Category: Press Releases

PRESS RELEASE : Warsaw Human Dimension Conference 2023 – UK opening statement [October 2023]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 2 October 2023.

Ambassador Neil Holland says that the Warsaw Human Dimension Conference is an important manifestation of participating States’ will to preserve the OSCE’s capacity to defend and promote human rights.

Thank you, Mr Chair.

The Warsaw Human Dimension Conference (WHDC) is an important manifestation of our collective will to preserve the OSCE’s capacity to defend and promote human rights.

I would first like to thank ODIHR and the Chair in Office, as well as our hosts Poland, for their work to make sure we can meet here this week and next. And I would also like to thank the Representative on Freedom of the Media for her invaluable work since last year’s WHDC.

The human dimension underpins Euro-Atlantic security and is critical to the functioning of the OSCE. The UK will continue to defend the independence, mandates, and budgets of the OSCE’s human dimension institutions. We’re determined that Russia’s attempts to block discussions of democracy and human rights as well as its wider efforts to undermine the OSCE will fail.

The United Kingdom also thanks Ireland in their capacity as 2023 Chair of the Human Dimension Committee. We’re delighted to invite delegates to a joint screening by Ireland and the United Kingdom of a film entitled ‘Wave Goodbye to Dinosaurs’ on Wednesday 5 October at 7pm in the Atlantic Cinema. This documentary focuses on the involvement of a cross-community group, The Northern Ireland Women’s Coalition, in the negotiation of the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement 25 years ago.

The WHDC is an important opportunity to reflect on the reality of life for tens of thousands of Ukrainians living in territory temporarily under Russian control, including in illegally annexed Crimea. This week and next we will hear how Ukrainian civilians bear the brunt of Russia’s aggression, are subjected to unimaginable abuse, and denied even the most basic rights and freedoms.

As we stand united with Ukraine, we must also reflect on the state of human rights within Russia and Belarus.

Belarus has now experienced three years of brutal repression – of civil society groups, political opponents, journalists and ordinary citizens. We call on Belarus to end this repression now.

As we have seen in the Moscow Mechanism report, internal repression is part of Russia’s longstanding strategy to suppress dissent and punish human rights defenders and civil society. Ultimately this internal repression led to external aggression by Russia, destabilising the OSCE region as a whole.

The UK again calls on Russia to uphold its international commitments and obligations on human rights and fundamental freedoms. Together with others in this organisation we remain determined to hold Russia to account for its actions in Ukraine.

Mr Chair, the UK is concerned about the humanitarian situation in Nagorno-Karabakh, due to the limited access international aid organisations have into Nagorno-Karabakh, and the significant refugee flows from Nagorno-Karabakh into Armenia. We are liaising with the UN, ICRC and others to assess humanitarian need in the region and what further UK assistance might be required.

Finally, a word to civil society. We look forward to positive and constructive engagement with you throughout the conference. We admire your brave determination to hold governments and societies to account and to give a voice to the voiceless. We will listen to you.

Thank you.

October 4, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Judge orders director of gift company, Grisha Valchev, to repay falsely-obtained Covid loan [October 2023]

The press release issued by HM Treasury on 2 October 2023.

Grisha Valchev, 43, of Enfield, has been ordered to repay £43,570 after abusing the Bounce Back Loan scheme. In addition to the compensation order, the judge also disqualified Valchev as a director for nine years.

Valchev was a director of Healthy & Tasty Ltd, a north London-based gift company selling fruit baskets, chocolates, hampers and flowers.

Healthy & Tasty Ltd went into liquidation in July 2021, triggering an investigation by the Insolvency Service which uncovered the abuse of the loan scheme.

On 6 September 2023, District Judge Geddes at the High Court of Justice Business and Property Courts in Leeds imposed the order and disqualified Valchev, after hearing that the director had given false information to claim the maximum Bounce Back Loan amount of £50,000 in May 2020.

The company’s actual turnover on which the loan should have been based was around £35,400, which meant Healthy & Tasty Ltd had been entitled to less than £9,000, and had ultimately received more than five times that amount.

Valchev argued in court that he was unable to repay the money, but the Judge rejected this, and ordered him to repay £43,570, which included the excess amount that he had falsely claimed, plus interest.

Rob Clarke, Chief Investigator of Insolvent Investigations North at the Insolvency Service, said:

Grisha Valchev abused taxpayers’ money to give his company an unfair advantage over other businesses impacted by Covid-19.

This is the first Compensation Order handed out to a director who challenged our case in court. It is a significant result for the Insolvency Service and shows that abuse of the public purse will not be tolerated.

Where there have been similar cases of abuse by a company director, we will be seeking further Compensation Orders and disqualifications.

Valchev’s ban began on 27 September 2023 and lasts for 9 years. His disqualification prevents him from becoming involved in the promotion, formation or management of a company, without the permission of the court.

October 4, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Government launches plan to put drivers back in the driving seat [October 2023]
The press release issued by the Department for Transport on 2 October 2023.

New 30-point plan to support people’s freedom to use their cars and curb over-zealous enforcement measures.
- Transport Secretary announces plan for drivers to fix common issues on the road and back people who use cars in their daily lives
- action will be taken to support drivers with easier parking, smoother journeys and fairer traffic enforcement
- measures will also speed up the rollout of electric vehicle chargepoints across the country and crack down on inconsiderate driving
Today (2 October 2023), the Transport Secretary announced a new 30-point plan to support people’s freedom to use their cars and curb over-zealous enforcement measures.

Drivers will benefit from smoother, easier journeys thanks to the government’s new plan for drivers, including £70 million to keep traffic flowing and measures to speed up the rollout of electric vehicle charging.
- The plan for drivers
The plan includes measures that could help councils increase spending on fixing potholes and road repairs by more than £100 million over 10 years, fining roadworks which overrun, new technology to simplify parking payment and updating 20mph zone guidance for England to prevent inappropriate blanket use

The government has also today committed to exploring measures to speed up the installation of chargepoints for electric vehicles and extending grants to schools to install chargepoints.

Transport Secretary Mark Harper said:

We’re backing drivers and our new long-term plan will improve journeys for millions across the country, whether they’re commuting to work or college, parking up for a day trip, or charging their electric car.

Our plan for drivers will support thousands of skilled jobs and help grow the economy, sitting alongside our continued record investment in public transport and active travel – ensuring people have the freedom to travel how they want.

To help ease congestion, £70 million will be provided to councils this financial year in 3 different schemes to invest in improving traffic lights and signals, including AI tech to optimise traffic flow in city centres.

Journeys will also be smoother and quicker with the digitisation of traffic regulation orders, which will pave the way for autonomous vehicles and make life easier for today’s motorists by ensuring satnavs have the most up-to-date information on the location of parking spaces, road closures and speed limits.

These measures fulfil the government’s commitment to support families and grow the economy by making driving easier for the 50 million car licence holders in the UK. It will also help people make the switch to electric vehicles as the country continues its proportionate, balanced journey to net zero.

The measures come on top of extending the temporary fuel duty cut for another year in March 2023 to save drivers a total of around £5 billion over the past 2 years.

The full plan for drivers will make journeys smoother by:
- strengthening guidance to make sure bus lanes operate only when buses are running
- guiding local authorities on allowing motorcycles to use bus lanes and holding a consultation about whether motorcycle access should be standard
- permitting red flashing lights for breakdown vehicles, helping to protect recovery drivers by making them more visible at the roadside
- supporting councils to introduce more lane rental schemes, which reduce roadworks by incentivising utilities to avoid the busiest roads at the busiest times
- consulting on requiring local authorities with lane rental schemes to use at least 50% of any surplus on pothole repairs or resurfacing
- consulting on extending fines for overrunning street works at weekends and increasing fixed penalty notices
- rolling out the Live Labs 2 programme to explore new, low-carbon and high-tech ways of managing local highway networks, supporting the transition to net zero carbon local roads and infrastructure
- developing a New Road Condition Data Standard to provide local authorities with access to new technologies enabling them more easily to identify and deal with road defects like potholes
- £30 million fund to upgrade traffic signal systems, replacing unreliable and obsolete equipment to improve reliability
- £20 million ‘Green Light Fund’ to tune up traffic signals to better reflect current traffic conditions and get traffic flowing
- £20 million to deploy advanced technology for traffic signals, making use of machine learning and AI to optimise traffic flow and balance traffic across city centres
We’re also stopping unfair enforcement by:
- issuing 20mph zone guidance for England to help prevent inappropriate blanket use.
- consulting on measures including the removal of local authorities’ access to DVLA data to enforce such schemes by camera
- focusing on the importance of local support and consider as part of the LTN review how to address existing LTNs that have not secured local consent
- strengthening government and sector-led guidance on enforcement of moving traffic offences such as entering yellow box junctions, to ensure consistency and stop drivers from being penalised unfairly
- launching a call for evidence on options to restrict local authorities’ ability to generate surpluses from traffic offences and over-zealous use of traffic enforcement powers
We’re making parking easier by:
- delivering the new National Parking Platform by autumn 2024, ending the need to use multiple parking apps
- consulting on revising guidance about the public’s right to challenge local authority parking policies
- introducing digitised traffic regulation orders to help easily identify where it is legal to park anywhere in the country
We’re tackling inconsiderate driving by:
- consulting on removing the right of uninsured drivers to claim compensation for property damage
- launching a communications campaign and enforcement to tackle lane hogs and other inconsiderate driving on the motorway
- allowing local councils to roll out noise cameras to target unacceptable vehicle modifications
- clamping down on roadside littering, extending the trial on camera enforcement across the strategic road network
We’re supporting the transition to zero emission driving by:
- reviewing grid connections process for EV chargepoints, with the aim to accelerate it
- consulting on measures to speed up the approvals process for installation of chargepoints
- providing dedicated, targeted support for schools to install chargepoints, using existing grants
- widening eligibility of EV chargepoint grants to include cross-pavement solutions to make EV ownership a more practical option for those without off-street parking
- providing guidance on the use of safe cross-pavement solutions
- consulting on the expansion of permitted development rights, making private chargepoint installation cheaper and easier
- working with industry to myth-bust concerns about EVs
October 3, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Sentencing of Vietnamese climate advocate – FCDO statement [October 2023]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 2 October 2023.

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has released a statement on the sentencing of Vietnamese climate advocate Hoang Thi Minh Hong.

An FCDO spokesperson said:

The United Kingdom is deeply concerned by the conviction and sentencing of Hoang Thi Minh Hong, former leader of environmental campaign group CHANGE. There is a pattern of environmental experts being arrested and imprisoned in Vietnam.

The Government of Vietnam committed to consult NGOs, media and other stakeholders as part of the Just Energy Transition Partnership. The UK urges the Vietnamese authorities to ensure civil society organisations can operate and participate without fear of unfair treatment, targeting or prosecution.

Civil society plays a crucial role in supporting sustainable and inclusive development. We reiterate our call on Vietnam to respect all human rights, including freedom of expression and association.

October 3, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : End to Civil Service expansion and review of equality and diversity spending announced in productivity drive [October 2023]
The press release issued by HM Treasury on 2 October 2023.

The Chancellor has today, 2 October 2023, announced an immediate cap on civil servant headcount across Whitehall to stop any further expansion, increase efficiencies and boost productivity.
- Chancellor announces Civil Service Numbers Cap, capping headcount at current level, which could save up to £1 billion, with focus on a leaner and more effective workforce
- government departments to submit long-term productivity plans that modernise the Civil Service and reduce the size of the state – delivering high-quality public services at a lower cost
- equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) spending in the Civil Service to be reviewed to ensure it represents value for money for the taxpayer
The Civil Service workforce has grown year on year since 2016, with headcount as of June 2023 around 488,000. While this has enabled an effective response to the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic, further unabated growth would not be fair to taxpayers or promote the efficiency they expect.

A cap on headcount at its current level will be introduced with immediate effect – a decision that will help cut the cost of government and could save up to £1 billion by March 2025 compared to the current trajectory.

The cap – which will be in place for the duration of the current Spending Review period – does not equate to a recruitment freeze, and current recruitment campaigns will remain ongoing.

To go further after the current Spending Review period, government departments will be asked to produce plans on driving down headcount over the long-term to pre-pandemic levels, as part of the Public Sector Productivity Programme being carried out by the Chief Secretary to the Treasury.

A first-time value for money audit of EDI spending in the Civil Service will also separately inform the productivity review, with the findings and actions to be announced by the Chancellor in the Autumn.

Through tackling unnecessary bureaucracy and improved use of technology, it is expected that the Civil Service will become more productive and act as a lean, agile, and cost-effective organisation, in line with the people’s priorities.

Departmental plans are expected to include detail on how departments will utilise modern technology to drive efficiencies and deliver better services for the public at lower costs – across both the Civil Service and the wider public sector. This process will also prioritise the protection of critical frontline services.

Further information
- Estimated savings are based on the latest available headcount for full-time employee numbers (457,000 as of June 2023) from the ONS (excluding devolved administrations), as well as a projection of 490,000 in March 2025 based on the current trend in headcount growth since 2016.
- The figure is based on a median wage of £32k reported in the latest Civil Service Statistics and additional non-wage costs of £13k per FTE. The figure is subject to change based on departmental negotiations and a later retrospective update to headcount data.
- The cap will apply to all government departments and their arm’s length bodies. Public servants and crown servants will also be included where they are normally in scope of the Civil Service Pay Remit.
- The Civil Service Fast Stream will continue as planned in recognition of the importance of the talent pipeline.
- The Cabinet Office has written to over 100 organisations in the Civil Service, including government departments and executive agencies, to confirm how many staff work on EDI and how that work supports government priorities.
- The Chancellor, Minister for the Cabinet Office and Minister for Women and Equalities will jointly scrutinise whether EDI spending offers taxpayers value for money.
October 2, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Tougher rules to stamp out debanking [October 2023]
The press release issued by HM Treasury on 2 October 2023.

Changes to the rules which determine whether a bank can operate – known as Threshold Conditions – will ensure banks are upholding their current legal duties to protect freedom of speech.
- Chancellor spells out new rules for banks to protect free speech
- banks forced to show exactly how they are protecting customers’ freedom of speech under a shakeup of the rules
- banks must take existing obligations not to discriminate seriously
This action will give regulators the green light to take firm action if any bank is found to undermine or fails to protect the rights of their customers.

A public consultation will be launched shortly to consider how these changes are best delivered, before legislating next year, as part of the government’s aim to put an end to de-banking for freedom of speech reasons.

This follows concerning reports that highlighted situations where banks may have been closing the bank accounts of customers based on their political views.

The Chancellor was quick to act – confirming new rules will force banks to delay and explain account closures and asking the FCA to conduct a deep dive into this issue.

The notice period for payment service framework contract terminations is to increase from two months to 90 days, and banks will be required to give customers clear and tailored explanations for why they had closed an account – unless in limited cases such as where this would be unlawful.
October 2, 2023

PRESS RELEASE : Chancellor announces major increase to National Living Wage [October 2023]

The press release issued by HM Treasury on 2 October 2023.

The National Living Wage will rise to two-thirds of average earnings, the Chancellor announced today (Monday 2 October).

National Living Wage will rise to two-thirds of average earnings
Chancellor commits to Low Pay Commission recommendations, with latest forecasts showing a pay boost next year worth over £1,000 for 2 million low-paid workers
successive rises mean a full-time worker on the National Living Wage will be over £9,000 better off than they would have been in 2010

In a significant boost for the UK’s lowest paid, the Chancellor committed to accept the Low Pay Commission’s recommendations – which will be announced in November. Based on the Low Pay Commission’s latest forecasts, this would see the National Living Wage increase to over £11 an hour from April 2024 and would mean the annual earnings of a full-time worker on the National Living Wage will increase by over £1,000 next year.

People currently aged 23 and over are eligible for the National Living Wage, with over 2 million workers on low pay set to benefit from the increase. The announcement, after successive rises since its introduction in July 2015, means a full-time worker on the National Living Wage will be over £9,000 better off than they would have been in 2010.

Each year, the independent Low Pay Commission produces recommendations to the Government on National Living Wage and National Minimum Wage rates. This year it is due to make recommendations for the rates that will take effect from April 2024, based on their remit which sets a target for the National Living Wage to reach two-thirds of median earnings by 2024 for workers aged 21 and over, taking economic conditions into account.

Further information

Projected coverage of National Living Wage/National Minimum Wage workers in April 2023 across the UK’s countries and regions

Region	National Living Wage
North East	130,000
North West	300,000
Yorkshire & Humber	310,000
East Midlands	200,000
West Midlands	270,000
South West	200,000
East	220,000
London	200,000
South East	280,000
Wales	120,000
Scotland	180,000
Northern Ireland	130,000
Total	2,540,000

History of the NLW

Since 1999, the UK has had a National Minimum Wage, which is uprated annually based on the advice of the independent Low Pay Commission (LPC).
The LPC is made up of representatives from business, employee and academic communities and reaches a consensus agreement on this uprating.
Prior to the first target announced in 2015, the LPCs remit was to set rates as high as possible without significant employment impacts.
The first minimum wage target was announced in 2015, when he announced the introduction of the National Living Wage (NLW) from April 2016. The NLW had a target to reach 60% median earnings by 2020. This target was met in October 2020.
In 2019 a new target was announced for the NLW to reach two thirds of median earnings by 2024.
The target for the NLW to reach two thirds of median earnings was set to ‘end’ low pay according to the ONS definition.

October 2, 2023

PRESS RELEASE : Boost to UK-Indonesia low-carbon cooperation as Minister visits Jakarta [October 2023]
The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 2 October 2023.

Minister for the Indo-Pacific, Anne-Marie Trevelyan, is visiting Indonesia to launch the second phase of UK support to the Low Carbon Development Initiative.
- Minister for the Indo-Pacific, Anne-Marie Trevelyan, is visiting Indonesia to launch the second phase of UK support to the Low Carbon Development Initiative (LCDI).
- £27.2 million of new UK funding will foster sustainable economic growth and development while mitigating the impacts of climate change.
The UK and Indonesia are set to extend collaboration on low carbon development until 2027, as Minister Trevelyan announces the second phase of UK support to the Low Carbon Development Initiative (LCDI) on a visit to Indonesia today (2 October). The Minister will announce new funding alongside Indonesian Minister for National Development Planning Suharso Monoarfa. The commitment affirms the UK’s record of support for climate action and sustainable growth in the Indo-Pacific.

Ahead of the visit, Anne-Marie Trevelyan said:

Indonesia’s thriving economy and capacity for innovation bring ever greater opportunities for our two countries to work together, from trade and investment to science and tech cooperation.

The LCDI will ensure Indonesia’s economic growth is sustainable and resilient against the impacts of climate change, delivering benefits for people in the UK, Indonesia and across the Indo-Pacific.

The Low Carbon Development Initiative (LCDI) is a flagship Indonesian government policy aiming to reduce emissions and promote sustainable growth and development. The first phase of UK support, launched in 2017, saw the inclusion of climate targets within the country’s development planning for the first time. Now, new funding will enable further training and capability building to develop science-based policy and provide grants to pilot innovative low-carbon technologies.

The visit by Minister Trevelyan follows sustained UK engagement with Indonesia during its ASEAN Presidency year, including visits by Minister for Energy Security and Net Zero Graham Stuart in August and Foreign Secretary James Cleverly in July.

During the visit, the Minister will meet Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Pahala Mansury for discussions on global and regional security, and Minister of Maritime and Investment Affairs Luhut to discuss economic cooperation and progress under the JETP. She will also meet ASEAN Secretary General Dr Kao Kim Hourn, to reaffirm the UK’s respect for ASEAN centrality and commitment to its role as a Dialogue Partner.

Finally, the Minister will visit sports charity Inspire Indonesia to learn about their work educating teenagers on the importance of gender equality and the harms of sexual and gender-based violence.

Notes to editors
- The extension of UK support to the LCDI follows the launch of the Indonesia Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP), agreed by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak at the 2022 G20 leaders’ summit in Bali. The JETP secured public and private sector infrastructure funding to accelerate Indonesia’s transition to clean energy.
October 2, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Social housing tenants helped to cut energy bills with £80 million for home upgrades [October 2023]
The press release issued by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero on 2 October 2023.

More social housing tenants to receive energy efficiency upgrades in their home, with an additional £80 million under Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund.
- An extra 9,500 social housing tenants will benefit from grants to make homes warmer and more energy efficient
- Additional funding for the government’s Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund will help lower bills by £240 a year on average and support 2,000 jobs
- Scheme is already benefiting more than 100,000 households
Thousands more social housing tenants will be helped to cut bills with additional government grants available for home energy efficiency upgrades.

Energy Security and Net Zero Secretary Claire Coutinho today (Monday 2 October) announced up to £80 million in additional funding will be made available through the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund – which will generate energy bill savings of around £240 a year for some of the lowest-income households.

More than 100,000 households in England are already benefiting from the scheme and today’s funding is enough to upgrade an additional 9,500 homes.

Measures range from installing new wall, loft or underfloor insulation to supporting families to switch to low carbon heating – helping to cut energy bills and supporting around 2,000 jobs.

As part of the government’s new pragmatic and proportionate approach to reaching net zero, eligible tenants will receive the energy efficiency upgrades free of charge through their social housing provider, whether local councils or housing associations.

Secretary of State for Energy Security Claire Coutinho said:

We are delivering net zero in a way that supports the British public and does not burden hardworking families with additional costs.

Our Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund is delivering warmer homes and energy bill savings of around £240 for some of the lowest income families, as well as supporting thousands of jobs.

We’re already making over 100,000 homes more energy efficient with this scheme, and I’m delighted an extra 9,500 social housing tenants will now benefit too.

Minister for Energy Efficiency and Green Finance Lord Callanan said:

The UK is a trailblazer when it comes to reducing carbon emissions, cutting them faster than any other G7 country.

By supporting families to improve their household energy efficiency, this additional funding will deliver measures such as new insulation and low-carbon heating for even more households – helping them save money and cut emissions.

The government has a strong record on energy efficiency, with the proportion of homes in England with an EPC rating of C or above up from 14% in 2010 to nearly half of all homes now. Today’s funding will help drive up the energy performance of social homes with an EPC rating of D or below.

The scheme forms part of the government’s commitment to reduce overall UK energy demand by 15% by 2030, as well as supporting the ambition for the UK to move towards ever-greater energy security and independence. The government also plans to run a consultation on energy efficiency standards in the social rented sector.

Local and combined authorities, registered providers of social housing and charities that own social housing will be able to bid for the additional funding to install energy efficiency upgrades in November.
October 2, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : New measures targeting bomb-making materials come into force [October 2023]
The press release issued by the Home Office on 2 October 2023.

Stronger restrictions on poisons and explosive substances came into effect on 1 October 2023.

New restrictions on poisons and explosive substances have come into effect from Sunday 1 October, strengthening existing controls for poisons and chemicals which could be used to make explosives.

Under these changes, there will be stricter requirements on reporting suspicious activity, including new obligations for online marketplaces. Customer information, such as photo identification, will be recorded when selling regulated materials to business users.

Additional substances have also been added to the list of regulated poisons, including 2,4 Dinitrophenol, also known as DNP, which has taken the lives of many young people in the UK. Other substances to be added include zinc phosphide and hexamine, often used in fireworks.

This will mean it will be a criminal offence to sell these substances to members of the public without a valid licence.

Security Minister Tom Tugendhat said:

The deaths of dozens of young people at the hands of criminals selling chemicals like DNP is a tragedy.

These new measures will help prevent dangerous controlled substances from falling into the wrong hands.

These measures come on the back of the devastating Manchester Arena attack in 2017, and the government’s commitment to look at whether current laws went far enough to protect the public.

The changes will come into force through the updates to the Poisons Act 1972.

Food Standards Agency (FSA) Head of National Food Crime Unit Andrew Quinn said:

DNP can, and does, kill. This is why we strongly support the Home Office on the reclassification of DNP as a poison as well as the police on tackling criminals who supply this killer chemical.

British Retail Consortium (BRC) Retail Products Advisor Adrian Simpson said:

Retailers play an important part in spotting any suspicious activity from customers when buying particular chemical products, and will take additional steps to verify legitimacy of a purchase through more thorough ID checks.

We welcome these new strengthened measures – retailers are vital in protecting the public by ensuring that all changes are clearly communicated to their customers. They will provide additional information online to explain the risks associated with certain products.

The government continues to regularly work with online marketplaces to ensure that they are aware of the harms of chemicals and poisons and can identify and take down potentially unlawful listings as quickly as possible.

The Poisons Act 1972 already sets out controls of chemicals which can be used to make explosives and poisons, restricting the general public’s access to the most dangerous materials. It permits a licensing regime for the purchase and use of regulated substances where there is a legitimate need and no safer alternative.

Newly reportable explosives precursors:
- Sulfur
Newly reportable poisons:
- Metal sulfides and polysulfides
- Metal phosphides
- Sodium hypochlorite solutions (above 6% available Cl).
Newly regulated precursors:
- Hexamine
- Hydrochloric acid (over 10% w/w)
- Phosphoric acid (over 30% w/w)
- Ammonium nitrate (over 16% N)
Newly regulated poisons:
- Aluminium sulfide
- Sodium sulfide
- Calcium sulfide
- Magnesium sulfide
- Calcium phosphide
- Zinc phosphide
- Arsenic compounds
- Mercury compounds
- 2,4- dinitrophenol (DNP) and compounds including sodium dinitrophenolate
October 2, 2023

Category: Press Releases

Further information

Notes to editors