Category: Press Releases

PRESS RELEASE : Government appoints first Menopause Employment Champion to improve workplace support [March 2023]
The press release issued by the Department for Work and Pensions on 6 March 2023.

Employers are being encouraged to better support women experiencing the menopause as the Government today appointed England’s first ever Menopause Employment Champion.
- Helen Tomlinson appointed new Menopause Employment Champion and calls on more employers to develop menopause policies
- One in four women experiencing menopause are reported to have considered leaving their job due to symptoms
- She will drive awareness of issues surrounding menopause and work while promoting the benefits for businesses and the economy when women are supported to stay in work and progress
Helen Tomlinson, Head of Talent (UK & Ireland) at The Adecco Group, has been appointed to the independent role by the Department for Work and Pensions and will work closely with the Minister for Social Mobility, Youth and Progression Mims Davies.

As part of the voluntary role, Helen will focus on encouraging employers to develop menopause policies to create more supportive environments to help women experiencing menopause to stay and progress in work. She will carry out this work while continuing her employment at Adecco.

With 30 years’ experience in the recruitment and employability sector, Helen is ideally placed to take on the role having hosted a podcast on menopause and work which led to her working with Adecco to develop and introduce their menopause policy.

Launched in 2021, it has since been adapted for numerous external clients and includes training for managers and the creation of a menopause community of allies who advise women on how to support themselves to thrive in work whilst experiencing menopause.

Menopause Employment Champion, Helen Tomlinson said:

I have witnessed the transformational power that opening up conversations on the menopause can have in a workplace. By creating safe spaces by educating management and creating allies across workforces, women can be supported and empowered to manage their symptoms and thrive in work.

Less than a quarter of UK businesses currently have a menopause policy, but as I take on this role, I am determined that my generation of women in work will break the menopause taboo and have confidence that their health is valued.

I look forward to working with women and leaders across all sectors of work to address this gap and make a difference for current and future generations.

Department for Work and Pensions Minister, Mims Davies said:

Menopause is a major driver of too many women leaving the workforce early, often when they are at the peak of their skills and experience with so much more still to contribute.

We are committed to ensuring any stigma is addressed associated with menopause and its symptoms which can vary.

Working positively with employers is vital to ensure they can recruit and retain women experiencing menopause and stop women perhaps considering giving up their employment due to the impact.

I look forward to working closely with Helen, to achieve our goals of driving positive workplace change to help realise the full potential of women, businesses, and the economy by assisting women at any age and career stage to be properly supported and thrive in work.

Although not all women experience effects which prevent them from working, research suggests those with serious menopausal symptoms take an average of 32 weeks of leave from work, whilst one in four women report they have considered leaving their job due to experiencing the menopause.

The average age for a woman to reach the menopause is 51, and this matters especially as women over 50 represent the fastest growing segment of the workforce, with a third of the working age population now over 50.

Indeed, 1 in 100 women experiencing menopause impact before the age of 40 with peri-menopause symptoms often during their 40s and some experiencing it mid-30s.

As Menopause Employment Champion, Helen will focus on workplace support and raising awareness of menopause related issues. This could include advising employers on small but significant changes they could make to the workplace, such as offering those experiencing symptoms more regular breaks, a choice of uniform or creating cooler spaces in offices for those experiencing hot flushes.

Helen will also work closely with the Women’s Health Ambassador Dame Lesley Regan whose work on the menopause centres on healthcare provision.

Women’s Health Ambassador Dame Lesley Regan said:

Having spent my professional career caring for women across their life course, I am acutely aware of the need to support menopausal women in every aspect of their lives.

The Menopause Employment Champion will improve the support we offer our workforce – keeping women in the workplace and ensuring that every woman has the opportunity to live her life to the fullest potential.

This is a further positive step in the implementation of the Women’s Health Strategy which is tackling many practical problems that women experience when trying to access the services they need to optimise their health and wellbeing.

I look forward to working closely with Helen Tomlinson in her new role.

Ahead of today’s announcement, Mims Davies and Helen Tomlinson visited the Whitbread-owned Premier Inn at London County Hall, as the Group has made the menopause a key part of its diversity and inclusion policy.

Janet Tidmarsh, Head of Diversity and Inclusion for Whitbread said:

The menopause is a key part of our robust Diversity and Inclusion strategy, particularly because 67% of our front-line workers are women.

We’re so proud to be on our journey to being accredited as a Menopause Friendly Employer and have made our workplace guide to the menopause available in six different languages. This makes sure it is as accessible as possible in order to enable teams and managers to be supportive for people experiencing menopausal symptoms.

Our Gender Equality inclusion network, which is run by colleagues across the business, has been instrumental in driving awareness and change and work is only going from strength to strength as we continue to invest in this important topic.

This latest announcement comes ahead of International Women’s Day this week and builds on the government’s delivery of an ambitious plan to improve the health and wellbeing of women and girls, set out in the Women’s Health Strategy, in which menopause features as a priority area.
06/03/2023
PRESS RELEASE : HRC52 – Statement on Afghanistan [March 2023]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 6 March 2023.

The UK’s Ambassador to the WTO and UN in Geneva, Simon Manley, delivered this statement on Afghanistan at the 52nd session of the UN Human Rights Council.

Thank you Mr President.

Let me start by thanking the Special Rapporteur for his determination and eloquence in shedding light on the deteriorating situation of human rights in Afghanistan.

As International Women’s Day fast approaches, half of Afghanistan’s population are practically imprisoned in their homes. Domestic violence is on the rise. Yet, if women exercise their freedom of movement they risk arrest, detention and beatings. Instead of attending school and freely planning their futures, girls face the truly devastating fate of being forced into marriage.

This draconian reality is further compounded by rising food insecurity and poverty.

The Taliban have made it near impossible for the Afghan people to live in dignity and safety. Therefore the international community, must continue to urge the Taliban to restore hope to the people of Afghanistan. Which is why the UK has disbursed over half a billion pounds in aid, to ensure lifesaving support to the most vulnerable,

Special Rapporteur,

What more can be done to urgently improve the situation for women and girls in Afghanistan?

Thank you.

06/03/2023
PRESS RELEASE : £1 billion in potential annual savings to be realised through stepped up efficiency drive [March 2023]
The press release issued by the Cabinet Office on 6 March 2023.

The Evaluation Taskforce has awarded more funding for projects to improve evaluation.
- Four new projects have been awarded funding to help test and evaluate new approaches within government
- Up to £1 billion to potentially be saved through modernisation and automation of services
- Other projects include using mobile network data to support electric vehicle uptake
- Fund forms part of a wider push from ministers to drive efficiencies in new ways
New projects within government which could save the taxpayer up to £1 billion have been launched by the Cabinet Office.

The four new projects announced today are part of the Evaluation Task Force’s Accelerator Fund, which provides money to departments to improve evaluation of policy within government.

The Fund is the latest demonstration of the government’s drive to ramp up the use of data to provide financial and efficiency savings to ensure the best value of public money from new policies or interventions.

One project, which will drive forward improvements in government services, could see £1 billion of taxpayer’s money saved through shifting services to digital channels, reducing paper use and automating processes. This includes through the use of phone-bots and automated processes to cut out unnecessary processes.

More than £1.2 million of funding has been awarded to teams tackling issues such as cutting costs through digital transformation and mapping the use of electric vehicles.

Minister for the Cabinet Office Jeremy Quin said:

This is a government with innovation at its core and it’s vital that we channel that in the right way, ensuring decisions made by the government are data-driven.

This funding will help teams drive innovation across government, creating the tools and data departments need to become more efficient and drive value for money. I’m looking forward to seeing the positive impact this will have on public services.

The four projects awarded a total of £1,285,000 via the Evaluation Accelerator Fund will test and develop new data-driven approaches to policy-making and evaluation. It builds on £12.2 million awarded across 16 projects in the first round of funding last year.

Teams across Whitehall and the What Works Network were invited to place bids for ideas that would test and evaluate the impact of new policies or approaches to delivering public services.

The bids needed to demonstrate how they would provide robust evidence of financial or efficiency savings, tying in with the wider push within the government to ensure taxpayers are receiving the best possible value for their money.

One successful bid which has received £500,000 from the Accelerator Fund will see the Cabinet Office evaluate how service improvements, such as reducing the use of paper and demand on customer service teams, can help unlock savings across government. Improvements may include the replacement of physical signatures with e-signatures, or the use of electronic notifications, for example SMS and social media, instead of paper.

Around £450,000 also went towards work being undertaken by the Department for Transport exploring how mobile network operator (MNO) data can be used to support initiatives targeting electric vehicle uptake and usage. It is hoped that mobile data, including geographical spread, charging locations and distances travelled, can be used to help locate charging infrastructure where it’s needed most, as well as providing a more comprehensive evaluation of electric vehicle usage across the country.

Last year a project led by the College of Policing was awarded £1.7 million to help test new ways at preventing violence against women and girls. The funding is now being used to further evaluate the use of Rapid Video Response (RVR) for domestic abuse, having previously been trialled by Kent Police. Findings from the Kent trial showed that it had increased victim satisfaction, with the average wait time to speak to an officer reduced to three minutes. Financial efficiencies, based upon the findings of the initial trial, were calculated to be between £119,000 – £190,000 per annum. Replication of RVR in other forces and testing of different uses of the same technology will identify the potential of this approach across the country.

Another project led by the Ministry of Justice and HM Prison and Probation Service was awarded over £933,000 to tackle drug misuse in prisons by monitoring wastewater. Following successful fieldwork, the trial is due to launch later this year.
06/03/2023
PRESS RELEASE : Deputy Commander UKStratCom visits Blackburn College [March 2023]

The press release issued by the Ministry of Defence on 6 March 2023.

Lieutenant General Tom Copinger-Symes, Deputy Commander of Strategic Command, visited Blackburn College to meet with students studying cyber, digital and law courses, and promote the exciting opportunities in the region.

During his visit, students heard how Strategic Command leads on the development of joint capabilities for UK Defence, including medical services, intelligence, digital systems and cyber.

The skills being taught to students at the College are in high demand as national security threats become increasingly complex and powered by the rapid development of technology.

Addressing these threats needs tech-savvy talent from across the UK, and Strategic Command is committed to supporting more apprenticeships, graduate schemes, and placements.

With over 10 years’ experience focused on how the Army and Ministry of Defence can make better use of data and information, Lt Gen Copinger-Symes has first-hand experience on the benefits that digital skills can bring.

Speaking about the visit, Lt Gen Copinger-Symes said:

It was a great pleasure to meet students at Blackburn College and hear about the amazing work they’re doing to improve their digital and cyber skills. There was a real buzz and energy around the College. I thoroughly enjoyed answering their questions, hearing what excited them and learning about the broad range of courses on offer.

I came away with a huge sense of optimism about the talented students, both young and old, who are eager to bring their skills to the exciting career opportunities in Lancashire.

With the National Cyber Force moving to Samlesbury, we have a unique opportunity to make a real difference to how we protect our nation and help it thrive.

The visit to Lancashire comes as the National Cyber Force, a partnership between Defence and GCHQ, and responsible for using cyberspace to counter threats and contest malicious acts, prepares to move its headquarters to the North West.

With Blackburn College located close to the future headquarters of the National Cyber Force, it is a very real possibility that Lancashire’s homegrown cyber talent will be at the forefront of protecting the UK.

06/03/2023
PRESS RELEASE : HRC52 – UK Statement on Eritrea [March 2023]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 6 March 2023.

During the 52nd session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, the UK delivered a statement on Eritrea on 6 March 2023.

Thank You, Mr Vice-President, and thank you to the panellists for their presentations.

The UK continues to be deeply concerned about the dire state of human rights in Eritrea, which shows no signs of improving. We recall that Eritrea’s policy of indefinite national service violates the human rights of its people, affecting the lives of thousands and as the Deputy High Commissioner has said is the primary reason so many of Eritrea’s young people seek to leave the country. We also call yet again for all those in Eritrea who have been arbitrarily detained and held incommunicado, including thousands detained solely based on their religion or belief, to be released at once.

Mr Vice-President, we must also mention the conflict in Ethiopia, and the grave conclusions by the Joint Investigation of the Office of the High Commissioner and the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission, that Eritrean troops had likely committed human rights abuses and violations, as well as violations of international humanitarian law and international refugee law while in Ethiopia, including against Eritrean refugees living in camps just across the border.
We call on the Eritrean Government to cooperate with any inquiry into these serious allegations, including any accountability or transitional justice processes arising from the Pretoria Peace Agreement.

Mr Vice President, we would like to ask the Panel what, if any, further steps this Council could be taking to encourage Eritrea to abide by its human rights obligations, including to cooperate fully with this Council, and with the mandate of the Special Rapporteur for Eritrea.

Thank you.

06/03/2023
PRESS RELEASE : Employees who volunteer as magistrates prove good for business [March 2023]
The press release issued by the Ministry of Justice on 6 March 2023.

The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) and the Judiciary of England and Wales are calling on employers to join the hundreds already benefitting from supporting staff to volunteer as magistrates.
- employers stand to benefit from skills staff acquire through magistrate training
- the Judiciary of England and Wales and MoJ appeal to employers to support the search for 4,000 more magistrates
- applications are now open for anyone looking to volunteer: icanbeamagistrate.co.uk
With new government data showing 7 million people took part in volunteering between 2021-22*, the MoJ is calling on more employers to join the hundreds who are already feeling the business boost and encourage staff to volunteer as magistrates.

Over 12,000 magistrates currently volunteer across England and Wales and are developing transferrable skills such as critical analysis, complex problem solving and mediation. And according to MoJ research,** 55% of decision-making employers think employees who also serve as magistrates will develop better soft or professional skills.

In fact, HR and business leaders report the top qualities of their staff, who are magistrates, as having sound judgement (89%) and effective decision-making skills (81%).

Supporting staff to volunteer can also boost recruitment. Evidence suggests people are more likely to want to work for organisations that give back to society.

Furthermore, having a magistrate as an employee offers organisations the win-win of attracting and retaining talent. Nearly 1 in 10 volunteers recognise it as a way to ‘get on in their career’, so employer support is likely to be welcomed.

Pam Sheemar, a magistrate and NatWest employee, said:

I am passionate about being a magistrate as it is important for the court system to reflect the communities and people it serves. I have never looked back after six years of service and would encourage anyone who wants to support their community to get involved.

While 84% of business decision-makers would be generally supportive if an employee wanted to be a magistrate, research from the MoJ suggests some employers may need more awareness of how volunteering as a magistrate will impact their business. Only 66% of decision-makers said they knew what a magistrate is and does, and 56% were unaware that magistrates only need to be in court 13 days a year.

In reality, many magistrates fulfil this crucial role alongside full-time employment and caring responsibilities.

Through targeted marketing, the MoJ and the Judiciary aim to put a spotlight on the role of a magistrate and attract 4,000 new volunteers across England and Wales. This recruitment drive is the largest in the history of the magistracy.

Deputy Prime Minister, Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice, Dominic Raab, said:

Magistrates play a vital role in our justice system and develop a range of skills when undertaking training and making important court decisions that are invaluable in the workplace.

They bring these to bear for their employers, bringing significant benefits to the businesses they work for.

Employers, by law, must allow an employee who is a magistrate reasonable time off work to carry out their duties. Volunteering staff will have to be in court at least 13 days, or 26 half-days a year, but since a judicial rota is provided well in advance, there will be plenty of time to plan and agree on time off.

While employers are not required to pay employees for their magistrate work, many choose to. However, magistrates not being paid by their employers can claim an allowance from a court for loss of earnings.

Dipesh Mistry, Chair of the NatWest Midlands and East Regional Board, said:

NatWest is committed to supporting and giving back to the communities we operate in.

The Ministry of Justice’s recruitment drive and the qualities they are looking for in people who will become great magistrates align with our values as an organisation to be inclusive, curious and robust.

By encouraging our employees to volunteer as magistrates, not only are they creating positive change for their community and reflecting our values, but they are able to build skills which benefit our business such as decision making and teamwork.

Volunteering as a magistrate is open to most of the workforce. No legal qualifications or experience is required, and an individual’s level of education is no barrier. Anyone aged between 18 and 74 that wants to challenge themself, develop new skills and create positive change for the good of their community can be a magistrate.

Volunteers will work closely with two other magistrates and a legal advisor, who offers guidance on the law.

Vacancies in many regions are now open. Anyone wanting to apply, or to be notified when a vacancy opens in their region, should visit the magistrate recruitment site for more information.
06/03/2023
PRESS RELEASE : New Women Veterans’ Strategy to look at experiences of former female service personnel [March 2023]
The press release issued by the Cabinet Office on 6 March 2023.

The Office for Veterans Affair has announced its intention to publish a Women Veterans’ Strategy.
- Women Veterans’ Strategy to be developed by the Office for Veterans’ Affairs (OVA)
- The strategy will look at the specific needs and challenges faced by women veterans, and celebrate their successes
- Areas set to be considered in the upcoming strategy include mental health support, physical welfare and employment
Challenges faced by women who leave the services are to be considered as part of the UK Government’s first Women Veterans’ Strategy, which is due to be launched later this year by the Office for Veterans’ Affairs.

Through the strategy, the Government will tackle areas where women veterans might be missing out on support, as well as any accessibility issues, within the wide variety of services already being delivered for the veteran community.

There are more than 235,000 women in England and Wales who have proudly served in our Armed Forces. However, women veterans have been reported to face issues accessing support services, particularly where those services are inadvertently orientated towards men.

Looking at the particular needs and challenges faced by women veterans compared to their male counterparts, the OVA will identify what further support may be given to women veterans to meet their specific needs. Working with experts in academia, charities and other government departments, this will cover areas such as mental health, physical welfare and employment.

The Minister for Veterans’ Affairs, Johnny Mercer said:

Making this country the best place in the world to be a veteran shouldn’t just be something we say, but something we do.

In order to deliver this ambition, it’s vital that we listen to women veterans, celebrate their successes, and deliver the support they need. That’s what the new Women Veterans’ Strategy will do.

The OVA plans to publish the Women Veterans’ Strategy later this year.

In developing the strategy the OVA will outline what support is already being delivered across the UK and what more may need to be done, both by the Government and across wider support services.

To support the strategy, the OVA has commissioned research into the accessibility of services available to women veterans and the experiences of women in interacting with existing support. The research is due to report back this summer, with recommendations being used in the development of the strategy.

The launch of the Women Veteran’s Strategy comes after the OVA and the Ministry of Defence launched a wider review of veterans’ welfare services, which is designed to examine their effectiveness and efficiency, answering the calls of relevant stakeholders.

The OVA is already engaged, through the recently announced Veterans Health Innovation Fund, with a number of projects looking to understand the specific needs of women veterans. This includes Northumbria University’s work to assess the impacts of military service on women veterans, and with the University of Exeter and IonaMind who will develop AI supported interventions to treat depression and anxiety in women veterans.

The strategy will also be an opportunity to celebrate the successes of women veterans and the valuable contributions they make to their communities, and to wider society and the economy.

The work is all part of the Government’s commitment to make the UK the best place in the world to be a veteran.
06/03/2023
PRESS RELEASE : Joint outcome statement – UK-India round seven FTA negotiations [March 2023]

The press release issued by the Department for Business and Trade on 6 March 2023.

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

On 10 February 2023, the United Kingdom and the Republic of India concluded the seventh round of talks for an India-UK FTA.

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

Technical discussions were held across 11 policy areas over 43 separate sessions. They included detailed draft treaty text discussions in these policy areas.

The eighth round of negotiations is due to take place later this Spring.

06/03/2023
PRESS RELEASE : Regulator of Social Housing finds Haringey Council in breach of consumer standards [March 2023]

The press release issued by the Regulator of Social Housing on 6 March 2023.

The Regulator of Social Housing concluded that the local authority breached its consumer standards.

In a regulatory notice published today (6 March 2023), the Regulator of Social Housing concluded that Haringey Council breached the Home Standard and, as a result, there was potential for serious detriment to tenants.

Following a self-referral, RSH confirmed that the council breached health and safety requirements. It had failed to complete a significant number of remedial fire safety actions, including 4,000 that were high risk. In addition, it did not have up-to-date electrical safety reports for thousands of homes.

Through its investigation, the regulator also found that over 100 of the council’s homes had serious hazards (known as ‘category one’ hazards) and nearly 5,000 of its homes did not meet the Decent Homes Standard.

Haringey Council is undertaking a full condition survey of its tenants’ homes and has put a programme in place to rectify these issues.

Kate Dodsworth, Director of Consumer Regulation at RSH, said:

Haringey Council put thousands of tenants at potential risk by failing to meet health and safety requirements for fire and electrical safety. Our investigation has also revealed that a significant number of Haringey Council homes do not meet the decent homes standard.

The council needs to act urgently to put things right for tenants, and we are monitoring it closely as it does this.

06/03/2023
PRESS RELEASE : RAF to fly joint missions with German Air Force as UK prepares to lead NATO air policing in Estonia [March 2023]

The press release issued by the Ministry of Defence on 6 March 2023.

The joint missions are the first of their kind, with the aim of full NATO integrated air policing missions in future.

Royal Air Force and German Air Force Typhoon jets will be flying joint air policing missions in Estonia for the first time, as the UK prepares to lead NATO’s mission in Estonia.

These integrated missions will be the first of their kind, with the eventual aim of carrying out full joint and integrated NATO Air Policing missions in the future.

Around 300 RAF personnel from the 140 Expeditionary Air Wing (EAW) will soon be in Estonia, as the RAF prepares to take the lead on the long-established NATO air policing mission from the German Air Force for four months, starting from April.

Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said:

Our RAF personnel in Estonia are undertaking a vital role, ensuring the security of Europe’s skies and bolstering NATO’s presence in eastern Europe.

Joint operations of this kind, demonstrate the strength and unity of the NATO Alliance and our shared resolve to maintain peace and security across the region.

The EAW will be carrying out the long-established NATO Air Policing mission from Estonia. IX (Bomber) Squadron based at RAF Lossiemouth are operating the RAF Typhoons that have deployed from Scotland.

Wing Commander Scott Maccoll, Commanding Officer of 140 EAW said:

Today marks a great ‘first’ for our two Air Forces. We have been working together for some time and the level of cooperation has now reached a new level. It continues to be an absolute pleasure to work with our German allies on all aspects of our mission – from maintenance and operation of the jets to planning and logistic activities.

I would also like to thank our Estonian hosts; they are vital to what we have achieved here. What better way to demonstrate the strength and unity of the NATO Alliance, than through successful, shared operations such as this?

To operate successfully side by side, personnel from the two air forces have trained together to understand each other’s processes including maintenance and operating procedures. Both air forces fly the Eurofighter Typhoon, but there are national differences this is the first time a joint detachment will fully integrate all aspects of operations. Jets will now fly together on live NATO controlled intercepts.

The air policing mission is part of the UK’s wider NATO commitment in Estonia, alongside the presence of around a thousand British soldiers as part of NATO’s Enhanced Forward Presence.

As part of the UK’s deployment to Estonia, established in 2017 under the name Operation Cabrit, the UK leads a multinational, combat-ready battlegroup to protect and reaffirm the security of the alliance’s member states. British units rotate on a continuous basis alongside Danish, French, and host nation Estonian forces.

Lieutenant Colonel Christoph Hachmeister, the German Detachment commander, said:

Working together with our allies from the Royal Air Force in a live mission is what we have been looking forward to since we started this mission. Now we can demonstrate interoperability in these difficult times to protect our Baltic partners and NATO’s eastern flank. The many years of good practice in working together will be the baseline for a successful cooperation.

The German Air Force detachment is from the 71 Tactical Air Wing ‘Richthofen’. Once they hand over the lead of the NATO Air Policing Mission in April, they will remain in Estonia until the end of the month, conducting integrated scrambles before returning to Germany.

06/03/2023