Category: Press Releases

PRESS RELEASE : British Ambassador presents credentials to President of Ukraine [September 2023]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 27 September 2023.

Today, the new British Ambassador to Ukraine Martin Harris CMG OBE presented his Letters of Credence to the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and reiterated the UK’s unflinching support.

Speaking at a ceremony in historic St Sophia Cathedral in Kyiv, Martin Harris said:

I’m honoured to lead the UK’s Embassy as we support Ukraine in its fight for freedom and democracy. Ukraine is defending the international principles underpinning the UK’s security, as well as its own.

The courage and resolve of the Ukrainian armed forces and people are a constant inspiration. It is a privilege to be here in Ukraine standing alongside them.

Our relationship has never been closer or more important. Together we are stronger.

September 29, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : UK government and island community leaders to discuss connectivity [September 2023]

The press release issued by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities on 27 September 2023.

The third Islands Forum will take place on the Isle of Lewis in Scotland on 9-10 October, chaired by the Secretary of State for Levelling Up.

The forum will focus on connectivity, recognising the importance of physical and digital connectivity to islands, particularly those with no fixed links to the mainland.

The UK government has invited eligible council leaders and chief executives of island communities in all parts of the UK to take part in the third forum. The devolved administrations will also have a key role, with ministers from the Scottish and Welsh governments invited and the Permanent Secretary of the Department for Infrastructure in Northern Ireland.

The Islands Forum helps to level up island communities by encouraging collaboration to tackle common challenges such as skills, connectivity and infrastructure, as well as to explore shared opportunities including the transition to net zero. It also allows the UK government to hear and learn from island communities to inform future policy.

October’s forum follows successful forums in Orkney in September 2022 and on the Isle of Wight in May 2023, where members agreed to collaborate further on net zero and skills. The Orkney forum also included a discussion with the energy regulator, Ofgem, leading to further direct engagement, unlocking important investments for island communities.

Secretary of State for Levelling Up Michael Gove MP said:

The Islands Forum is a significant bi-annual event bringing together island communities who contribute so much to the UK.

The first two forums in Orkney and the Isle of Wight clearly demonstrated the strong appetite for us to all work together to benefit communities. I look forward to meeting again on the Isle of Lewis, to discuss connectivity, reflecting the physical and digital connectivity challenges islands face.

I know the Isle of Lewis’ geography, heritage and language traditions will provide a thought-provoking location to discuss the unique issues facing our incredible islands across the UK.

Leader of Comhairle nan Eilean Siar (Western Isles Council) Paul Steele said:

People in the Western Isles and other UK islands face unique challenges and the next Islands Forum presents another opportunity for us all to collaborate further, finding potential solutions with government ministers. I look forward to meeting with Secretary of State for Levelling Up Michael Gove MP and discussing connectivity alongside future funding and growth opportunities.

September 29, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : The UK calls for a de-escalation of tensions between Israel and Palestine – UK statement at the Security Council [September 2023]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 27 September 2023.

Statement by Ambassador Barbara Woodward at the UN Security Council meeting on Middle Eastern Peace Process.

Mr President,

I have three areas I wish to highlight since our last meeting in August.

Firstly, September 15 marked the third anniversary of the signing of the Abraham Accords. The UK celebrates the success of the accords and we are unabashed in encouraging more countries to normalise their relations with Israel and seize the opportunities it presents. We are also committed to making sure that normalisation delivers concrete benefits for the Palestinian people.

Second, from 11 to 13 September, the British Foreign Secretary visited Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories.

The Foreign Secretary spoke with Israeli and Palestinian leaders where he called for a de-escalation of tensions, emphasised the importance of holding long-overdue elections in the OPTs, and made crystal clear the UK’s commitment to a two-state solution as the only way to a safe and secure Israel living alongside a viable and sovereign Palestinian state. The 30th anniversary of the Oslo Accords is a poignant reminder that we must work together to achieve lasting and sustainable peace in the region.

During his visit, the Foreign Secretary met the commissioner-general of UNRWA and he went to Jalazone refugee camp to see, first hand, the impact of the agency’s work to protect the most vulnerable. This brings me to my third point.

We have previously discussed the funding crisis that UNRWA faces. The UK was proud to announce an additional ten million pounds during the visit to help address the crisis. Other states also pledged more funds to UNRWA during high-level week, we must make sure those funds are available quickly and we must maintain efforts to put the agency on a more sustainable financial footing.

Separately, I want to highlight a UN OCHA report published last week showing that 1,105 Palestinians were displaced from their communities since 2022. A major and rising concern is the increasing settler violence in the OPTs, largely unchallenged, renders Palestinians at risk of forcible transfer. We call on the Israeli government to tackle this threat.

Tragically, 2023 has already seen at least 193 Palestinians killed by Israeli security forces in the West Bank and 31 Israelis have died at the hands of terrorists. We must end the cycle of violence.

September 29, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Hundreds of Scottish businesses set to benefit as UK Government invests in new roles to boost exporting [September 2023]
The press release issued by the Department for Business and Trade on 27 September 2023.

UK Government’s Department for Business and Trade announces the introduction of DBT International Trade Advisors (ITAs) to Scotland.
- UK Government’s Department for Business and Trade announces the introduction of DBT International Trade Advisors (ITAs) to Scotland.
- Once introduced a further 600-900 businesses are expected to benefit from one-to-one advice and guidance on how to start exporting.
- The new roles will double the number of the Department’s trade and investment staff in Scotland.
The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) will significantly expand the support on offer to Scottish businesses after it announced that new DBT International Trade Advisors are to be hired north of the border.

Once in place, the new Advisors will be responsible for providing tailored, one-to-one guidance and support to Scottish businesses to help them start or expand their exporting journey.

The new resource is intended to complement existing services by expanding the pipeline of exporting companies and should see a further 600-900 companies in Scotland receive help.

Exports Minister Lord Offord was in Greenock today at the former Customs House to begin stakeholder engagement on the structure of the ITA support. While there he hosted a roundtable with SMEs about their exporting journey so far, and discussed how more companies might be encouraged to export using such support.

UK Government Minister for Scotland and Exports Lord Malcolm Offord said:

“This is a significant investment by the UK Government to provide further support to businesses across Scotland.

“Working closely with colleagues at SDI and the Scottish Government, this should significantly increase the capacity of our team to support increased exporting through expanding the pipeline of companies.

“We know what a huge difference accessing international markets can make to a company, and I’m looking forward to continuing the discussions that were started today to ensure as many businesses as possible take advantage of the opportunities that are out there.”

DBT officials have worked closely with Scottish Government and Scottish Development International officials in shaping the proposals, which are now subject to an eight-week public engagement exercise.

The engagement exercise is aimed at ensuring the new resource is implemented in a way that meets the needs of Scottish businesses and is complementary to services already offered by SDI and others.

The new DBT ITAs will sit alongside other UK Government support services such as the UK Export Academy which offers free training to businesses on selling abroad, and UK Export Finance who can provide attractive financing terms and working capital loans to companies.

The introduction of International Trade Advisors is a significant step in supporting the Department’s goal to reach £1 trillion worth of exports annually by 2030. Boosting the number of exporters in Scotland will be crucial in reaching this target, with survey responses showing there were around 14,800 Scottish companies exporting goods or services in 2021.

Research into the benefits of exporting have shown it to be essential in helping businesses to grow, with those that do trade abroad often having increased productivity, and offering higher wages to their staff.
September 29, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Biodiversity Net Gain moves step closer with timetable set out [September 2023]
The press release issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 27 September 2023.

Developers in England will be required to deliver 10% “Biodiversity Net Gain” from January 2024 onwards.
Government has set out next steps on plans for new housing, commercial and infrastructure developments to be “nature positive” today (Wednesday 27th September) by confirming that upcoming legislation to bring in these rules will be laid in November.

This is the first step in putting the new rules, known as “Biodiversity Net Gain” (BNG) onto a formal statutory footing.

Under the updated timetable set out today developers in England will be required to deliver 10% “Biodiversity Net Gain” from January 2024 onwards when building new housing, industrial or commercial developments meaning by law they must deliver a net positive for the local environment, for example by creating new habitats and green spaces. Biodiversity Net Gain for small sites will still be applicable from April 2024, and implementation for Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects remains planned for 2025.

Biodiversity Net Gain was introduced through the world leading Environment Act and will be fundamental in helping the country meet our target to halt the decline in species abundance by 2030, while helping create more beautiful communities and deliver new homes.

To support the implementation of Biodiversity Net Gain, the government has already committed over £15 million to assist Local Planning Authorities to prepare. Many housing developers are also already successfully creating Biodiversity Net Gain through their developments.

By the end of November, we will publish all guidance and the regulations including:

the statutory biodiversity metric, critical for calculating the correct biodiversity gain

the draft biodiversity gain plan template, which will help developers prepare for what they will need to complete during the planning application stages

the Habitat Management and Monitoring Plan template, which will set out how the improved significant on-site and off-site habitats will be managed for the long term

a package of Biodiversity Net Gain guidance that sets out further advice for landowners, developers, and Local Planning Authorities around their role and responsibilities in delivering mandatory Biodiversity Net Gain

These materials will ensure that developers and planning authorities have access to the necessary tools and information to effectively implement Biodiversity Net Gain in January 2024, ensuring they deliver the homes that the country needs while benefitting nature and local environments.

Trudy Harrison, Biodiversity Minister said,

Biodiversity Net Gain will ensure new developments work for both wildlife and people . We will create nature-rich places whilst ensuring communities get the new homes and infrastructure they need.

The updated timetable and guidance we are setting out today will help smooth the transition ahead of Biodiversity Net Gain going fully live in January 2024.

Developers and planning authorities should use the additional time to familiarise themselves with the guidance and prepare for the integration of Biodiversity Net Gain into the planning system.

Further updates will follow in due course.

Further information:

Mandatory Biodiversity Net Gain will only apply to new applications for planning permission for major development made after November 2023. We are working with DLUHC on transitional arrangements to ensure that Biodiversity Net Gain is not applied retrospectively to planning applications that have been submitted or have already been granted permission before the implementation date.
September 29, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Scottish Secretary Alister Jack responds to July 2023 GDP [September 2023]
The press release issued by the Secretary of State for Scotland on 27 September 2023.

Focus remains on halving inflation and growing the economy, says Secretary of State, as latest encouraging figures published.
Estimates for Scottish GDP for July, and the three months up to July, have been published today here.

Scotland’s onshore GDP is estimated to have increased by 0.1% in July following the figures remaining flat in June (0% change).

In the three months to July, GDP is estimated to have fallen by 0.1% compared to the previous three month period, however, this indicates an improvement relative to the fall of 0.3% in 2023 Quarter 2 (April to June).

Secretary of State for Scotland Alister Jack said:

Today’s statistics show we’re delivering on our priority to grow the economy. We’re boosting trade and encouraging investment with more than £2.4 billion invested directly into promoting prosperity in Scotland which will benefit the whole of the UK.

The only way to deliver sustainable long-term growth in Scotland and across the UK, is if we stick to our plan and halve inflation – which we are on track to do.

Thanks to our plan, the IMF, OBR, and the OECD have all upgraded our growth forecasts, and the IMF have recently said we have brighter long-term growth prospects than Germany, France and Italy.

Additional information:

Since 2010, the UK has grown faster than France, Japan and Italy and Germany.

Recent figures have shown that by 2021 the UK had recovered faster than France, Germany, Italy and Japan, with the economy 0.6% above pre-pandemic levels by 2021 Q4.

Through measures announced at the Spring Budget, the Chancellor is tackling two of the biggest issues for UK growth – employment levels and business investment – while also supporting households with cost-of-living pressures.
September 29, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Russia must end disinformation and return to mature diplomacy and multilateralism – UK statement to the OSCE [September 2023]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 27 September 2023.

UK military advisor, Nicholas Aucott, says that Russia continues to use the OSCE as a platform to push its disinformation campaign to cover over the strategic setbacks in its war of aggression.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Last week, Russia once again advocated that this Forum be used for dialogue, to adhere to the appropriate functions for which the Forum was designed; namely to negotiate and consult on concrete measures aimed at strengthening security and stability throughout Europe. It is my hope this week that the Russian delegation will remain for the duration of the session, for dialogue is as much about listening as talking.

Last week, this Forum heard Russia’s statement and we were able to reflect on Russia’s position against objective facts. Unfortunately, once again, Russia’s 25-minute monologue bore little resemblance to reality. Some of this was obvious in the small details, such as the slide presentation professing to show supposed British captured equipment in Patriot Park; a cursory glance will show that this is not British equipment. In some of the more significant details contained within Russia’s statement, there was inaccuracy about the environmental and health effects attributable to the use of Depleted Uranium ammunition; I regret that the Russian delegate did not stay to hear the objective findings concerning these munitions. At the geopolitical level, we heard yet more disinformation about western attempts to revive a so-called ‘unipolar order’; if by a unipolar order, Russia meant a common set of principles as encapsulated in the UN charter for the furtherance of peace, then I will concede that on this point it is correct. However, I suspect that was not Russia’s meaning.

And this is why the vast majority of nations in this Forum condemn Russian actions; because it has violated the principles about which I speak. Principles that Russia, along with all other OSCE participating States co-wrote and committed to upholding. Now I will talk about facts, not the disinformation that we continually hear from the Russian delegate. Russia launched an unprovoked attack against a neighbouring country. It has brought untold misery and death to many thousands of people. A growing number of international bodies such as the Commission of Inquiry of the United Human Rights Council, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, and the OSCE have reported evidence of war crimes committed by Russian military forces including summary killings and the forced deportation of children into Russia from Ukraine. These are not fabrications and it would be beholden on the delegate to reflect on the horrendous enormity of such actions.

This week we have seen once again the terrible impact of Russia’s war of aggression. Russia has unleashed long range strikes of unusual intensity damaging and destroying energy infrastructure and grain storage facilities. Once again, yet more Ukrainian civilians have been killed and, in Odesa, a landmark hotel has been destroyed.

But conversely we may also note that, in its inherent right to self-defence, Ukraine has inflicted significant damage to Russia’s strategic depth following the successful strike on its Black Sea Fleet Headquarters. This is yet another strategic reversal for Russia. In addition, the Ukrainian Defense Contact Group, comprising more than 50 countries continues to pledge support through the provision of arms to help Ukraine restore its territorial integrity. To be clear, this is not a group of subjugated countries bowing to the pressure of a unipolar order; it is the reflection of multiple nations coming together in unity to assist Ukraine in its defence. As has been repeatedly pledged, in this endeavour the UK will stand united with Ukraine for as long as it takes.

Madam Chair, this statement is not intended as a tit-for-tat, but as an overview of verifiable information. The UK welcomes that there will be a Security Dialogue later in the year on ‘Information Integrity’. It is my hope that the Russian delegation reflects on this issue and choses to embrace mature diplomacy and multilateralism. This is what they say they want; now is the time to see it. Thank you.

September 29, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Support for under-21s from Ukraine, Afghanistan & Hong Kong [September 2023]
The press release issued by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities on 27 September 2023.

Vulnerable young people and children from Ukraine, Afghanistan and Hong Kong will receive vital mental health support through a new £2.5 million fund.
Vulnerable young people and children from Ukraine, Afghanistan and Hong Kong, who have been forced to leave their own countries, will receive vital mental health support thanks to a new £2.5 million government fund.

Councils and voluntary organisations can bid for a share of funding from today (27 September), which will help thousands of children and young people access mental health support, counselling and therapy.

English language courses, employment training and support into higher education to help young people integrate better into their local communities are also included.

Minister for Housing and Communities Felicity Buchan, said:

It’s hard to imagine the trauma some young people will have experienced fleeing conflict, war or persecution in their home countries. This new £2.5 million fund will help those aged 21 and under get the specialist mental health support they need.

The UK has continued to show incredible support and generosity to those arriving on humanitarian and visa schemes – the dedication of sponsors and local councils is truly heart-warming.

This funding will help young people arriving better settle into their new communities, while retaining a connection to their own culture.

As well as the new £2.5 million fund, councils across the UK will receive continued funding to under 21-year-olds who have arrived through visa and humanitarian schemes. This includes young people in their second year on the Homes for Ukraine scheme, with the government already providing over £1.1billion in support since its launch.

This funding extension for councils allows under 21-year-olds from Ukraine, Afghanistan and Hong Kong to come safely to the UK without a parent or guardian and ensures safeguarding provisions remain in place.

Both sets of funding build on support for people arriving to the UK on humanitarian and visa schemes and is part of the government’s commitment to helping thousands more young people rebuild their lives in the UK.

The platform will be live for five weeks from 27 September, with applications closing on 1 November. To apply for funding visit: The Children and Young People’s Resettlement Fund: prospectus – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Further information

100,000 children and young people from Afghanistan, Ukraine and Hong Kongers who settle in UK on a BN(O) visa are in scope for the funding and will need to be supported in different ways.

Some may benefit from interventions supporting the retention of their cultural identity while others may benefit more from help to integrate them into their communities, or a mix of both.

Each bid will need to present evidence to demonstrate why there is a need to support the young people and children with the intervention before funds are awarded.

More details can be found on the prospectus.

An online event is being held at 1.30pm on 6 October to explain the competition and process for applying. To register please email CYPRFund@levellingup.gov.uk by 1.30pm 5 October.
September 29, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : UK and US pledge to combat AI-generated images of child abuse [September 2023]

The press release issued by the Home Office on 27 September 2023.

The US and UK have committed to developing and funding new capabilities to stop the spread of sickening AI-generated images of children.

The UK and US have united together to combat the rise of child sexual abuse images generated by Artificial Intelligence (AI) programmes.

The Home Secretary Suella Braverman, alongside the US Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, has committed to exploring further joint action to tackle the alarming rise in despicable AI-generated images of children being sexually exploited by paedophiles.

The two countries have issued a joint statement pledging to work together to innovate and explore development of new solutions to fight the spread of this imagery, created by depraved predators, and have called on other nations to join them.

It comes during the Home Secretary’s visit to Washington this week, where she visited the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), the US-based child protection organisation whose work includes reporting online child sexual abuse cases to global law enforcement agencies.

Home Secretary Suella Braverman said:

Child sexual abuse is a truly abhorrent crime and one of the challenges of our age. Its proliferation online does not respect borders and must be combatted across the globe.

That is why we are working to tackle the sickening rise of AI-generated child sexual abuse imagery which incites paedophiles to commit more offences and also obstructs law enforcement from finding real victims online.

It is therefore vital we work hand-in-glove with our close partners in the US to tackle it. I commend the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), who work tirelessly to keep children safe around the world. Social media companies must take responsibility and prioritise child safety on their platforms.

Investigations by the Internet Watch Foundation have found that AI-generated images of children being abused – including babies and toddlers – are growing, with some depicting the worst kind of offending under UK and US law. The organisation has also uncovered an online ‘manual’ dedicated to helping offenders refine their prompts and train AI to return more and more realistic results.

The rise is concerning, with law enforcement agencies and charities convinced an increase in child sexual abuse material will fuel a normalisation of offending and lead to more children being targeted.

The surge in AI-generated images could also slow law enforcement agencies from tracking down and identifying victims of child sexual abuse, and detecting offenders and bringing them to justice.

In addition, some AI technologies provide offenders with the capability to create new pictures from benign imagery. For example; through a process known as inpainting, offenders can remove articles of clothing completely or swap someone’s face into indecent images of real children.

The Home Secretary’s visit comes a week after launching a campaign calling on Meta not to roll out end-to-end encryption on its platforms without robust safety measures that ensure children are protected from sexual abuse and exploitation in messaging channels.

Currently, 800 predators a month are arrested by UK law enforcement agencies and up to 1,200 children are safeguarded from child sexual abuse following information provided by social media companies. If Meta proceeds with its plans, it will no longer be able to detect child abuse on their platforms. The National Crime Agency (NCA) estimates 92% of Facebook Messenger and 85% of Instagram Direct referrals could be lost – meaning thousands of criminals a year could go undetected.

The partnership with the US also follows the Online Safety Bill’s passage through Parliament last week.

AI-generated child sexual exploitation and abuse content is illegal, regardless of whether it depicts a real child or not. Under the government’s landmark bill, tech companies will be required to proactively identify content and remove it. The bill is deliberately tech-neutral, to ensure it keeps pace with emerging technologies like AI, and services will have a duty to stop the spread of illegal content such as child sexual abuse, terrorist material and fraud. Ofcom will have the power to direct companies to either use, or make best efforts to develop or source, technology to identify and remove CSEA content.

Rapid work is also underway across government to deepen our understanding of risks and develop solutions posed by AI, including creating the AI Taskforce and hosting the first global AI Safety Summit this autumn.

Whilst foundation model AIs undoubtedly hold vast potential and are crucial to the UK’s mission to become a science and tech superpower, and a leader in safe and responsible AI, there are still many unknowns with this class of technology, which pose significant but not yet fully understood public safety and national security risks.

The UK looks forward to open dialogue and deepened collaboration with tech company leaders, industry experts and like-minded nations, as we seek to ensure that the gifts of this technology are delivered and society is protected.

September 27, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Government backs new oil and gas to safeguard UK and grow the economy [September 2023]
The press release issued by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero on 27 September 2023.

Government welcomes decision by regulators to approve the Rosebank development.
Regulators grant consent for new Rosebank development in North Sea

Boost to UK energy security and economy with a direct investment of over £8bn to provide, according to Equinor estimates, nearly 1,600 at the project’s peak.

The go-ahead follows extensive scrutiny by regulators.

The government has today welcomed the decision by regulators to approve the new Rosebank development – with the UK’s highly skilled oil and gas industry strengthening energy security and growing the economy.

While the government is scaling up homegrown clean energy sources such as offshore wind and nuclear, the UK still relies on oil and gas and this will continue to be the case over the coming decades. As the government takes forward a pragmatic, proportionate and realistic response to the path to net zero, a key part of this will be maintaining our domestic oil and gas industry which underpins our energy security and boosts the UK economy.

The oil and gas industry adds £17 billion annually to the economy, supports around 200,000 jobs, and will provide around £50 billion in tax revenue over the next five years, which can be used to support the shift to cleaner forms of energy.

According to Equinor’s estimates, the Rosebank project represents a direct investment of approximately £8.1 billion, of which £6.3 billion is likely to be invested in UK-based businesses, with the developer also estimating that at its peak the field producing 69,000 barrels of oil and 44 million cubic feet of gas per day.

This will have wide-reaching benefits, including supporting UK jobs and supply chains associated with the offshore sector. The carbon footprint of domestically producing UK gas is also around one-quarter of the carbon footprint of importing internationally produced liquified natural gas.

The Rosebank development – as well as other oil and gas projects – has been subject to extensive scrutiny by the regulators, including undergoing a detailed environmental impact assessment process and a period of public consultation before approval was granted.

All new projects, including Rosebank, will be in line with the natural decline of the North Sea basin.

New projects like Rosebank are expected to be significantly less emissions intensive than previous developments, as they are more efficient and are developed with measures to mitigate emissions. Even when we’ve reached net zero in 2050, the Climate Change Committee say that a quarter of our energy needs will come from oil and gas, but the choice is between it coming from hostile states rather than from the supplies we have here at home.

In addition, the North Sea Transition Authority (NSTA) has net zero regulation embedded throughout the entire project lifecycle and considers several factors, sometimes collectively referred to as an ‘effective net zero test’, for decisions such as approving new field developments.

Continued North Sea production is important for maintaining domestic security of supply and making the UK less vulnerable to a repeat of the energy crisis that caused prices to soar after Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine. Furthermore, the oil and gas supply chain – which will help deliver new developments like Rosebank – is exactly the supply chain the UK needs for the energy transition. The sector is playing an important role in driving the development and delivery of low-carbon technologies that will underpin the transition.

Energy Security Secretary Claire Coutinho said in response to the decision:

We are investing on our world-leading renewable energy but, as the independent Climate Change Committee recognise, we will need oil and gas as part of that mix on the path to net zero and so it makes sense to use our own supplies from North Sea fields such as Rosebank.

The jobs and billions of pounds this is worth to our economy will enable us to have greater energy independence, making us more secure against tyrants like Putin.

We will continue to back the UK’s oil and gas industry to underpin our energy security, grow our economy and help us deliver the transition to cheaper, cleaner energy.

Chancellor of the Exchequer Jeremy Hunt said:

We are accelerating renewables and nuclear power, but will still need oil and gas for decades to come – so let’s get more of what we need from within British waters.

Rosebank has been a huge untapped resource and now this investment will bring in billions of pounds into our economy to help secure our future energy supply.

With this decision, we’re giving investors the confidence they need to invest here, produce here, export from here – and secure thousands of jobs for Britain’s workers.

Following Putin’s illegal invasion of Ukraine, the UK Government took swift action – ending all imports of Russian fossil fuels, with the latest figures showing the UK has not imported any Russian gas in over a year.

On top of this, the government published the British Energy Security Strategy, with a plan to supercharge domestic renewable energy and nuclear capacity, as well as supporting our North Sea oil and gas industry as we transition to lower carbon energy.

The oil and gas sector’s significant investment, skilled workforce, strong supply chains and specialist engineering expertise collectively build our ability and capacity to exploit the UK’s resources and support overall energy security of supply.

The government’s plan to power up Britain builds on the UK’s excellent progress scaling up renewables, with 40% of our electricity now coming from renewable sources.

The UK is home to the world’s four largest offshore wind farms and the government has set out plans to expand nuclear power, with an ambition of up to a quarter of the country’s electricity coming from nuclear by 2050.
September 27, 2023