cornwall’s inclusion to the CTAP programme and the opportunity it presents to deliver practical action in ensuring its residents and communities are better prepared for the impacts of a changing coastline both now and into the future.

The programme will run to March 2027, exploring and testing innovative opportunities. A full evaluation of the programme will help to inform future national policy direction and will add to the other coastal resilience activity managed by the Environment Agency, which includes a national coastal erosion risk map providing clearer data about local risks to help local planning.

The Coastal Transition Accelerator Programme supports the Environment Agency’s FCERM Strategy, which provides a longer-term vision of how we will better protect and prepare homes and businesses from flooding and coastal change and create climate resilient places.

The Environment Agency continues to work closely with local authorities and is currently funding a £38 million programme of regional monitoring to understand better how the coast is changing and the risk that climate change poses to those living and working on our coasts.

Elsewhere, the Environment Agency recently announced that £25 million will be invested in projects that use nature to protect communities from flooding. The ring-fenced funding, provided by the Government and the Environment Agency, will support natural flood management schemes across England that use techniques such as planting trees and creating wetlands to slow and store water. These schemes are also proven to improve air and water quality, provide habitats for wildlife and create green spaces for communities.

September 30, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Treasury minister visits North East businesses [September 2023]
The press release issued by HM Treasury on 29 September 2023.

The Financial Secretary, Victoria Atkins MP, visited NETPark on 29 September to see how businesses are using full-expensing and R&D tax relief to help them grow.
- Treasury minister visits Kromek in NETPark Sedgefield to meet with science and technology companies spearheading drive for local growth
- firms benefit from government schemes including R&D tax relief and full-expensing
- stats published today reveal 11% increase in R&D tax relief claims last year
The minister met with representatives of Durham County Council and business leaders at NETPark, one of the UK’s leading science and technology parks, who support hundreds of jobs and over 40 companies and institutions, including leading innovators across health, cyber and space.

Minister Atkins stopped off at Kromek, who produce high performance radiation detection technologies. Kromek CEO Dr Arnab Basu took the Minister on a tour of the factory floor where they saw from start to finish how radiation detectors used in the global effort to tackle radiological and biological threats are manufactured.

R&D tax reliefs enable companies like Kromek and others in NETPark to claim back on their investments, helping to drive further growth and innovation.

This is in addition to full expensing, introduced at Spring Budget 2023, an effective £27 billion corporate tax cut that lets taxpayers deduct 100% of the cost of certain plant and machinery from their profits before tax.

Financial Secretary to the Treasury, Victoria Atkins, said:

“NETPark and the companies operating here, such as Kromek, are a fantastic example of what can be achieved through hard work, innovation and targeted support, and I leave feeling truly inspired.

“Growing the economy remains one of the Prime Minister’s top priorities, and I am determined that leading companies have our backing to thrive and help level up the UK.”

The visit coincides with the release of statistics this morning which show that SMEs are increasingly using the government’s R&D schemes to help them grow. There was an 11% increase in R&D tax relief support claimed in 2021-22, bringing the total relief provided to £7.6 billion covering £44 billion worth of R&D expenditure.
September 30, 2023