Category: Press Releases

PRESS RELEASE : UK to bring UN sanctions on Iran into UK law [September 2023]
The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 14 September 2023.

The UK, France and Germany (E3) announce they will transfer UN sanctions on Iran into domestic regimes and maintain EU/UK sanctions beyond October deadline.
- UK, France and Germany (E3) to transfer UN sanctions on Iran into domestic regimes and maintain existing EU/UK sanctions beyond October deadline included in nuclear deal.
- E3 taking ‘legitimate and proportionate’ action in response to Iranian regime breaching commitments under the nuclear deal and advancing its nuclear programme beyond all credible civilian justification.
- UK and partners remain committed to preventing Iran from developing nuclear weapons.
The UK has today committed to bringing UN sanctions on Iran due to lift in October into UK law.

Under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPoA), a range of UN, EU and UK sanctions were due to be lifted on October 18th. These include sanctions on individuals and entities involved in Iran’s missile, nuclear, and other weapons programs.

In response to continued Iranian non-compliance with their JCPoA commitments and ongoing nuclear escalation, the E3 have confirmed today that the UN sanctions will be transferred into domestic sanctions regimes and the EU and UK sanctions will be maintained.

FCDO spokesperson said:

Iran continues to breach its commitments under the JCPoA and advance its nuclear programme beyond all credible civilian justification.

Alongside our French and German partners, we have taken a legitimate and proportionate step in response to Iran’s actions.

The UK and our partners remain committed to a diplomatic solution but Iran must now take clear steps towards de-escalation. We are committed to preventing Iran from developing nuclear weapons.

Today’s actions do not violate the JCPoA and are fully consistent with the procedures defined within it. Iran has consistently breached its obligations under the JCPoA. The regime’s enriched uranium stockpiles are more than 18 times the JCPoA limit and it has built and deployed thousands of advanced centrifuges.

In March last year and again in August, the UK and our partners offered Iran viable deals that would have defused the nuclear issue. On both occasions Iran declined.

The UK and our partners remain committed to preventing Iran from developing nuclear weapons, including through the snapback process if necessary.

Further information
- The E3 triggered the JCPoA’s Dispute Resolution Mechanism (DRM) in January 2020 in response to Iranian non-compliance to try to find a solution. The DRM process is supposed to allow 30 days to resolve outstanding issues; it has been over three and a half years and Iran remains out of compliance.
- According to Paragraph 36 of the JCPoA, these unresolved issues are grounds to cease performing part of our commitments.
September 17, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : E3 statement on the JCPoA [September 2023]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 14 September 2023.

The UK, France and Germany have issued a joint statement ahead of JCPoA Transition Day on 18 October 2023.

A spokesperson for the E3 said:

In direct response to Iran’s consistent and severe non-compliance with its JCPoA commitments since 2019, the governments of France, Germany, and the United Kingdom intend to maintain nuclear proliferation-related measures on Iran, as well as arms and missile embargoes, after JCPoA Transition Day on 18 October 2023. We have jointly notified the JCPoA Coordinator in that regard.

This decision is fully compliant with the JCPoA. It follows our attempts to resolve Iran’s non-compliance through the JCPoA’s Dispute Resolution Mechanism which we triggered in January 2020. Iran has refused opportunities to return to the JCPoA twice and has continued to expand its programme beyond JCPoA limitations and without any credible civilian justification. Its enriched uranium stockpile stands at more than 18 times the amount permitted under the JCPoA.

Our commitment to finding a diplomatic solution remains. This decision does not amount to imposing additional sanctions nor to triggering the snapback mechanism. We stand ready to reverse our decision, should Iran fully implement its JCPoA commitments.

September 17, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Public-private partnerships have the potential to transform humanitarian action – UK Statement at the UN Security Council [September 2023]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 14 September 2023.

Statement by Ambassador Barbara Woodward at the Security Council meeting on advancing public-private partnerships.

Thank you President for convening this important and useful debate.

And let me start by thanking Executive Director McCain, Mr Cohen and Mr Miebach for their informative briefings.

Colleagues, on Tuesday we rose to offer our condolences to the people of Libya and Morocco following their losses. I do that again today but this is also a tragic reminder of the need for us to explore every avenue to maximise our humanitarian response to the many challenges the world faces today against a backdrop of soaring humanitarian need. And in this the role of the private sector is becoming increasingly important. As we’ve heard, private actors can provide knowledge, expertise, and investment to tackle humanitarian need, reduce threats, and build resilience.

The case of SAFER oil tanker in Yemen is a good example of private-public partnership that had real impact on an item on this Council’s agenda. By working together, public and private actors removed over one million barrels of oil from the decaying SAFER oil tanker and in doing so, they averted a major environmental, humanitarian and economic catastrophe.

President, I want to highlight three further ideas of where public and private actors can work together in this spirit.

First, bringing together all efforts to sustain peace. As this Council has heard many times, conflict is the main driver of humanitarian need. The private sector can play a role in peacebuilding and in preventing conflict. For example, the UK has supported the development of ‘peace bonds’, a new investment category to develop finance for peace. We should continue to champion public-private collaboration in support of international peace and security.

Second, using all the tools at our disposal to get ahead of crises before they hit. And in this context the UK has collaborated with humanitarian and private actors on Disaster Risk Financing. We have supported the IFRC’s risk transfer mechanism, which has the potential to unlock $22 million of private funding in humanitarian crises. This could enable the IFRC to reach an additional 6 million vulnerable people.

Third and finally, the private sector can support better humanitarian responses through new technology. For example, the UK has invested in mobile innovation funds, which have supported rapid detection and treatment of Cholera. This includes a tool to reduce the Cholera detection time from 3 days to just 30 minutes. This innovation is vital for a disease which has been particularly devastating in Syria, in DRC and in Myanmar this year.

President, it is clear that public-private partnerships have the potential to transform humanitarian action and we look forward to continuing to work together to tap into this potential. Thank you.

September 17, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : More pupils of all ages to study languages [September 2023]

The press release issued by the Department for Education on 14 September 2023.

15 hubs selected as part of new programme to boost languages in schools across the country.

Thousands more pupils are set to benefit from learning languages such as German, French and Spanish, as 19 schools have been selected to lead on boosting how these subjects are taught across the country.

This is the next step in the rollout of the government’s flagship language hubs programme, which will raise national interest in studying languages and drive more pupils to study them throughout their education from primary schools onwards.

Data from this year’s GCSE entries showed that modern foreign languages have become increasingly popular as a subject, with a 5.1% increase in GCSE entries in 2023 compared to last year and a 9.2% increase compared to 2019.

Schools Minister Nick Gibb said:

Young people who are confident in a second language are at a huge advantage in life. On top of the social and cultural advantages it provides, there are many economic benefits of learning another language.

That is why I have long called for more pupils to consider studying languages such as German at GCSE and this programme will crucially equip teachers with the necessary training and knowledge to support pupils looking to do so.

The language hubs programme, which will start from this month, aims to encourage more pupils to study a language at GCSE as the evidence shows that pupils who do so are more likely to study that language at A Level and have a lifelong interest in languages.

In an increasingly interconnected world, language skills are essential to business success in the global marketplace. According to a 2022 report by RAND Corporation, a 10% increase in UK pupils learning Spanish or French at key stage 3 and key stage 4 could increase UK gross domestic product over 30 years from £9.1 billion to £9.7 billion or £9.5 billion respectively.

Speaking an additional language can also increase lifetime earnings by 2% and demand for language skills has increased due to globalisation. For example, a recent survey of British businesses highlighted German as the most widely useful language within their organisations.

As well as being beneficial in business, the need for linguists is becoming more pronounced in careers like diplomacy, defence and security where languages help ensure effective communication between different peoples and cultures.

Research shows that students who study a second language perform better across a range of academic subjects than students who don’t study a second language. The brain’s plasticity is heightened when learning a language, leading to increased cognitive flexibility and adaptability.

The programme – which is backed by £14.9 million over the next 3 years and builds on the previous modern foreign language hub pilot, which ran from 2018 to March this year – will be managed by the National Consortium for Languages Education (NCLE).

The NCLE comprises of University College London, the British Council and the Goethe-Institut. An initial 15 schools from regions across the country have been selected as lead language hubs to join the NCLE’s centre for excellence. The hubs will begin their support to schools from this September. A further 10 schools are also set to be selected in a second recruitment round in January.

Lead hubs will engage with schools to improve the languages offer and ensure more effective transition from key stage 2 to key stage 3, whilst making sure that pupils aged 14 to 18 from all backgrounds have the opportunity to study languages through to key stage 5.

As well as increasing opportunities among disadvantaged pupils to study languages, the programme will also increase access to home, heritage and community languages for pupils.

The programme will include a distinct German promotion project to raise the profile of learning German in schools, including increasing awareness of the benefits of studying it. The German promotion project will be led by the Goethe-Institut. Included within the language hubs investment, this project is worth £400,000 and will involve increasing the number of schools that offer German, as well as championing learning the subject.

September 17, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : UK reiterates support for integrity of Bosnian state during meeting of defence ministers [September 2023]

The press release issued by the Ministry of Defence on 14 September 2023.

The UK has underlined its support for the integrity of the Bosnian state during a meeting today between defence ministers from both countries.

The UK has underlined its support for the integrity of the Bosnian state during a meeting today between defence ministers from both countries.

UK Minister for the Armed Forces, James Heappey, hosted the Minister of Defence for Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), Zukan Helez and Deputy Minister Slaven Galić in London to discuss bilateral defence relations and the current security situation in country.

Minister Heappey made clear the UK is committed to supporting the defence reforms and the continued development of the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as backing BiH’s ambition for Euro-Atlantic accession.

Minister for the Armed Forces James Heappey said:

It was a pleasure to welcome Minister Helez to London today following our meeting in Sarajevo in May, building on our combined work to strengthen our bilateral defence relations.

I shared my concerns regarding the developing situation in Bosnia, making clear the UK fully supports the unity and integrity of the Bosnia and Herzegovina state

The ministers discussed a range of issues including the UK and BiH’s bilateral defence relationship, with both ministers expressing an interest to further deepen defence engagement.

During his visit to the UK, Minister Helez attended the Defence and Security Equipment International (DSEI) exhibition and was also hosted by Lord Peach, the Prime Minister’s Special Envoy to the Western Balkans, in Parliament’s House of Lords.

The UK will continue to work closely with international partners to secure the European Union Force’s (EUFOR) mandate renewal in the UN and our Special Envoy to the Western Balkans, Lord Peach, recently issued a statement confirming the UK’s support for the High Representative. That came after the Prime Minister hosted BiH Presidency member, Dr Denis Bećirović, in July to underline the UK’s support.

The UK also supports Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina (AFBiH), including through joint training, and the provision of military equipment including live fire targets, urban training facilities, search and rescue gear; as well as the exchange of expertise.

Personnel from 1 Princess of Wales’s Royal Regiment of the British Army will also be deploying to BiH in October to train alongside AFBiH personnel .

This will help to build the overall capability of the AFBiH and their ability to operate alongside other international forces. More than ever in the wake of Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine, these kinds of defence and security partnerships help to underpin the stability and security of a sovereign Bosnia and Herzegovina.

September 17, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : 13 September ballistic missile launches by North Korea [September 2023]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 14 September 2023.

Following North Korea’s ballistic missile launches on 13 September 2023, an FCDO spokesperson made the following statement.

An FCDO spokesperson said:

North Korea’s ballistic missile launches on 13 September are yet another breach of multiple UN Security Council resolutions (UNSCRs).

Illegal ballistic missile launches continue to destabilise the peace and security of the Korean Peninsula.

The UK will continue to call out violations of UNSCRs. We strongly urge North Korea to return to dialogue and take credible steps towards denuclearisation.

The launches come alongside reports that DPRK and Russia are negotiating a possible arms deal.

We urge the DPRK to cease its arms negotiations with Russia and abide by the public commitments Pyongyang has made not to sell arms to Russia. We also call on Russia to uphold UN Security Council resolutions.

September 17, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : New grants for rising star developers to help turn video game ideas into smash hits [September 2023]
The press release issued by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on 14 September 2023.

Creative developers and start-up studios can bid for new cash from a multi-million pound government funded scheme to turn their new video game ideas into market leaders – and potentially score a hit such as Grand Theft Auto or Tomb Raider.
- High potential games studios can apply for development grants from the UK Games Fund’s new Content Fund
- £5 million available over next 18 months to get games ready to release
- Funding increased as part of plan to maximise the potential of the creative industries by 2030
Creative developers and studios can bid for new cash from a multi-million pound government funded scheme to turn their new video game ideas into market leaders – and potentially score a hit such as Grand Theft Auto or Tomb Raider.

As part of the government’s plans to maximise the potential of the creative industries and its Creative Industries Sector Vision, the UK Games Fund (UKGF) has been boosted by an extra £5 million of government funding to support domestic studios with scale-up grants.

From today, companies can apply for the new funding which is dedicated to getting games in development ready for market. The expanded fund will also help to attract even more private investment into this world leading industry – and compound the total government investment into the fund which now stands at £13.4 million from 2022-25.

The value of the UK video game consumer market was £7.05 billion in 2022. It has more than doubled in value since 2013. Since 2015, the UK Games Fund (UKGF) has invested more than £8 million to help more than 400 home-grown studios. Internationally best-selling video games made in the UK include the Tomb Raider and Grand Theft Auto series, Little Big Planet and Lego: Star Wars.

Speaking at video games trade body Ukie’s annual general meeting, held at the W.A.S.D. video games conference at the Truman Brewery in London, Creative Industries Minister John Whittingdale said:

Our plan is to grow the creative industries by an extra £50 billion by 2030 – and we can only do that if we maximise the potential of our world-class video games industry.

The UK’s reputation for creating video games is second to none. We want to build on that success and I’m calling on talented developers and early-stage studios to apply for the support they need to make more groundbreaking titles which thrill gamers around the world.

Alongside the new Content Fund, UKGF will continue awarding grants up to £30,000 to young video game developers and early-stage studios to turn their drawing board ideas into working prototype games and showcase them to investors. UKGF also supports graduate talent development through its DunDev and Tranzfuser programmes.

The £5 million in additional investment has been used to establish a new UKGF Content Fund, which will provide UK games studios with £50,000 – £150,000 grants to support the development of intellectual property, allowing companies to attract investment and reach their next stage of growth. Investing in video games at the crucial development stage will help UK studios expand their businesses, and create new jobs in the creative industries, which are one of the Government’s five priority sectors to grow the economy.
September 17, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : International Joint Statement at IAEA Board of Governors on NPT Safeguards Agreement with Iran [September 2023]
The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 14 September 2023.

63 Countries sign a joint statement expressing concern at Iran’s lack of cooperation on NPT Safeguards Agreement.
Thank you Chair.

I am delivering this statement on behalf of a group of 63 member states from all regional groups including all EU member states.

These 63 states are: Albania, Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Ecuador, El Salvador, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Kuwait, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Moldova, Montenegro, Morocco, Netherlands, New Zealand, North Macedonia, Norway, Paraguay, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Korea, Romania, San Marino, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Türkiye, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States of America, Uruguay, and Yemen.

We express our sincere appreciation for the continued professional and impartial efforts of the Agency to implement Iran’s Comprehensive Safeguards Agreement. We commend the Director General for his extensive efforts to engage Iran regarding the outstanding safeguards issues and implementation of further verification and monitoring activities by the Agency. We note that the Director General has further reiterated that the outstanding safeguards issues stem from Iran’s obligations under its Comprehensive Safeguards Agreement and need to be resolved for the Agency to be in a position to provide credible assurance regarding the exclusively peaceful nature of Iran’s nuclear programme. We echo the Director General’s request that Iran work with the Agency in earnest and in a sustained way towards the fulfilment of the commitments contained in the March 4 Joint Statement.

Recalling this Board’s resolution contained in GOV/2022/70, which was adopted on 17 November 2022, we collectively highlight the contents of the Director General’s latest report contained in GOV/2023/43. This report concludes once again that the safeguards issues related to possible undeclared nuclear material and activities in Iran remain outstanding due to insufficient cooperation by Iran, and moreover that new issues related to Iran’s implementation of its NPT required safeguards agreement have arisen. In addition, despite signs in June that Iran was making limited progress towards implementation of the Joint Statement with the IAEA, we share the Director General’s regret that no progress has been made since. Iran’s de-designation of experienced Agency inspectors and denials of visas for Agency officials run counter to the Joint Statement and undermine the Agency’s ability to carry out its safeguards mandate.

We reiterate that the Board has adopted three resolutions on safeguards issues over four years as a result of the Agency’s calls for better co-operation by Iran. We recall that the resolution adopted last November by the Board of Governors decided it was and it is essential and urgent that Iran act to fulfill its legal obligations and, with a view to clarifying all outstanding safeguards issues, take the following actions without delay:

Provide technically credible explanations for the presence of uranium particles of anthropogenic origin at three undeclared locations in Iran;

Inform the Agency of the current location(s) of the nuclear material and/or of the contaminated equipment;

Provide all information, documentation, and answers the Agency requires for that purpose; and

Provide access to locations and material the Agency requires for that purpose, as well as for the taking of samples as deemed appropriate by the Agency.

We note that over the past ten months Iran still has not provided technically credible explanations for the presence of uranium particles of anthropogenic origin found by the Agency at undeclared locations in Iran. We underline that the Director General has reported once again that “the outstanding safeguards issues[…] need to be resolved for the Agency to be in a position to provide assurance that Iran’s nuclear programme is exclusively peaceful”.

Collectively, we underscore the urgent need for Iran to clarify and resolve these issues in a manner satisfactory to the IAEA. Iran must provide technically credible answers to the IAEA, as required by its Comprehensive Safeguards Agreement, in order to address the Agency’s legitimate questions on the outstanding locations, and to resolve the nuclear material discrepancy relating to its Uranium Conversion Facility. As noted in the Board’s November Resolution, when the Secretariat is in a position to report the safeguards issues as no longer outstanding as a result of Iran’s provision of technically credible information, it would remove the need for the Board’s consideration and action on these issues. In addition, like all other states with a Comprehensive Safeguards Agreement, and as the Director General’s report notes, Iran’s implementation of modified Code 3.1 is a legal obligation for Iran under the Subsidiary Arrangements to its Safeguards Agreement. Iran therefore is obligated to provide design information as soon as the decision is made to construct, or authorize construction of, a nuclear facility. Iran must provide the required information regarding new nuclear facilities without further delay. This is essential to ensure not only the peaceful nature of Iran’s nuclear programme, but also the effectiveness and efficiency of the Agency’s safeguards system on which we all rely for the nonproliferation assurance that is key to international security.

We call upon Iran to act immediately to fulfil its legal obligations to address the following issues identified by the Director General:

The outstanding safeguards issues in relation to nuclear material detected at undeclared locations in Iran, including informing the Agency of the current location(s) of nuclear material and/or contaminated equipment;

The discrepancy in the amount of nuclear material verified by the Agency at the Esfahan Uranium Conversion Facility (originating from the Jabr Ibn Hayan Laboratories), compared to the amount declared by Iran; and

Iran’s implementation of modified Code 3.1 of the Subsidiary Arrangements to its Safeguards Agreement, including the provision of the required early design information.

We would like to thank the IAEA for its impartial and professional work on this issue. We request the Director General to continue to report to the Board of Governors on this issue.
September 17, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : First meeting of UK science champions to cement UK leadership in safe, responsible biology breakthroughs [September 2023]
The press release issued by the Cabinet Office on 14 September 2023.

The UK’s leadership in the responsible use of engineering biology will be driven forward by the first-ever meeting of the UK Biosecurity Leadership Council.
- Council of leaders from across industry and academia meets with Science Minister for the first time, aimed at making the UK a world leader in responsible use of engineering biology
- supporting responsible innovation in engineering biology will unlock the breakthroughs key to the health and economic growth of the UK, while safeguarding against potential misuse
- UK is spearheading an engineering biology revolution, that is set to deliver new medical therapies, means of recycling and environmentally-friendly food sources
The UK’s global leadership in the safe and responsible use of engineering biology will be driven forward by the first-ever meeting of the UK Biosecurity Leadership Council, bringing together some of the UK’s brightest minds from the worlds of science, research and business today (Thursday 14 September).

Engineering biology is one of the most exciting new frontiers in science. It describes the application of rigorous engineering principles to biology, enabling the construction of new or redesigned biological systems, such as cells or proteins. It has the potential to change the way we grow food, create medical treatments and produce the sustainable fuel we need to run our cars, homes and offices.

The UK Biosecurity Leadership Council, which meets for the first time today, will help shape the way advances in engineering biology are governed, to guard against potential risks whilst ensuring the UK’s world-leading biology, health and life science innovators are supported to explore, invent, and continue to thrive. Engineering biology is one of the 5 critical technologies, which are all being nurtured by a single government department for the first time because of their strategic importance to the future prosperity and security of the UK. The UK’s engineering biology sector has the potential to grow at tremendous speed, driving forward the Prime Minister’s priority to grow the economy.

The council will include representatives from top Universities like Kings College London and Cambridge, leaders from companies such as GSK, Deepmind, AstraZeneca and Oxford Nanopore, and stakeholder groups including the UK Bioindustry Association, and the Centre for Long-Term Resilience.

Ahead of chairing the council’s inaugural meeting, George Freeman, Minister of State at the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology said:

As we end reliance on fossil fuels for our energy, we also open up huge markets for new bioscience alternatives to hydrocarbon based bio-manufacturing: from harnessing bugs to convert waste into new biofuels to seaweed replacement of plastic. From industrial chemicals, to agrifood, to medicines manufacturing, the UK is pioneering a new bioeconomy. That is why we have made engineering biology one of our five key strategic technologies over the next decade.

We are on the cusp of an engineering biology revolution, from therapies for previously untreatable illnesses to entirely new ways of recycling. This is an opportunity the UK is primed to capitalise on, whether by our world-leading expertise in life sciences or through the more than £170 million the government is investing in the field.

We are already seeing how this new sector can benefit our economy, with the UK founding more biotech companies than anywhere else in Europe. To make sure this position of strength delivers jobs, growth, and a better quality of life for all, now is the time for us to set the pace globally on how this new sector will be governed, empowering responsible innovation in the UK and worldwide.

Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden, said:

The Biosecurity Leadership Council brings together experts from our world-leading life sciences and biotechnology sectors here in the UK – vital in making sure we continue to drive scientific breakthroughs and manage biosecurity risks effectively.

The inaugural meeting today shows we are already delivering on the Biological Security Strategy I announced just a few months ago, and that we are committed to keeping the public safe from bio-threats and maximising the benefits from our thriving life sciences industry.

To begin with, the UK Biosecurity Leadership Council will support work on how the responsible development of DNA-based technology should be governed. Members of the council will help ministers and officials build their understanding of how industry-changing tools like AI and new techniques for engineering DNA are being used, the potential risks they pose, and how those can be mitigated in a practical and proportional way.

Establishing the council was one of the objectives on the UK Biological Security Strategy, published in June, which sets out the government’s overall plan to build our national resilience to future biological threats, whilst establishing the UK as a world leader in responsible innovation.

Steve Bates OBE, CEO of the UK BioIndustry Association (BIA), said:

Engineering biology has great potential and the diverse applications, making it a decisive force in tackling our world’s biggest challenges, from climate change to environmental degradation and feeding the growing global population.

UK biotech companies have long understood the power that lies in combining biology with modern technology, driving our world-class life sciences sector and leading advances in developing novel therapeutics and cell and gene therapies, and creating vaccines to fight the COVID-19 pandemic. Our long-standing expertise and experience means the UK is well placed to safely and responsibly unlock the engineering biology revolution.

Sophie Rose, Senior Biosecurity Policy Advisor at the Centre for Long-Term Resilience, said:

We praise the government’s commitment to ensuring the UK set the example for empowering responsible innovation across emerging technology sectors, which is particularly crucial as life sciences and artificial intelligence advance at rapid paces.

The Biosecurity Leadership Council is a great starting point to ensure that a wide range of relevant external expertise is readily available to address both acute and chronic biological risks.

The government is continuing to develop wider policy to support the huge potential of the UK’s engineering biology sector, and a call for evidence is still open until the end of September. Further to this, the latest in a series of roundtables is being hosted by Ministers today, bringing science leaders and businesses from across the country together with policymakers to look at how engineering biology can boost the UK’s chemicals and materials industries.

Notes to editors

The UK is Europe’s leading biotech hub for breakthrough life-sciences start-ups and ranks fourth on the Global Innovation Index, presenting opportunities for future trade and prosperity across the UK. Our academic institutions are world leading and our strengths in biotechnology and engineering biology are ideally placed to support the UK’s ambitions as a science superpower.

The UK is a leader in engineering biology thanks in part to early, forward-thinking investment by the government over the last decade. This includes more than £100 million being invested through UK Research & Innovation’s Synthetic Biology for Growth programme.

A further £73 million is being invested into Engineering Biology Missions Hubs and Mission Awards that will build on our country’s reputation as a hub of innovation in the field.

The UK has clusters of strength in engineering biology across the country, stretching from Glasgow and Edinburgh to Bristol and Norwich.
September 17, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : New Director of Public Prosecutions announced [September 2023]
The press release issued by the Attorney General’s Office on 14 September 2023.

Stephen Parkinson will be the new Director of Public Prosecutions and head of the Crown Prosecution Service the Attorney General has announced today.

Rt Hon Victoria Prentis KC MP selected Mr Parkinson following an open and transparent competition. It is expected that he will take up the appointment from 1 November for an initial term of five years. He will succeed the outgoing DPP, Max Hill KC.

The Attorney General Rt Hon Victoria Prentis KC MP said:

Stephen Parkinson brings a unique combination of legal expertise and public service at the highest levels, demonstrated most recently as Senior Partner at law firm Kingsley Napley LLP, and having spent numerous years in three of the Law Officers’ Departments: the Attorney General’s Office, Treasury Solicitor’s Department and as a prosecutor with the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) itself.

Stephen has had a stellar legal career both in and outside of government as well as experience of both prosecuting and defending. Combining this with his extensive track record of leadership, I have every confidence he will be a collaborative director and a principled and independent chief prosecutor. The public will rightly expect nothing less.

He will build on the achievements of Max Hill to whom I am grateful. The role of DPP requires exceptional qualities of judgement and character. I am looking forward to working with the new Director.

The CPS prosecutes criminal cases that have been investigated by the police and other investigative organisations in England and Wales. The CPS is independent and makes its decisions independently of the police and government.

Mr Parkinson said:

I am delighted and honoured to be appointed as the next Director of Public Prosecutions. Both as a prosecutor and defender I have always strongly believed in the importance of the CPS in bringing to justice and prosecuting fairly those accused of crime.

I would like to pay tribute to the work that Max Hill has done leading the CPS successfully through the challenges of the Pandemic and setting a clear direction for the future. I look forward to building on his legacy.

Note to Editors
- As set out in the Criminal Justice Act 1987, the Attorney General appoints the DPP.
- The current DPP, Max Hill KC, will serve his full five-year term, which is due to end in October 2023.
Stephen Parkinson Biography

Experience

Senior Partner, Kingsley Napley LLP 2018 – 2023

Head of Criminal Litigation Practice Area, Kingsley Napley 2006 – 2018

Deputy Legal Secretary (SCS, Grade 3) 1999 – 2003

Government Legal Department, Group Head, Litigation Division 1996-1999

Department of Trade and Industry – Assistant Solicitor 1992-1996

Crown Prosecution Service – Head of International Co-operation Unit 1991-1992

Education

University College London, LLB 1976 – 1979

Inns of Court School of Law, Barrister 1979 – 1980

Pupillage, 3 Temple Gardens 1980 – 1982

Qualified as Solicitor 2005

Biography

Stephen Parkinson is a practicing lawyer with a long and distinguished career which began in the CPS as a junior Prosecutor.

He has most recently been Senior Partner at law firm Kingsley Napley LLP where he has represented a number of high-profile clients.

His last 20 years as a defence lawyer have built on the skills and experience that he gained from his years working as a prosecutor, and he has developed an extensive practice advising on, or undertaking, investigations for organisations, companies and individuals which will be a strength in his role as DPP.

He accumulated a wealth of experience in Government, including roles in the Treasury Solicitor’s Department, where he was responsible for most of the Government’s regulatory litigation, and also the Department of Trade and Industry, where he headed a team providing legal advice in live company investigations.

In the CPS, he progressed from junior prosecutor to the head of the International Co-Operation Unit and also spent two periods in the Attorney General’s Office, with his last post being as deputy head of the department.
September 17, 2023