Category: Press Releases

PRESS RELEASE : Reappointment of Royal Mint Advisory Committee Members [February 2023]

The press release issued by HM Treasury on 20 February 2023.

Jane Ridley and Hughie O’Donoghue have been reappointed to the Royal Mint Advisory Committee (RMAC) today (20th February).

Both are existing members of the RMAC, having served two terms between 1st January 2015 and 31st December 2022.

Their third term will now conclude on 31st December 2024.

Economic Secretary to the Treasury, Andrew Griffith said:

“I am delighted that Jane Ridley and Hughie O’Donoghue have agreed to serve a third term on the Royal Mint Advisory Committee.

“Their expertise and experience serving on the Committee for a number of years has, and will continue to provide effective input into the development of UK coin design.”

The Royal Mint Advisory Committee on the Design of Coins, Medals, Seals and Decorations was established in 1922 and advises the Chancellor on new designs for United Kingdom coins. It also advises government departments on new designs for official medals and seals. Its members are appointed by HM The King on the recommendation of the Prime Minister.

February 20, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Government asks companies share plans on improving Britain’s water infrastructure [February 2023]

The press release issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 20 February 2023.

Environment Secretary Thérèse Coffey has today (Monday 20 February) demanded water companies share plans on improving Britain’s water infrastructure.

The fresh move is part of the drive for better water quality, building on significant work with industry and regulators, allowing government to track progress of investment and new projects.

The Environment Secretary has demanded a clear assessment & action plan on every storm overflow from every water and sewerage company in England, prioritising those that are spilling more than a certain number of times a year, and those spilling into bathing waters and high priority nature sites.

She has also set out more detail on how water companies will face higher penalties that are quicker and easier to enforce.

Any water company caught illegally polluting our waters currently faces enforcement action from the Environment Agency. This can range from Enforcement Undertakings – companies paying to restore damage to the environment – through to prosecution in the courts.

The most serious cases are dealt with through criminal prosecutions. Fines of more than £102 million were handed out in 2021. Last year it was announced that money from these fines will be re-invested into schemes that benefit the environment, rather than being returned to the Treasury.

However, prosecutions can take a long time to bring to a conclusion. That is why the government is consulting on making it easier and quicker for penalties to be issued so that polluters are made to pay immediately when damage is caused to our rivers and seas.

On the upper limit of fines, all options – including £250 million – remain on the table. There will be a public consultation in the spring to find an upper limit that is a real and serious deterrent.

Environment Secretary Thérèse Coffey said:

“People are concerned about the impacts of sewage entering our rivers and seas and I am crystal clear that this is totally unacceptable.

We need to be clear that this is not a new problem. Storm overflows have existed for over a century. The law has always allowed for discharges, subject to regulation. That is how our Victorian sewers are built – wastewater and rain are carried in the same pipe. When it reaches a certain height, it pours into another pipe and into rivers.

And while we have done more about it than any other government – we were the first government to require companies to start comprehensively monitoring spillage so that we could see what was actually going on – there is still significant work to do.

Through the largest infrastructure programme in water company history we will tackle the problem at source, with more investment on projects like the new Thames Tideway super sewer. I am making sure that regulators have the powers they need to take action when companies don’t follow the rules, including higher penalties that are quicker and easier to enforce.

I am now demanding every company to come back to me with a clear plan for what they are doing on every storm overflow, prioritising those near sites where people swim and our most precious habitats.”

The Storm Overflows Discharge Reduction Plan, published last year, required water companies to deliver the largest infrastructure programme in water company history – £56 billion capital investment over 25 years.

More detail on the government’s plans to deliver clean and plentiful water were also set out last month in its Environmental Improvement Plan 2023, a five-year strategy for a cleaner, greener country.

February 20, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : January sees highest level of energy bill support reach vulnerable households [February 2023]
The press release issued by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy on 20 February 2023.

New official statistics show record numbers of households took up the government support on offer for energy bills.
- More support reaching households across Great Britain, with 76% of all Energy Bills Support Scheme vouchers now redeemed – and 1.7 million used in the month of January alone
- this follows government communications campaign, with the Energy Security Secretary calling on suppliers to do everything they can to deliver support
- over £7.2 billion has now been provided to 98% of eligible households in England, Scotland and Wales, with redemption rates across suppliers ranging from 68% to 87%
- ministers call on local leaders to help make sure information and support reaches all households across the country
A record amount of government support reached some of the country’s most vulnerable households in January, as those on traditional prepayment meters (PPM) redeemed more energy bill support vouchers than at any other point in the scheme so far.

Redemption rates are up across all energy suppliers with three quarters of all vouchers now redeemed, following a dedicated government campaign and calls from the Energy Security Secretary for them to do more to help customers access all available support.

New figures published today (20 February 2023) show 1.7 million vouchers were used by households with prepayment meters across Great Britain in January – 130,000 more than in December. This means the highest rate yet of government help has reached some of the most vulnerable households through the Energy Bills Support Scheme (EBSS) – with £530 million provided in total so far under EBSS.

The vouchers delivered through the scheme provide a total of £400 to help with energy costs this winter paid in monthly instalments.

The best performing electricity suppliers with the highest rates of voucher redemptions include E Gas & Electricity and Octopus, whose traditional prepayment meter (PPM) customers redeemed 87% and 85% of their vouchers respectively.

The 5 suppliers with the largest number of PPM customers – Centrica (British Gas), E.On, Ovo, EDF and Scottish Power – all showed an increased number of voucher redemptions, although some remained amongst those with the lowest rates overall.

It follows the Energy Security Secretary’s push for suppliers to do more to help vulnerable customers and concerns about the low take-up of EBSS vouchers. The government has also expanded campaign activity to reach eligible customers with additional advertising across community radio, social media and national magazine titles.

As of the end of January, 76% of all vouchers issued so far have now been redeemed – meaning support reached more of these households than at any other point since the scheme began.

However, even with this improvement the government is calling on suppliers to continue efforts to reach customers with unused vouchers – with around 1.9 million remaining unredeemed.

Energy Security Secretary Grant Shapps said:

The help we’ve put in place means we are covering around half of most household’s energy bill this winter – this is an unprecedented level of support.

With January temperatures having dropped to as low as -10 degrees in some parts of the country, I am pleased to announce today a record numbers of households taking up the government support.

But many households are yet to redeem the vouchers they are entitled to and I want energy companies to redouble their efforts to get the support to those who need it.

Today’s numbers reveal over £7.2 billion has now been provided to 98% of households across Great Britain through the EBSS. Across the regions rates of voucher redemption increased overall, but numbers show the fewest households making use of support in London (58%), Scotland (68%) and the Southeast of England (69%) – meaning many households are still missing out.

Redemption rates in all other regions are now above 70%, although ministers are maintaining calls for communities, local leaders and suppliers to make sure households using traditional prepayment meters are aware of the support and how to access it.

Key statistics today reveal:
- over a third of vouchers remain unclaimed in London’s local authorities, with households from Brent to Lewisham missing out on support to which they’re entitled
- outside of London, some of the lowest redemption rates are in Edinburgh (59%), Brighton (61%) and Glasgow (62%)
- Yorkshire & Humber and the North East of England have the highest overall PPM voucher redemption rates at 75% and 74% respectively – but even in these areas, greater voucher redemptions would bring help to more households using traditional prepayment meters
Whilst most people receive the discount automatically each month they are eligible, people using a traditional PPM receive this in the form of vouchers that need to be redeemed at a Post Office or PayPoint. Suppliers have a responsibility to inform their PPM customers how to access government support using the vouchers and must make several attempts to contact people who haven’t redeemed them.

Cllr James Jamieson, Chairman of the Local Government Association, which represents more than 350 councils across England and Wales, said:

Councils are working hard to ensure this support reaches those who need it, ramping up efforts up and down the country. As families are squeezed during the cost of living crisis, it is vital that households claim the support they are entitled to.

Last year the Energy Minister Graham Stuart met suppliers to discuss what other measures would help increase voucher redemptions by PPM customers, with many offering ongoing training for their call centre staff, and some sending representatives door-to-door to spread the word.

The Energy Security Secretary has also encouraged suppliers to replace traditional meters with smart meters, as they are able to receive government support payments automatically and detect when customers are self-rationing and disconnecting.

It comes in addition to a wider crackdown by the Energy Security Secretary on the mistreatment of vulnerable customers after concerns were raised about the sharp rise in companies seeking warrants to enter people’s homes to forcibly install prepayment meters.

Since Mr Shapps’ intervention all energy suppliers have now committed to ending the forced installation of prepayment meters in vulnerable customers’ homes, Ofgem has committed to speaking to consumers rather than just suppliers about their experiences and Lord Justice Edis issued directions to magistrates’ courts to stop approving warrants to force-fit prepayment meters grinding the practice to a firm halt.
February 20, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : UK development minister visits Turkey-Syria earthquake response [February 2023]
The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 19 February 2023.

UK Development Minister Andrew Mitchell travelled to southern Turkey on Sunday 19 February to see the response first-hand.
- First trip by UK Minister to Turkey since devastating earthquakes to witness first-hand impact of UK aid, helping those affected in Turkey and Syria.
- Follows major new UK aid package on 15 February in response to needs on the ground in both Turkey and Syria.
- Minister toured a UK-led Field Hospital in Türkoğlu to thank UK medical staff for providing lifesaving care alongside Turkish medics, and met UK-aid-funded White Helmets (Syrian Civil Defence) to discuss what is needed in the next stage of the response
As the UK continues to play a leading role in the global response to the devastating earthquakes in Syria and Turkey, UK Development Minister Andrew Mitchell travelled to southern Turkey on Sunday 19 February to see the response first-hand.

He witnessed the work of UK medical and aid teams supporting the Turkish authorities, Syrian organisations, UN and other aid organisations to coordinate the emergency response in both Turkey and Syria.

In Türkoğlu he toured a joint MoD-FCDO Field Hospital staffed by UK-Med and MoD personnel with an emergency room and 24/7 operating centre providing lifesaving care and thanked UK medical staff working side-by-side with Turkish medics.

He also met the White Helmets and Syrian Women’s groups as well as the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) member charity, Care International, the Turkish Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) and UN agencies to hear first-hand about their relief efforts in Turkey and Syria and understand what more needs to be done as the crisis moves from rescue to recovery.

Development Minister Andrew Mitchell said:

We have been working since day one of this terrible earthquake to help coordinate the emergency response in both Turkey and Syria and provide life-saving support to those who need it.

As this evolving situation heads into a new phase from rescue to recovery, I’ve seen first-hand the incredible efforts on the ground at the field hospital, with UK medical teams providing live-saving operations, including to those rescued from under the rubble.

The British public’s response to the Disasters and Emergency Committee appeal, which has now reached a staggering £88 million, underlines the strong support from the UK for rescue and recovery following this tragic event.

I have seen and heard today how this extraordinary generosity has enabled British expertise, charities and NGOs to scale up their support and make a real difference to the people of Turkey and Syria.

The UK match funded the first £5 million of public donations to the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) Turkey-Syria Earthquake appeal providing immediate life-saving support to hardest-hit areas, thanks to the compassion and generosity of the British public.

The visit follows a further £25 million major UK package of support on 15 February, with the UK responding to needs on the ground in Turkey and in Syria in line with requests from the Turkish authorities, the UN and aid agencies.

The UK also sent a team of 77 search and rescue experts with specialist equipment, as well as four rescue dogs, who worked day and night to help people affected by the earthquake. The UK-aid-funded White Helmets (Syria Civil Defence) mobilised a significant search and rescue effort and the UK mobilised an additional £4.3 million to the White Helmets in support of this. As we move from rescue to recovery, the UK is continuing to send urgent relief supplies to Turkey and Syria such as tents and blankets to help survivors cope with the freezing conditions.

We are working closely with the UN to maintain the swift delivery of these supplies across the Turkish border into north-west Syria.
February 19, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : HMS Anson departs Barrow-in-Furness [February 2023]
The press release issued by the Ministry of Defence on 19 February 2023.

HMS Anson, the fifth Astute Class submarine, has sailed from Barrow-in-Furness to begin her journey to His Majesty’s Naval Base Clyde.
- The fifth Astute-Class attack submarine has sailed from BAE Systems’ shipyard bound for her new home.
- Upon arrival at HMNB Clyde, she will undergo sea trials.
- £1.3 billion of UK investment in the programme.
Marking entry into the Royal Navy, HMS Anson was formally commissioned in ceremony last year, and is the eighth Navy vessel to bear the name, originally named after Admiral George Anson.

Building on commitments made in the Integrated Review, the completion of HMS Anson demonstrates the strength of British industry and its world-leading nuclear technology.

Upon arrival at the Clyde, HMS Anson will begin sea trials.

Defence Secretary, Ben Wallace, said:

HMS Anson will play a vital role in defending the UK, providing a competitive edge for decades to come, and I am proud to see her make her journey up to her permanent home on the Clyde.

Supporting tens of thousands of jobs across the UK, our Astute-Class submarines are a leading example of our commitment to defence manufacturing, continuing to boost British industry for decades to come.

One of the most sophisticated underwater vessels ever built, HMS Anson represents £1.3 billion of UK investment.

More than 11 years in the making and built in BAE Systems’ Barrow-in-Furness site, the departure of HMS Anson is a significant moment for the UK’s submarine manufacturing industry.

Delivering on the Prime Minister’s priority to grow the economy, creating better-paid jobs and opportunity right across the country, the construction of HMS Anson has included more than 10,000 coders, engineers, scientists, submariners and technicians across the UK.

Steve Timms, Managing Director of BAE Systems’ Submarines business, said:

It’s with enormous pride that we bid farewell to HMS Anson as she departs our site to take up her vital role helping to protect the UK’s national security.

This is a truly national endeavour, so delivering the most capable attack submarine ever built for the Royal Navy is a tremendous moment for our company, our employees, the Barrow community and the whole of the submarine enterprise, not least our vast and crucially important UK wide supply chain.

Capable of defending the UK’s interests at home and overseas, HMS Anson will be armed with up to 38 Spearfish Heavyweight Torpedoes, and Block V Tomahawk land attack missiles, able to tackle targets at a range of up to 1,000 miles.

Powered by a Rolls-Royce nuclear reactor, the boat will also be operational for 25 years without refuelling.

The Astute Class is the first nuclear-powered submarine class to be designed entirely in a three-dimensional, computer-aided environment –represent the cutting edge and state of the art nature of the UK’s military capabilities.

They are the most advanced boats ever operated by the Royal Navy, providing the capability needed to defend the UK and its allies’ interests at home and overseas.

Dr Tim Sheldon, Director Submarines Acquisition for the Submarine Delivery Agency, said:

We commend the tremendous effort by all those involved across the UK in the delivery of HMS Anson to the Royal Navy.

Her departure from Barrow is a major milestone, not only in her journey to full operational service, but for the Astute programme as a whole.

Weighing 7,800 tonnes, she is 97 metres long – just short of two Olympic swimming pools – with 240 kilometres of cabling – enough to stretch from Barrow-In-Furness to its new home in Faslane, Scotland.

Commanding Officer of HMS Anson, Cdr David ‘Bing’ Crosby, said:

My team and I are grateful to all across the build enterprise and SDA who have made HMS ANSON such a formidable submarine. We are eagerly looking forward to putting the boat through her paces on sea trials, realising her full potential and joining our colleagues on the Clyde – the home of the Royal Navy Submarine Service.

The first four Astute-Class submarines – HMS Astute, HMS Ambush, HMS Artful and HMS Audacious – are already in service with the Royal Navy.

The final two submarines in the class – Agamemnon and Agincourt – are in various stages of construction at Barrow-in-Furness.
February 19, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Rishi Sunak meeting with Prime Minister Kristersson of Sweden and President Niinisto of Finland [February 2023]

The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 18 February 2023.

The Prime Minister met Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson and Finnish President Sauli Niinisto in Munich today.

He underscored the UK’s unwavering support for Sweden and Finland’s accession to NATO. The Prime Minister was clear that a NATO with Sweden and Finland in it will be stronger, and he expressed his hope that they would be able to join ahead of this summer’s NATO Summit.

The Prime Minister said that Sweden and Finland’s huge contribution to European security was already evident from the work they do with the UK through the Joint Expeditionary Force, particularly in the northern most reaches of the continent.

The leaders agreed that Europe’s long-term security would be defined by our response to Putin’s war in Ukraine.

February 19, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Plans to bolster patient safety and boost support for frontline staff by streamlining the system for healthcare regulators [February 2023]
The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 18 February 2023.

The government will streamline the system to modernise regulatory legislation to boost patient safety and support staff.
- Regulating thousands of medical associate professions will help increase their deployment on the frontline
- Potential for their role to be expanded, including looking at the case for extending prescribing responsibilities to PAs and AAs, reducing pressure on other frontline staff
The government has reaffirmed its commitment to streamline the system, improve patient safety and expand the role of medical support staff in the NHS to relieve pressure on GPs and improve access to services.

A new consultation will be launched today seeking views on draft legislation to provide the General Medical Council (GMC) with powers to regulate physician associates (PAs) and anaesthesia associates (AAs) for the first time.

These professions support doctors and surgeons in providing medical care and anaesthetic services to patients. With over 3,500 PAs and 160 AAs working already, regulation will enable them to play an increasingly important part in supporting the workforce to deliver the medical care appropriate for a growing, changing and ageing population.

Regulation is key to help maximise the potential of these roles to boost the workforce and increase their deployment on the frontline, particularly in primary care. For example, once regulated, opportunities could be explored for PAs to help relieve pressure on GPs, including looking at the case for extending prescribing responsibilities to PAs. This would free up clinician time to focus on seeing patients and boosting the number of appointments.

The government consultation, launched today, also represents the next step in the government’s commitment to modernise the regulatory system for healthcare professionals across the UK. These changes will give all regulators the powers to design their own regulatory processes to improve patient safety and help to streamline the system to enable staff to join the NHS frontline more easily.

Health and Social Care Secretary Steve Barclay said:

I want all parts of modern, multi-skilled healthcare teams to able to work to their full potential.

That’s why we’re modernising out of date regulatory legislation to harness the full potential of roles such as physician and anaesthesia associates to provide the highest quality care for patients and relieve pressure on the NHS.

This could also open the door to expanding prescribing powers, helping free up GPs, improve access to appointments and reduce pressure on hospitals.

The wider proposals also include:
- Streamlining the system to allow regulatory bodies to update and change their day-to-day regulatory processes and standards, without needing the approval of Parliament or the Privy Council, allowing them to respond to changes quickly.
- Modernising and improving registration and regulatory processes to enable professions to respond to emerging healthcare challenges more quickly and ensure patients can continue accessing high quality services, confident they are provided by practitioners who are fit to practice. For example, during the Covid pandemic, regulators wanted to introduce remote fitness to practise hearings to boost workforce numbers, but this required to enable regulators to open emergency registers, slowing down the process.
- Ensuring consistent powers for each of the healthcare professional regulators as there is currently variation in the powers regulators have available. This means regulators across different professions will be working with similar powers, presenting opportunities for collaboration and sharing of best practice, ultimately aimed at improving patient safety and outcomes.
PAs and AAs undergo two years of post-graduate studying on average. PAs deliver health care and treatment to patients, such as diagnosing illnesses, performing diagnostic and therapeutic procedures and developing treatment management plans, under the supervision of doctors whilst AAs generally work in hospitals and emergency environments and provide care for patients before, during and after their operation or procedure, including taking a history, performing physical examinations, and using diagnostic data to identify relevant problems.

The government’s ambition is to increase training places for AAs and PAs, with 1,000 PAs being trained each year from 2023/24 and 250 AAs being trained each year from 2024/25.

The proposals will help provide a template for future reforms to support the NHS and improve access for patients.

There are record numbers of staff working in the NHS helping to ease winter pressures and we will publish a comprehensive workforce strategy this year to help recruit and retain more staff, with independently verified forecasts for the number of doctors, nurses and other professionals that will be needed in five, 10- and 15-years’ time.
February 19, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Rishi Sunak meeting with US Vice President Kamala Harris [February 2023]

The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 18 February 2023.

The Prime Minister met US Vice President Kamala Harris, at the Munich Security Conference today.

They paid tribute to the enduring strength of the UK-US relationship, which protects our people and makes the world a more secure place. They agreed there is no clearer evidence of that than in Ukraine, where we are the country’s two closest international partners.

The Prime Minister and Vice President Harris discussed how to accelerate international action on Ukraine, to allow them to win the war and secure a just and lasting peace. They agreed on the importance of thinking beyond Ukraine’s immediate needs to how the international community can ensure Ukraine never faces the same threats again.

They agreed that Putin’s war in Ukraine is a global war, both in terms of its impact on food and energy security and in terms of its implications for internationally accepted norms like sovereignty. The Prime Minister and Vice President Harris condemned those countries who have supported Putin’s efforts politically and militarily.

The leaders also spoke about the AUKUS alliance, where we are working alongside Australia to make the Indo-Pacific region more stable and secure.

February 19, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Rishi Sunak meeting with Poland’s Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki [February 2023]

The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 18 February 2023.

The Prime Minister met Poland’s Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki at the Munich Security Summit today.

They reflected on a profoundly challenging year for the continent following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which brought war to Poland’s borders. The leaders welcomed the UK and Poland’s unity of purpose and ever-closer collaboration, as we stand side by side to help Ukraine and bolster European security.

The Prime Minister committed to continue to support Poland’s security, including through the deployment of the Sky Sabre air defence system and British troops stationed in Poland with NATO’s enhanced Forward Presence. The leaders discussed working with allies to provide further strategic military support to Ukraine’s defence.

They agreed to continue working closely together to deepen our defence and security partnership, strengthen our energy security and develop the UK and Poland’s thriving economic and cultural links.

February 19, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Joint statement by Rishi Sunak and the President of the European Commission [February 2023]

The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 18 February 2023.

Joint statement by the Prime Minister and President of the Commission Ursula von der Leyen at the Munich Security Conference, 18 February 2023.

President of the Commission von der Leyen and Prime Minister Sunak updated one another on their discussions with President Zelensky last week. They agreed on the importance of giving Ukraine the military momentum they need to secure victory against tyranny.

The leaders welcomed the powerful alignment in EU and UK support for Ukraine over the past year, as exemplified both by our record military and economic aid to the country, and the coordination of the most substantial and unprecedented sanctions packages in response to Putin’s war of aggression against Ukraine. They agreed EU and UK efforts to train Ukrainian troops will make a real difference on the battlefield.

The President and the Prime Minister expressed their confidence that the spirit of cooperation with which we have responded to Putin’s brutal war in Ukraine should also be reflected across the full range of issues the EU and the UK face together.

They also had a positive discussion about the talks on the Ireland / Northern Ireland Protocol. They agreed that there had been very good progress to find solutions. Intensive work in the coming days is still needed at official and ministerial levels.

The leaders agreed to remain in close contact over the coming days.

February 19, 2023