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Category: Press Releases

  • PRESS RELEASE : £9.13 million awarded to develop cutting-edge farming technology [March 2023]

    The press release issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 24 March 2023.

    Robotic crop harvesting, a new way of cultivating potatoes and an autonomous cow bedding system receive share of funding.

    Three cutting-edge projects will receive a share of £9.13 million in government funding to carry out research and development on proposals to boost agricultural productivity, sustainability and climate resilience, it has been announced today.

    The funding will support projects developing robotic crop harvesting for horticulture, an autonomous system to change cows’ bedding to improve their health, welfare and productivity, and a more environmentally-friendly approach to potato cultivation.

    The three projects are being supported through the Large R&D Partnership competition, which is part of the government’s £270 million Farming Innovation Programme, and a second round of the competition is currently open for applications.

    This is all part of the government’s commitment to spend around £600 million on grants to provide support for farmers to invest in productivity, animal health and welfare, innovation, research and development over three years. It will be funded from the £2.4 billion annual farming budget, which is being maintained at its current level for the rest of this current Parliament.

    Alongside the ongoing roll-out of the Environmental Land Management schemes, the grants will help to deliver long-term sustainable food production and support farmers to halt and reverse the decline of nature as set out in the Environmental Improvement Plan.

    Farming Minister Mark Spencer said:

    It’s important that we fund projects like these – and those still to come in future rounds – as we support farmers to deliver sustainable food production and protect the environment.

    Innovation, research and development will help keep the sector at the cutting edge of technology as we look into the future.

    Katrina Hayter, Interim Executive Director Healthy Living & Agriculture, Innovate UK, said:

    These projects have all demonstrated not only an innovative solution to a real-life, on-farm problem, but also the value of partnerships and collaboration between different sector experts. For novel technology to truly succeed, it needs the input of the farmers themselves for the day-to-day realities of its use.

    We’re really pleased that these partnerships have this idea at their core, and we now look forward to working with them as they develop their solutions further and bring the benefits to life.

    Successful projects

    The Agri-Opencore project, led by APS Produce, has been awarded over £3.8m to accelerate the delivery of robotic crop systems for horticulture. With labour shortages affecting the horticulture sector around the world, there are huge opportunities to reduce costs and labour requirements. The funding will help the project create the world’s first open development platform (software and hardware) for agri-robotic crop harvesting. The open development platform will enable multiple organisations to contribute, allowing cross-sector collaboration and demonstration of technologies on English farms. It is hoped that the project will help to accelerate the adoption of robotic picking by two years.

    Phil Pearson, from APS Produce, said:

    The AGRI-OPENCORE robotics project is an exciting, and vital project for the fresh produce industry. It promises to deliver the significant progress required to automate fresh produce harvesting in the UK. As this work brings leading technology providers, Dogtooth, Xihelm and Wootzano, with the academic excellence of the University of Lincoln team, we can expect significant progress towards autonomous harvesting.

    The AG ARC project, led by Garnett Farm Engineering, has been awarded over £2.5m towards the development of an autonomous cow cubicle bedding unit. Cow comfort is a key factor in reducing the chances of cows suffering from mastitis, a fatal inflammation of their mammary gland, with dry and clean bedding and careful management of cubicles being vital. Currently, this must be done manually by farmers, but this project will develop an intelligent robotic cubicle bedder to monitor and respond to key sensor data to optimise dispensing of bedding. This will help to boost cow health and welfare, improve farm productivity and reduce costs through efficient use of bedding.

    Andrew Garnett, of AG Products, said:

    We look forward to collaborating with the University of Liverpool on this exciting project to further enhance our cattle bedding solutions to farmers, improving cow welfare and productivity. Our passion for innovation has seen the recent launch of the AG Duo; the AG ARC will further revolutionise the industry’s approach to cattle bedding..

    The Potato-LITE project has been awarded £2,830,000 to explore optimised systems for potato cultivation. Current systems require the soil to be cultivated to create a deep and uniform seedbed, free from stones and clods, to provide a favourable environment for potato growth. Whilst reduced tillage technologies have enabled regenerative agriculture in cereal systems, this technology has not been developed for the production of potatoes and other root crops. Potato-LITE will transform potato tillage through developing new cultivation equipment and systems, delivered through a leading partnership between food manufacturers (PepsiCo and McCain), a machinery manufacturer (Grimme), growers (Strawson Ltd, JRO Griffiths, H Sutton & Son and JM Bubb & Son) and research organisations (Cranfield University, Harper Adams University and CHAP). The project focuses on reducing the depth, intensity and number of operations required, which will improve soil health and reduce the environmental impact of potato production whilst also reducing costs, making the £824 million potato sector more resilient and sustainable.

    Shaunagh Slack, Project Lead for Potato-LITE, Regen Ag Scientist, Agricultural Science, PepsiCo, said:

    At PepsiCo, agriculture is core to our business and we believe that sustainable agricultural practices are pivotal in protecting and enhancing our natural resources. Through Potato-LITE, we have a unique opportunity to form a leading industry and academic partnership to transform potato tillage and quantify the benefits on soil health and greenhouse gas emissions.  This four year research project will enable the adoption of regenerative agriculture practices among UK farming communities as we work towards a net zero future.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Raising Awareness on Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict – British Ambassador’s opening remarks [March 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : Raising Awareness on Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict – British Ambassador’s opening remarks [March 2023]

    The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 24 March 2023.

    British Ambassador to the Holy See gave opening remarks at the panel discussion ‘Conflict-Related Sexual Violence – Raising Awareness’ on 24 March 2023.

    Opening remarks by British Ambassador to the Holy See Christopher Trott.

    Your Excellencies, Reverend Fathers and Sisters, Colleagues, welcome and thank you for being with us here and online.

    I would like to thank in particular Maria Lía Zervino, President General of the World Union of Catholic Women’s Organisations, Dr Paolo Ruffini and Sr Bernadette Reis at the Dicastery for Communications of the Holy See for their support in making this event possible, and the shared commitment to raise awareness of conflict-related sexual violence, which is still – in the words of Pope Francis – “a general, and widespread, reality everywhere.”

    During my career, I myself have witnessed first-hand the devastating impact of this heinous act. From my first posting in Myanmar to my most recent ones in South Sudan and in the Solomon Islands. Just a few places where conflict-related sexual violence destroys lives, and where the trauma has had deep and long-lasting effects on the survivors, but also their families and communities.

    But conflict-related sexual violence is not only morally abhorrent. It is an abuse of human rights. And, when perpetrated in the context of armed conflict, it is a serious violation of international humanitarian law and a war crime.

    Tragically, in Ukraine, we are now seeing sexual violence committed by the occupying Russian forces. Ukraine is a rallying call to the international community, and to every one of us. I’m proud that my Government has deployed specialist war crimes and conflict-related sexual violence experts to the region, and that it is working with international partners to refer the situation in Ukraine to the International Criminal Court. Russia’s barbaric acts must be investigated and those responsible held to account.

    The issue

    Conflict-related sexual violence exists far beyond Ukraine. It is sadly widespread in situations of conflict around the world.

    Typically, conflict-related sexual violence is a type of gender-based violence that is grounded in harmful social norms that underpin gender inequality, patriarchal institutions, men and boys’ violence against women and girls, and violations of women’s rights. At the same time it is also frequently used against males, especially boys.

    It has both short- and long-term effects on survivors, children born of sexual violence, and communities. Physical health impacts range from the consequences of immediate injuries to longer-term disabilities. Mental health impacts for survivors vary, including but not limited to anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress disorders. And, while dealing with these traumas, survivors often find themselves isolated, without the support they need to get back on their feet. Sadly, the stigma associated with being a survivor of conflict-related sexual violence can include rejection by family and exclusion from community.

    More generally, conflict-related sexual violence can undermine poverty reduction, gender equality, crisis resilience and recovery, and conflict prevention and resolution.

    The UK’s role

    Preventing sexual violence in conflict remains a key priority for my Government. The international conference held in London last November mobilised the international community, survivors, civil society, multilateral partners and faith leaders to take global action.
    At that conference, the UK launched an ambitious strategy to use our diplomatic, development and defence levers to tackle this appalling crime, including by addressing the root causes, such as harmful gender norms. We pledged to strengthen justice for survivors, and to support them and their children born of sexual violence in conflict. This strategy is backed by up to £12.5m (Euro 14.8m) of new funding over the next three years, bringing our total funding since 2012 to £60m (Euro 68m), and £3.45m (Euro 3.9m) of new funding on gender-based violence in Ukraine and the nearby region.

    The London conference also galvanised further international action, with 53 states and the UN Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict endorsing a new Political Declaration and 40 making national commitments to help stamp out this heinous crime. The UK has since launched an International Alliance to bring together states, civil society and survivors to maintain momentum and to act as a key forum for coordination, sharing best practice and hearing from survivors.

    The London conference also saw the launch of the ‘Murad Code’, which is named after Nadia Murad, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate and herself a Yazidi survivor of sexual violence used by Daesh in Iraq. The Murad Code sets out how to collect information from survivors safely and effectively. Representatives of civil society including faith actors on the ground and survivors were involved in the consultation process of the Murad Code. The code has also been translated into Ukrainian to support the response in Ukraine.

    Faith actors

    I would like to end by highlighting the crucial role faith leaders can play, including but of course not limited to Catholic leaders. Firstly, they can dismantle the harmful misinterpretations of religious texts used to justify sexual violence in conflict. Second, they, more than politicians, can speak to people’s consciences in demanding an end to conflict-related sexual violence, as well as to the stigma too often faced by survivors and their children. So Pope Francis’ statements condemning conflict-related sexual violence during his recent visit to the DRC as he heard harrowing tales from survivors are incredibly powerful.

    Another important example is the Declaration of Humanity, which was launched in 2020 by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon, the Prime Minister’s Special Representative on Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict, with significant endorsement from over 50 high-profile faith and belief leaders. In the declaration, faith leaders from across the faiths called for an end to sexual violence in conflict and denounced the stigma too often faced by survivors. Their declaration is the first of its kind and unites multiple faiths to work within their communities to prevent these horrific acts.

    Since 2020, support for the Declaration has continued to grow in countries with a high prevalence of conflict-related sexual violence.

    To date, it has been signed by over 200 faith leaders, along with around 450 civil society actors and community leaders. Including the Catholic networks, such as the Missionaries of Africa and Cardinal Vincent Nichols, President of the Bishops Conference of England and Wales. We continue to encourage faith leaders to sign the Declaration and put it into action within their communities, and we hope that more Catholic Church’s leaders will commit and spread the Declaration’s messages.
    Conclusion

    Addressing conflict-related sexual violence has become even more complex at a time of intersecting crises and inequalities, as shown by the Covid pandemic and the war in Ukraine. The international community must stand together to prevent and respond in an effective and co-ordinated manner.

    Women and girls must be protected in all situations, but especially in conflict zones. I look forward to hearing the experience of the Catholic networks on the ground in assisting survivors in their rehabilitation journey and in breaking the stigma. And to hearing testimonies from survivors today.

    I hope that today’s event will also be an opportunity to raise awareness on what more needs to be done to eliminate this crime, and to illuminate how we can work together better to strengthen action. Including the important role of the media (and I am glad to see also journalists attending the event). And importantly, how do we work together to ensure survivors always remain at the centre.

    I look forward to being inspired.

    Thank you

  • PRESS RELEASE : RAF joins five other nations in UK’s biggest aerial exercise [March 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : RAF joins five other nations in UK’s biggest aerial exercise [March 2023]

    The press release issued by the Ministry of Defence on 24 March 2023.

    70 aircraft flown by six nations have taken part in the UK’s biggest aerial training exercise lasting three weeks.

    Pilots from five nations have joined the Royal Air Force for the UK’s biggest aerial training exercise this week, which boosts interoperability and helps to develop joint tactics in the air.

    Exercise Cobra Warrior sees 70 aircraft training together in high intensity, large force, simulated complex tactical air warfighting operations for three weeks during March.

    Pilots from the Finnish, Indian and Royal Saudi Air Forces are taking part this year for the first time. The Belgian and US Air Force are returning having joined previous Cobra Warrior exercises.

    The Indian Air Force have deployed five Mirage 2000 aircraft to RAF Waddington. The Royal Saudi Air Force are operating six Typhoons from RAF Coningsby.

    Minister for the Armed Forces, Rt Hon James Heappey MP, said:

    Cobra Warrior is a fantastic opportunity for British pilots to exercise with our international partners, learning from each other and rehearsing operating together, as I’m sure our air forces will do many times over the coming decades.

    Six F-16s of the Belgian Air Force and six F-18s from the Finnish Air Force are operating from RAF Waddington. Finland’s participation is part of a wider training activity in support of Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) exercises.

    The three week exercise brings together the capabilities of all nations involved and delivers the full spectrum of air operations, including defensive and offensive counter-air and strike operations. This includes RAF Regiment Precision Strike Teams, Air Manoeuvre operations to support ground forces, and developing our Joint Personnel Recovery Capability.

    Squadron Leader Mcfadden, Commanding Officer of 92 Squadron, said:

    Exercise Cobra Warrior is a challenging Air-led multi-domain exercise, focused on pitting our NATO, Joint Expeditionary Force and International Partners against a capable peer adversary within a challenging and complex environment.

    It has been a pleasure to host pilots from so many different nations to fly alongside UK pilots and train together in joint-tactics and interoperability.

    The fast jets taking part in the exercise are supported by RAF Voyager aircraft conducting air-to-air refuelling operations, flying from RAF Brize Norton. UK Joint Helicopter Command aircraft are also participating from RAF Leeming.

    The RAF’s Air Mobility Force are also taking part in the exercise, with sorties including deploying elements of 16 Air Assault Brigade during an associated ground mission, that forms part of the overall exercise scenario.

  • PRESS RELEASE : New guidance will help police crack down on public sexual harassment [March 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : New guidance will help police crack down on public sexual harassment [March 2023]

    The press release issued by the Home Office on 24 March 2023.

    The government has confirmed its support for an amendment to the Protection from Sex-Based Harassment in Public Bill, to ensure the law is as robust as possible.

    The legislation will introduce harsher sentences if someone who deliberately harasses, alarms, or distresses someone in a public place does so because of the victim’s sex, with the maximum sentence increasing from six months to two years.

    The amendment, tabled by the bill’s sponsor Greg Clark MP, will require the government to produce statutory guidance for the police to help them enforce the new offence.

    MPs have now agreed that the statutory guidance should become part of the bill. It will clarify how the legal defence available to defendants, whereby they could prove that their conduct was “reasonable”, should be applied. The guidance will make clear that what is deemed “reasonable” is what would objectively be considered reasonable, not what the defendant claims is reasonable.

    Home Secretary Suella Braverman said:

    Women have the fundamental right to walk the streets without fear and I’m committed to ensuring that criminals who intimidate and harass them face the consequences.

    This is why we are backing the Protection from Sex-Based Harassment in Public Bill, and after carefully considering a range of views, we have supported an amendment that will require the government to produce statutory guidance for the police to help them enforce the new offence.

    The new guidance will clarify in particular how the ‘reasonable conduct’ defence should be interpreted, to ensure any new law is as robust as possible.

    Greg Clark MP said:

    Too many women and girls feel unsafe when alone on our streets, especially at night. They should not have to put up with that but too often they do – resorting to safeguards like walking at night with their keys clenched in their hands, precautions that most men don’t have to think about.

    My bill would correct a loophole in the law in which it is not a specific offence to harass someone in public on the grounds of their sex but it is on, for example, the grounds of their race. It aims to change the culture so that it becomes as obviously unacceptable to abuse, humiliate and intimidate women and girls in public as it is to do so because of a person’s race or sexuality.

    The government announced its support for the legislation in December 2022 after consulting a wide range of experts on introducing a specific offence. The consultation showed the need for a specific offence to make the laws surrounding public harassment clearer to both the public and the police. Despite public sexual harassment already being illegal, the introduction of a specific offence will encourage women to report to the police, as well as emphasising the severity of the crime.

    The bill has now completed all stages in the House of Commons and will be considered by the House of Lords.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Joint statement on the Withdrawal Agreement Joint Committee and Trade and Cooperation Agreement Partnership Council meetings [March 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : Joint statement on the Withdrawal Agreement Joint Committee and Trade and Cooperation Agreement Partnership Council meetings [March 2023]

    The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 24 March 2023.

    The UK Foreign Secretary James Cleverly and European Commission Vice-President Maroš Šefčovič gave a joint UK-EU statement on the 2 meetings on 24 March 2023.

    Joint statement by European Commission Vice-President Maroš Šefčovič and the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Affairs, the Rt Hon James Cleverly MP, 24 March 2023:

    The European Union and the United Kingdom today held the tenth meeting of the Withdrawal Agreement Joint Committee and second meeting of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement Partnership Council in London. The meetings took place in a constructive atmosphere building on the excellent cooperation between the Foreign Secretary and the Vice-President over recent months.

    The Joint Committee welcomed the positive approach of both sides and adopted the new arrangements set out in the Windsor Framework. These arrangements address, in a definitive manner, the challenges in the operation of the Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland over the last 2 years and the everyday issues faced by people and businesses in Northern Ireland, while supporting and protecting the Good Friday or Belfast Agreement in all its parts, and protecting the integrity of the European Union’s Single Market, and Northern Ireland’s place in the United Kingdom’s internal market. Both sides agreed to work together intensively and faithfully to implement all elements of the Windsor Framework. The United Kingdom and European Union also reaffirmed their intent to use all available mechanisms in the Framework to address and jointly resolve any relevant future issues that may emerge.

    The Joint Committee also covered other important issues under the Withdrawal Agreement, in particular their joint work to protect the rights of EU citizens and UK nationals, addressing all relevant issues. Both sides agreed on the importance of continuing to support these citizens, and welcomed the efforts made over the past year to do so, including additional funding provided by both sides to external organisations.

    The co-chairs also adopted the Withdrawal Agreement Annual Report for the year 2021 pursuant to Article 164(6) of the Withdrawal Agreement.

    At the Partnership Council, the parties discussed implementation of the TCA and cooperation in a range of crucial areas including energy, trade and security and agreed on next steps.

    Energy: They underlined the importance of collaboration over the past year as Europe decouples from Russian fossil fuels and highlighted the importance of dialogue on security of supply. They confirmed their commitment to progress work on the electricity trading arrangements envisaged in the TCA. They also discussed the EU Green Deal Industrial Plan.

    Trade: They looked forward to the signing of Memoranda of Understanding on financial services and on intellectual property soon. They agreed to finalise preparation for the Working Groups in the areas of Technical Barriers to Trade as a matter of priority. They also discussed the UK Retained EU Law Bill and Bill of Rights Bill.

    Security: They noted the close collaboration in support of Ukraine, and looked forward to dialogue provided for under the TCA in the areas of cybersecurity and counterterrorism. They also discussed the implementation of data protection safeguards for Passenger Name Records.

    Union Programmes: They noted the openness of both sides to take forward discussions on association in the coming weeks.

    The European Commission and the Government of the United Kingdom reaffirmed their desire to exploit fully the potential of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement, and maximise the potential of the relationship between the EU and the UK in ways that benefit both parties.

    They agreed to remain in regular contact and looked forward to meeting again to take stock of the work of the Committees under the TCA.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Graves of two officers, Harold Rymer Smith and Wilfred John Massey Lynch, missing since 1918 rededicated in France [March 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : Graves of two officers, Harold Rymer Smith and Wilfred John Massey Lynch, missing since 1918 rededicated in France [March 2023]

    The press release issued by the Ministry of Defence on 24 March 2023.

    The graves of Lieutenant (Lt) Harold Rymer Smith and Second Lieutenant (2ndLt) Wilfred John Massey Lynch, who were killed on the Western Front in the spring of 1918, have finally been marked with headstones which now bear their name more than a hundred years after they died.

    The services, which were organised by the MOD’s Joint Casualty and Compassionate Centre (JCCC), also known as the ‘MOD War Detectives’, were held at the Commonwealth War Graves Commission’s (CWGC) Ecoust Military Cemetery near Arras and at Crucifix Corner Cemetery at Villers-Bretonneux, France yesterday (23 March 2023).

    Rosie Barron, JCCC case lead said:

    It has been a privilege to have contributed to the identification of these two Officers and to have organised these rededication services. Had the German Spring Offensive of 1918, in which they fell, been successful then the outcome of the First World War could have been very different. It is thanks to men such as Lt Smith and 2nd Lt Massey Lynch, who paid the ultimate sacrifice during such fierce fighting, that the Allies were able to stem the German advance and bring the war to a conclusion later that year.

    The graves of both men were identified after researchers provided the CWGC with evidence suggesting they had been found. Further research conducted by the National Army Museum and JCCC confirmed their findings.

    Lt Smith and 2ndLt Massey Lynch were killed at the beginning and end respectively of Operation Michael which lasted from 21 March to 5 April 1918. Operation Michael was the first of three phases of the German Spring Offensive or Kaiserschlacht, which did not conclude until July 1918.

    In 1917 Russia had surrendered, releasing German troops from the Eastern Front, and the Americans had joined the war on the Allied side. The aim of the Spring Offensive was to use the advantage of Germany’s newly released troops to force a victory in the west before the Americans could deploy their forces in strength. The offensive was initially successful and the Germans retook most of the ground that they had lost in the fighting of previous years. However, the attack overstretched their resources and eventually faultered.

    Lt Harold Rymer Smith

    Lt Smith, from Barnet, Middlesex, was 23 years old when he died of wounds on 21 March 1918, the first day of Operation Michael. On 19 March 1918, 2/6th Battalion The North Staffordshire, to which Lt Smith belonged, moved into the Bullecourt Sector and took up positions in support around Ecoust-Saint-Mein. Two days later the Germans attacked in force making three attacks on Ecoust-Saint-Mein that day. British forces were eventually overwhelmed.

    Lt Smith was wounded in the back by a shell and taken to the Regimental Aid Post (RAP) on the north western edge of the village near the Croisilles to Ecoust Road. As casualties mounted, the RAP, the tunnel under the embankment and Battalion Headquarters were filled with wounded in the space of a few minutes. Captain G Adams later reported that Lt Smith had been lying on the stretcher next to him and that he had died. Having captured Ecoust-Saint-Mein the Germans set about clearing the village and created a mass grave close to the location of the RAP. Lt Smith was buried there, and his death and burial were reported through the Red Cross.

    In September 1920 the mass grave was exhumed, and the soldiers buried there were moved into Plot II, Row B in Ecoust Military Cemetery. As he was missing Lt Smith was commemorated on the Arras Memorial. He is now known to be buried in Ecoust Military Cemetery alongside other men of 2/6th Battalion The North Staffordshire Regiment killed that day.

    The service was attended by members of Lt Smith’s family who gave an emotional tribute to him and his brother, 2ndLt Ralph Pritchard Smith, who was also killed during the Great War.

    Sarah Rockliff, the great niece of Lt Smith, said:

    We are deeply grateful to all those who helped find our Great Uncle Harold Rymer Smith. This has been profound for our family. Choosing the wording on the headstone and attending the service of rededication allows us to do what Harold’s parents and siblings never could. This brings peace in our hearts to the family past, present and future.

    2ndLt Wilfred John Massey Lynch

    25 year old 2ndLt Massey Lynch, from West Derby, Liverpool, was killed on 4 April 1918 in the latter stages of Operation Michael. The Germans attacked with the aim of forcing the British Fourth Army back towards Amiens and the First French Army away from its ally. Seizing this ground would allow the Germans to move heavy howitzers in range of Amiens, where vital railway junctions were key to the resupply of Allied forces. The final aim of the German plan was to take the city itself.

    At 07:00hrs 3rd Dragoon Guards, to which 2ndLt Massey Lynch was attached, were sent to operate on the right flank of 43rd Brigade north of the Villers-Bretonneux to Warfusee Road as the 14th Division was being forced back. At 09:15hrs they carried out reconnaissance and filled in any gaps they found in the line. A new line was dug, and the situation stabilised. They remained around this location throughout the day as the enemy attacked. It was during this fighting that 2ndLt Massey Lynch lost his life. The German attack ultimately failed to take the ground needed to launch their attack on Amiens and Operation Michael came to a close the following day with the strategic city still in Allied hands.

    After the war 2nd Lt Massey Lynch’s body was recovered and he was buried as an unknown Officer of 3rd Dragoon Guards in Crucifix Corner Cemetery, in Villers- Bretonneux. Because he was missing, he was commemorated on the Pozières Memorial to the missing.

    2ndLt Massey Lynch’s great niece, Ann Massey Lynch said:

    Growing up, it was my parent’s stories of service in the Second World War that formed the backdrop to conversations. Older relatives, like my grandfathers, were either dead or did not speak of their experiences, or of the relatives who had died as young men in the First World War. So, my great uncle Wilfred was a shadow, who was known through a family photo of 1916, and through his daughter Lisle. I am deeply moved that both JCCC and CWGC, should take the time to create such a beautiful rededication service, and to erect and care for a new headstone. Lisle would have been so grateful. It gives dignity to such an early death and has re-awakened his young life story for me. I shall mark 23 March as a special day to remember both Wilfred and all those who gave their lives in the Great War.

    The services were conducted by the Reverend Daniel Njuguna CF, Chaplain to 1st Battalion The Mercian Regiment and were attended by serving soldiers of 1st Battalion The Mercian Regiment and the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards.

    The Reverend Njuguna said:

    The tribute paid by Lt Smith’s family, sums up beautifully the significance of these rededication services to families such as those of Lt Smith and 2ndLt Massey Lynch. It brings us all peace in our hearts today to finally stand at your grave and offer you our blessings, our love and the care you deserve. We feel so fortunate this can happen when so many more still lie unrecognised. This is truly a moment to treasure and a special place of wonder.

    The headstones over their graves have been replaced by the CWGC.

    Director General of the CWGC, Claire Horton, said:

    We are honoured to be able to mark the graves of these two brave men with headstones bearing their name at our cemeteries in France this week. They paid the ultimate price whilst fighting on the Western Front, more than 100 years ago. And now, it is our privilege and duty to care for their graves in perpetuity, along with their comrades.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Rishi Sunak meeting with Prime Minister Netanyahu of Israel [March 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : Rishi Sunak meeting with Prime Minister Netanyahu of Israel [March 2023]

    The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 24 March 2023.

    Prime Minister Rishi Sunak welcomed Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to Downing Street today for talks on strengthening the close partnership between the United Kingdom and Israel.

    The two leaders welcomed the signing of the UK-Israel 2030 Roadmap this week, which will drive our bilateral relationship forward and commit £20m in funding for joint science and technology projects over the next decade.

    They expressed their backing for a modern free-trade agreement with cutting-edge service provisions and said their teams would work to progress this at pace.

    The leaders discussed shared security and defence challenges, including Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine and the threat posed by Iran to regional stability. The Prime Minister set out the UK’s analysis of the situation in Ukraine and the importance of continued international support to defend their sovereignty.

    On Iran, they discussed the UK and Israel’s significant concern about Iran’s destabilising activity, and agreed that our governments would continue to work closely together to push back against aggression and manage the risk of nuclear proliferation.

    The Prime Minister also expressed his solidarity with Israel in the face of terrorist attacks in recent months. The UK would always stand with Israel and its ability to defend itself. At the same time, the PM outlined international concern at growing tensions in the West Bank and the risk of undermining efforts towards the two state solution. He encouraged all efforts to de-escalate, particularly ahead of the upcoming religious holidays.

    The Prime Minister stressed the importance of upholding the democratic values that underpin our relationship, including in the proposed judicial reforms in Israel.

    The leaders welcomed the chance to meet in person to progress our important partnership, and the Prime Minister looked forward to visiting Israel at the earliest opportunity.

     

  • PRESS RELEASE : Joint statement on Syria Envoys-level meeting in Amman [March 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : Joint statement on Syria Envoys-level meeting in Amman [March 2023]

    The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 24 March 2023.

    The UK and international partners have issued a statement following a meeting of Syria Envoys in Amman on March 21 2023.

    The text of the following statement was released by the Governments of the United Kingdom, Egypt, France, Germany, Jordan, Norway, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Türkiye, the United Arab Emirates, the United States, the European Union, and the League of Arab States following their meeting in Amman, Jordan on March 21, 2023, to discuss the current situation in Syria in the aftermath of the earthquakes.

    We expressed our heartfelt condolences for the immense devastation and loss of life caused by the February 6 earthquakes in Türkiye and Syria, as well as our steadfast commitment to alleviate the suffering of those affected.  We encouraged the international community to provide humanitarian assistance – including both emergency response and early recovery projects – to all Syrians in need, especially those in the most affected areas.  In this regard, we welcomed the outcomes of the March 20, 2023, international donors’ conference in Brussels to support the people in Türkiye and Syria, and we also looked forward to the seventh annual Brussels Conference on the Future of Syria and the Region on June 15, 2023.

    We reiterated our call for a nationwide ceasefire and for continuous and unhindered humanitarian access to all Syrians through all modalities, including both cross-border and cross-line.  We called for the maintenance and expansion of United Nations cross-border aid, for which there is no alternative in scope or scale.  In this regard, we welcomed the recent facilitation by the Syrian authorities of UN cross-border humanitarian access through the Bab al-Salam and al-Rai crossings and called for this to continue.

    We also welcomed UN Special Envoy Geir Pedersen’s briefing and reaffirmed our support for UN Security Council Resolution 2254.

  • PRESS RELEASE : UK and Albania outline £4 billion ambition for closer export ties [March 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : UK and Albania outline £4 billion ambition for closer export ties [March 2023]

    The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 24 March 2023.

    UK Export Finance CEO will call on UK businesses to grasp opportunities to export to Albania.

    • Tim Reid, CEO of UK Export Finance, the Albanian Prime Minister and Finance Minister will today outline their £4 billion ambition for a closer export relationship
    • This could deliver a minimum of £800 million in value to businesses across the UK
    • Tim Reid will issue a ‘call to action’ to British businesses to export to Albania using UKEF’s attractive terms to help raise debt finance
    • The two countries will agree to be partners in economic development and sustainable projects in Albania and the wider Western Balkans

    The Chief Executive of UK Export Finance (UKEF), Tim Reid, today meets with the Albanian Prime Minster, Edi Rama and Finance Minister, Delina Ibrahimaj, to cement their £4 billion ambition for a closer UK-Albania export relationship.  This £4 billion marks a doubling of the previously published market risk appetite for UKEF support for Albania and signals the huge opportunity available for UK exporters.

    Total UK exports to Albania reached £144 million in the 12 months to September 2022, an increase of £97 million in current prices on the previous year. The visit will build on this growing trade relationship and result in an agreement to work more closely.

    Tim Reid, CEO of UK Export Finance will say:

    There is significant opportunity here for UK businesses.  The volume of trade with Albania is increasing dramatically, showing the huge appetite for British exports. With UKEF support more companies can reap the rewards of exporting.

    We also welcome the recent launch of the British Chamber of Commerce in Albania. This new organisation will help connect British and Albanian businesses.

    Our closer relationship with Albania will unlock a new phase of collaboration in sectors such as renewable energy, healthcare, and transport. Last year we celebrated our 100th year of trade relations, I’m looking forward to continuing our work with Albania and strengthening our great exporting relationship.

    Deals made between the two countries would help grow the UK economy, support job creation and help deliver the government’s wider levelling up agenda. A £4 billion ambition would mean a minimum £800 million value to British businesses. This is because Albanian buyers would be required to source from the UK supply chain under the conditions of UKEF’s finance.

    Delina Ibrahimaj, the Albanian Finance Minister, will say:

    Albania has a pipeline of key infrastructure projects that need overseas investment. This agreement to work more closely with the UK should send a signal to British business that Albania has markets ready for your products and UKEF can support you in your export ambitions.

    UKEF has an International Export Finance Executive based in the Western Balkans who works alongside other government teams in these countries as well as covering Central and Eastern Europe. The IEFE’s work closely with the overseas buyers to showcase the UK supply chain. They are on hand all over the world to discuss financing options available from UKEF to support the exports of UK goods and/or services.

    An example of UKEF support in the Eastern European region includes a £360 million guaranteed loan for the construction of a 5G-ready motorway in Serbia. The UKEF support for this motorway project, announced in October 2021, is creating value worth approximately £125 million to the UK economy.

  • PRESS RELEASE : UK Infrastructure Bank Bill becomes law [March 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : UK Infrastructure Bank Bill becomes law [March 2023]

    The press release issued by HM Treasury on 24 March 2023.

    • The UK Infrastructure Bank bill has received Royal Assent, confirming the UK Infrastructure Bank’s independence
    • A vital part of the Government’s plan to invest in infrastructure, the Bank has already announced £1.2 billion of deals that unlock over £5 billion of private and public investment, driving growth in every region of the UK
    • Headquartered in Leeds, the Bank is bringing hundreds of jobs to the city and has already created and supported 4,500 jobs across the country

    The Bank provides funding to private companies and local authorities for projects to boost clean energy, improve transport links, expand digital infrastructure, and improve water and waste processing.

    The bill will enshrine the Bank’s operational independence, put its objectives to level up the UK and help tackle climate change in statute and set out clear accountability structures.

    Having already announced £1.2 billion of deals that unlock over £5 billion of private and public investment, the Bank is tasked with unlocking £40 billion of infrastructure investment by working closely with the private sector and local Government to drive growth and our green industrial revolution.

    Andrew Griffith MP, Economic Secretary to the Treasury said:

    “The UK Infrastructure Bank has already announced billions of pounds of vital investment as well as creating and supporting over 4,500 jobs UK wide.

    “We have a laser focus on growing the economy and delivering high skilled, well paid jobs, as we drive forward this country’s clean energy revolution, creating opportunity in every region of the UK.”

    Formally launched in June 2021 the UK Infrastructure Bank has been provided with £12 billion of capital to deploy, with the capacity to issue £10 billion of government guarantees, recently using these powers to unlock £75 million to accelerate full-fibre rollout to 1.5 million homes in the UK.

    The Bank will continue its mission to harness investment tailored to the needs of specific local areas, offering a range of financing tools including debt, equity, and guarantees. Further information: