Category: Press Releases

PRESS RELEASE : Free sight tests for special schools [June 2023]
The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 19 June 2023.

Free NHS sight tests will be made available within all special school settings, the government and NHS England confirmed today.
- NHS England and the government work together to make sight tests available for all pupils attending special schools
- Children with learning disabilities 28 times more likely to have serious sight issues
- Free NHS sight tests continue to be available for all children in opticians
Free NHS sight tests will be made available within all special school settings, the government and NHS England confirmed today.

Additional testing in special education day schools will be rolled out next year, adding to the commitment in the NHS Long Term Plan to offer sight tests within residential special schools.

Pupils at special schools can face additional challenges in accessing sight testing services via opticians and a successful pilot scheme has proven the benefits of receiving tests and personalised advice in their familiar learning environments.

Backed by a more than £10 million investment, the testing extension is expected to help up to an estimated 165,000 more children and will begin from 2024 to 2025.

Minister Neil O’Brien said:

I am pleased we will be able to support sight testing for all pupils in special schools, an environment where they feel more comfortable.

We have worked closely with NHS England, stakeholders and charities to extend this important service and thousands of pupils will benefit as a result.

It’s vital for all children to have access to NHS sight tests and I’m grateful to all those who helped make this possible.

According to the charity Seeability, children with learning disabilities are 28 times more likely to suffer from a serious sight problem.

NHS England introduced the pilot sight testing programme in special schools in 2021 with the aim of rolling these out in residential special schools. Following the pilot’s success, the provision will be extended to all day schools.

National Director for Primary Care and Community Services at NHS England Dr Amanda Doyle said:

I am delighted that the NHS will be able to offer free eye tests to around 165,000 pupils in special school settings in England from next year, meaning they will no longer need to travel to unfamiliar environments for healthcare.

In its 75th year, the NHS is determined to improve access to healthcare, with the health service also providing care in thousands of people’s homes through virtual wards, while pharmacists are offering almost one million blood pressure checks a year on people’s local high streets.

Minister for Children, Wellbeing and Families Claire Coutinho said:

From eye tests in the classroom to the £2.6 billion we’re spending on new special school places, we’re making sure that children with special educational needs and disabilities are supported in school.

We recently set out a wider special educational needs and disabilities improvement plan, with a particular focus on early intervention and consistent standards across the country.

NHS England will shortly begin a period of engagement with key stakeholders, special schools and the public, to further develop the scheme before it’s introduced from 2024 to 2025.

While this engagement takes place existing arrangements for testing will continue.

Dan Scorer, Head of Policy at Mencap, said:

Mencap welcomes this vital extension of the service to all children in special schools. Undiagnosed sight issues among children with a learning disability form major barriers to learning and development, and the extension of the service is a further important step towards improving access to eye care services for everyone with a learning disability.
June 21, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : UK introduces new post-Brexit trading scheme for developing countries [June 2023]
The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 19 June 2023.

The UK’s landmark scheme to boost trade with developing countries starts today.
- UK’s landmark Developing Countries Trading Scheme enters into force on 19 June.
- Scheme cuts tariffs on products entering the UK from 65 developing countries.
- It will help reduce import costs by over £770m per year, benefiting UK consumers and businesses.
The UK will today [Monday 19 June] radically simplify trading rules and cut tariffs on products from developing countries, saving UK businesses and consumers millions of pounds a year.

The UK’s new post-Brexit Developing Countries Trading Scheme (DCTS) – entering into force today – covers 65 countries that are home to over 3.3 billion people, and over half are in Africa. It removes or reduces tariffs and simplifies trading rules so that more products qualify for the scheme, making it more generous than the EU scheme the UK was previously a member of.

It will benefit developing countries looking to diversify and increase exports, driving their prosperity and reducing their need for aid.

The scheme saves UK businesses over £770 million per year by removing or cutting tariffs on over £9 billion of imports – increasing choice for UK consumers and potentially reducing prices on a wide variety of items such as clothes, food and children’s toys – as well as creating opportunities for UK businesses to trade internationally and grow the UK economy. Over time, were developing countries to increase trade with the UK under the scheme, businesses could save millions more on import costs.

Minister for International Trade Nigel Huddleston launched the scheme while on a visit to Ethiopia’s largest industrial business park, Bole Lemi. Ethiopia, which already has a trading relationship with the UK worth £838 million, pays zero tariffs on 100% of goods exported to the UK. Under the new scheme, Ethiopia and 46 other countries will be able to produce goods using components from many more countries, growing their opportunities to trade with the UK.

Speaking at the park, Minister Huddleston said:

This scheme is a brilliant example of the UK taking advantage of its status as an independent trading nation and I am excited to see it implemented today.

It will create opportunities for businesses around the world, supporting livelihoods, creating jobs and diversifying local and international supply chains. It will also benefit UK businesses and consumers by lowering import costs on a whole range of products.

Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office Minister for Africa, Andrew Mitchell, said:

The UK’s new trading scheme for 65 developing countries, DCTS, shows how we can use trade to deliver development.

It will benefit traders around the world, including small and women-owned businesses which we are supporting through UK Trade Partnership programme.

While in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia’s capital city and home to many international corporations, Minister Huddleston will meet with UK and Ethiopian companies to discuss how they will benefit from the DCTS and new ways they can work with local businesses and other governments to grow trade.

The scheme benefits businesses all over the world and British companies that trade with these countries in everyday products such as bicycles and camping gear.

Executive Vice President at Specialized Bicycle Components Inc, Robert Margevicius, said:

The DCTS enables us to maintain our supply chains in countries like Cambodia and continue to incorporate components from around the region, including from Vietnam.

We are committed to supporting our workforce and maintaining quality. We manufacture high-value frames in Cambodia and Specialized uses preference scheme benefits to invest in this higher level of production.

Head of International Logistics and Trade Compliance at Halfords, Ben Price, said:

The revised rules of origin under the Developing Country Trading Scheme will be hugely beneficial for Least Developed Countries and companies who are sourcing products from them. Under the previous regime many articles were precluded from benefitting from 0% duties due to the complexity of the rules of origin.

The further liberalisation and rule options that have been introduced under the DCTS are incredibly helpful and will support business and economic growth in some of the poorest countries. A great example of this is camping equipment, such as tents, from developing countries in Southeast Asia.
June 21, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : A meeting of the British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference [June 2023]

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

A meeting of the British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference (BIIGC) took place at Mansion House, London, on 19 June 2023.

The Government of Ireland was represented by the Tánaiste, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister for Defence, Micheál Martin TD and the Minister for Justice, Helen McEntee TD.

The Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland was represented by the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, the Rt Hon Chris Heaton-Harris MP and the Minister of State for Northern Ireland, Steve Baker MP.

The Conference was established under Strand Three of the Belfast / Good Friday Agreement “to promote bilateral cooperation at all levels on all matters of mutual interest within the competence of the UK and Irish Governments”.

The Conference discussed the following:

Political Stability

The UK and Irish Governments agreed on the critical importance of restoring the Northern Ireland Assembly, Executive and North South Ministerial Council to full operation. The conference discussed the impact of the Windsor Framework on Executive formation, and agreed it presented a sound foundation for progress in Northern Ireland. The UK and Irish Governments agreed that the Windsor Framework provides certainty and stability for the people of Northern Ireland. The Conference discussed the serious and deepening consequences for people in Northern Ireland arising from the ongoing absence of fully functioning institutions.

The Conference agreed to continue close co-operation in accordance with the three stranded approach established in the Belfast / Good Friday Agreement.

Security Co-operation

The Conference examined the current security situation in both jurisdictions looking ahead to the summer. They welcomed the excellent ongoing cooperation between the PSNI and An Garda Síochána in tackling terrorism, paramilitarism and associated criminality.

The Conference gave further consideration to the Independent Reporting Commission’s recommendations on potential mechanisms to support the transition of paramilitary groups to disbandment and agreed to continue close co-operation to make further progress on the issue.

Legacy

The UK and Irish Governments discussed the UK Government’s legislation on dealing with the legacy of the Troubles in Northern Ireland, and the Irish Government’s concerns in relation to it. The UK Government raised the amendments to the Bill it has tabled ahead of Report Stage in the House of Lords.

The UK and Irish Governments also discussed issues of concern in respect to a number of individual legacy cases.

Rights and Citizenship Matters

The Irish and UK Governments reaffirmed their commitment to the identity, citizenship and rights provisions of the Belfast / Good Friday Agreement.

The Conference noted that 2023 marks the centenary of the Common Travel Area, and reiterated their shared commitment to protecting and upholding the reciprocal rights of UK and Irish citizens to live, work and travel in either jurisdiction.

The Conference noted the recent visit of the Minister for Justice to London and his meeting with the Home Secretary, which saw a productive discussion across a range of areas of cooperation. The Conference also discussed the potential implications of the UK Government’s forthcoming Electronic Travel Authorisation requirement for visitors to the UK. It noted the announcement of the scheme’s roll out published in March 2023 that confirmed those legally resident in Ireland will not need an ETA when travelling to the UK from within the Common Travel Area.

British-Irish Cooperation

The Irish and UK Governments discussed bilateral cooperation in a range of areas with a particular focus on education cooperation. The Conference discussed the joint support the UK and Irish Governments already extend to Integrated Education in Northern Ireland reflecting the commitments made in the Belfast / Good Friday Agreement. The Conference underlined the importance of integrated education and tackling educational disadvantage as being essential aspects of the reconciliation process in Northern Ireland and committed to exploring further opportunities to work together in support of progress in these areas. The Conference also noted the importance of ongoing student mobility and supporting research cooperation between Ireland and the UK.

Ministers also received an update from the Secretariat with regard to progress to deliver the actions on cyber security and energy that were agreed in January.

Future Meetings

It was agreed that the Conference would meet again in Autumn 2023.

June 21, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Rishi Sunak call with EU Commission President Von der Leyen [June 2023]

The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 19 June 2023.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak spoke to the President of the European Commission, Ursula Von Der Leyen, this morning.

He looked forward to welcoming President Von Der Leyen to London for the Ukraine Recovery Conference this week, and they discussed efforts to galvanise international support for Ukraine and drive long-term public and private investment.

The leaders also reflected on the tragic shipwreck in Greece last week and the brutal business model of people-smuggling gangs.

They reiterated their commitment to continue working closely together to break the criminal enterprises driving illegal migration, including UK cooperation with the EU border agency Frontex.

Following his visit to the US last week, the Prime Minister updated on the UK’s work on artificial intelligence and the leaders discussed the challenges and opportunities of this burgeoning technology.

President Von Der Leyen welcomed plans for a UK-hosted global summit on AI later this year and highlighted EU initiatives in this area, and they agreed to cooperate on a shared approach.

The Prime Minister also noted opportunities for the UK and EU to further develop our joint work on science and technology, including to meet our shared green ambitions.

He hoped to see progress in discussions on the UK’s possible participation in the Horizon Europe programme, and for the UK and EU to reach a pragmatic agreement on electric vehicle battery manufacturing to support car makers across the continent.

June 21, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Joint outcome statement – UK-India round ten FTA negotiations [June 2023]

The press release issued by the Department for Business and Trade on 19 June 2023.

Round ten of negotiations for a free trade agreement between the United Kingdom and the Republic of India.

On 9 June 2023, the United Kingdom and the Republic of India concluded the tenth round of talks for an UK-India FTA.

As with previous rounds, this was conducted in a hybrid fashion – a number of UK officials travelled to New Delhi for negotiations and others attended virtually.

Technical discussions were held across 10 policy areas over 50 separate sessions. They included detailed draft treaty text discussions in these policy areas.

The eleventh round of negotiations is due to take place in the coming month.

June 21, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Re-appointment of Sir Michael Barber as adviser on skills policy delivery [June 2023]

The press release issued by HM Treasury on 19 June 2023.

Sir Michael Barber has been reappointed as adviser on skills policy delivery to the Chancellor of the Exchequer and the Secretary of State for Education.

The government recognises that skills are crucial in driving long-term economic growth and is taking forward major reforms set out in the Skills for Jobs White Paper: delivering T Levels, boosting apprenticeships, approving Higher Technical Qualifications, rolling out skills bootcamps, and introducing the Lifelong Learning Entitlement from 2025.

To help maximise the impact of these commitments, Sir Michael Barber was first appointed to advise the Chancellor of the Exchequer and the Secretary of State for Education on the implementation of current reforms in November 2022 for a term of six months.

Given the continued importance of the skills agenda and the need to maximise its impact, the Chancellor and Secretary of State have decided to extend Sir Michael’s role for a second term until December 16 2023, to build on the work to date.

Sir Michael Barber will not be renumerated for this position.

Further information

Sir Michael Barber is a global expert on implementation of large-scale system change, education systems and education reform.

He has served in a number of roles within Government, including as Chief Advisor to the Secretary of State for Education on Schools Standards (1997-2001), Head of the Prime Minister’s Delivery Unit (2001-2005), Chair of the Office for Students (2018-2021) and led a review of Number 10 Delivery Unit in 2021.

Outside of Government, he has been a partner at McKinsey and head of their Global Education Practice, and Chief Education Advisor at Pearson. He is also founder and chairman of Delivery Associates, a global advisory firm focussed on working with governments and other social impact organisations.

June 21, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Industry expert appointed to support review of Pro-Innovation Regulation of Advanced Manufacturing [June 2023]

The press release issued by HM Treasury on 19 June 2023.

Steve Bagshaw has been appointed to support work investigating the pro-innovation regulation of advanced manufacturing, one of the Chancellor’s five key growth areas.

Following announcement at the Autumn Statement, the Government Chief Scientific Adviser is reviewing existing rules and helping develop a pro-innovation regulatory approach that allows the UK to fulfil its ambition to become a science superpower.

The aim of the review is to establish the UK as the best regulated economy in the world in key growth sectors, ensuring that industry and investors have the certainty they need to drive innovation, investment and growth by anticipating new developments in emerging technologies.

In March, Sir Patrick Vallance published reviews on digital technologies and green industries and the government accepted both reports’ recommendations. Having taken up the role of Government Chief Scientific Adviser in April 2023, Professor Dame Angela McLean is continuing this work and published a review on life sciences in May and on the creative industries last week. Again, the government has been pleased to accept all recommendations in each report. Dame Angela will soon publish a report on the Chancellor’s one remaining key growth sector: advanced manufacturing.

Steve Bagshaw has been appointed to support Professor Dame Angela on this final report, working directly with industry to identify barriers to innovation and regulatory reforms that can help make the UK’s advanced manufacturing industries the most exciting and enterprising in the world.

Steve Bagshaw is Non-Executive Director at the CPI, former CEO of Fujifilm Diosynth Biotechnologies, and former manufacturing advisor to the Vaccines Taskforce. He is a member of the UKRI Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council. He chaired the UK’s Industrial Biotechnology Leadership Forum from 2013 to 2021 and was co-chair of the UK Bioeconomy Strategy Board between 2016 and 2021. Steve was awarded a CBE in January 2021 for his services to manufacturing and biotechnology.

June 21, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Rishi Sunak call with President Zelenskyy of Ukraine [June 2023]

The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 19 June 2023.

The Prime Minister spoke to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy this morning.

The Prime Minister paid tribute to the bravery of the Ukrainian soldiers on the front line of the counteroffensive and said it was clear they were making good progress.

He told President Zelenskyy that the UK was firmly behind Ukraine as it continued to push back invading Russian forces. Small steps forward would bring success, the Prime Minister added.

The Prime Minister updated on his recent visit to the US and his meeting with President Biden, and said it was clear the US and UK were in lockstep in their unwavering support for Ukraine.

Both the Prime Minister and President Zelenskyy looked forward to speaking at the Ukraine Recovery Conference, which is being hosted in London this week.

It was a unique opportunity to underline the strong public and private sector support for Ukraine, and demonstrate the country’s transformation and ongoing reform, the leaders agreed.

Looking ahead to the NATO summit next month, the Prime Minister told President Zelenskyy that he believed NATO members would demonstrate a strong signal of support for Ukraine at the Vilnius meeting.

The leaders looked forward to speaking again soon.

June 21, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Support for farmers to access investment to drive nature recovery [June 2023]

The press release issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 19 June 2023.

The first ever Nature for Finance event will bring together farmers, land managers, investors and conservation experts to identify new investment opportunities.

As part of the delivery of one of the Prime Minister’s five priorities to grow the economy, additional support to help farmers access private investment to support nature recovery on their farms will be announced today (19 June).

The first ever ‘Nature for Finance’ event will bring together farmers, land managers, investors and conservation experts to identify new investment opportunities that drive forward actions to mobilise investment in nature recovery while continuing to keep the nation fed.

At the event, held at 10 Downing Street, the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Thérèse Coffey will announce the intention to launch an additional round of the Natural Environment Investment Readiness Fund (NEIRF) later this year to help farmers address barriers to accessing private investment to help nature’s recovery.

This round will be the first time the NEIRF focuses specifically on the farming sector, helping farmers to come together at a landscape scale to combine their offer to investors, and enabling more types of farmer to access and benefit from nature markets.

Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Thérèse Coffey said:

Food production and enhancing the environment go hand in hand. We must continue to support farmers to keep our nation fed while also safeguarding the valuable biodiversity and landscapes we rely on.

Today’s event is an important step forward in bringing together farmers and financiers to invest in nature and unlock new opportunities to improve the productivity, profitability and sustainability of farm businesses.

Food production relies on a healthy and thriving natural environment and nature markets offer a new way for farmers to generate income alongside food production. To date, 86 projects across England have received development grants of up to £100,000 through two competitive rounds of the £10 million NEIRF in 2021 and 2022.

Today’s event follows last month’s UK Farm to Fork Summit at No10, at which representatives from the whole food supply chain came together to identify ways to boost growth, drive innovation and improve sustainability so that we boost food production alongside delivering nature recovery for our countryside.

The NEIRF funds projects that have the potential to produce revenue from the benefits nature provides to attract and repay investment, as well as projects able to produce an investment model that can be scaled up and reproduced.

The Wendling Beck Exemplar Project, a collaboration between private landowners, local authorities, environmental NGOs, and Anglian Water, has already benefitted from NEIRF support. This aims to transform land use for environmental benefit while also selling ecosystem services such as Biodiversity Net Gain.

Glenn Anderson, Project Lead of The Wendling Beck Exemplar Project said:

Wendling Beck is a pathfinder project for financing land-use change through new nature markets. Projects like Wendling Beck are critical in safeguarding long-term food security – through mitigating existential challenges to climate, water and biodiversity – and enhancing the national natural capital reserves which underpin our economy.

The project was fortunate to receive funding from the NEIRF, which supported the projects feasibility and design at a critical time. The funding enabled us to consolidate the project structure and lay some important foundations on which the project now stands.

The Secretary of State will also announce the start of the piloting phase of a new version of the Green Finance Institute’s (GFI) investment readiness toolkit which will provide a tailored framework offering farmers valuable advice on how to create investable nature finance projects. In the pilot phase, the GFI will gather insights from stakeholders – including those in attendance at the event today – to ensure the toolkit meets the specific needs of farmers.

The government will also consult later this year on specific steps and interventions needed to mobilise additional nature finance through voluntary markets and protect against the risk of greenwashing, seeking input from experts in finance, business, environment, and farming sectors.

The UK was the first major country to publish a green finance strategy in 2019 which was updated this year alongside a new Nature Markets Framework. Significant progress has been made in integrating nature into the economy, including statutory targets for environmental improvement and the development of a policy framework for scaling up nature markets. Defra’s new partnership with the British Standards Institution will ensure the adoption of sound scientific standards underpinning nature investments and avoiding greenwashing.

Archie Ruggles-Brise, Estate Manager of Spains Hall Estate in Essex, said,

The opportunities for land managers to engage directly with finance professionals, tech providers and local authorities around environmental markets are rare, especially at this early stage of the market. So to be afforded that chance through the Essex County Council led NEIRF project is exciting.

This could be game changing for farms, as once the income side is proven it opens the door for all kinds of support for transition to alternative, more sustainable, land use choices. It’s all about having more choice, especially beyond commodity markets, now and in the future.

June 21, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : UK sanctions perpetrators of conflict-related sexual violence [June 2023]
The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 19 June 2023.

UK announces new sanctions holding perpetrators of sexual violence in conflict to account.
- perpetrators of sexual violence in Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Syria will be subject to asset freezes and travel bans
- this action on International Day for Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict demonstrates the UK’s commitment to hold offenders to account
- UK is working with partners to support countries around the world to strengthen their compliance with international law on Conflict Related Sexual Violence
New sanctions holding perpetrators of sexual violence in conflict zones to account have been introduced by the UK today (Monday 19 June) on the International Day to End Sexual Violence in Conflict.

Lord Ahmad, the Prime Minister’s Special Representative on Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict, announced the sanctions, which will freeze the assets and ban those targeted from travelling to the UK. The sanctions, which build on previous UK action in this area, send a clear message of solidarity with survivors and condemnation of these illegal acts.

These latest sanctions target 2 militia leaders in the DRC for violating international humanitarian law by commanding groups to carry out acts of sexual violence. They also include the Syrian Army Chief and Minister of Defence who authorised sexual and gender-based violence, including systematic rape of civilians.

In the last year the UK has sanctioned 15 individuals and entities who have committed specific human rights violations against women and girls, 13 of whom were involved in crimes of sexual violence in conflict.

Lord (Tariq) Ahmad, the Prime Minister’s Special Representative on Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict, said:

Threats of sexual violence as a weapon in conflict must stop and survivors must be supported to come forward.

These sanctions send a clear signal to perpetrators that the UK will hold you accountable for your horrendous crimes.

An estimated 20 to 30% of women and girls in conflict-affected areas experience sexual violence. The UK is committed to standing up for women and girls, and tackling the inequalities that they face. The FCDO’s Women and Girls Strategy, published in March, sets out how the UK will work to tackle global gender inequality at every opportunity. For the first time, this strategy commits the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office to more than 80% of its bilateral aid programmes including a focus on gender equality by 2030.

As part of the UK’s wider work on this issue, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office has funded a Guidebook on State Obligations on Conflict-Related Sexual Violence. Produced by the Mukwege Foundation, which will support states around the world to understand and comply with international law on conflict-related sexual violence.

These announcements deliver on UK commitments made at the UK’s Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative Conference (November 2022) to use all levers at our disposal to address sexual violence in conflict.

Those sanctioned today are:
- Abdel Karim Mahmoud Ibrahim, the Chief of the General Staff of the Syrian Army and Armed Forces who has been involved in the repression of the Syrian population through commanding military forces where there has been systematic use of rape and other forms of sexual and gender-based violence
- Ali Mahmoud Abbas, the Syrian Minister of Defence for his commanding role of the Syrian military and armed forces, who have systematically used rape, and other forms of sexual and gender-based violence against civilians
- Désiré Londroma Ndjukpa who has been involved in violations of international humanitarian law in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, including rape, mass rape and other forms of sexual and gender-based violence, through his role as a leader of the Cooperative for the Development of the Congo (CODECO-URDPC)
- William Yakutumba who has been involved in the commission of violations of international humanitarian law in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, including rape, mass rape and other forms of sexual and gender-based violence, through his role as leader of the armed Mai-Mai Yakutumba rebel group
The sanctions build on those CRSV-focused sanctions that were announced in December as part of our Global Human Rights Day package and in March for International Women’s Day.
June 21, 2023