Category: Press Releases

PRESS RELEASE : UK supports Malawi’s 2025 tripartite elections [July 2023]
The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 31 July 2023.

Commits funding through UNDP’s Elections Basket Fund that will support Malawi Government’s preparedness for a free, fair and credible election in 2025.
The UK has contributed £2m (about MWK 2.5 billion) towards the Malawi Electoral Support Project to support the Malawi Electoral Commission to deliver the 2025 elections in accordance with the high standards set by legislative reforms following the previous elections.

Speaking during the signing ceremony for the Contribution Arrangement with United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Lilongwe, British High Commissioner to Malawi Fiona Ritchie said the contribution was an important step in the UK’s long-standing partnership with Malawi on strengthening democratic accountability.

Free and fair elections are the cornerstone of any democracy and are vital in ensuring governments deliver effective services to their citizens, that respond to their needs. We are proud to have provided technical and financial support to the administration of previous elections in Malawi. This support has built on the country’s own strong commitment to free and fair elections – evidenced in the strong financial commitment the Government of Malawi has made towards the delivery of elections and resourcing of oversight bodies, as well as parliament’s role in passing landmark electoral reforms after the 2020 polls,” said Ritchie.

The UK envoy encouraged the Government of Malawi to continue taking all necessary measures to ensure election preparedness, including addressing the large backlog in National ID cards.

The UK is proud to have been at the forefront of supporting the Government of Malawi to develop and roll out the National ID card system. We saw the significant benefits this delivered during the administration of the 2019/2020 elections. We welcome the recent announcement that the expiry date for the national ID cards will be suspended until 1st January 2026, in line with the commitment made by President Chakwera in his State of the Nation Address, and look forward to continued government commitment to printing ID cards for new eligible voters”, Ritchie added.

UNDP Resident Representative Shigeki Komatsubara said:

We highly esteem the FCDO for their unwavering dedication to fostering accountable representative democracy. Their resolute support will play a pivotal role in advancing informed public engagement and inclusivity for marginalized groups such as women, youth, and People Living with Disabilities.

This project will empower us to collaborate with CSOs having a national presence, enabling them to deliver essential civic and voter education. Our collective efforts will ignite increased public participation and ensure responsible oversight of elections by the Malawi Electoral Commission. Together, we are working towards a more vibrant and equitable democratic process.”

The MESP project has three components namely:

improving capacity of the Malawi Electoral Commission, Malawi Police Service, and civil society to engage in the electoral process

support to inclusion of women, youths and Persons living With Disabilities (PWDs) in the electoral process and

reduced tensions and disputes regarding the electoral process through the strengthening of existing mechanisms contributing to conflict prevention and mitigation.

Elections Basket Fund is a pool of resources from UK and other Development Partners such as USAID, the European Union, the Royal Norwegian Embassy and the Republic of Ireland.
01/08/2023
PRESS RELEASE : UK sanctions key figures involved in deplorable sentencing of dual British national Vladimir Kara-Murza after appeal is rejected [July 2023]
The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 31 July 2023.

New sanctions target six figures involved in the trial of Vladimir Kara-Murza, who is facing 25 years in a penal colony after the rejection of his appeal.
- UK government sanctions six figures involved in the trial of Vladimir Kara-Murza, who is facing 25 years in a penal colony after the rejection of his appeal
- 3 judges, two prosecutors and an ‘expert witness’ have been sanctioned for their part in his politically motivated targeting
- Mr Kara-Murza, a dual British national, is being persecuted by the Russian regime for his anti-war stance
The UK government has today (31 July 2023) sanctioned six individuals for their involvement in the politically motivated conviction of Vladimir Kara-Murza.

It comes as the Foreign Secretary calls for the immediate release of Mr Kara-Murza, who is facing 25 years in prison after his appeal against trumped up charges was rejected in Moscow today.

Mr Kara-Murza is an opposition politician, journalist, and human rights activist in Russia. He has received wide recognition for his work, including the Vaclav Havel Human Rights Prize. The charges against the dual British-Russian national included treason and spreading ‘knowingly false information’ about the Russian armed forces. In reality, he bravely spoke the truth about Putin’s illegal invasion of Ukraine.

Those sanctioned today include two Moscow City Court Judges who convicted and sentenced Mr Kara-Murza, the lead prosecutor in the trial, and an ‘expert witness’ who provided false justification for Mr Kara-Murza’s detention following ‘analysis’ of his speech.

Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said:

The rejection of Vladimir Kara-Murza’s appeal following his sentencing on bogus charges highlights the depravity of the Russian regime, and their complete disregard for human rights and freedom of expression.

Today we’ve sanctioned six people connected with his case, sending a clear message that the UK will not stand for this treatment of one of its citizens.

We will continue to support Mr Kara-Murza and his family, who have worked tirelessly to try and secure his release. I call on Russia to release him immediately and unconditionally.

The following individuals have been sanctioned today and will be subject to travel bans and asset freezes:
- Vitaly Alexsandrovich Belitsky and Ekaterina Mikhailovna Dorokhina: both Moscow City Court Judges who convicted and sentenced Mr Kara-Murza on charges of treason, membership of an undesirable group and ‘fake news’
- Natalia Nikolaevna Dudar: a Basmanny District Court Judge who further extended Mr Kara-Murza’s pre-trial detention
- Boris Georgievich Loktionov: the lead prosecutor in the trial who described Mr Kara-Murza as “an enemy of the state” and pressed for the maximum sentence
- Danila Yurievich Mikheev: an expert witness for the Russian government who claimed Kara-Murza’s statements on the Russian Armed Forces amounted to knowingly spreading false information – which served as part of the basis on which judge Elena Lenskaya ordered Mr Kara-Murza be held
- Anna Evgenievna Potychko: Prosecutor who supported the denial of Kara-Murza’s appeal against his pre-trial detention
Today’s sanctions follow punitive measures the UK has already taken against those involved in Mr Kara-Murza’s case. In April 2023 the UK Government sanctioned five individuals – a judge, 2 investigators involved in Mr Kara-Murza’s trial and 2 FSB agents involved in his poisoning and arrest.

The UK will continue to ratchet up economic pressure on Russia until it ends its brutal invasion of Ukraine, including by implementing further sanctions and leaning in to tackle Russia’s attempts to circumvent the measures in place.

Background:

In January 2023, the Minister for Europe met Mr Kara-Murza’s wife to discuss his case and treatment. British Embassy officials have attended Mr Kara-Murza’s court hearings in Moscow throughout the year. FCDO officials have consistently raised Mr Kara-Murza’s case with the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Russian Embassy and will continue to do so.

In 2020 the UK sanctioned Sergei Podoprigorov, the judge that went on to preside over Mr Kara-Murza’s trial, and Dmitry Komnov, the head of the detention centre where Mr Kara-Murza was held, under our Global Human Rights Regime for involvement in human rights violations against Sergei Magnitsky. Additionally, last year the government sanctioned Oleg Mikhailovich Sviridenko, the Russian Deputy Minister of Justice, who oversees the prosecution of criminal cases including that of Mr Kara-Murza.

In April 2023, following Mr Kara-Murza’s sentencing, the UK sanctioned Elena Lenskaya – a judge who approved Vladimir Kara-Murza’s arrest, along with Denis Kolesnikov and Andrei Zadachin – investigators involved in the arrest of Mr Kara-Murza.

FSB agents Alexander Samofal and Konstantin Kudryavtsev were also sanctioned. The pair were members of the operational team which followed Mr Kara-Murza on multiple trips before he was poisoned both in 2015, three months after close friend and fellow opposition politician Boris Nemtsov was assassinated, and 2017.

With international partners, the UK has invoked the OSCE’s Moscow Mechanism which evidenced Russia’s efforts to wage a campaign of repression against its own people. We are also taking forward the report’s recommendations, and have helped secure a United Nations Human Rights Council Special Rapporteur. They will be charged with undertaking country visits, acting on individual cases of reported violations and concerns of a broader nature, and raising public awareness and providing advice for technical cooperation.

View the full UK Sanctions List and more information about UK sanctions relating to Russia.

Asset freeze

An asset freeze prevents any UK citizen, or any business in the UK, from dealing with any funds or economic resources which are owned, held or controlled by the designated person. UK financial sanctions apply to all persons within the territory and territorial sea of the UK and to all UK persons, wherever they are in the world. It also prevents funds or economic resources being provided to or for the benefit of the designated person.

Travel ban

A travel ban means that the designated person must be refused leave to enter or to remain in the United Kingdom, providing the individual is an excluded person under section 8B of the Immigration Act 1971.
01/08/2023
PRESS RELEASE : Russia is inflicting terror on the Ukrainian people, and suffering on its own population and millions across the world – UK statement at the Security Council [July 2023]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 31 July 2023.

Statement by UK Political Coordinator Fergus Eckersley at the UN Security Council meeting on threats to international peace and security.

Colleagues, over a hundred years ago, Sigmund Freud came up with the psychological concept called projection. It involves denying negative characteristics and behaviours of your own self and falsely attributing them to others.

It is often done deliberately, as part of a strategy of blame-shifting, or it can be indicative of various types of dysfunction.

Colleagues, Russia’s claim that it is Ukrainian aggression that is in any way responsible for the ongoing war in Ukraine is absurd. It is a projection of the behaviour of the Russian state itself.

There is only one aggressor in this war. We have all seen hundreds of thousands of Russian troops invading that sovereign country, illegally and unprovoked. We all know that the right to self-defence in those circumstances is enshrined in the UN Charter.

Russia has carried out relentless attacks on civilian infrastructure, including homes, schools, hospitals, and, as we saw last week, places of worship. Russian forces are responsible for horrific atrocities on the ground.

It is Russia that has been condemned by the Secretary-General for committing grave violations against children.

It is Russia that made the unilateral decision to end the Black Sea Grain Initiative, despite widespread calls from the international community, including the Pope and the leaders of the African Union, for Russia to renew the deal.

And it is Russia that is sending thousands of its own young men to their deaths. Estimates suggest that more than 200,000 Russian soldiers have been killed or injured in Ukraine.

Russia is inflicting terror on the Ukrainian people, and in parallel, it is inflicting suffering on its own population, and millions across the world.

In the face of this, Ukraine has had no choice but to exercise its UN Charter right to defend itself. It is fighting a war of national survival, and defending the right of all nations to live without fear of aggression.

The only path to a sustainable peace in Ukraine is for President Putin to end his illegal invasion, withdraw his troops and thereby demonstrate that he is prepared to engage on terms for peace that respect the UN Charter.

Russia started this war, and Russia must end it before they cause any more suffering.

01/08/2023
PRESS RELEASE : Variation to Hinkley Point C operational water discharge activity [July 2023]
The press release issued by the Environment Agency on 31 July 2023.

Variation issued today to an environmental permit for Hinkley Point C nuclear power station, to allow for a change in water discharge activity at the site.
- Changes to the current permit to allow the discharge of seawater through a fish recovery and return (FRR) system.
- Sets compliance limits on the discharge from the FRR system.
- Removes all references and conditions (or parts of conditions) relating to use of the proposed acoustic fish deterrent (AFD) system, as an AFD system is not required to reduce the water quality pollution risk from HPC’s fish recovery and return (FRR) system discharge.
The Environment Agency has today issued a variation to an environmental permit (EPR/HP3228XT) for Hinkley Point C (HPC) nuclear power station, to allow for a change in water discharge activity at the site.

The original permit variation, regulates the operational water discharge activities from HPC – these are discharges of non-radioactive liquid effluents:
- returned cooling water from the turbine condensers
- trade process effluents from the various plant systems (including those that maintain water purity and chemistry to keep the best operating conditions and maximise efficiency)
- treated sewage effluent (from staff welfare facilities)
The varied water discharge activity permit we have issued today will now additionally regulate the discharge of seawater through a FRR system.

As a result of our assessment on the impact of the FRR system discharge, we have included compliance limits on the volume, rate and total biomass discharged from the FRR system’s outlet.

We have:
- removed all references and conditions (or parts of conditions) relating to the proposed acoustic fish deterrent (AFD) system.
- concluded that there would be no adverse effect on the integrity of the relevant European designated sites (in relation to pollution from regulated discharges to waters) if there is no AFD system in place. This includes those sites functionally linked to the Severn Estuary. The discharges will not result in the condition of relevant SSSIs deteriorating or prevent them from improving or recovering.
- also concluded that the permit variation will not cause the current status of the water bodies to deteriorate or prevent them from achieving their objectives.
The varied water discharge activity permit also includes the requirement to use an additional operating technique and an improvement condition. It also includes two pre-operational conditions which need Environment Agency approval before the proposed power station can be commissioned or begin to operate. These are included to make sure that NNB Generation Company (Hinkley Point C) Limited builds and operates the proposed power station according to the commitments made in its permit variation application.

The Environment Agency’s Hinkley Point C Project Manager Simon Barlow said “This is the final stage of our process to determine a change requested by the operator for its water discharge activities at Hinkley C nuclear power station. We have decided to grant the permit variation but have added new limits and conditions in the permit to protect people and the environment.”

Change to permit follows public consultations

The decision follows two rounds of public consultation – on the application from 24 January to 2 March 2023 and on the proposed decision and draft permit from 25 April to 25 May 2023.

A summary of topics raised, information about which organisations responded and how we considered all relevant issues is included in our final decision document.

We are grateful to everyone who took the time to respond to the consultations and attend online consultation meetings.

The decision documents, a public summary and permits are available at Hinkley Point C: water discharge activity permit variation – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Background information

The Environment Agency is the independent environmental regulator for the nuclear industry in England. We make sure that nuclear power stations meet high standards of environmental protection.

The Environment Agency regulates specific environmental matters at nuclear sites in England by issuing environmental permits. These permits cover site preparation, construction, operation and decommissioning.

As well as regulating the site, through these environmental permits, the Environment Agency also provides advice and information to the Planning Inspectorate, including the protection of water quality and ecology, and flood and coastal risk management.

EDF’s company NNB Generation Company (Hinkley Point C) Ltd is building a new, twin reactor nuclear power station at the Hinkley site in west Somerset. Operation of the first reactor is expected in 2027.
01/08/2023
PRESS RELEASE : Plastic bag use falls by more than 98% after charge introduction [July 2023]

The press release issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 31 July 2023.

Figures show massive decrease in number of single-use bags sold by main retailers since 2014.

More than 7 billion harmful plastic bags have been prevented from blighting our streets and countryside thanks to the single-use carrier bag charge, new figures announced by Environment Minister Rebecca Pow today (31 July) show.

A 5p charge was first introduced in supermarkets in 2015. Since then, usage at the main retailers – Asda, Marks and Spencer, Morrisons, Sainsbury’s, The Co-operative Group, Tesco and Waitrose – has dropped by more than 98%.

The average person in England now buys just two single-use carrier bags a year from these businesses, compared with around 140 in 2014 before the charge was introduced.

The number of single-use carrier bags reported as sold by the main retailers was 133 million in 2022/23, down from 197 million in 2021/2022, representing a reduction of 33%. This is a huge drop from the 7.6 billion used in 2014.

In 2021, the charge was increased to 10p and extended to all businesses. This has helped bring the number of bags used down by more than 35% from 627 million in 2019/20 to 406 million in 2022/23.

Meanwhile, retailers have voluntarily donated more than £206 million from the proceeds to good causes in education, arts, heritage, sports, environment, health and charity or volunteering sectors since the charge’s introduction.

Environment Minister Rebecca Pow said:

Our charge has helped to stop billions of single-use carrier bags littering our neighbourhoods or heading to landfill while ensuring millions of pounds go to good causes.

We are determined to do more to tackle plastic pollution at source, with further bans on single-use products starting in October and our deposit return scheme will cut litter and drive up recycling rates. We continue to encourage all relevant retailers to play their part in further reducing the use of single-use carrier bags.

Andrew Opie, Director of Food & Sustainability at the British Retail Consortium, said:

Retailers have worked closely with the government over the single-use bag charges to ensure it has been an industry-wide success – with 98% fewer bags used across the biggest grocery retailers. It has also generated millions in funds that retailers have donated to a variety of good causes.

The success of the carrier bag charge builds on the government’s action to turn the tide on plastic waste. In 2018 the government announced one of the world’s toughest bans on microbeads in rinse-off personal care products and in 2020 we introduced restrictions on the supply of single-use plastic straws, drink stirrers and cotton buds.

The government also introduced a tax of more than £200 per tonne on plastic packaging manufactured in or imported into the UK that does not contain at least 30% recycled plastic in April 2022.

Through the Environment Act, the government is bringing in further measures to tackle plastic pollution and litter. This includes introducing a deposit return scheme for drinks containers and plans for simpler recycling collections for every household and business in England.

A range of polluting single-use plastics will be banned in England from 1 October 2023. The restrictions will include single-use plastic plates, trays, bowls, cutlery, balloon sticks and certain types of polystyrene cups and food containers.

01/08/2023
PRESS RELEASE : Richard Moriarty announced as new CEO of Financial Reporting Council [July 2023]

The press release issued by the Department for Business and Trade on 31 July 2023.

Richard Moriarty has been announced as the new CEO of the Financial Reporting Council today (31 July).

Richard Moriarty has today (31 July 2023) been announced as the CEO of the Financial Reporting Council (FRC). He replaces Sir Jon Thompson, who has led the FRC since 2019.

The Financial Reporting Council (FRC) promotes transparency and integrity in business. It regulates auditors, accountants and actuaries, and sets the UK’s Corporate Governance and Stewardship Codes. Richard will continue the work started by Sir Jon to transform the FRC into a new regulator – the Audit, Reporting and Governance Authority.

Business Minister Kevin Hollinrake said:

Richard Moriarty is a fantastic appointment to this role. His extensive background in leadership and specialised experience in regulatory and market reform will ensure the FRC continues to ensure business integrity and transparency.

I’m grateful to Sir Jon Thompson for all his hard work in his time as CEO and wish him the best in his role as Chair of HS2.

Richard Moriarty said:

The FRC has a critical role to play in underpinning investor and public confidence in financial reporting and corporate governance in the UK. It is a privilege to be asked to lead the organisation at this important time and oversee its successful transformation into the new Audit, Reporting and Governance Authority.

I want the organisation to be ambitious for how effectively it engages with all those who have an interest in its purpose and its place in supporting the UK as a great place for business growth and investment.

Biography

Richard recently stepped down from the Board of the UK’s Civil Aviation Authority where he served as CEO for five years and deputy CEO for two years. Under his leadership the CAA earned positive recognition from independent reviews, both nationally and internationally, as a highly effective and world leading regulatory authority.

He has over 20 years of board level experience across a range of regulated sectors. Among his roles he has been CEO of the Legal Services Board, an executive director and subsequently deputy chair of the Social Housing Regulator, deputy CEO of a communications regulator and a director of a regulated water company. He is currently a non-executive and the senior independent director with a social housing association charity.

Richard has specialised in regulatory and market reform, governance and financial oversight, professional services regulation, safety cultures, economic regulation, and competition policy. He has undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in economics, and later obtained an MBA from the University of Warwick Business School.

01/08/2023
PRESS RELEASE : Four new Non-Executive Board Members appointed to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport [July 2023]

The press release issued by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on 31 July 2023.

The Secretary of State has appointed Simon Ball, Dame Patricia Hodgson, Larissa Joy and Ralph Rimmer as Non-Executive Board Members for terms of three years.

Simon Ball

Appointed from 17 July 2023 until 16 July 2026.

As well as sitting on the Departmental Board, Simon has been appointed to chair the Department’s Audit and Risk Committee.

Simon served most recently as a non-executive director and Chair of Audit and Risk on the Organising Committee for the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, and as Senior Independent Director for Commonwealth Games England. His previous non-executive roles include Deputy Chair and SID at Cable and Wireless Communications plc, Chair of Anchura Group and on the boards of Morgan Stanley International, AIB Group plc, AIB Mortgage Bank, Leica Geosystems AG and Tribal Group.

Simon is a chartered accountant, whose executive career spanned both the Private and Public sectors, including positions on the boards of 3i Group plc (CFO), Robert Fleming Group (CFO) and Kleinwort Benson Ltd (CFO & COO), in addition to serving with HMG Department of Constitutional Affairs (as Director General Finance).

Dame Patricia Hodgson

Appointed from 06 July 2023 until 05 July 2026.

Dame Patricia Hodgson is a member of the Science & Technical Facilities Research Council, the Programme Board at the National Centre for Digital Innovation and Deputy Chair of Policy Exchange. She was previously Chair of Ofcom, a member of the UK’s AI Council, Chair of the School Teachers’ Pay Review Body, Principal of Newnham College, Cambridge and Senior Independent Non-Executive Member of the Competition Commission.

She recently chaired Policy Exchange’s Commission on the Reform of Government and has served on the Commission for Standards in Public Life. In her executive career, Patricia was a producer at the BBC, a main board Director, leading on strategy, policy and the BBC’s switch to digital, before becoming Chief Executive of the Independent Television Commission.

Larissa Joy

Appointed from 06 July 2023 until 05 July 2026.

Larissa is a Non-executive Director of international law firm Charles Russell Speechlys; a Non-Executive Director of search firm Saxton Bampfylde; Chairman of the Trust Board of international architecture practice Hawkins\Brown and a Non-executive Director of the Law Society of England and Wales. In her pro bono portfolio, she is Chair of The Foundling Museum; Chair of Social Business Trust (a consortium of Clifford Chance, Permira, Bain, EY, FT Group, Schroders and others); and Co-Founder and Co-Chair of Thrive at Five.

Her previous roles include Vice Chairman of WPP’s Ogilvy Group UK; European COO of Weber Shandwick; Partner of emerging markets private equity firm Actis LLP; Non-executive Director of London & Quadrant (L&Q);Non-executive Director of Helpforce; and Chair of Sir Quentin Blake’s House of Illustration.

Larissa read law at Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge, completed her solicitor’s finals at the College of Law, London and studied at London Business School, where she completed her MBA. She holds a Licentiate from the Royal Academy of Music (LRAM) and a Fellowship of Trinity College London (FTCL). She was awarded an OBE in the Queen’s New Years Honours list in 2021.

Ralph Rimmer

Appointed from 06 July 2023 until 05 July 2026.

Ralph was first appointed as CEO of the Sheffield Eagles Super League club in 1997, a club which went on to produce the biggest cup upset in the history of the competition in winning the Challenge Cup in 1998. He then went on to be CEO at Huddersfield Giants and between 1997 and 2002 he managed the Irish International team.

In 2004 he was invited onto the Board of Huddersfield Town, during which time the club was rescued from Administration and went on to achieve promotion to League 1. He was also made Managing Director of the Kirklees Stadium Development Limited in 2004.

Following 7 years as Chief Operating Officer of the Rugby Football League, he was appointed CEO on 01 January 2018 and led the sport through the Covid pandemic. In addition he drove the RFLs ground-breaking strategic realignment whilst also leading the organisation in support of the RLWC team in the highly successful Rugby League World Cup 2021, which delivered competitions in Mens, Womens, Wheelchair and Physical Disability Rugby League team competitions. He was a director of the International RL Board for 6 years.

Since stepping down from his CEO position in 2023, he has been utilising his accumulated knowledge and expertise of the sporting world working as a consultant on several projects across the sports industry domestically and internationally. He was recently engaged by DCMS to help advise and support Rugby Union in this country.

The Audit and Risk Chair receives an annual remuneration of £20,000 per annum. The other roles receive an annual remuneration of £15,000 per annum. These appointments have been made in accordance with the Cabinet Office’s Governance Code on Public Appointments. The appointments process is regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments. Under the Code, any significant political activity undertaken by an appointee in the last five years must be declared. This is defined as including holding office, public speaking, making a recordable donation, or candidature for election. Simon, Dame Patricia, Larissa and Ralph have not declared any such activity.

01/08/2023
PRESS RELEASE : Minister to see UK Government investment benefitting west of Scotland [July 2023]

The press release issued by the Secretary of State for Scotland on 31 July 2023.

Boosting the economy and supporting communities will be UK Government Minister for Scotland John Lamont’s focus as he visits Scotland’s west coast this week.

Starting Monday (July 31), the Minister will begin a five day visit of engagement with Scottish businesses, community groups and North Ayrshire council about the opportunities and challenges they face.

He will see how UK Government funding is helping communities on the mainland and the islands of Mull and Arran and will discuss how it, alongside local partners, can provide further support.

UK Government Minister for Scotland John Lamont said:

“I’m eager to see and hear for myself the opportunities and challenges faced by people living and working on Mull, Arran and the west coast of Scotland.

“I know rural areas have many particular issues of concern such as cost of living, affordable housing and connectivity and I’m looking forward to chatting with local communities and businesses about how working together we can ensure local economies are growing and thriving .

“We are giving people financial security by halving inflation and growing the economy to create better paid jobs and opportunity right across the country, while reducing debt so that we can secure the future of public services.

“We are investing more than £2.4 billion to level up all areas of Scotland, with Argyll and Bute and North Ayrshire receiving £31 million and £72 million respectively. This includes £23.4 million from the UK Government’s Levelling Up Fund to improve connectivity in North Ayrshire with upgrades to the B174. It will be great to see this investment in action and get thoughts on what else can be done to improve people’s lives.”

DIARY

At Cruachan Power Station, near Dalmally in Argyll, he will hear from Drax about its renewable energy operation. The Minister will speak about the UK Government’s commitment to helping the sector use alternative, clean resources, in the drive to net zero. He will see the dam as well as the underground power station which sits in a huge cavern inside the mountain Ben Cruachan, also known as “Hollow Mountain”, which the makers of Star Wars TV series Andor used last year for on-location shooting.

He’ll also visit the nearby Scottish Sea Farms’ Barcaldine salmon hatchery – recently awarded £5 million from the UK Government Seafood Fund – to learn more about how one of Scotland’s most famous exports is becoming more sustainable and innovative and sustaining hundreds of jobs, including 103 apprenticeships. Fisheries will also be on the agenda as he meets members of the Community Inshore Fisheries Alliance in Oban to learn more about their work and importance of the sector to coastal communities and the rural economy.

While in Oban he will also meet with the Scottish Association for Marine Science (SAMS) to discuss how the UK Government’s Community Renewal Fund (£407,715) is supporting the Seaweed Academy, and its importance in bringing high-skilled jobs to the area. The Minister will hear how the Argyll and Bute Growth Deal, backed by £25 million each from the UK and Scottish governments, could see the creation of a skills and research and development centre.

On the Isle of Mull, the Minister will visit Inverlussa Mussels – which earlier this month was awarded £200,000 through the UK Government’s Seafood Fund. Based at Loch Spelve from where it produces up to 500 tons of mussels per year, it has often been voted Scotland’s best mussel producer. The Minister will hear about the farm’s plans to upgrade the mussel farm and shore-based hub with renewable energy supply. Also on the agenda from the food and drink sector is a meeting with Isle of Mull Cheese which has diversified into producing Isle of Mull Spirits.

Mull and Iona Community Trust (MICT) will showcase their work to improve the quality of life for residents, including delivering community development projects – such as transport and local, affordable home building schemes which are helping to keep Ulva Primary School open. And he’ll hear from Tobermory Harbour Association about its plans to transform the Aros Waterfront site into an outdoor activity hub to create a hub for community well-being, educational opportunities, and tourism.

At TSL Contractors, Craignure, the discussion with the employer will include access to labour and population retention on the island. And at Nonhebel Park (Tobermory Light Industrial Park), he’ll hear about the site’s 100% occupancy rate and expansion plans. The Minister will meet Royal Mail to discuss the impact of ferry reliability on delivering post to Scotland’s island communities – and its plans for 50 new ‘postal drone routes’ over the next three years.

On Arran he’ll meet the community-led Arran Development Trust to get a better sense of the governance issues islanders face. The Minister will see the trust’s housing project in Lamlash which will provide homes for key workers. The Minister will also hear from North Ayrshire Council about its Islands Recovery and Renewal Pilot partnership and how it has facilitated the development of the first Arran Local Island Plan to boost the economic, community and environmental wellbeing of the population.

And he will meet with the Arran Community and Voluntary Service to discuss some of the work carried out by more than 120 groups operating on Arran. These include the Community of Arran Seabed Trust (COAST) who have campaigned to stop fishing that damages the island’s seabeds and introduce a more sustainable industry. The Arran Eco Savvy Community charity will tell him how it is working to reduce Arran’s carbon footprint, supporting residents and local businesses to greener lifestyles. Included will be an update on progress on the Islands Green Programme, which was supported by £456,000 from the UK Government Community Renewal Fund.

The Minister will visit the re-opened Lochranza Country Inn, which received £300,000 UK Government Community Ownership Fund for a local buyout of the last remaining inn in the village. There he will meet with the North Arran Community Benefit Society who run the Inn and see the renovations and repairs to bring the building up to standard and future-proof it for generations to come.

Back on the mainland, North Ayrshire Council will take the Minister on a tour of the area where he will see and hear about the opportunities and challenges facing the region, including successful government and local partner collaboration through the Ayrshire Growth Deal. He will hear about the new Ayrshire Regional Economic Strategy and vision for Ayrshire 2033.

Among the projects the Minister will visit is i3 Irvine. Investment – including £5m from the UK Government – will result in the creation of a Digital Processing Manufacturing Centre to provide a centre of excellence for digital automation. This will build on current life science clustering at the site, and will facilitate research and development activity.

He will also see B714 upgrade plans to significantly improve connectivity between the region and Glasgow, the central belt, wider motorway network and how it will improve journeys for road users travelling to the west coast and ferry links to Arran and Cumbrae. The project, which will substantially increase the potential for tourism and economic development, is being part funded through £23,693,443 awarded to North Ayrshire Council from the UK Government’s Levelling Up Fund.

And at the recently completed Lochshore Park Hub in the Garnock Valley, the Minister will hear about the outdoor activities and events within the parkland and plans to deliver environmental, economic, regeneration, health, mental health and social benefits to the community. At the hub he will have a more detailed conversation with the council on regeneration plans for North Ayrshire.

01/08/2023
PRESS RELEASE : £40 million fund launched to unlock 5G benefits across the UK [July 2023]
The press release issued by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology on 31 July 2023.

The government has launched a £40 million fund to spark local digital revolutions and unlock 5G benefits across the UK.
- Applications open for £40 million fund for local and regional authorities to accelerate 5G innovation and pioneer digital connectivity for residents and business
- winning regions will be supported to adopt 5G and other advanced wireless tech in driving innovation and opportunity across a variety of sectors, including public service delivery
- new fund supports Prime Minister’s goal of growing the economy and creating better paid jobs through improved, secure digital infrastructure
Local areas across the UK will be helped to boost their digital connectivity and develop advanced wireless technologies, thanks to a new £40 million fund that could power everything from innovative healthcare solutions to futuristic farming and smart systems to improve transport and cut congestion.

From today, local and regional authorities can apply for a share of the multi-million-pound fund, designed to accelerate innovation in sectors such as advanced manufacturing, transport, agriculture and public services, helping to create better connected places across the UK.

The cash boost will create 5G Innovation Regions by awarding funding to areas that can demonstrate how they will drive the development and adoption of 5G and other technologies. This will make sure communities in towns, cities and rural areas across the UK take full advantage of the benefits advanced wireless connectivity and digital technologies can provide, as well as attract commercial investment to grow the economy.

Applications of the technology could include connecting sensors that analyse and help to improve air quality by better managing traffic, and deploying 5G-enabled drones that can scan fields and crops, collecting data on weather and environmental conditions. Research shows widespread adoption of 5G could result in productivity benefits of £159 billion by 2035.

Minister for Data and Digital Infrastructure, Sir John Whittingdale, said:

Greater adoption of 5G-powered technologies will help deliver more efficient public services, new opportunities for residents and businesses, and a boost for economic growth – and this new fund will give local areas from across the country the opportunity to be at the forefront of Britain’s world-leading 5G revolution.

5G Innovation Regions will be uniquely positioned to benefit from breaking down barriers which hinder the rollout of such technologies at a local level and this initiative offers every community the chance to gain these opportunities.

Improving connectivity through a world-class digital infrastructure is one of the core components of the government’s plans to level up every community in the UK and I encourage local areas to apply and to be ambitious in their vision for reaping the rewards of 5G.

Improved connectivity through 5G and advanced wireless technologies could have a transformative effect on local areas, providing faster, more reliable, and more secure connectivity for residents and businesses, boosting local economies and improving the delivery of public services.

The government’s Wireless Infrastructure Strategy sets out how advanced wireless connectivity will underpin new and emerging innovative technologies, ranging from Artificial Intelligence to self-driving vehicles, and digital twins – virtual environments where real-world objects like buildings or wind turbines can be tested under different conditions and perfected using advanced computer simulations.

Hamish MacLeod, Chief Executive of Mobile UK, said:

Driving adoption of 5G is key to releasing the full benefits of this technology, and the government’s new £40 million fund to support Innovation Regions is an important step.

I look forward to seeing the active participation of local and regional authorities whose communities and businesses will be better positioned to realise the benefits of advanced wireless connectivity.

Advanced wireless technologies will also be key to driving the government’s ambitions to harness digital transformation to build a more inclusive, competitive and innovative digital economy, supporting the creation of good jobs in new and emerging sectors, and providing reliable high-speed connectivity for residents and businesses.

To further accelerate the adoption of 5G in key sectors ranging from transport to manufacturing, the UK Telecoms Innovation Network (UKTIN) will also launch a nationwide campaign. Working alongside the 5G Innovation Regions, the campaign will bring together businesses who want to adopt 5G services with telecoms providers and vendors, helping them to understand the benefits 5G-enabled services can bring to their companies and how they can access this alternative technology.

Running until March 2025, the successful 5G Innovation Regions will be supported by government through the DSIT Future Network Programmes team and UKTIN to develop their own digital ecosystems, take advantage of new and emerging technologies, and amplify local and national activities such as Project Gigabit, Investment Zones, and devolution deals to support local digital growth. Applications will close on 3rd September, and winning bidders will be announced later this year.
31/07/2023
PRESS RELEASE : Hundreds of new North Sea oil and gas licences to boost British energy independence and grow the economy [July 2023]
The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 31 July 2023.

Hundreds of new oil and gas licenses will be granted in the UK, the Prime Minister has confirmed today.
Prime Minister commits to future oil and gas licensing rounds, as new analysis shows domestic gas production has around one-quarter the carbon footprint of imported liquified natural gas

North East Scotland and the Humber chosen as locations for two new carbon capture usage and storage clusters – building a thriving clean industry in the North Sea which could support up to 50,000 jobs

Investment in the North Sea will continue to unlock new projects, protect jobs, reduce emissions and boost UK energy independence

Hundreds of new oil and gas licences will be granted in the UK, the Prime Minister has confirmed today (Monday 31 July), as the UK Government continues to back the North Sea oil and gas industry as part of drive to make Britain more energy independent.

The Government and the North Sea Transition Authority (NSTA) are today announcing a joint commitment to undertake future licensing rounds, which will continue to be subject to a climate compatibility test.

By adopting a more flexible application process, licences could also be offered near to currently licensed areas – unlocking vital reserves which can be brought online faster due to existing infrastructure and previous relevant assessments.

With the independent Climate Change Committee predicting around a quarter of the UK’s energy demand will still be met by oil and gas when the UK reaches net zero in 2050, the Government is taking steps to slow the rapid decline in domestic production of oil and gas, which will secure our domestic energy supply and reduce reliance on hostile states.

This will increase the UK’s energy security and reduce dependence on higher-emission imports, whilst protecting more than 200,000 jobs in a vital industry as we grow the UK economy. As part of a visit to a critical energy infrastructure site in Aberdeenshire today, the Prime Minister will highlight the central role the region will play in strengthening the UK’s energy independence and meet the next generation of skilled apprentices key to driving this work forward.

The NSTA – responsible for regulating the oil, gas and carbon storage industries – is currently running the 33rd offshore oil and gas licensing round. They expect the first of the new licences to be awarded in the autumn, with the round expected to award over 100 licences in total.

Future licences will be critical to providing energy security options, unlocking carbon capture usage and storage and hydrogen opportunities – building truly integrated offshore energy hubs that make the best use of the established infrastructure.

This comes as new analysis released by the NSTA today shows that the carbon footprint of domestic gas production is around one-quarter of the carbon footprint of imported liquified natural gas. As the UK is a rapidly declining producer of oil and gas, new oil and gas licences reduce the fall in UK supply in order to ensure vital energy security, rather than increase it above current levels – so that the UK remains on track to meet net zero by 2050.

UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said:

We have all witnessed how Putin has manipulated and weaponised energy – disrupting supply and stalling growth in countries around the world.

Now more than ever, it’s vital that we bolster our energy security and capitalise on that independence to deliver more affordable, clean energy to British homes and businesses.

Even when we’ve reached net zero in 2050, a quarter of our energy needs will come from oil and gas. But there are those who would rather that it come from hostile states than from the supplies we have here at home.

We’re choosing to power up Britain from Britain and invest in crucial industries such as carbon capture and storage, rather than depend on more carbon intensive gas imports from overseas – which will support thousands of skilled jobs, unlock further opportunities for green technologies and grow the economy.

The UK’s oil and gas industry are also vital to driving forward and investing in clean technologies that we need to realise our net zero target, like carbon capture usage and storage, by drawing from the sector’s existing supply chains, expertise and key skills whilst protecting jobs.

Today, the Government has confirmed that projects Acorn in North East Scotland and Viking in the Humber have been chosen as the third and fourth carbon capture usage and storage clusters in the UK.

The Government has already committed to deploy CCUS in two industrial clusters by the mid-2020s – the HyNet cluster in North West England and North Wales, and the East Coast Cluster in the Teesside and Humber – and another further two clusters by 2030 – now confirmed as Acorn and Viking.

Together, these four clusters will build a new thriving carbon capture usage and storage industry, which could support up to 50,000 jobs in the UK by 2030.

The UK has one of the largest potential carbon dioxide storage capacities in Europe, making the North Sea one of the most attractive business environments for CCUS technology. The Government has committed to provide up to £20 billion in funding for early deployment of CCUS, unlocking private investment and job creation.

Energy Security Secretary Grant Shapps said:

In the wake of Putin’s barbaric invasion of Ukraine, our energy security is more important than ever. The North Sea is at the heart of our plan to power up Britain from Britain so that tyrants like Putin can never again use energy as a weapon to blackmail us.

Today’s commitment to power ahead with new oil and gas licences will drive forward our energy independence and our economy for generations. Protecting critical jobs in every region of the UK, safeguarding energy bills for British families and providing a homegrown fuel for our economy that, for domestic gas production, has around one-quarter the carbon footprint of imported liquified natural gas.

Our next steps to develop carbon capture and storage, in Scotland and the Humber, will also help to build a thriving new industry for our North Sea that could support as many as 50,000 jobs, as we deliver on our priority of growing the economy.

The Prime Minister has also tasked the relevant Government departments and regulators to work collaboratively and report back by the end of the year on how we can make the best use of our offshore resources in a truly integrated way as we unlock CCUS and hydrogen opportunities in the North Sea.

A call for evidence has also been launched by Government today, seeking views on the evolving context for taxes for the oil and gas sector to design a long-term fiscal regime which delivers predictability and certainty, supports investment, protects jobs and the country’s energy security.
31/07/2023