Category: Press Releases

PRESS RELEASE : Change of His Majesty’s Ambassador to the Democratic Republic of the Congo – Alyson King [January 2023]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 20 January 2023.

Ms Alyson King OBE has been appointed His Majesty’s Ambassador to the Democratic Republic of the Congo in succession to Ms Emily Maltman who will be transferring to another Diplomatic Service appointment. Ms King will take up her appointment during April 2023.

Curriculum vitae

Full name: Alyson Ruth Grace King

Married to: Ayman Jarjour

Children: 2

Year	Role
2020 to 2023	Beirut, Deputy Head of Mission
2019 to 2020	UK Government Arabic Spokesperson and Senior Regional Communicator, based in Dubai
2018	Full Time Language Training (Arabic)
2016 to 2017	Scotland Office, Deputy Director and Head of Policy Division
2013 to 2016	FCO, Deputy Head, European Union Department (Internal), Europe Directorate
2010 to 2013	Khartoum, Head of Political Section
2009 to 2010	Full Time Language Training in Damascus (Arabic)
2008 to 2009	Brussels, United Kingdom Permanent Representation to the European Union, Legal Adviser
2005 to 2008	European Commission, Secondment as National Expert on Sanctions and the Kimberley Process, Brussels
2004 to 2005	FCO, Assistant Legal Adviser, Legal Directorate
2003 to 2004	FCO, Desk Officer, Trade Policy/Slovenia, Europe Directorate
1999 to 2003	Davis Polk & Wardwell, Associate Lawyer, based in New York and London
1997 to 1999	Columbia University, Teaching Assistant, Human Rights Department (worked alongside studying for 2 Masters degrees)

January 20, 2023

PRESS RELEASE : Deposit Return Scheme for drinks containers moves a step closer [January 2023]
The press release issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 20 January 2023.
Recycling plastic bottles and drink cans is set to be easier for tens of millions of people thanks to a new deposit return scheme, Environment Minister Rebecca Pow announced today.

New plans set out in a consultation response detail that, through small cash deposits placed on single-use drinks containers, people will likely be incentivised to recycle their drinks bottles and cans, reducing litter and plastic pollution.

The scheme would include special machines, known as reverse vending machines, and designated sites where people can return their bottles and receive their cash back. In most cases it would be the retailers who sell drinks covered by the scheme who would host a return point.

Every year UK consumers go through an estimated around 14 billion plastic drinks bottles and nine billion drinks cans, many of which are littered or condemned to landfill.

The new scheme, covering England, Wales and Northern Ireland, is set to be introduced in 2025, following extensive work with industry to prepare for the necessary changes – including setting up infrastructure and amending labelling. It aims to ensure 85% fewer drinks containers are discarded as litter after three years of its launch.

Environment Minister Rebecca Pow said:

We want to support people who want to do the right thing to help stop damaging plastics polluting our green spaces or floating in our oceans and rivers.

That is why we are moving ahead using our powers from our landmark Environment Act to introduce a Deposit Return Scheme for drinks containers.

This will provide a simple and effective system across the country that helps people reduce litter and recycle more easily, even when on the move.

The UK Government will work with the Devolved Administrations, and industry to press ahead with delivery of the scheme. The response to the consultation, published today (20 January 2023), showed that 83% of respondents were in favour of the new system.

International examples show that a deposit return scheme can become a simple part of daily life to make recycling easier, with recycling rates above 90% in Germany, Finland and Norway. Current recycling rates for drinks containers in the UK sit at around 70%.

A target is in place to collect over 85% of returnable drinks containers once the scheme is up and running.

Following today’s announcement, focus will now turn to bringing forward legislation and beginning the appointment process of the Deposit Management Organisation – an independent, industry-led organisation, which will be established to run the scheme. The Deposit Management Organisation will set the amount for the refundable deposit.

Dusan Stojankic, VP of Operations at Coca-Cola in Great Britain & Ireland, said:

We strongly welcome today’s commitment by the Government to introduce Deposit Return Schemes in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. Coca-Cola has long called for a well-designed Deposit Return Scheme that works seamlessly across Great Britain to reduce litter, and enable more packaging to be collected and recycled at the highest quality.

The plans outlined by DEFRA are a step to achieving just that. We’ll continue to work closely with officials, retailers and our peers across the industry to ensure that the scheme is easy for consumers to use, while delivering the best outcome for the environment.

Gavin Partington, Director General of the British Soft Drinks Association, said:

We welcome Defra’s commitment to introducing an all-in can/PET deposit return scheme in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. By kickstarting the UK’s circular economy for drinks containers, the Deposit Return Scheme will help consumers play their part in ensuring the containers they buy are returned for recycling. We look forward to working with officials to help guarantee its success.

These plans build on efforts to eliminate avoidable plastic waste. Last week the UK government announced that a ban on single-use plastic plates, trays, bowls, cutlery, balloon sticks, expanded and extruded polystyrene food and drinks containers, including cups, will be introduced in England from October 2023.

The UK government has already introduced a ban on microbeads in rinse-off personal care products, restrictions on the supply of single-use plastic straws, drink stirrers and cotton buds, and the world-leading Plastic Packaging Tax introduced last year.

Meanwhile, our single-use plastic barrier charge has successfully cut sales by over 97% in the main supermarkets.

Through the Environment Act, the UK Government is bringing in a wide range of further measures to tackle plastic pollution and litter, including:

Our Extended Producer Responsibility scheme will mean packaging producers will be expected to cover the cost of recycling and disposing of their packaging.

Our plans for Consistent Recycling Collections for every household and business in England will ensure more plastic is recycled.

Plastic pollution is a global issue and the government is committed to working with international partners to tackle it. As such, the UK was proud to support the ambitious resolution at the United Nations Environment Assembly that kickstarted negotiations for a legally binding treaty to end plastic pollution.
January 20, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Better protection for rape victims from invasive record requests [January 2023]

The press release issued by the Home Office on 20 January 2023.

Victims will be better protected from invasive requests for personal records, including during rape investigations, the Safeguarding Minister announced today (20 January).

Third party information on victims, such as education, medical, social services and counselling records, can be requested by the police during an investigation. These requests can be time-consuming and have a severe impact on victims’ confidence as an infringement on their privacy.

The government ran a public consultation on these police requests, in which experts across the sector including victims’ groups shared their views.

Today the Home Office published its response to the consultation, which includes a commitment to introduce new legislation on the way the police can request access to personal data from third parties. This will better protect people’s data by ensuring the police and other parties only request this information where this is absolutely necessary and proportionate.

Minister for Safeguarding, Sarah Dines said:

We know that sexual abuse investigations have a significant psychological impact on victims, and it is wrong that victims of some of the most traumatic crimes are having significant amounts of their personal records unnecessarily requested.

This new legislation and guidance will support the police to ensure all requests are completely necessary, and that we can protect victims and deliver justice more quickly.

Respondents to the consultation were supportive of the government’s plans for new legislation, which will put on a statutory footing the police’s duty to only request material that is necessary and proportionate, in addition to a duty to inform people about what type of information is being requested, why, and how it will be used. These duties will be further clarified in a code of practice to aid the police in fulfilling their duties.

National Police Chiefs’ Council Disclosure lead, ACC Tim De Meyer, said:

Police investigators must sometimes seek third party information in order to ensure that they impartially follow all potential leads in an investigation. Third party information might support the prosecution case or be required to see that there is a fair trial. The need to seek third party information depends on the circumstances of the case.

Forces are committed to bringing offenders to justice while treating victims with sensitivity and respect during an investigation, and so policing welcomes the new proposals. It will enable officers to carry out thorough investigations which preserve the absolute right to a fair trial, while respecting the right to privacy of all parties.

John Edwards, UK Information Commissioner, said:

We know from our investigations that the excessive collection of information from victims of rape and serious sexual assault leaves people feeling revictimised by a system they expected to support them.

The steps set out by government show that change is possible, and alongside work by police and broader work across the UK, we believe progress can be made to prevent victims feeling as though they are being treated as suspects.

If the police fail to abide by the statutory duties included in the legislation, they would be in breach of the law and could be open to legal challenge.

The new legislation will help to fulfil a commitment in the government’s End-to-End Rape Review Action Plan to reduce unnecessary and disproportionate requests for personal records, and forms part of the government’s wider commitment to increasing charge and prosecution volumes for adult rape cases and putting the victims’ needs at the centre of investigations.

This new commitment follows the changes the government has already delivered to address concerns surrounding sensitive information taken from victims’ phones. The new powers introduced in the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act (2022), and accompanying code of practice, ensure that all requests for phones and other devices are necessary, proportionate and that victims are given the information they need to make a decision that is right for them before they are asked to volunteer their device. Where victims do agree to share information, the majority of forces are now in the position to ensure they are not without a phone for more than 24 hours, which is another means of improving victim wellbeing in investigations.

The government is also funding Operation Soteria, a programme which brings together academics and police forces, and aims to radically transform the way police and the Crown Prosecution Service deal with rape – shifting the focus onto the suspect, rather than the victim. With the aim of publishing a new national operating model for the investigation of rape in June 2023, academics were brought into 5 ‘pathfinder’ police forces to work alongside frontline police officers and develop new tools for improvement.

Operation Soteria is already showing early indicators of change, including stronger collaboration with prosecutors, improved organisational capability and more specialist knowledge of sexual offending being applied to investigations. A further 14 forces are now participating in the programme.

This is all alongside government action such as offering pre-recorded evidence for rape victims to every Crown Court in England and Wales, sparing them the trauma of testifying during live trial; and committing to quadrupling funding for victim support services by 2025 compared to 2010, including investment to increase the number of independent sexual violence advisors and independent domestic violence advisors to over 1,000 by 2024/25.

The government will pursue the new legislation on requests for third party material when parliamentary time allows.

January 20, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : UK announces support to Ethiopian drought and conflict-affected regions [January 2023]
The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 20 January 2023.

The Minister for Development Andrew Mitchell has announced UK humanitarian aid for regions of rising insecurity within Ethiopia.
- life-saving food and nutrition to help hundreds of thousands of people, has been announced by the UK Minister for Development Rt Hon Andrew Mitchell MP
- funding will support people facing the drastic impacts of drought and conflict across Ethiopia including Tigray and areas of increasing insecurity in western Ethiopia such as Oromia
- with violence and insecurity on the rise, the UK is calling for the international community not to lose focus on Ethiopia after the breakthrough peace deal in Tigray in November
Vital UK aid announced today (20 January 2023) will reach the most vulnerable people across regions of rising insecurity in Ethiopia. More than 600,000 people in Ethiopia will benefit from improved access to critical food supplies or nutrition products.

The Minister for Development Andrew Mitchell announced the new funding package, including food supplies and other nutrition, in response to the country’s worsening humanitarian crisis, with violence and insecurity still on the rise.

Nearly 30 million people are now in need of emergency aid in Ethiopia, more than any other country in the world. In northern and western regions an estimated 22 million people are experiencing devastating food insecurity due to drought, conflict and economic pressures.

In Tigray, humanitarian access has improved since the signing of a peace agreement in November. However, huge numbers of people still have limited access to essential supplies and basic services including food, fuel and healthcare.

Violence and insecurity continue to rise elsewhere in Ethiopia, including in the Oromia region. With the security situation deteriorating, significant numbers of civilians have been displaced from their homes, with many beyond the reach of aid agencies, lacking access to essential services such as electricity, a mobile network, health facilities and banks.

UK funding to the Productive Safety Net Programme (PSNP) will address this humanitarian crisis by delivering aid to those most in need across Ethiopia including Oromia, Tigray, Amhara and Afar regions.

Minister for Development Rt Hon Andrew Mitchell MP said:

With nearly 30 million people across Ethiopia facing severe hardships, this support from the UK comes at a critical moment.

Our life-saving aid will reach hundreds of thousands of people – over half of which are women and children who are bearing the brunt of the country’s worsening crisis.

To alleviate suffering and save lives, I urge the international community not to lose focus on the deteriorating humanitarian crisis in Ethiopia.

The total UK funding announced today is £16.6 million supporting more than 600,000 people. A £11.6 million contribution to the PSNP will reach around 250,000 people living in extreme poverty with food and livelihood security.

Money will be pooled with multi-donor funding alongside international partners, and will go to regions across Ethiopia including Oromia, Amhara, Afar and Harar city zones. During the last 17 years, the UK has provided £650 million to the programme.

Through the World Food programme, a further £5 million of UK funding announced today, will also help treat almost 23,000 pregnant and lactating women suffering from moderate acute malnutrition, and provide better infrastructure for feeding programmes for 42,000 school pupils in 75 schools.

This critical support to malnourished mothers and children will reach the most vulnerable in desperate need, including those in conflict-affected areas of Northern and Western Ethiopia. World Food Programme funding will also be invested in boosting local production of nutrition products, benefitting a further 330,000 children per month.

British Ambassador Darren Welch said:

This latest contribution from the UK is part of a longstanding relationship with the Government of Ethiopia to help address the country’s humanitarian challenges.

UK support to the Productive Safety Net Programme and the World Food Programme will quickly reach those most in need of aid with assistance targeting the most vulnerable, including women and children who are too often the worst affected by climate shocks and conflict.

Darren Welch is newly appointed as His Majesty’s Ambassador to the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia and Permanent Representative to the African Union.

This funding comes just a month after the UK Foreign Secretary James Cleverly visited Ethiopia following the recent peace agreement and the opening of humanitarian routes. The funding means the UK will meet its commitment to spend £156 million in humanitarian aid to East Africa in the financial year 2022 to 2023.
January 20, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Government to support British industry in cutting fossil fuels with £32.5 million [January 2023]
The press release issued by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy on 20 January 2023.

Phase 2 of the Red Diesel Replacement Competition will support innovative projects in developing greener energy alternatives.
- New government funding will support British industries, including construction, mining and quarrying, to reduce their reliance on fossil fuels
- support will develop greener alternatives to red diesel such as electrification and green hydrogen, providing a pathway for industry to cut their emissions and energy costs
- this is the UK government’s latest step in driving industrial energy independence and encouraging green investment across the country
British industrial sectors, including construction, mining and quarrying, will be supported in their plans to develop greener technologies and low carbon fuels, as the government backs industry with a £32.5 million funding package to cut reliance on fossil fuels and boost energy resilience.

The funding announced today (Friday 20 January) will help these industries move away from using red diesel, also known as gas oil, which is a type of fossil fuel commonly used for off-road, heavy-duty vehicles and machinery, such as bulldozers and cranes.

The funding is being made available through the second phase of the Red Diesel Replacement Competition, which supports projects that seek to develop red diesel alternatives. The £32.5 million package will support 3 to 5 demonstration projects that participated in Phase 1 of the programme.

This next phase of funding will support industry to reduce their reliance on fossil fuels, while also helping to cut industry emissions and energy costs, supporting the UK’s commitment to transition away from red diesel to help meet its climate change and air quality targets.

Minister for Energy and Climate Change Graham Stuart said:

These industrial sectors, and the jobs they create, are crucial to our economy, and they also have an important role to play in our shift towards a greener, more secure future.

This latest round of funding will help to speed up industrial decarbonisation, providing industry and consumers with effective low-carbon alternatives to red diesel while boosting green investment to future-proof the resilience of British industry.

The funding announced today follows £6.7 million funding provided to 17 winners under Phase 1 of the competition, in areas covering electrification, e-fuels and green hydrogen, as well as technologies that capture and store energy which would ordinarily be wasted from a vehicle or machine.

Examples of previous winners from Phase 1 include:

MAHLE Powertrain Ltd, Northampton: in partnership with the University of Nottingham and Clean Air Power, MAHLE Powertrain Ltd received £425,072 to build 2 prototype engines capable of running on ammonia and hydrogen, with the aim of providing a pathway for the sustainable use of heavy-duty engines.

CATAGEN Ltd, Belfast received £787,700 for 2 projects, an e-fuel generator to develop e-diesel, and a novel hydrogen compressor.

ULEMCo Ltd, Liverpool: in partnership with Skanska and Building Research Establishment (BRE), UMLECo Ltd received £418,613 to develop and deploy a H2ICED® combustion engine for onsite construction equipment, a world first in converting a piling machine (used in the construction industry) to run on hydrogen fuel.

Steamology Motion Ltd, Salisbury: received £364,717 to build a prototype demonstrator of their high power, zero-emission steam turbine drivetrain, proving a viable red diesel engine replacement technology.

Today’s announcement forms part of the £1 billion Net Zero Innovation Portfolio, which helps to accelerate the commercialisation of low-carbon technologies, systems and business models in power, buildings, and industry.

Switching industry to lower carbon fuels, supported through schemes such as the Red Diesel Replacement competition, will be critical for reducing emissions to meet the UK’s net zero objectives.

Jonathan Hall, Head of Research & Advanced Engineering at MAHLE Powertrain said:

Off-highway industries such as mining, quarrying and construction remain a significant challenge in the transition towards a more sustainable future. These sectors have demanding energy and utilisation requirements and are often in challenging environments far from a power grid connection, making them difficult to electrify.

Exploring other power sources such as ammonia has considerable potential, and the funding provided by BEIS via the Red Diesel Replacement programme has enabled us to develop these innovative, zero-carbon powertrain solutions.

Dr Andrew Woods, CEO and Co-Founder of CATAGEN said:

The purpose of CATAGEN is ‘to clean and decarbonise the air’ and the RDR funding from BEIS has allowed the team to rapidly build two new technologies in 2022. They form part of CATAGEN’s new ClimaHtech product range, a configurable system which uses advanced climate technologies to produce green hydrogen and e-fuels. We are committed to finding a collective solution that will cut CO2 emissions and decarbonise challenging sectors such as industry, shipping, and aviation.

BEIS have helped shine a spotlight on CATAGEN and our technologies which is now resulting in enquiries from across the globe from heavy industry and the automotive sectors. The BEIS team have been a great support to CATAGEN’s development teams, not only by providing funding but through their valued expertise and commitment to reduce emissions as well as creating jobs to support a new net zero economy in Northern Ireland and the UK.
January 20, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Applications invited for appointments to the Chief Electoral Officer for Northern Ireland [January 2023]
The press release issued by the Northern Ireland Office on 19 January 2023.

The arrangements for electoral administration in Northern Ireland are administered centrally by the Chief Electoral Officer for Northern Ireland who is both the electoral registration officer for all 18 constituencies in Northern Ireland and returning officer for all elections and referendums in that jurisdiction.

Personal Specification

An outstanding individual is sought to become the Chief Electoral Officer for Northern Ireland: someone with good judgement, resilience and sensitivity; someone with a track record of achievement at board or senior executive level in the private or public sector; someone experienced in financial management and meeting challenging performance objectives.

The successful applicant will be someone who can give strategic and operational direction to the work of the Electoral Office for Northern Ireland, provide strong leadership and build an inclusive organisation. Critically, the successful candidate must be able to command cross-community respect and confidence in Northern Ireland.

Terms of appointment

It is expected the appointment will commence with effect from 1 April 2023 or as close to that date as possible. Candidates may wish to note that:
- The position is based in Belfast;
- The position is full-time;
- Remuneration on appointment will be within the range £74,912 – £84,122 and will be paid monthly in arrears;
- This position is pensionable. If the successful applicant is not already a member of the Civil Service Pension Scheme he or she will be able to join
- The term of office will be for a period of five years from the date of appointment; and
- This appointment requires security vetting. If you are appointed to the post, you will need to undergo a Security Check (SC) clearance.
How to apply

Those interested in applying for the post should download the application pack from the Cabinet Office Public Appointments website

Completed applications should be sent by email to:ceo2023@nio.gov.uk. by the closing date of 12 February 2023.

Equality of Opportunity

Appointments will be made on merit and with regard to the equality provisions set out in Section 75 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998. We encourage applications from all sections of the community.
January 20, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Ancient Egyptian sculpture at risk of leaving UK [January 2023]

The press release issued by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport on 19 January 2023.

Limestone sculpture from circa 2400 BC to 2300 BC depicts the priest Mehernefer of the vulture goddess Nekhbet seated next to his standing son.

An ancient Egyptian statue once owned by King George III is at risk of leaving the country unless a UK buyer can be found.

The limestone statue of the pair of priests is thought to have been created circa 2400 to 2300 BC, during Egypt’s Old Kingdom period. It was one of the first antiquities from the country to be brought to the UK after it was acquired by Sir James Porter while he was ambassador to Constantinople in 1746–62.

After being brought to the UK the sculpture, which is worth £6,014,500, formed part of King George III’s collection.

One of only a handful of figures from Egypt’s Old Kingdom in the UK, the statue depicts the priest Mehernefer of the vulture goddess Nekhbet seated next to his standing son, who bore the same name and was the priest of the snake goddess Wadjet. The hieroglyphic inscription also says he was an agent of the king in Nubia, a partly colonised region to the south of Egypt.

The son, who is naked, has his hair in a youth lock hanging to one side and his hand is placed on his father’s shoulder. Their poses and depiction, particularly the prominence of the son standing nearly as tall as his father, are highly unusual in statues of this kind. The statue has been restored from badly broken fragments. A third figure, representing the father’s wife, was previously cut away from the statue.

Arts and Heritage Minister Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay said:

“This incredibly rare sculpture offers a fascinating glimpse into life in ancient Egypt. I hope a UK buyer can be found so that this artefact can remain in the country to be enjoyed and studied here by future generations.”

The Minister’s decision follows the advice of the Reviewing Committee on the Export of Works of Art and Objects of Cultural Interest. The committee agreed that the sculpture is of extremely high quality and completeness with a distinguished history in British collections. It also sheds light on the collecting approach of King George III during his reign.

Committee member Christopher Baker said:

“An ancient work of rare beauty and refinement with an extraordinary history, this riveting sculpture has a very special place in the stories of both Egyptology and British collecting. Dating from c.2,400-2,300 BC, during the period known as the Old Kingdom, it is remarkably well preserved and conveys across the millennia with great dignity and tenderness a father-son relationship.

“Arriving in Britain in the mid-18th century, and as such being among the earliest works of ancient Egyptian art to come to this country, it has passed through very distinguished collections: it was acquired by Sir James Porter, Ambassador to the Ottoman Empire, and presented to King George III. He subsequently gave it to his friend, the architect Thomas Worsley, in whose family’s collection in Yorkshire it has remained ever since. Pre-eminent in terms of its history, aesthetic quality and the rich scholarship it could inspire, every effort should be made to secure this precious sculpture for a British collection.”

Committee member Peter Barber said:

“This handsome sculpture is of a type that is rarely to be met with in ancient Egyptian art and – through its link with Nubia – has much to tell us about ancient Egyptian political history.

“But its provenance makes it of particular importance to the cultural history of Britain. It is one of the first ancient Egyptian sculptures to have been appreciated in England but it also illustrates the marked change in the cultural and artistic tastes of George III, one of our most culturally sophisticated monarchs, in the mid-1760s. Under the influence of Lord Bute he had concentrated since the early 1750s on classical European art from the Greeks and – as here – even earlier civilisations. After Bute’s fall, however, he re-focused, as befitted a ‘Patriot King’, on British antiquity and works connected to its growing empire. His gift of the sculpture to Thomas Worsley before 1778 testifies to this change.

“It would be a great pity if a work so closely linked to the development of British and royal taste since the mid-eighteenth century left the United Kingdom.”

The committee made its recommendation on the grounds that the statue met all three of the Waverley criteria: being closely connected with our history and national life, of outstanding aesthetic importance, and of outstanding significance for the study of the archaeological and social history of Old Kingdom Egypt and human civilisation as well as British and Royal collecting of such material.

The decision on the export licence application for the statue will be deferred for a period ending on 18 May 2023 inclusive. At the end of the first deferral period owners will have a consideration period of 15 Business Days to consider any offer(s) to purchase the statue at the recommended price of £6,014,500 (plus VAT of £202,900 which can be reclaimed by an eligible institution). The second deferral period will commence following the signing of an Option Agreement and will last for six months.

Offers from public bodies for less than the recommended price through the private treaty sale arrangements, where appropriate, may also be considered by the Minister. Such purchases frequently offer substantial financial benefit to a public institution wishing to acquire the item.

January 20, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Rishi Sunak call with Prime Minister Netanyahu of Israel [January 2023]

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

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak spoke to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu this morning to congratulate him on his re-appointment.

The leaders looked forward to working together to advance the UK-Israel relationship, including on trade where the UK is already Israel’s most important partner in Europe. They agreed the UK-Israel Free Trade Agreement, currently being negotiated, could unlock further opportunities for both our countries, building on our shared leadership in areas like technology and services.

The Prime Minister and Prime Minister Netanyahu also discussed cooperation between the UK and Israel on security issues, where both countries have an interest in promoting regional stability.

The Prime Minister outlined the steps the UK has taken to respond to abuses of human rights and breaches of international law by the Iranian regime, including sanctioning Iran for illegally supplying military drones to Russia. The Prime Minister thanked Prime Minister Netanyahu for his support to Ukraine.

The Prime Minister reaffirmed the UK’s longstanding position on the Middle East Peace Process. The leaders agreed that the Abraham Accords had the potential to bring about a permanent step change in relations between Israel and its neighbours, with far reaching benefits.

The leaders looked forward to meeting in person soon and to marking Israel’s 75th anniversary later this year.

January 20, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Joint Communiqué of the British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference [January 2023]
The press release issued by the Northern Ireland Office on 19 January 2023.

A meeting of the British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference (BIIGC) took place at Farmleigh House, Dublin, on Thursday 19 January 2023.

The Government of Ireland was represented by the Tánaiste, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister for Defence, Micheál Martin TD, the Minister for Environment, Climate and Communications, Eamon Ryan TD, and the Minister for Justice, Simon Harris TD.

The Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland was represented by the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, the Rt Hon Chris Heaton-Harris MP, the Minister of State for Northern Ireland, Steve Baker MP, the Minister of State for Media, Data and Digital Infrastructure, Julia Lopez MP and the Minister of State for Energy and Climate, Graham Stuart MP.

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

The Conference discussed the following:

Political Stability

The UK and Irish Governments agreed on the critical importance of restoring to full operation all of the political institutions established by the Belfast / Good Friday Agreement. The Conference discussed developments in this context and the serious and deepening consequences for people in Northern Ireland arising from the ongoing absence of a fully functioning Northern Ireland Assembly, Executive and North South Ministerial Council.

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

British-Irish Co-operation

The Irish and UK Governments discussed bilateral cooperation in a range of areas with a particular focus on cyber security and energy.

With regard to cyber security, Ministers agreed to:
- Intensify engagement on cyber resilience issues;
- Explore opportunities to cooperate in supporting growth and innovation;
- Convene bilateral cyber security policy dialogues to address issues of mutual interest and concern
With regard to energy, Ministers agreed to:
- Explore increased cooperation on offshore renewable energy and security of supply, including in relation to offshore grids, electricity interconnection, and development of hybrid/multipurpose projects combining offshore wind generation with interconnection.
- Continue the policy dialogue between relevant Departments and agencies in the context of the forthcoming Memorandum of Understanding for cooperation on gas security of supply.
- Jointly examine the scope for further cross-border cooperation and coordination in the area of low carbon hydrogen.
Progress made in relation to these two areas would be reviewed at future meetings of the BIIGC.

Security Co-operation

The Irish and UK Governments discussed the current security situation in both jurisdictions. They welcomed the excellent ongoing cooperation between the PSNI and An Garda Síochána in tackling terrorism, paramilitarism and associated criminality.

The Conference considered the fifth report of the Independent Reporting Commission, including their recommendations on possible mechanisms to progress the transition and disbandment of all remaining paramilitary groups.

Rights and Citizenship Matters

The Conference welcomed the centenary year of the Common Travel Area arrangements and reaffirmed a clear commitment to the reciprocal rights and privileges it provides for British and Irish citizens.

The Conference discussed UK proposals for the implementation of an electronic travel authorisation scheme, which will not apply to British and Irish citizens, and potential implications for other residents of Ireland and international visitors.

The Conference also discussed recent developments and legislation relevant to the implementation of the rights and citizenship provisions of the Belfast / Good Friday Agreement.

Legacy

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

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

25th Anniversary of the Belfast / Good Friday Agreement

The Conference looked ahead to the range of events and activities planned for the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement’s 25th anniversary year and the Irish and UK Governments reiterated their commitment to appropriately and collectively marking, reflecting on, and celebrating this foundational achievement for present and future generations.

The Conference underlined the continuing fundamental importance of the Agreement today in the constitutional principles it enshrines, the institutions that it establishes and the rights that it guarantees for the people of Northern Ireland.

Future Meetings

It was agreed that the Conference would meet again in Spring 2023.
January 20, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Environment Chief says we can beat the climate emergency at UEA [January 2023]

The press release issued by the Environment Agency on 19 January 2023.

Sir James Bevan, Chief Executive at the Environment Agency spoke of climate optimism and the value of research at a visit to the University of East Anglia.

One of the most senior voices on the environment in England, Sir James Bevan, has given a speech to University of East Anglia students. Sir James praised the institution’s ‘outstanding’ work on climate research.

Sir James Bevan, Chief Executive of the Environment Agency, made the remarks in his speech at the UEA on 16 January. He highlighted the need to focus on tackling climate change, rather than letting fear and doom deter action.

University of East Anglia was 1 of the early pioneers of climate research and has been producing world class analysis for nearly 50 years now. Both its Climatic Research Unit and the Tyndall Centre have both broken new ground in understanding our changing climate and how best to address those consequences. Sir James also referenced the scale of work yet to do within the research space and building international consensus on action.

Sir James Bevan, Environment Agency Chief Executive, said:

In my view this climate doomism is almost as dangerous as climate denial. Indeed doomism might even be the new denial. And it’s equally misplaced. It’s not justified by the facts. And it risks leading to the wrong outcome: inaction.

He explained:

We know what we have to do to solve the problem. The solutions are technically quite simple.

First, we need to reduce and as far as possible stop entirely the emissions of carbon dioxide and the other greenhouse gases: what the experts call mitigation.

And second, we need to adapt our infrastructure, our economies and our lifestyles so we can live safely, sustainably and well in a climate-changed world.

He later added:

If we tackle the climate emergency right, and treat it not just as an existential risk but as a massive opportunity, we can actually build a better world.

One in which we make cities which don’t just generate less carbon or which are just more resilient but are also better places to live. In which we invent new technologies that don’t just mitigate and adapt but also help nature recover from the battering we’ve given it and thrive.

In which we find new ways to run successful economies so there is sustainable, inclusive growth for everyone.

By ending the impacts of climate change on the weakest and helping them recover from things they did not cause, we help deliver justice for all.

UEA has worked with councils and partners to develop a 25-year environmental plan to mitigate the impact of climate change on water security and sea-level rise in region. The Climate Research Unit on UEA campus plays a leading role in producing global temperature figures. The University’s Leverhulme PhD programme is training a new generation of 21st Century climate thought leaders.

Prof Konstantinos Chalvatzis, Professor of Sustainable Energy Business and ClimateUEA Academic Director, said:

I’m thrilled that ClimateUEA has hosted Sir James Bevan on our campus.

His talk engaged on a range of topics and I am looking forward to exploring where UEA’s and the Environment Agency’s expertise can jointly address environmental challenges.

During his speech Sir James referred to how the Environment Agency is playing a central part in tackling the climate emergency. He highlighted the 3 goals of the EA2025 strategy: a nation resilient to climate change; healthy air, land and water; and green growth and a sustainable future.

Sir James concluded by saying the Environment Agency is always looking for talented people who are committed to creating a better planet. He invited attendees to consider joining the agency to help tackle the climate emergency.

January 20, 2023