Category: Press Releases

  • PRESS RELEASE : Russia has not broken the spirit of the Ukrainian people nor our determination to support them – UK statement at the UN Security Council [December 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : Russia has not broken the spirit of the Ukrainian people nor our determination to support them – UK statement at the UN Security Council [December 2023]

    The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 6 December 2023.

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

    Thank you President and I thank ASG Jenča and Director Rajasingham for their briefings today and for the work of your teams. President, it’s now nearly two years since Russia invaded Ukraine, illegally and brutally.  Russia has killed Ukrainian men, women and children, and denied their future. Russia has injured men, women and children, and destroyed the hospitals where they might seek care.

    Russia has destroyed civilian infrastructure: hospitals, schools, homes, playgrounds, theaters, roads and railways. And, as winter approaches, Russia is now targeting Ukraine’s energy infrastructure. But Russia has not broken the spirit and resolve of the Ukrainian people. Nor our determination to support them.

    So first, we commend the work of the Ukrainian organisations and volunteer networks who are providing life-saving humanitarian support. My Foreign Secretary met with some of these organisations during his recent visit to Ukraine and was struck by their courage and bravery. We will continue to support their work and we urge the UN and other colleagues to do the same.

    Second, over 17 million Ukrainians need humanitarian assistance as we’ve heard. But Russia continues to deny and block humanitarian access to millions of Ukrainians living in the territories temporarily under Russia’s control leaving those people severely short of food, fuel and water as winter sets in. So we call on Russia to comply fully with its obligations under international humanitarian law and allow humanitarians to operate safely in these territories, and to deliver aid to millions of people who desperately need it.

    Third, like others, we welcome the establishment of a maritime corridor in the Black Sea, which has now enabled Ukraine to supply five million tonnes of grain to global markets. Russia’s attempts to prevent Ukraine from exporting its grain by attacking its ports, holding the world’s food to ransom, have failed.

    We will continue to work with Ukraine and other partners to ensure the security of the corridor and to protect global food security.

    President, Russia has caused humanitarian suffering through its invasion of Ukraine. So we again urge Russia to end its war now by withdrawing from Ukraine’s internationally recognised territory.

    I thank you.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Baroness Neville-Rolfe’s speech to the London Chamber of Commerce [December 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : Baroness Neville-Rolfe’s speech to the London Chamber of Commerce [December 2023]

    The press release issued by the Cabinet Office on 5 December 2023.

    Baroness Neville-Rolfe, Minister of State, delivered a speech to the London Chamber of Commerce on new border policies and innovations.

    Ladies and gentlemen, it’s a pleasure to be here with you all today.

    I feel very fortunate to be at the London Chamber of Commerce, discussing our plans for borders, in the very heart of historic London.

    The City of London is, arguably, the very first border that existed on this island…

    …a border which acted as the perimeter of a thriving Roman market.

    Antiquity bequeathed these borders to the Middle Ages…

    …and the gates throughout the City – Cripplegate, Bishopsgate, Moorgate and so on – checked which goods could enter and leave this market.

    Today, this square mile is home to one of the world’s finest financial and professional service sectors…

    …and SMEs make up ninety-eight per cent of the businesses here in the City…

    …a number that increases to over ninety-nine percent when you look London-wide.

    Many of these cross-London SMEs export and import goods – whether that’s the City of London gin or fashion, metal goods or gifts of all kinds.

    Today I want to outline how the changes we’re making to our borders will benefit those – and, indeed, all – businesses.

    These plans are the result of two changes coming together…

    …namely Brexit and – importantly – a digital revolution that gives us the chance to improve how we trade.

    I have been clear that we want the UK to have the most effective border in the world…

    …and leaving the European Union presented us with an opportunity to scrutinise our entire trading system…

    …not just the trade deals we have been able to negotiate, but the practicalities of that trading.

    That potential was obvious when I visited the Thames Freeport at Tilbury – the very gateway to London these days…

    …connecting over one-hundred-and-thirty ports and sixty-five countries.

    We have great aspirations for our border, one that is as minimally burdensome as possible…

    …without compromising our security…

    …and embracing the very latest technology to make trade smoother.

    This vision is a crucial part of the Government’s 2025 Border Strategy…

    …and our new Border Target Operating Model.

    It will use technology to reduce paperwork for UK importers, saving businesses over five-hundred-million pounds a year…

    …and it will bring practical changes to the way trade is managed through our borders.

    The new Model will introduce a new global risk-based system of controls.

    Some of you may remember the earlier versions of the operating model…

    …which subjected most products to costly, rigorous controls…

    …out of proportion to their actual risk.

    Well, we’ve thrown that out – and replaced it with a new global system which is proportionate.

    It focuses on which food and plant goods currently constitute a risk, whether that’s a function of the type of product or where it is from…

    …and then assigns them a risk category that will determine what border controls are appropriate.

    For instance, low risk goods – like tinned salmon – will not need to have health certificates or routine border checks.

    For high and medium risk goods – like fresh meat and plants for planting – we will need the assurance that certificates provide along with proportionate checks on arrival.

    We are also using the opportunity to harness technology and new ways of working to streamline trade.

    We have partnered with industry to test the border process…

    …to see how we can use technology to cut costs and save time.

    The main breakthrough is the new UK Single Trade Window now being developed by HMRC…

    …in collaboration with Deloitte and IBM and with support from many of you.

    It underpins everything that we are working on.

    When fully operational, it will provide one digital gateway for users…

    …one where they can provide all the data needed to trade, as well as apply for licences and authorisations for trusted trader schemes.

    The benefits from Single Trade Window are considerable…

    …because it will make an enormous number of transactions that bit easier.

    Our estimations show it could reduce total burdens of business by around a billion pounds in the first three years of operation.

    And we are by no means ruling out introducing further innovations…

    …in fact, we’re continuing to partner with industry to make this happen.

    As part of the delivery of the Border Strategy, we have carried out six Ecosystem of Trust pilot projects…

    …which found new ways that tech and data can be used to minimise trade friction.

    They were a collaboration between central government departments including the Cabinet Office, Defra and the Home Office…

    …and different industries including ports, logistics companies, and software providers and businesses like those you represent.

    The first phase ran last year.

    In a spirit of transparency, we have now published a full evaluation of these pilots.

    The projects tested data and technologies that could provide thorough assurance to government.

    We trialled Smart Seals, which can detect any unauthorised access to freight…

    …and we trialled Smart Containers, which transmit real-time data on freight.

    These show if the temperature of the cargo changed, as this would indicate that the goods might be spoiled…

    …which means a low risk cargo might become high-risk

    We also tested new ways of sharing data between government and industry…

    …giving our frontline border staff better and earlier information about the goods that they saw coming in.

    We found that this could cut the time that they spent determining which goods to check by up to a fifth.

    It’s a promising start, but there’s still work to be done.

    Today, I’m also happy to detail the next phase of the Ecosystem of Trust project.

    We are delivering a series of what are called ‘Border Trade Demonstrators’…

    …which are specific projects focused on overcoming the problems we have identified together, such as the complexity and time taken when integrating industry and government systems.

    They will be data-focused, allowing for simple exchanges of information between border agents and industry…

    …leading to an easier, quicker and safer experience at the border.

    Let me give you one example.

    In June this year we saw a three-hundred-million-pound increase in exports of machinery…

    …partially thanks to a large increase in these goods heading to Turkey…

    …but what was in those shipping containers that travelled over the Mediterranean?

    When these goods are shipped, the company sending them has to fill out paperwork explaining what’s in the crate…

    …there’s a lot of information required, relating to the goods themselves, their value, and the route by which they will be transported…

    …Some traders are scrupulous in their description. And some are vague.

    But in all likelihood, a trader could have described a shipment of steel nuts as, simply, ‘nuts’.

    Now, put yourself in the shoes of someone working at the UK border…

    …does that description mean nuts and bolts, or cashew nuts?

    Whatever your record, that opaque description means that the crate is going to get searched…

    …and that one vague text box means an unnecessary delay.

    Multiplied thousands of times a year…

    …this will hit business efficiency and growth…

    …and put undue pressure on our Border personnel.

    One of the examples we’re trialling is a new piece of software…

    …which will allow border agents to receive accurate information from the supply chain earlier in the process…

    …including commodity codes which tell you what is actually inside a container.

    It’s a simple change…

    …one so simple that it’s amazing it hasn’t been thought of before…

    …but one which could have huge benefits.

    These Demonstrators will start being trialled early next year at specific parts of the border.

    We will look to test this new approach at different locations, with different modes and moving different commodities…

    …and, assuming they are successful, they will be spread throughout the country.

    In the meantime, we in Cabinet Office are fixing existing issues where we think we can make the border work better.

    When businesses told us that a new ferry link was necessary between the Spanish Vigo and Cheshire’s Ellesmere Port, we made sure that the Government did its job so that this route could open on time.

    This ferry link directly underpins this government’s support for the UK-first Green Automotive Hub…

    …and will take an estimated 14,700 HGV movements off the roads, with a thirty percent reduction in CO2 emissions as a result.

    And, possibly of interest to traders here today – we will also streamline processes for goods travelling through Heathrow.

    We’re running a pilot with DHL, testing a simplified airfreight export customs process at Heathrow…

    …because we were told by businesses that the current rules, for historic reasons, require freight to be driven unnecessarily all around Heathrow.

    We have found a good potential way to put a stop to this…

    …instead of items being driven to multiple different cargo sites before they leave the airport…

    …we are now trialling one single point that cargo is stored and delivered from.

    I wanted to finish by saying something about timing.

    There have been stops and starts, but we are now pressing on and you do need to be ready.

    Starting at the end of January…

    …with the introduction of health certification on imports of medium risk animal products from the EU…

    …so we will check whether a vet from the exporting country has certified that the products meet the necessary food standards…

    …with similar certification for medium risk plants, plant products…

    …and high-risk food and feed of non-animal origin from the European Union.

    At the end of April, we will be setting up new Border Control Posts…

    …so that we can actually check high and medium risk food and plant products when they arrive…

    …as controls on low and medium risk products from the rest of the world are removed or reduced in line with the new  model.

    So, we will have a consistent approach to goods from the EU and to goods from other trusted trading partners elsewhere in the world.

    Finally, by the end of October, we will require safety and security declarations for imports from the EU.

    This will give us more information to identify security threats to the UK

    We have designed a safety and security declaration which keeps the burden on business to a minimum…

    …and businesses will be able to submit them through the Single Trade Window.

    We are working with trading partners and issuing guidance to ensure businesses are ready for these changes…

    …today is a good example.

    Ladies and gentlemen, our borders may be historic…

    …but they are also modern demonstrations of how the Government is promoting trade.

    Once we have put our plans in place…

    …we will be bringing innovations to our borders which will be unmatched by the rest of the world.

    We will continue to work with industry leaders like yourselves…

    …and – by harnessing our Brexit freedoms and utilising technical advances – we will ensure our trading infrastructure supports you all…

    …and enables you to trade in a safer and more strategic way.

    Thank you very much.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Government announces preferred candidate for BBC Chair [December 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : Government announces preferred candidate for BBC Chair [December 2023]

    The press release issued by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on 6 December 2023.

    Dr Samir Shah CBE is the Government’s preferred candidate for the BBC Chair, the Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer announced today.

    Dr Samir Shah, CBE, has worked in broadcasting for over forty years. He is the CEO and owner of Juniper, an independent television and radio production company. Before Juniper, Samir was head of current affairs and political programmes at the BBC. In 2022, the RTS (Royal Television Society) awarded him its top honour: Outstanding Contribution (AKA Lifetime Achievement award) to journalism. Samir was a Non-Executive Director of the BBC (2007-2010), Chair of the Museum of the Home (2014-2022), and was a trustee then Deputy Chair of the V&A (2004-2014). He was Chair of the Runnymede Trust (1999-2009). He is currently Chair of One World Media. Samir sits on the Arts and Media Honours Committee.

    Samir was appointed a CBE for services to Television and Heritage in the 2019 Queen’s Birthday Honours. He was previously made an OBE in the 2000 New Year’s Honours List. Samir was elected a Fellow of the Royal Television Society in 2002. Samir was appointed Visiting Professor of Creative Media at Oxford University in 2019 and the University of Nottingham appointed him to a Special Professorship in the Department of Post Conflict Studies.

    Samir was born in India and came to England in 1960. He is married to Belkis with one son, Cimran.

    Dr Shah will now appear before MPs on the Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee for pre-appointment scrutiny.

    Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer said:

    With a career spanning more than 40 years in TV production and journalism, Dr Shah has a wealth of experience to bring to the position of BBC Chair. He has a clear ambition to see the BBC succeed in a rapidly changing media landscape, and I have no doubt he will provide the support and scrutiny that the BBC needs to meet the challenges and opportunities of the future.

    His knowledge of the BBC and his belief in its role as a national broadcaster alongside his extensive work to promote diversity in broadcasting will be invaluable in helping to ensure that the BBC reflects, represents and serves communities across the whole of the UK.

    I would also like to express my thanks to Dame Elan Closs Stephens for her diligence and dedication in leading the Board as Acting Chair in the interim period.

    Dr Samir Shah CBE said:

    I am delighted to be named the preferred candidate for Chair of the BBC and I look forward to the upcoming pre-appointment hearing with the Select Committee. The BBC is, without doubt, one of the greatest contributions we have made to global culture and one of our strongest calling cards on soft power.

    If I am able  to put what skills, experience, and understanding of public service broadcasting I have built up during my career to help this brilliant organisation meet the complex and diverse challenges it faces over the coming years, it would be an honour.

    The BBC has a great place in British life and a unique duty to reach a wide audience right across the country and I will do all I can to ensure it fulfils this in an increasingly competitive market.

    The current process for appointing the Chair is set in the BBC’s 2017 Royal Charter, requiring an appointment to be made by ‘Order in Council’ following a fair and open competition. Convention has been that the Secretary of State recommends the appointment to the Lord President of the Council and the Prime Minister recommends the appointment to His Majesty The King. No recommendation can be made to His Majesty in Council, until a pre-appointment hearing has been held and a report published by the CMS Select Committee.

    Ministers were assisted in their decision-making by an Advisory Assessment Panel which included a departmental official and a senior independent panel member approved by the Commissioner for Public Appointments.

  • PRESS RELEASE : World Trade Organization – Hong Kong, China’s Trade Policy Review [December 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : World Trade Organization – Hong Kong, China’s Trade Policy Review [December 2023]

    The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 6 December 2023.

    The UK’s Permanent Representative to the WTO and UN in Geneva, Simon Manley, gave a statement during Hong Kong, China’s WTO Trade Policy Review (TPR).

    1. Chair, let me join others in welcoming the delegation from Hong Kong, China, led by Director-General of Trade and Industry, Ms. Wong. Let me also express my gratitude to the wider delegation, ably led in Geneva by Permanent Representative Miss So, and to colleagues from the WTO Secretariat for their respective reports; to the Chair, as ever; and to our Discussant for his comments.
    2. Chair, the UK and Hong Kong, China enjoy people-to-people, cultural, and trade ties. UK companies continue to operate in Hong Kong, China, valuing its historic reputation for strong institutions and respect for the rule of law, its open and predictable business environment, and its status as a global financial centre.
    3. Hong Kong, China is the UK’s 13th largest trading partner. Our total trade in goods and services has reached almost £30 billion in 2023. It is our second largest market for goods in Asia-Pacific, after mainland China. And it was the destination for almost £80 billion of UK Foreign Direct Investment in 2021.
    4. However, despite Hong Kong, China’s commitment to free trade, there remain untapped opportunities, such as the 100% ad valorem excise tax that it places on beverage alcohol products, which are over 30% alcohol by volume. Not only has this tax led to significant price disparities between wine and spirits, but its ad valorem nature effectively penalises higher-value and higher-quality spirits.
    5. Besides making British businesses very happy, a reduction in spirit taxation would help to support the recovery of Hong Kong, China’s hospitality and tourism industry. It would also enhance the restaurant scene that makes Hong Kong, China one of the world’s gastronomic gems, allowing diners to responsibly enjoy the best of UK gin, Scotch whisky, or any other of the countless high-quality UK spirits.
    6. And yet, Chair, despite the myriad of global trade challenges we face, the current trading relationship between Hong Kong, China and the UK remains strong. One of the most significant reasons for this is our shared commitment to free and open trade, which is underpinned by our historical ties. As promised in 1997, Hong Kong, China remains a separate customs territory, retains its free port status, and does not levy tariffs on the import of goods.
    7. Chair, Hong Kong, China is a valued member of the WTO. Its strength rests on the reputation and integrity of its institutions, its independent regulators, and the independence of its Common Law Legal system, which offers effective dispute resolution systems in commercial cases to high standards. They are a fundamental part of why UK businesses continue to choose to operate in Hong Kong, China.
    8. The UK’s strong interest in seeing Hong Kong, China prosper is evidenced in the promises we made, together with China, in the Sino-British Joint Declaration of 1984.  The Joint Declaration guarantees the continuation of Hong Kong, China’s high degree of autonomy, social and economic systems, lifestyle, and rights and freedoms for 50 years from 1997. The UK remains committed to ensuring that these promises, made by both countries, are upheld.
    9. However, China is now in an ongoing state of non-compliance with the Joint Declaration. Hong Kong, China’s capitalist economic, monetary and financial systems remain distinct and robust, but actions taken by China, such as the imposition of the National Security Law, as well as the actions taken by the authorities of Hong Kong, China, continue to erode many of the civil and political rights guaranteed in the Joint Declaration and Hong Kong, China’s Basic Law.
    10. This, in turn, puts at risk confidence in the effective governance, fair judiciary, and independent regulation, which makes Hong Kong, China such a great place to do business. Given Hong Kong, China’s significant role as a regional trade and economic hub, these actions also risk harming China’s own economic development in the long term.
    11. The UK therefore maintains that unwavering commitment to upholding the promises made in the Sino-British Joint Declaration is not only the best way to support our own trading relationship, but also the best way to safeguard its long-term prosperity and ensure that Hong Kong, China continues to be a crucial part of the world economy.
    12. Chair, I would like to conclude by welcoming the role that Hong Kong, China plays in supporting the world economy through its full and active engagement within the WTO. The UK welcomes Hong Kong, China’s participation in a range of Joint Initiatives, and most notably its recent efforts to help conclude substantive negotiations on Investment Facilitation for Development, as well as its ratification of the fisheries subsidies agreement. But like others, we were disappointed in the role that Hong Kong, China played in blocking consensus on selecting the Chair of the Government Procurement Committee. I hope that Hong Kong, China will continue to use its influence in the WTO to advance free trade; promote important reforms; and work together with other Members to conclude an ambitious fisheries agreement heading into Ministerial Conference 13.
    13. Finally, as one of the three co-chairs of the Informal Working Group on Trade and Gender, let me also welcome Hong Kong, China’s initiatives to promote women’s empowerment, such as the Women Empowerment Fund, and thank them for providing further information on the role of the Women’s Commission in their answers to our Advanced Written Questions.
    14. Thank you, Chair, and Discussant for facilitating this Trade Policy Review, and to the delegation of Hong Kong, China for its full cooperation with this important exercise in transparency.
  • PRESS RELEASE : High streets levelled up with £7 million funding boost [December 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : High streets levelled up with £7 million funding boost [December 2023]

    The press release issued by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities on 6 December 2023.

    Government launches new High Street Accelerators pilot to help communities and councils join up on long-term regeneration

    Ten struggling high streets will take part in a new government pilot – the High Street Accelerators programme – to create partnerships that empower residents and community organisations to work together on long-term regeneration plans.

    The funding will help communities partner with local authorities and businesses to address some of the biggest challenges facing their high streets – building on wider action to tackle empty shops, anti-social behaviour and a lack of visitors.

    These 10 areas to be called High Street Accelerators will receive an initial £2.37 million to kickstart their partnerships – a total of £237,000 each. They can also apply for a share of up to £5 million to improve their high streets’ green spaces and create more pleasant environments for residents to meet and socialise.

    This £7 million will be spent over the next two years and the impact will be evaluated to inform future government policy and support for left-behind high streets, building on larger interventions like the £1.1 billion Long-Term Plan for Towns.

    Minister for Levelling Up Jacob Young said:

    It has been a tough few years for our high streets following the pandemic and the changes we’ve seen in consumer behaviour.

    We know that local people know what’s best for their area, and we’re keen to understand the benefits that High Street Accelerators could bring working with local businesses and their communities.

    These Accelerators will complement other interventions like High Street Rental Auctions, empowering local people to tackle vacancy and other issues on their high streets.

    The High Street Accelerators Pilot Programme was announced in March 2023 as part of the Anti-Social Behaviour Action Plan. It will complement other interventions designed to revive England’s high streets such as the High Streets Task Force which is helping local leaders to regenerate their areas, and changing planning rules so councils have greater certainty.

    New regulations to be introduced next year will also give local authorities more powers to work with landlords to rent out vacant properties on high streets. The High Street Rental Auctions regulations will allow councils to sell off the rental rights for empty properties to willing tenants, such as businesses and community groups.

    Along with High Street Accelerators, this will incentivise and empower local people to tackle vacant buildings, enabling local communities to reinvent their high streets for the future.

    Areas receiving funding as part of the High Street Accelerators programme:

    • Abingdon Street and Queen Street in Blackpool
    • Stoke Town Centre in Stoke-on-Trent
    • Queen Street with Blackburn Road and Church Street in Great Harwood Town Centre in Hyndburn
    • Scunthorpe High Street in North Lincolnshire
    • Union Street and Yorkshire Street in Oldham Town Centre
    • The Stepney area of Beverley Road in Hull
    • King William Street in Blackburn Town Centre in Blackburn with Darwen
    • Grimsby Town Centre in North East Lincolnshire
    • Dovercourt Town Centre in Tendring
    • Hyde Town Centre in Tameside
  • PRESS RELEASE : Transport Secretary announces £70 million boost for more rapid electric vehicle chargers at COP28 [December 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : Transport Secretary announces £70 million boost for more rapid electric vehicle chargers at COP28 [December 2023]

    The press release issued by the Department for Transport on 6 December 2023.

    EV chargepoint pilot scheme at motorway service areas to support government’s vision of transition to electric vehicles.

    • trials will boost the number of ultra-rapid chargepoints at motorway services and spark private investment
    • pilot launched at COP28’s Transport Day, along with US and UK green shipping pledge
    • first global zero emissions vehicles transition roadmap launched to strengthen support for emerging markets and developing economy countries

    A £70 million pilot scheme launched today (6 December 2023) will power up motorway service areas to pave the way for ultra-rapid electric vehicle (EV) chargepoints.

    Speaking on COP28 Transport Day in Dubai, Transport Secretary, Mark Harper, laid out plans for up to 10 trial sites in England with boosted electrical network capacity – ensuring electricity network capacity is future-proofed for at least 10 years, to 2035.

    COP28 marks a pivotal moment in addressing climate change, with the UK having decarbonised faster than any other major economy and committed to the fastest reduction in emissions between 1990 and 2030 on current pledges.

    Today’s rapid chargepoint announcement, part of the government’s ambitious rapid charging fund (RCF), will cover a portion of the costs of upgrading the electricity grid at successful motorway service areas, ensuring that the private sector can continue to expand the charging network and providing consumers more confidence to choose EVs.

    Transport Secretary, Mark Harper, said:

    This government is on the side of drivers and working with the private sector to provide robust chargepoint infrastructure is part of our Plan for Drivers, with today’s announcement paving the way for more ultra-rapid chargepoints.

    This £70 million pilot scheme is the starting point and sends a message to consumers and industry that we are investing wisely and rapidly to grow the future of transport in the UK.

    Technology and Decarbonisation Minister, Anthony Browne, said:

    This is an important next step in our journey to net zero and demonstrates the government’s commitment to help the private sector expand our charging network.

    The scheme follows our world-leading zero emission vehicle mandate, meaning we are truly supporting drivers and industry in making the switch to electric.

    Motorway service areas are strategically important as regularly spaced stopping points along the motorway. Investment here addresses the need for a highly visible and dependable longer-distance charging network to support drivers and accelerate future EV purchases. The pilot, which is being delivered by National Highways, will help gather evidence to inform the design of a full fund.

    Today also sees the launch of a 10-week rapid charging fund consultation seeking views from a range of stakeholders, including chargepoint operators, motorway service area operators and electricity suppliers, on where chargers are needed most and how best to design the RCF.

    Alongside the pilot launch, the UK and the US are teaming up to announce a competition to develop green shipping corridors between both countries. The US is the UK’s second-largest direct partner when it comes to international maritime trade – with over 40 million tonnes of maritime trade carried out last year. Launching next year, the initiative builds upon the UK’s successful partnerships with the likes of Norway, Denmark and the Netherlands, solidifying the journey towards zero-emission shipping.

    When the UK hosted COP26 in 2021, it announced the Clydebank Declaration for green shipping corridors, where signatories declared ambitions to implement zero-emission shipping routes. Today, it was announced that new shipping corridors will be forged between the Republic of Korea, Lithuania and the United Arab Emirates, taking its membership to 27.

    UK Chamber of Shipping CEO, Sarah Treseder, said:

    Green shipping corridors will play an important part in decarbonising shipping, especially on major routes such as the UK and US.

    To be successful, they require dedicated infrastructure across the corridor to ensure that vessels can access low and zero emission fuels, as well as facilities such as shoreside power. We look forward to working with the UK and US governments, as well as those involved in the competition, to turn this project into a blueprint for how to create a successful green corridor.

    Yesterday (5 December 2023) also saw the launch of the world-first global zero emission vehicle (ZEV) transition roadmap, designed to improve understanding and accessibility around the international push to decarbonise road travel and to more clearly lay out the financing available to developing economies and new markets. It commits to an annual update at future COP events, helping to map the transition to cleaner travel on a global scale and ensure no country is left behind.

    It comes in the same week that the House of Commons agreed (4 December 2023) the percentage of new zero emission cars and vans that manufacturers will be required to produce each year up to 2030. By safeguarding investments made by the car industry in the UK and protecting skilled British jobs, this complements the Prime Minister’s proportionate and pragmatic decision to delay the ban on new petrol cars from 2030 to 2035 to support families making the switch.

    This has also been backed by over £2 billion government investment and rapidly expanding charging infrastructure, which has already grown 42% on last year – a rate that puts us well on the way to 300,000 by 2030.

    COP28 UAE takes place from 30 November to 12 December 2023 at Expo City, Dubai in the United Arab Emirates. The United Nations climate change conferences are yearly conferences and serve as the formal meeting to negotiate and agree action on how to tackle climate change, limit emissions and halt global warming.

    Thursday’s Transport Day comes just a week after the first-ever transatlantic 100% sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) flight from London to New York. The Transport Secretary has a full schedule for the day, attending Pavilion events and other engagements discussing the ZEV mandate, zero emission shipping, sustainable aviation and climate-resilient transport.

    At this year’s COP, the UK is focusing efforts on:

    • tackling deforestation: supporting countries to tackle deforestation through Forest Country Packages and £576 million new International Climate Finance (ICF) programming, £465 million of which is new and additional funding since Glasgow, aimed at supporting companies, communities, smallholders and governments to tackle forest loss and protect nature
    • green finance: endorsing the new Global Climate Finance Framework to champion reform of international financial institutions to make them bigger, better and fairer, and pledging up to £60 million for loss and damage, including up to £40 million for a new fund to ensure that finance can flow to the poorest and most vulnerable to climate change
  • PRESS RELEASE : Appointment of Lord-Lieutenant of Nottinghamshire [December 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : Appointment of Lord-Lieutenant of Nottinghamshire [December 2023]

    The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 6 December 2023.

    The King has been pleased to appoint Professor Veronica Pickering, DL, as His Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant for the County of Nottinghamshire.

    Veronica Moraa Pickering is a social entrepreneur, a former UK Social Worker and Children’s Guardian and was an International Child Protection Consultant for the UN and many NGOs across Africa, supporting vulnerable people and their families. In 2022 she was awarded the Moran of the Order of the Burning Spear (M.B.S.) for service to Kenya by the President.

    She now works as an Executive Coach and partnership specialist with a number of companies and organisations across the UK. A strong supporter of the arts and wildlife conservation charities, she is a Trustee of the RSPB and Nottinghamshire YMCA (Robin Hood Group) and Ambassador for The Woodland Trust and UK RAF Museums. She is also visiting Professor to Lincoln International Business School. She is the first black woman to be appointed the Royal Air Force (RAF) Honorary Air Commodore.

    Veronica is the current High Sheriff of Nottinghamshire and is married to the Nottinghamshire-born artist Roy Pickering. They have two adult children and live near Nottingham.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Member appointed to the Independent Advisory Panel on Deaths in Custody [December 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : Member appointed to the Independent Advisory Panel on Deaths in Custody [December 2023]

    The press release issued by the Ministry of Justice on 6 December 2023.

    The Lord Chancellor has approved the appointment of Professor Seena Fazel as a member of the Independent Advisory Panel on Deaths in Custody for three years from 1 October 2023.

    Established in 2009, the Independent Advisory Panel on Deaths in Custody (IAPDC) forms part of the Ministerial Council on Deaths in Custody in England and Wales. The IAPDC provides expert advice and challenge to Ministers, departments, and agencies with the central aim of preventing deaths in custody.

    This appointment is made by the Secretary of State for Justice in consultation with the Department of Health and Social Care and the Home Office, who co-sponsor and co-fund the IAPDC.

    Appointments are regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments and recruitment processes comply with the Governance Code on Public Appointments.

    Biography

    Professor Fazel is a serving member of the IAPDC, having begun his first term in 2018 and his second in 2021. Professor Fazel is the Professor of Forensic Psychiatry and Director of the Centre for Suicide Research, at the University of Oxford. Since 2007, he has also been an Honorary Consultant Forensic Psychiatrist for Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Plans progressed to create a smokefree generation [December 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : Plans progressed to create a smokefree generation [December 2023]

    The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 6 December 2023.

    Public consultation on historic proposals draws to a close, with roughly 25,000 responses from teachers, parents, healthcare professionals and public.

    • UK in lead to be first country in the world to create a smokefree generation by phasing out the sale of tobacco
    • Government taking long-term decisions to protect children and an entire generation from the harms of smoking as they grow older

    Plans to introduce the most significant public health intervention in a generation and phase out smoking are progressing at pace, as the government’s consultation closes today.

    Amassing roughly 25,000 responses – including from healthcare professionals, public health experts, academics, teachers, parents and teenagers – officials will analyse results and ministers will set out next steps in the coming weeks, including details on the forthcoming Tobacco and Vapes Bill recently announced in the King’s Speech.

    The majority of the public are behind the plans, and the government is determined to take vital action quickly to protect future generations from the harms of tobacco addiction.

    The government’s response to the consultation will be published ahead of the Bill’s introduction to Parliament in the new year.

    Public Health Minister, Andrea Leadsom, said:

    As a former teenage smoker, these historic plans might just have prevented me from ever lighting a cigarette.

    Smoking is the biggest preventable killer in the UK, and that’s why we need to push ahead at pace with our plans to protect today’s children, and create the first smokefree generation while cracking down on youth vaping.

    We are taking the long-term health decisions needed to safeguard the next generation from the harms of smoking and risk of addiction.

    Government plans include introducing a new law to stop children who turned 14 this year or are younger from ever legally being sold tobacco in England. There is also a worrying rise in vaping among children and the government will therefore also introduce measures to reduce the appeal and availability of vapes to children, while ensuring they remain available as a quit tool for smokers.

    This will prevent thousands of children from starting smoking in the coming years and potentially having their lives cut short as a result.

    The UK is now proudly set to be the first country in the world to introduce such a landmark law on smoking.

    Deborah Arnott, chief executive of health charity Action on Smoking and Health (ASH), said:

    With the overwhelming support of the public the UK has picked up the baton to become the first country in the world to create a smokefree generation.

    In the twentieth century the UK, home to the tobacco industry, had the highest smoking rates in the world, in the twenty first we are now on track to lead the way out of the tobacco epidemic.

    This will herald the start of a new era in tobacco control, where the end of the smoking is finally in sight.

    Smoking is the UK’s biggest preventable killer, causing around 1 in 4 cancer deaths and 64,000 deaths in England alone, costing the economy and wider society £17 billion each year. No other consumer product kills up to two-thirds of its users and the plans will save tens of thousands of lives and save the NHS billions of pounds.

    People take up cigarettes when they are young.

    Four in five smokers have started by the time they are 20 and although the vast majority try to quit, many due to the addictive nature of cigarettes.

    Cathy Hunt, 58, is a mum of four from County Durham. She was diagnosed with lung cancer and had half a lung removed in 2015 just two days before her 50th birthday. She underwent surgery again in 2022 when the cancer returned, and in June this year had a kidney removed due to cancer.

    Cathy said:

    I am absolutely over the moon about the government’s plan to raise the age of sale for tobacco one year every year until we see the end of smoking, and all my family and friends are too.

    Smoking isn’t a lifestyle choice but a lethal addiction which traps hundreds of new victims in its claws every day, victims who struggle to escape. I only managed to stop once I found out I had lung cancer but wish now I could turn the clock back to the time I started smoking as a child aged 11.

    That’s also why I’m so pleased the government is providing more funding for anti-smoking campaigns, stop smoking services and enforcement to help stop the start and start the stop for those already addicted to smoking like I was.

    Gower Tan, Cancer Research UK ambassador and campaigns officer, said:

    I started smoking aged 13, and this deadly addiction took me over 25 years to quit. Having watched my dad – a lifelong smoker – die of lung cancer, I understand the devastating harms of tobacco and I support vital legislation on the age of sale. Knowing my children and future generations will not suffer the tragic consequences caused by smoking is a legacy we could all be proud of.

    To tackle youth vaping, the government’s plans include a range of measures to reduce the appeal and availability of vapes to children, including restricting vapes flavours, regulating point of sale displays in stores that sell vapes, and regulating vape packaging.

    Stakeholder reaction:

    Cancer Research UK’s chief executive, Michelle Mitchell, said:

    “Smoking is the biggest cause of cancer in the UK, responsible for around 150 cancers a day. Raising the age of sale for tobacco products is one of the biggest opportunities we have had to help prevent cancer in over a decade.

    “This consultation is a vital step on the road to the first ever smokefree generation. If the government takes decisive action in all UK nations, the UK can phase smoking out for good and protect the next generation from a potential lifetime of addiction and disease.”

    John Herriman, chief executive at the Chartered Trading Standards Institute, said:

    “It comes as no surprise that responses have been submitted in the thousands to this consultation that poses the biggest positive change to public health in our lifetime. Most people have been affected by smoking either directly or indirectly, and smoking related illnesses put a huge strain on the NHS. In time, this will free up much needed resources and will help safeguard future generations to come.”

    “Effective policing of the age of sale of tobacco will be critical to the effectiveness of the government’s aim of eliminating smoking for future generations and Trading Standards teams working in local communities across the UK will play a central role in making this happen. We look forward to working with DHSC to ensure that we have the tools and resources needed to support businesses and educate consumers as the country phases out tobacco products for good.

    Henry Gregg, director of external affairs for Asthma + Lung UK:

    “Creating a smoke-free generation is one of the most impactful things we could do to improve the health of future generations. We know that many people with a lung condition and their families strongly support these proposals, to prevent others from going through what they have experienced. We urge the government to ensure these measures are implemented in full to save thousands of lives.

    “Smoking remains the biggest cause of lung disease deaths in the UK, with tobacco costing the NHS £2.5 billion every year and £1.2 billion in social care costs.  More than 8 out of 10 smokers take up smoking before the age of 20 and become addicted, so proposals to gradually increase the smoking age to stop younger people from ever taking up smoking is an opportunity for the government to lead the way on measures that will protect future generations from developing lung conditions caused by this deadly addiction”.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Foreign Secretary travels to US to reaffirm support for Ukraine [December 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : Foreign Secretary travels to US to reaffirm support for Ukraine [December 2023]

    The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 6 December 2023.

    David Cameron is making his first visit to Washington DC as Foreign Secretary to reaffirm the strength of the UK-US relationship and support for Ukraine.

    • Foreign Secretary David Cameron undertakes first visit to Washington DC since taking office to reaffirm strength of diplomatic, security and trade ties with UK’s closest ally
    • he will meet US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and other senior US Government figures, as well as Republican and Democratic Congressional leaders
    • Foreign Secretary will announce £37 million of humanitarian funding for Ukraine as conversations focus on keeping up UK and US support for the country, and the situation in the Middle East

    The Foreign Secretary will travel to the United States today (Wednesday 6 December) to reaffirm both the strength of the UK’s relationship with its closest strategic ally and our unwavering support for Ukraine in its fight against Russian aggression.

    He will also discuss the Middle East, getting humanitarian aid to those affected by the conflict in Gaza and how the UK and US can work towards enabling a long-term two-state solution which allows both Israelis and Palestinians to live together in peace.

    In his first visit to Washington DC as Foreign Secretary, David Cameron will discuss how the enduring partnership between the UK and US is delivering security and prosperity on both sides of the Atlantic and upholding democratic values where they are threatened around the world.

    It comes as the UK will, on Wednesday, target military suppliers who are propping up Putin’s war machine through a series of sanctions. Foreign suppliers exporting equipment and parts to Russia are among dozens of individuals and groups to be sanctioned to starve Putin of the resources he needs for his illegal war in Ukraine.

    Ahead of the visit, the Foreign Secretary has announced a new winter humanitarian response package of £29 million for Ukraine and will bolster support with a further £7.75 million for humanitarian activities that will focus on the needs of the most vulnerable in Ukraine, such as women, girls, older people and people with disabilities.

    Funding allocations are part of the UK’s overall £127 million of humanitarian support to Ukraine and the region in 2023 to 2024, as announced at the Ukraine Recovery Conference in June.

    The Foreign Secretary will hold an intensive round of diplomatic talks with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken to reaffirm international cooperation and support for the Ukrainian people as they approach two years of battling Russian forces.

    While in Washington, the Foreign Secretary will also meet key Congressional figures on both sides of the House.

    Foreign Secretary David Cameron said:

    The UK and the US are deeply bound by a shared mission to defend the values that provide security and prosperity for us all.

    That is why we remain unwavering in our support of Ukraine. If we allow Putin’s aggression to succeed, it will embolden those who challenge democracy and threaten our way of life. We cannot let them prevail.

    We also stand united in the Middle East, working together to ensure long-term security and stability in the region, and in responding to the challenges posed by China.

    The UK’s steadfast support for Ukraine against Russia’s aggression was highlighted by David Cameron choosing to travel to Kyiv last month for his first overseas visit as Foreign Secretary.

    The UK’s total military, humanitarian and economic support for Ukraine now amounts to £9.3 billion.

    The UK and US are equally united in promoting prosperity and security in the Indo-Pacific as they respond to the epoch-defining challenge of China, and the Foreign Secretary will discuss how the UK is strengthening national security protections, while engaging where it is consistent with the UK’s national interest.

    The Foreign Secretary’s visit also reflects the immense value the UK places on its trade relationship with the US and will build on work to deliver the Atlantic Declaration, a first-of-a kind economic partnership which was agreed by the Prime Minister and President Biden earlier this year and will see the UK and US working together more closely than ever across the full spectrum of economic, technological, commercial and trade relations.

    With the UK and US sharing a $1 trillion investment relationship, a re-energised and enhanced economic relationship presents huge opportunities for people and businesses on both sides of the Atlantic – supporting the Prime Minister’s priority to grow the economy and create better paying jobs.

    During his visit to Washington, David Cameron will set out the UK’s foreign policy priorities at a live event at the Aspen Security Forum on Thursday.

    Background

    • The Foreign Secretary’s address to the Aspen Security Forum will be livestreamed
    • after the US, the UK is the second largest donor of military assistance to Ukraine, committing £4.6 billion to the country so far
    • the UK’s £29 million winter humanitarian response package for Ukraine will go towards supporting the UN and Red Cross, with roughly half of it supporting winter allocations for the UN-managed Ukraine Humanitarian Fund
    • the US trades more with the UK than any other individual country. The investment relationship is worth over a trillion dollars, and bilateral trade was worth £310 billion in the 4 quarters to the end of quarter 2 2023
    • the UK has already signed 7 individual arrangements with Indiana, North Carolina, South Carolina, Utah, Oklahoma, Washington and Florida, and is actively engaging with other states including Texas and California