Category: Press Releases

PRESS RELEASE : Government considers minimum service levels in hospitals during strikes [September 2023]
The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 19 September 2023.

The government is considering introducing regulations that would require some doctors and nurses to work during strikes, to protect patient safety.
Minimum service levels (MSLs) could be extended to protect patient safety during strikes

Nurses and doctors could be covered by new regulations

Comes as government once again urges BMA to call off strike action as doctors receive their pay rise this month, backdated to April

The government is considering introducing MSL regulations that would require some doctors and nurses to work during strikes, in order to protect patient safety, the Health and Social Care Secretary has announced.

The consultation, launching today (Tuesday 19 September 2023), considers introducing MSLs that would cover urgent, emergency and time-critical hospital-based health services – which could cover hospital staff including nurses and doctors – and seeks views on a set of principles for setting MSLs in regulations. It will also seek evidence to inform decisions on the expansion and scope of MSLs. This follows the consultation earlier this year on introducing minimum service levels in ambulance services and brings the UK in line with countries like France and Italy whose services continue in times of industrial action.

The consultation comes in a week where both consultants and junior doctors are taking strike action, having significant impact on patients, NHS colleagues and efforts to cut waiting lists – including through almost 900,000 rescheduled appointments or procedures. While voluntary agreements between employers and trade unions can be agreed ahead of time, they can lead to inconsistency across the country, come with significant uncertainty as they are based on goodwill and are not always honoured or communicated in sufficient time. This creates an unnecessary risk to patient safety.

MSLs will provide a better balance between supporting the ability of workers to strike with the safety of the public, who expect vital services to be there when they need them. They will ensure that essential and time-critical care can continue during periods of strike action, for those who need care the most. The government could introduce MSLs in key hospital-based services next year.

Health and Social Care Secretary Steve Barclay said:

This week’s co-ordinated and calculated strike action will create further disruption and misery for patients and NHS colleagues.

My top priority is to protect patients and these regulations would provide a safety net for trusts and an assurance to the public that vital health services will be there when they need them.

Doctors who started their hospital training this year are receiving a 10.3% pay increase, with the average junior doctor getting 8.8% and consultants are receiving a 6% pay rise alongside generous reforms to their pensions, which was the BMA’s number one ask.

In the face of ongoing and escalating strike action, we will continue to take steps to protect patient safety and ensure the health service has the staff it needs to operate safely and effectively.

More widely, the government continues to recognise the crucial role of NHS staff and remains committed to working constructively to end disruption for patients.

Around 150,000 NHS doctors in England, including doctors in training and consultants, start to receive their pay rise this month, backdated to April 2023. Accepting the recommendations of the independent pay review bodies in full means first year doctors in training will receive a 10.3% pay increase, with doctors in training getting an average 8.8% increase. Consultants will receive 6% following an increase of 4.5% last financial year, alongside the most generous pension schemes in the country which allow them to accrue pension pots worth over £1 million tax-free.

More than one million NHS staff in England, including nurses, paramedics and 999 call handlers, have already received a pay rise. This means a newly qualified nurse has seen their salary go up by more than £2,750 over 2 years and staff also received 2 significant one-off payments totalling at least £1,655.

The Health and Social Care Secretary has been clear his door is always open to discuss how to improve the working lives of NHS staff and non-pay issues and ministers continue to engage with staff and talk about their concerns through round tables discussions with a range of NHS professions.

Background information

The consultation on minimum service levels in event of strike action: hospital services opened on 19 September 2023.

We ran a public consultation on minimum service levels in the event of strike action in ambulance services which closed on 9 May 2023. We will publish our response in due course.
September 22, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : NI Troubles (Legacy & Reconciliation) Act receives Royal Assent [September 2023]

The press release issued by the Northern Ireland Office on 19 September 2023.

Statement by Secretary of State, Chris Heaton-Harris MP, following Royal Assent of the Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Act.

“The legacy of the Troubles in Northern Ireland has always been one of the key issues left unaddressed since the signing of the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement.

“Yesterday’s Royal Assent of the Northern Ireland (Troubles & Reconciliation) Act marks a significant milestone as the Government aims to deliver on our pledge to deliver better outcomes for those most affected by the Troubles, while helping society to look forward.

“I recognise getting to this juncture has been a hugely difficult task for all. The legislation contains finely balanced political and moral choices.

“It presents us all with a real opportunity to deliver greater information, accountability and acknowledgement to victims and families, moving away from established mechanisms that have left far too many empty-handed. I am confident that this Act provides a framework to enable the Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information Recovery (ICRIR) that it establishes to deliver effective legacy mechanisms, while complying with our international obligations.

“The delivery of those mechanisms will be led by Sir Declan Morgan KC as Chief Commissioner, who will be supported by Peter Sheridan as Commissioner for Investigations. I know Sir Declan and his team of Commissioners will approach the task with the rigour, integrity, and professionalism required.

“If we are truly to provide greater information, accountability and acknowledgement to victims and families of the Troubles and help society to move forward in the spirit of reconciliation, we must build a legacy process founded on integrity, expertise and fairness.

“Now that the legislation has become law, the UK Government will do all it can to support the ICRIR, consistent with its operational independence, as it establishes itself and seeks to deliver effectively for victims and families. I hope that others, including the Irish Government, can do the same.”

September 21, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Transformative student finance bill becomes law [September 2023]

The press release issued by the Department for Education on 19 September 2023.

The Lifelong Learning Bill becomes law, paving the way for a radical transformation of the student finance system.

New measures have been enshrined in law that will transform the student finance system, allowing colleges and universities to charge different fees for different courses for the first time and opening up opportunities for adults to study in a way that works for them.

The Lifelong Learning Entitlement (LLE) (formerly the Lifelong Loan Entitlement) will give all adults from 2025 access to loans, worth up to £37,000 in today’s fees, that they can use flexibly over their working lives to upskill or retrain.

The LLE will mean people will be able to take out a student loan to pay for full-time courses such as university degrees or higher technical qualifications (HTQs), as well as for some individual modules of courses.

People who have already taken out a loan for a degree will also be able to use the rest of their entitlement to study subjects that will help them gain additional skills that employers are looking for, making it easier for people to build up their skills over time. This includes studying individual modules of degree courses or HTQs to help them to do this in a way that fits round their lives and commitments.

To prepare for the introduction of the LLE, a new £5 million scheme has launched to encourage universities and colleges to develop and offer individual modules of HTQs in a flexible way. Under the scheme students will be offered the opportunity to study in-demand modules of HTQs, such as digital, health and science and construction, ahead of the launch of the LLE from 2025.

Minister for Skills, Apprenticeships and Higher Education Robert Halfon said:

Giving people the chance to access education and training over the course of their working lives, in a way that suits them, is crucial to enabling those from all backgrounds to climb the ladder of opportunity.

From higher technical qualification modules in cyber security to short courses in accountancy and university degrees in engineering, this new Lifelong Learning Entitlement will allow people to hop on and off their educational journey throughout their lives with a single ticket, towards the destination of rewarding, skilled employment. This will plug skills gaps and give employers access to a pipeline of talent to help them grow.

The new measures in the Lifelong Learning Act will allow universities and colleges to use a new method of calculating the maximum level of tuition fees they can charge for different courses. This will make the pricing of modules and short courses proportionate, so people can access education and training at a fair price.

Chair of the Post-18 Education and Funding Review Philip Augar said:

This legislation gives us a framework that fits our modern, fast-changing jobs market. The potential now exists for adults to transform life opportunities through lifelong learning and I hope universities, colleges and employers respond constructively in ensuring that this potential is fulfilled.

Policy Advisor at Coventry University Dr Elizabeth Norton said:

The Lifelong Learning Bill has not only provided the foundation for a radical overhaul of the student tuition fee loans system in England, but has also asked the entire higher education sector to look carefully at how and when students decide to learn on a timeline convenient to them.

Coventry University Group has prioritised and pioneered “life shaped learning” for many years, and with this bill receiving Royal Assent, legislation is reflecting the flexibility people need in accessing higher education funding throughout their careers.

Vice Chancellor of Nottingham Trent University Edward Peck said:

From initial discussion within the Augar Review Panel in 2018 through to Royal Assent in 2023, the idea of a Lifelong Learning Entitlement has built universal support because it will make higher education available to those who could benefit throughout their adult working lives.

Everybody who is committed to enhanced social mobility within an ever higher skilled economy will welcome the successful passage of this Bill onto the statute book.

Executive Director of Finance at Salford University Julie Charge said:

The Lifelong Learning Bill is an important tool to support the skills development of individuals over their careers helping them reach their full potential. The ability to access module learning will open up opportunities to those who can’t commit to full time education and otherwise would be excluded.

This Bill is a significant step in embedding life long learning in the UK which will help address employer’s skills and productivity needs as well giving students access to high quality courses throughout their lives.

David Hughes, chief executive of Association of Colleges, said:

I am pleased to see the Lifelong Learning Bill gain Royal Assent, having given written and oral evidence as it made its way through parliament. The Lifelong Learning Entitlement has the potential to be a game-changer, and I hope that this is the beginning of a significant cultural shift in the way post-18 education and training is delivered and taken up in England.

The need for a new lifelong learning culture and the system of funding and opportunities behind it is clear – with an ageing population, the skills needed by employers rapidly changing with technological change and the move to a net zero economy, we need every adult to have the capacity, motivation, and opportunities to carry on learning throughout their lives.

Vice Chancellor of Bath Spa University Professor Sue Rigby said:

Opening up higher education by allowing learners to dip in and out of study throughout their career is a dramatic and transformational move. It will increase the skills base that drives the economy and allow people to learn what they need to thrive when they are ready to do so.

Higher technical qualifications – that sit between A levels and T levels, and degrees – give adults the skills employers need and are available in a range of in demand subjects including Digital, Construction, and Health and Science with more coming on board over the next few years. From this September, HTQs have been put on par with degrees with students able to access maintenance loans, especially for those studying part time, helping learners fit study around work and other commitments as we move towards the flexibility envisioned by the LLE.

Following engagement with the higher education sector, the government has decided to change the name of the Lifelong Loan Entitlement to the Lifelong Learning Entitlement, so it better reflects its core purpose of offering learning opportunities throughout people’s working lives, making education and training more accessible to people from all backgrounds.

September 21, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Avanti West Coast awarded long-term contract after significant improvements for passengers [September 2023]
The press release issued by the Department for Transport on 19 September 2023.

New long-term rail contracts awarded to Avanti West Coast and Cross Country.
- Avanti West Coast awarded long-term contract following significant improvements across reliability, punctuality and customer satisfaction
- Transport Secretary and Rail Minister continue to recognise the vital routes Avanti West Coast serve and the need for passenger confidence
- new contract separately awarded to Cross Country which will bring improved services and refreshed train fleets for passengers
The Department for Transport has today (19 September 2023) awarded Avanti West Coast a long-term contract which will enable them to deliver improved services for passengers, after dramatically reducing cancellations to as low as 1.1% over the past year.

A long-term contract will allow the operator to plan ahead, giving them the certainty they need to prepare advance timetables, roll out new train fleets and continue their work to improve services – benefitting passengers in both the short and long term.

This comes after the department placed Avanti West Coast on 2 consecutive short-term, 6-month contracts and ordered them to develop a recovery plan aimed at addressing poor performance on vital routes – including between Manchester, Birmingham and London – which were brought on by a shortage of available drivers.

Alongside the recovery plan which prioritised training new drivers, reducing reliance on rest day working and getting tickets on sale earlier, a recovery timetable was introduced which has seen services increase from 180 trains per day to 264 on weekdays – the highest level in over 2 years.

By the end of the first 6-month contract in March, Avanti had already made significant progress towards its recovery, with 40% more services being run and cancellations within Avanti’s control falling to 4.2%. Those arrangements were further extended to ensure these improvements would continue and passengers would feel confident in using the services again.

Since then, Avanti West Coast’s services have seen further improvements:
- cancellations have consistently been below 3% since March 2023, and as low as 1.1% in July 2023, down from 13% in January 2023
- over 90% of trains now arrive within 15 minutes of their scheduled time, improved from 75% in December 2022
- over 100 additional drivers have been trained and brought on since April 2022
- improvements to passenger facilities on trains including better seats, lighting and charging points
- the introduction of Travel Companion, a WhatsApp channel which passengers with accessibility needs can use to get real-time assistance and information on their journeys, allowing for a more seamless passenger experience for everyone
Transport Secretary Mark Harper said:

The routes Avanti West Coast operate provide vital connections, and passengers must feel confident that they can rely on the services to get them where they need to be at the right time.

Over the past year, short-term contracts were necessary to rebuild the timetable and reduce cancellations. Now Avanti are back on track, providing long-term certainty for both the operator and passengers will best ensure that improvements continue.

As well as working directly with the operator and local stakeholders on the recovery plan over the past year, the government continues to support the industry – including through setting a mandate – as it engages with unions to ensure we can take forward much-needed reform, including introducing a reliable 7 day a week service to secure the future of our railways. The transformation of Avanti’s performance over the past year demonstrates how, through working closely with government, setting out clear set goals and being incentivised to succeed, the private sector can deliver on our railways.

Starting on 15 October 2023, Avanti West Coast’s new National Rail Contract will have a core term of 3 years and a maximum possible term of 9 years. After 3 years, the Transport Secretary can terminate the contract at any point with 3 months’ notice.

The department will stay in close contact with the operator and local stakeholders to monitor Avanti’s performance as it continues its progress to a sustained recovery.

Meanwhile, the department has also today awarded Cross Country a new National Rail Contract, with a core term of 4 years and a maximum possible term of 8 years.

The contract will also begin on 15 October and includes additions to help improve services, such as the replacement of the now-retired High Speed Trains with more modern equivalents, refurbishment of existing Cross Country train fleets, and the introduction of direct daily services between Cardiff and Yorkshire, the North East and Edinburgh from December 2024.
September 20, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : UK pushes for a bigger, better and fairer international financial system [September 2023]
The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 19 September 2023.

UK commitments will go towards unlocking billions in global finance and support developing countries invest to achieve sustainable development goals.
- Foreign Secretary announces programmes at the UN General Assembly to help achieve the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals
- funding focuses on improving global financial system, including making it easier for developing countries to access funds and invest in their own sustainable development
- James Cleverly will also announce new UK support for climate preparedness and to improve access to education around the world
Foreign Secretary James Cleverly will today (Tuesday) set out new UK action to build a more inclusive international financial system to improve lives around the world at the UN General Assembly (UNGA).

Climate change, the threat of pandemics, and stagnant economic growth are some of the biggest challenges facing the world’s most vulnerable and require a united global effort to tackle. On his second day in New York the Foreign Secretary will make clear we should respond to these challenges through a strong and collective international system as he reasserts the UK’s commitment to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.

Unlocking more finance from international financial institutions and the private sector will be critical if we are to achieve those goals and the UK is already playing key role by mobilising private investment, improving global tax systems and future-proofing for climate change – including through the UK’s recent $2 billion commitment to the Green Climate Fund.

The UK is announcing pledges and reforms that will unlock billions of pounds in global finance and support developing countries invest in their future to boost sustainable development goals.

As representatives of global governments gather for the Sustainable Development Goals Summit, the Foreign Secretary will announce new financial guarantees for Multilateral Development Banks to help our overseas aid go further and multiply our impact by unlocking more affordable loans.

Through one of these guarantees the UK will help unlock up to $1.8 billion of climate finance to support at risk populations across Asia and the Pacific in adapting to the impacts of climate change and increase their resilience to natural disasters. It will help accelerate their transition from fossil fuels to low carbon energy sources, demonstrating how sustainable economic growth and development can go hand-in-hand.

The Foreign Secretary will also announce another guarantee to provide urgent investments in quality education to tackle the global learning crisis.

New UK support will help unlock up to $1 billion in new financing for education for Lower Middle Income countries in Asia and Africa, where an estimated seven out of 10 children are unable to read a simple story by the age of 10. The International Finance Facility for Education (IFFEd) will help increase school enrolment for the poorest and most marginalised children. It will enable countries to use education as a tool for sustainable development and focus on improving literacy, numeracy, and social skills, including through training teachers and developing curriculums.

Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said:

The extra finance needed to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals is estimated to be around $4 trillion annually. We urgently need bold global action to build a bigger, better and fairer international financial system that helps close this gap.

The UK played an instrumental role in establishing the Goals and we are committed to achieving them by 2030. Together with our international partners, we are going faster and further, to change the international financial system and make sure no one is left behind. The voice of the poorest and most vulnerable countries must be heard at the heart of the multilateral system.

The UK is also leading the way on making the global financial system more shock responsive. For example, the UK was the first to offer climate resilient debt clauses in loans from our Export Credit Agency, pausing repayments when a natural disaster or pandemic strikes. In the face of increasing global challenges, the Foreign Secretary is calling for this to become the rule, not the exception to allow affected countries to focus on recovery.

As part of our commitment to tackle climate change, the UK will also provide additional disaster risk financing support for the Caribbean, a region that is particularly vulnerable to natural disasters. The Foreign Secretary will announce the UK will join CCRIF SPC (formerly the Caribbean Catastrophe Risk Insurance Facility), the Inter-American Development Bank, the Caribbean Development Bank and the Coca Cola Foundation to establish an affordable insurance scheme to increase the resilience of vital water and sanitation services. This will provide quick payouts to fund repairs following hurricanes and floods, restoring access to safe drinking water and preventing the spread of diseases.

Making sure countries have sustainable public finances is vital to delivering the Sustainable Development Goals. With the right support to strengthen domestic taxation and close loopholes, lower income countries could collectively raise an additional $260 billion. But we also need a fairer system where existing global commitments on international tax are fully met so that the most vulnerable countries are not losing out on revenues that they should receive. The Foreign Secretary will announce a new UK funding package of £17 million to improve tax systems in developing countries so they can stop revenues leaking and can invest in their sustainable development.

The UK is also committing £3 million to support the increased use of standards in Commonwealth countries, helping reduce barriers to trade, increase economic stability, and decrease aid dependency, opening opportunities for international businesses, including those from the UK.

Further information

The Foreign Secretary is announcing today:
- the UK is providing a guarantee of up to $300 million to the Innovative Finance Facility for Climate in Asia and the Pacific (IFCAP). We estimate this will unlock $1.2 to $1.8 billion in additional climate financing over the next 5 years, meaning around a 4 to 6 time return of increased climate finance compared to our guarantee commitment. The Innovative Finance Facility for Climate in Asia and the Pacific (IFCAP) is a multi-donor financing partnership facility set up by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) with the goal of scaling-up finance for accelerated action against climate change in Asia and the Pacific
- the UK will contribute up to £180 million of support to the International Finance Facility for Education (IFFEd). This includes up to £95 million in grants and paid-in capital, and a contingent guarantee of up to £85 million. IFFEd will unlock up to $1 billion in affordable education finance, with the amount available subject to final confirmation of other donor support, alongside Sweden and the UK. As more donors join IFFEd, this amount will increase
- the UK will provide the Caribbean Water Utilities Insurance Collective (CWUIC) with a $25 million returnable investment to help water and sanitation companies in the Caribbean access affordable insurance
- new UK funding of £17 million to improve tax systems in developing countries
- a total of £3 million to support the increased use of standards in Commonwealth countries. The funding will be used for workshops and training, technical assistance, information exchange and toolkits to support the implementation of international standards amongst Commonwealth countries
September 20, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Joint statement on Iran’s de-designation of experienced IAEA inspectors [September 2023]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 18 September 2023.

France, Germany, the UK and the US have issued a joint statement following Iran’s decision to withdraw the designation of several IAEA inspectors.

The text of the following statement was released by the permanent representatives to the IAEA of France, Germany, the United Kingdom, and the United States in response to the IAEA Director General’s Statement on Verification in Iran.

On Saturday, the IAEA Director General issued a public statement noting that Iran has withdrawn the designation of several experienced Agency inspectors, including its most experienced experts with unique knowledge of uranium enrichment technology. Iran’s actions will undermine the Agency’s ability to carry out its safeguards mandate effectively. As the Director General makes clear in his statement, Iran’s actions are another step in the wrong direction and constitute an unnecessary blow to an “already strained relationship between the IAEA and Iran.

Iran continues to expand its nuclear activities. It is now also deliberately hampering the normal planning and conduct of Agency verification and monitoring activities in Iran required under Iran’s NPT Safeguards Agreement. This is at a time when the IAEA has serious, longstanding, and unresolved questions related to undeclared nuclear materials and activities in Iran that Iran has failed to address for more than four years. We join with, and support, the Director General in strongly condemning this latest Iranian “unprecedented and unilateral” measure that he reports will have a severe impact on the Agency’s ability to conduct its verification activities.

Iran must immediately reverse these inspector de-designations and fully cooperate with the Agency to enable them to provide assurances that Iran’s nuclear programme is exclusively peaceful. France, Germany, the United Kingdom, and the United States will continue to stand in strong support of the IAEA and the international safeguards verification regime on which the world’s security relies.

In light of Iran’s actions, we will take note of any further information on the impact of the inspector de-designations on the Agency’s ability to fulfil its essential verification mandate in Iran. We will respond based on further reporting from the Director General.

September 20, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Government announces £600,000 of new compensation for every wrongfully convicted Postmaster [September 2023]
The press release issued by the Department for Business and Trade on 18 September 2023.

The UK Government has announced that every Postmaster who was wrongfully convicted and has had their conviction overturned as it was reliant on Horizon evidence will be offered £600,000 in compensation.
- Every postmaster whose conviction relied on Horizon evidence and has now been overturned will be offered £600,000 to settle their claim
- Postmasters will continue to receive funds to cover legal fees
- So far, 86 convictions have been overturned and £21 million has been paid in compensation
The UK Government has today announced that every Postmaster who was wrongfully convicted and has had their conviction overturned as it was reliant on Horizon evidence will be offered an optional sum of up to £600,000 in compensation.

All reasonable legal fees will continue to be covered and any Postmaster who does not want to accept this offer can of course continue with the existing process.

For those postmasters who have already received initial compensation payments or have reached a settlement with the Post Office of less than the £600,000, they will be paid the difference.

Our aim is to ensure as many Postmasters involved receive this offer of compensation as fast as possible to help bring a resolution to the scandal. This includes any Postmasters who overturn their convictions in the future based on Horizon evidence – they too will be entitled to today’s compensation.

Post Office Minister Kevin Hollinrake said:

“This is about righting a wrong and providing some form of relief to those wrongfully caught up in this scandal.

“Too many Postmasters have suffered and for too long, which is why the Government remains committed to seeing this through to the end until it is resolved and ensuring this cannot ever happen again.”

Starting in the late 1990s, the Post Office began installing Horizon accounting software, but faults in the software led to shortfalls in branches’ accounts. The Post Office demanded sub-postmasters cover the shortfalls, and in many cases wrongfully prosecuted them between 1999 and 2015 for false accounting or theft.

Postmasters who were wrongfully convicted have been forced to endure great hardships, losing clean criminal records, loss of liberty and huge financial losses – that is why the Government believes today’s announcement can finally bring the pain to a close.

The Government has already set up the Post Office Horizon IT Inquiry and provided it with the necessary statutory powers to ensure it can investigate what happened, establish the facts and make recommendations for the future. The Inquiry is progressing and we will continue to cooperate fully to ensure that the facts of what happened are established and lessons learned.

To date, 86 convictions have been overturned and £21 million has been paid in compensation to postmasters with overturned convictions.

The Overturned Convictions process, Horizon Shortfall Scheme and Group Litigation Order have in total paid more than £120 million to 2,600 individuals affected by the Horizon scandal.

Notes to editors
- The Department announced interim payments of £100,000 in July 2021. The limit was later uplifted to £163,000. Post Office has made interim payments to 100% of eligible postmasters who have submitted a claim.
- Today’s £600,000 offer will be made net of any sums already received, such as interim payments and partial settlements, to settle the claim full
- Postmasters are eligible for this upfront offer if their conviction was overturned on the basis that it was reliant on Horizon evidence
September 20, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : New Scottish Export Champions announced after successful first year of the scheme [September 2023]
The press release issued by the Department for Business and Trade on 18 September 2023.

Ten new Export Champions for Scotland have been appointed to the Export Champions scheme.
After a successful start to the Export Champions scheme, ten new Export Champions for Scotland have been appointed

They join the thirteen appointments made last year, ensuring a broad range of sector expertise is in place

Working closely with the Department for Business and Trade and Scottish Development International, their role will be to encourage more Scottish businesses to consider selling abroad

Ten new Export Champions have been appointed for Scotland after a positive start to the scheme that was launched just under a year ago.

In October last year the first ever Export Champions for Scotland were selected and tasked with promoting the benefits of exporting.

Since then they have taken part in over 78 engagements where they have spoken at events, shared advice with others in their sector and encouraged other companies across Scotland to consider selling to overseas markets.

The new appointees, selected in partnership with Scottish Development International (SDI), cover a broad range of sectors from life sciences, to hydrogen energy and legal services.

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

With our current Export Champions having made such an excellent start, we were keen to grow our team here in Scotland to ensure that we were doing all we can to help companies start their export journey.

Our new, larger team now cover an even broader range of sectors, and I look forward to them sharing their success stories of selling abroad and encouraging other Scottish businesses to start doing the same.

Reuben Aitken, Scottish Enterprise Managing Director of International Operations, said:

Exports drive productivity and our Scottish economic performance.

Scottish Enterprise and our global Scottish Development International colleagues are committed to working with partners to support Scottish companies’ growth by selling their innovative products and services to overseas markets.

We have been pleased to help identify these latest Export Champions who we know will help encourage and inspire future Scottish businesses to trade internationally.

Each of the new Export Champions were selected by the Department for Business and Trade in partnership with SDI, with each having a successful track record of trading internationally and a desire to share their expertise with others.

One of the new Export Champions is Natalya Ratner, from educational technology company Robotical Ltd based in Leith. They developed a programmable robot called Marty, an educational tool that has now been sold to over 1,000 schools across 65 countries worldwide.

New Export Champion for Scotland, Natalya Ratner of Robotical Ltd said:

Exporting has made a huge difference to our company. Although we are very much a Scottish company, we were international from the start as it was the best area for growth.

We want more Scottish companies to become successful exporters, so I’m delighted to become an Export Champion. I’ll be really pushing the message on the importance of selling abroad and the growth it can bring to the other companies that I meet with.

Naysun Alae-Carew is another new appointee and is Managing Director of Glasgow-based Blazing Griffin, who specialise in video game development, film and TV and production and high-end post-production services.

With a growing team of 72 creative, digital and technology professionals, Blazing Griffin’s growth trajectory has been fuelled not only by a growing domestic market but also by their thriving exports business.

Managing Director of Blazing Griffin, Naysun Alae-Carew, said:

I’m honoured and excited to be appointed as an Export Champion. We look forward to sharing the insights and strategies that have driven our success with other Scottish companies and help them reach into new territories around the world.

We are staunch believers that Scotland has the potential to excel on the world stage without sacrificing its focus on domestic capabilities. It’s a great time to be part of a nation that is outward-facing, yet deeply committed to local development.

Dr Sharon Fitzgerald, a partner at law firm DLA Piper, has also been named as one of Scotland’s new Export Champions.

For years, DLA Piper has been exporting international best practice in legal services and project procurement, gained through working on major Scottish infrastructure projects such as the Queensferry Crossing.

Dr Sharon Fitzgerald, Partner at DLA Piper said:

I’m delighted to have been selected as an Export Champion for Scotland. At DLA Piper we have exported international best practice in legal services and project procurement to a range of different countries across the world. We’ve also supported our clients in a variety of sectors to do business internationally.

I want to share this experience with others. There are so many opportunities out there and I’m eager to see Scottish businesses make the most of these.

Each Export Champion will now work closely with both DBT and SDI, attending events and providing peer-to-peer exporting support to other businesses in their sector.

So far Export Champions in Scotland have appeared as panel members at the US Trade Dialogue held in Edinburgh in November last year, given presentations about the opportunities available to Scottish FinTech companies in North American markets, and provided feedback to DBT officials on the potential benefits of Free Trade Agreements.
September 20, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : UK minister’s visit to Canada and US will boost long-standing ties with key allies [September 2023]
The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 18 September 2023.

Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Americas and Caribbean, David Rutley is on a four-day visit to Ottawa, Louisiana and Texas.
- strengthening security and economic ties with key allies will be focus for Americas Minister on trip to Ottawa, Louisiana and Texas
- David Rutley will meet with key federal and provincial leaders to boost UK-Canadian collaboration on global security issues
- with more than $1 trillion invested in each other’s economies, visit will build on UK-US relationships that create thousands of jobs on both sides of the Atlantic
Deepening security ties with two of the UK’s closest allies and strengthening economic links that support jobs on both sides of the Atlantic will be the focus for the Americas Minister as he begins a four-day visit to Canada and the US today (Monday 18 September).

In his second visit in the role to Canada, David Rutley will meet with federal and provincial leaders over two days in the Canadian capital, including Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs Rob Oliphant to discuss UK-Canadian collaboration on global security issues.

The UK and Canada share a unique intelligence and security relationship and Minister Rutley will discuss coordination on sanctions against Russia and encourage international cooperation and support for Ukraine to ensure they win the fight against Putin’s illegal invasion.

A two-day trip to Texas and Louisiana will follow when Minister Rutley continues a programme of visits to states across the US. He will champion the UK as a great investment and business partner and highlight the unrivalled security and defence ties between the two countries.

The UK and US already have more than $1 trillion invested in each other’s economies and the UK supports more jobs in America than any other country, with more than 110,000 Texans and almost 16,000 Louisianans working for British businesses.

Economic growth and the creation of better paid jobs is among the five priorities set out by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Minister Rutley will discuss with political and business leaders how the UK and US can boost cooperation in key sectors to deliver partnerships through the Atlantic Declaration, make their economies more resilient and create jobs.

Minister for the Americas and Caribbean David Rutley said:

There are few relationships that match the closeness of those that the UK shares with the USA and Canada and I am looking forward to boosting our deep and long-standing ties during my latest visit to North America.

During his time in Texas and Louisiana, Minister Rutley will travel to Baton Rouge, New Orleans and Austin where he will hold bilateral meetings with leading state-level political and business figures.

In Ottawa, Minister Rutley will also meet with Canadian students who are joining the Chevening Scholarship programme and will shortly be travelling to continue their studies at UK universities and build lifelong bonds with the UK.
September 20, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : OSCE Prague Forum on Economy and Environment 2023 – UK statement [September 2023]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 18 September 2023.

Justin Addison (UK Delegation to the OSCE) speaks at the Forum about Russia’s attempts to sabotage the organisation.

At a time when the organisation faces many challenges, it is important that we continue our discussions on the security issues that affect us all.

Like last year, we met again here in the context of the continuing war of aggression by Russia against Ukraine. As others have noted, it was Russia who stood alone in blocking the consensus needed for an official Economic and Environmental Forum (EEF). But – as with so many of Russia’s similar attempts – it again failed to stop the rest of us from gathering to address the important security issues of the day.

Russia has told this forum several times how committed it is to the work of the second dimension. Indeed it should be. Though it may behave like it is, Russia is not immune from these threats. The Russian Arctic, for example, is warming at a disproportionate rate, causing sea level rises and agricultural shifts. Last year, deadly forest fires burned across large swathes of Siberia, as those tasked with putting them out were diverted to the illegal war in Ukraine. And Russia’s infamous levels of industrial pollution not only degrade its own environment and poisons its own people, but also leach into neighbouring countries as well. These issues should be at the forefront of their minds. And yet here we are, experiencing the latest example of their indifference and short-sightedness. As the rest of the OSCE’s membership recognises the need to address these topics, Russia remains isolated as saboteurs of this organisation, and poor judges of its membership’s resolve.

This indifference also extends to the world’s most vulnerable. As we heard yesterday, Russia’s sudden withdrawal from the Black Sea Grain Initiative, and the consequent spike in global food prices, will cost lives around the world – further destabilising economies and putting people at risk of starvation. To address this issue, the UK looks forward to convening an international food security summit in London in November.

The issues we have discussed over the past two days are important security topics, relevant to all of us. But they are more pressing to some participating States than to others. As we heard, climate change, for example, is particularly evident in Central Asia, where temperatures are forecast to rise disproportionately, increasing risks of floods from glacier melt, as well as droughts and wildfires. Water security, heavily impacted by climate change as well as actions in neighbouring states, is a top priority for this region. Russia’s blocking of the EEF decision not only demonstrates its disregard for these security issues, but also dismisses the concerns of its own neighbourhood.

So we commend again the Chair, and indeed all states here, for not allowing the organisation to be at the mercy of those who wish to do it harm. The OSCE plays a critical role in European and Eurasian security and must be defended as it continues its work supporting States to build resilience to security, economic and climatic shocks.

September 20, 2023