Category: Press Releases

PRESS RELEASE : Change of His Majesty’s Ambassador to Norway – Jan Thompson [January 2023]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 11 January 2023.

Ms Jan Thompson CMG OBE has been appointed His Majesty’s Ambassador to the Kingdom of Norway in succession to Mr Richard Wood. Ms Thompson will take up her appointment during April 2023.

Curriculum vitae

Full name: Jan Thompson

Year	Role
2018 to present	New Delhi, Deputy High Commissioner, including one year as Acting High Commissioner
2018	Ottawa, Deputy High Commissioner, Temporary Duty
2013 to 2018	Prague, Her Majesty’s Ambassador
2012 to 2013	Full Time Language Training (Czech)
2011 to 2012	FCO, Project Leader, The Future of FCO Climate Diplomacy
2011	FCO, Head, Libya Unit
2010 to 2011	FCO, Short project on diplomacy and transparency
2010	FCO, Head, Strategic Defence and Security Review Team
2007 to 2010	Secondment to Department of Energy Climate Change, UK Lead Negotiator, International Climate Negotiations
2005 to 2007	FCO, Comprehensive Spending Review Programme Director
2005	FCO, Senior FCO Representative in Scotland for G8 Summit
2005	Phuket, Head British Embassy Office
2002 to 2005	FCO, Head Afghanistan Group
2000 to 2002	FCO, Deputy Head, United Nations Department
1997 to 2000	UK Permanent Representation to the United Nations New York, First Secretary (Security Council)
1994 to 1997	FCO, Head of Section, Eastern Adriatic Unit
1994	Berlin, Temporary Duty
1992 to 1994	Bonn, Second Secretary (Political)
1991 to 1992	Secondment to German Ministry of Foreign Affairs
1990 to 1991	FCO, Desk Officer El Salvador, Honduras and Costa Rica, Latin America Department

January 11, 2023

PRESS RELEASE : Change of His Majesty’s Ambassador to Mali – Katy Ransome [January 2023]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 11 January 2023.

Ms Katy Ransome has been appointed His Majesty’s Ambassador to the Republic of Mali in succession to Mr Barry Lowen, who will be transferring to another Diplomatic Service appointment. Ms Ransome will take up her appointment during January 2023.

Curriculum vitae

Full name: Katharine Marjorie Ransome

Year	Role
2020 to 2022	FCDO, Head of Gender Equality Unit, Multilateral Policy Department, later Head of Gender and Conflict, Conflict, Stabilisation and Mediation Directorate
2016 to 2020	Gaborone, British High Commissioner and UK Special Representative to the Southern African Development Community
2013 to 2016	FCO, Head, Network Resources Team, Europe Directorate
2010 to 2012	British Office for Somalia, Deputy Head of Mission
2009 to 2010	Antananarivo, Political Officer
2007 to 2008	Kabul, Head of Military & Political Team
2006 to 2007	Kabul, Regional Affairs Advisor
2004 to 2006	FCO, Head of European Defence Policy, Security Policy Department
2004	Madrid, First Secretary
2001 to 2003	FCO, Head, Turkey Team, EU-Mediterranean Team
1997 to 2001	Budapest, Second Secretary
1995 to 1996	FCO, Desk Officer, G7/8 Team
1995	Joined FCO

January 11, 2023

PRESS RELEASE : Middle East Minister visits the Occupied Palestinian Territories [January 2023]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 11 January 2023.

On his first visit to the region since his appointment as the UK Minister for the Middle East, Lord Ahmad will visit the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPTs) to understand the challenges facing Palestinians, reinforcing the importance of the bilateral relationship and see first-hand the impact of UK development and humanitarian support in the West Bank. He will engage with the Palestinian Authority leadership, the Palestinian public, faith leaders, young people and meet with inspiring Palestinians working to create thriving and profitable businesses.

During his visit Lord Ahmad will meet with key humanitarian partners and announce £3.7m of additional funding to UNRWA to support food assistance to 1.2 million of the most vulnerable Palestinian refugees in Gaza.

During his time in the Old City of Jerusalem, Lord Ahmad will tour Haram Al Sharif and meet with Sheikh Azzam Al Khatib Al Tamimi, Director General of Islamic Endowments in Jerusalem. He will also visit the Christian and Jewish Quarters of the city where he will reiterate the importance of the Status Quo and Jordanian custodianship over the Holy Sites in Jerusalem.

Lord Ahmad will also visit Hebron to hear about the impact of Israeli settler violence on Palestinian residents and visit an UNRWA school where he will meet with students and hear how UK aid supports the education of Palestinian boys and girls.

The Minister will visit the Royal Plastics Factory in Hebron to understand the challenges and opportunities for Palestinian businesses and see how the UK’s technical assistance programmes and diplomatic engagement are helping to support economic development. In a separate engagement he will also discuss what more the UK could do to unlock the potential of Palestinian companies with key businesspeople.

In Masafer Yatta in the South Hebron Hills, Lord Ahmad will see the impact of UK aid on vulnerable Palestinians living in Area C, who are facing the threat of eviction and demolition of their homes. He will reiterate the UK’s opposition to evictions and demolitions, which are illegal under international law in all but the most exceptional circumstances.

During the Minister’s engagements with representatives from the United Nations, Lord Ahmad will discuss the deteriorating humanitarian situation in the OPTs and reiterate the UK’s longstanding support to UNRWA which provides essential services to Palestinian refugees across the region.

The Minister’s own interest in theology and work to promote freedom of religion and belief will be channelled into informal discussions with religious leaders and key thinkers to discuss the contribution of interfaith dialogue towards conflict resolution.

Lord Ahmad is scheduled to hold a series of bilateral meetings with the Palestinian Authority to reiterate the UK’s continued support for the Palestinian people and for a negotiated two-state solution, based on 1967 borders, with Jerusalem as a shared capital, as the only way to ensure a just and lasting peace.

Ahead of his visit, Lord Ahmad said:

“My visit comes at a difficult but important time for the Palestinian people, and I want to re-emphasise UK support to the Palestinian people and our unwavering commitment to a negotiated two-state solution as the only means of ending this conflict.

“Visits to various parts of the West Bank, including East Jerusalem will allow me to witness first-hand the challenges facing Palestinians as well as to see the impact of UK funding to some of the most vulnerable.

“I look forward to discussing UK-Palestinian relations with a wide range of interlocutors over the coming days.”

January 11, 2023

PRESS RELEASE : Safer Streets Fund is building confidence in the police [January 2023]

The press release issued by the Home Office on 11 January 2023.

To date, £120 million has been spent on initiatives such as improving street lighting and home security to cut neighbourhood crime. This follows the government’s commitment to work tirelessly to crack down on anti-social behaviour.

People in communities that have had extra CCTV and streetlighting rolled out are less likely to worry about being mugged or robbed, an independent evaluation of the first round of the Safer Streets Fund has found.

The findings also show that the fund is helping to build confidence in the police, with residents in these areas more likely to think their local police are doing a good or excellent job. This reflects the efforts made to make residents aware of the work being done to make them feel more secure such as fitting new locks, video doorbells and alarms.

The Safer Streets Fund was launched in January 2020, and has to date supported 270 projects aiming to cut neighbourhood crime such as theft, burglary, anti-social behaviour and violence against women and girls. Police and Crime Commissioners and local authorities in England and Wales, the British Transport Police and eligible civil society organisations have received £120 million in total across 4 rounds of the fund.

Successful projects include in Humberside where improved communal entrances in flats are helping to prevent drug dealing, and new storage units are stopping bike and motorbike theft. In Northampton, funding has supported improvements to the security of thousands of homes that were vulnerable to burglary, with alleyway gates installed to prevent an easy escape for offenders.

Other projects across the country have set up Neighbourhood Watch groups, increased CCTV, and introduced wardens to undertake community engagement and sharing crime prevention advice with the public – demonstrating levelling up in action.

Minister of State for Crime & Policing, Chris Philp, said:

Our local communities are the beating hearts of the UK, and I want our streets to be safe for everyone to go about their daily lives without fear inflicted on them by criminals.

Increasing public safety in our communities, and restoring people’s confidence in the police and pride in where they live, is an absolute priority.

This funding gives local people the power to make real changes in their area, as well as driving investment in businesses and jobs.

The evaluation shows the positive impact of investing in initiatives to improve local environments, and how this makes people feel safer and more engaged in their communities:

“People have been thrilled to see [the improvements]; it’s made a huge difference. In consultation, people feel unsafe when they’re walking through an area covered in litter and graffiti, and what this has done has helped actually lift the area.”

Round One Project Lead

“What we’re finding is we’re now getting more information about what’s happening in the community… previously we found people weren’t that forthcoming with information. So we are gaining trust.”

Humberside Police

As part of the government’s commitment to drive down crime and improve public safety, the Home Office has to date run four rounds of the Safer Streets Fund, which provides funding to communities across England and Wales.

Inspector Richard Mirfin, Humberside Police said:

The Safer Streets funding has allowed us to work alongside partners and the local community – who all had a real desire to implement positive change across the Westcliff area. It has enabled us to come together to design out crime and increase a sense of community ownership – making the local area safer and stronger.

As part of this initiative, approved security features were added to properties, along with the implementation of innovative design solutions leading to a reduction in antisocial behaviour and a decrease in opportunities for crime to occur. A network of champions from within the local community supported the delivery of wider initiatives increasing the sense of community and pride in the local area.

This initiative supported us in increasing our connection with the local community, providing regular opportunities for a two-way conversation with local residents and businesses about the issues causing them concern and then taking action together. Officers continue to be in regular attendance at the community centre at the heart of Westcliff, where they are on hand to provide advice and reassurance and listen to any concerns alongside our partner agency teams.

Thanks to the Safer Streets funding we are now further connected with our local community – and our local dedicated Neighbourhood Policing Teams are proud to remain part of that. Designing out crime has opened up these channels of engagement, and by doing that we can continue to invest into our community.

Association of Police and Crime Commissioners Chair Marc Jones, said:

We are pleased to see that the work we do as Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) is making a tangible difference in our communities and improving the public’s confidence in policing.

The Safer Streets Fund allows us as PCCs to work with our local partners in areas that are disproportionately affected by neighbourhood and acquisitive crime, investing in preventative approaches to make our communities safer.

We have witnessed firsthand the positive impact these preventative initiatives have had in supporting victims, tackling anti-social behaviour, embedding vital community safety projects and helping to tackle violence against women and girls.

We look forward to continuing this work alongside our partners, preventing crime and making a real difference to the lives of those in our communities.

National Police Chiefs’ Council Chair, Martin Hewitt, said:

It’s encouraging to see that the work being carried out by forces as part of the Safer Streets Programme and the response to various crimes, such as robbery and theft, is having a positive impact on the public’s view towards policing.

There have been numerous examples of insightful and innovative projects implemented by forces in their areas, which has helped give their local communities more confidence in policing and made them feel safer. This extends across a range of different areas, including violence against women and girls and neighbourhood policing, as well as better engagement and communication by forces with their communities.

We’re hopeful that this positive shift in public perception will continue and evaluations of the other rounds will show similar results.

Hampshire Police and Crime Commissioner, Donna Jones, said:

Projects have made a huge impact on local communities. For example, in Hampshire, an expansion in the number of CCTV cameras together with new lighting, new automated gates, new fencing and barriers on either side of a subway and the demolition of an old building to improve sight lines as part of SSR1 resulted in a 45% decrease in anti-social behaviour.

Since its launch, the government has committed £120 million to the Safer Streets Fund to support local areas across England and Wales to introduce initiatives aimed at stopping offences happening in the first place.

Safer Streets Fund Round One allocations:

PCC	Area	Total grant funding
Avon and Somerset	Manor Farm, Bristol	£400,000
Bedfordshire	Midland Road area, Bedford	£464,000
Bedfordshire	High Town Area, Luton	£448,150
Cambridgeshire and Peterborough	Arbury/West Chesterton area, Cambridge	£546,693
Cheshire	Bewsey and Whitecross, Warrington	£550,000
Cleveland	Newport area, Middlesbrough	£479,838
Cleveland	Burn Valley area, Hartlepool	£444,608
Cleveland	South Bank area, Redcar	£110,250
Cumbria	Barrow-in-Furness area off Salthouse Road, Barrow-in-Furness	£436,994
Derbyshire	West End, Derby	£514,561
Devon and Cornwall	North Stonehouse close to Plymouth City Centre	£546,781
Dorset	Pokesdown, Bournemouth, Dorset	£230,985
Dorset	Boscombe West, Bournemouth	£35,372
Durham	Northgate, Darlington	£298,918
Durham	Horden, County Durham	£560,360
Dyfed Powys	Glanymor and Tyisha, Carmarthenshire	£195,673
Greater Manchester	Hilton Park, Leigh	£523,933
Greater Manchester	Fallowfield, South Manchester	£360,080
Hampshire	Bargate, Southampton	£549,991
Hertfordshire	Cheshunt East	£310,802
Hertfordshire	Cheshunt South and Theobalds	£390,976
Humberside	Westcliffe Estate, Scunthorpe	£650,000
Kent	Gillingham North, Medway	£111,005
Lancashire	Bank Hall & Fulledge/Rose Hill & Burnley Wood, Burnley	£549,510
Lancashire	Birchgreen, centre of Skelmersdale in West Lancashire	£197,500
Leicestershire	Westcotes, Narborough Road	£441,998
Leicestershire	Warwick Way and Dishley Estates	£649,999
Leicestershire	Braunstone Frith, Leicester	£526,309
Lincolnshire	West Lindsey, Lincoln	£250,780
Merseyside	Bidston and St James Ward, Birkenhead	£549,700
MOPAC	Hendon Park, Barnet	£301,162
Norfolk	North Central, Norwich	£442,001
North Wales	Queensway, Wrexham	£550,000
North Wales	Rhyl West	£517,000
North Yorkshire	Whitley Ward	£548,980
Northamptonshire	Castle Ward, Wellingborough	£545,700
Northamptonshire	St Crispin’s, Northampton	£650,000
Northamptonshire	All Saints Ward, Kettering	£280,000
Nottinghamshire	Chatham and Northgate, near Newark town centre	£550,000
South Wales	Merthyr Tydfil	£513,410
South Yorkshire	Hexthorpe, Doncaster	£649,964
Staffordshire	Fenton, Stoke-on-Trent	£583,870
Staffordshire	Northwood, Stoke-on-Trent	£484,263
Surrey	Stanwell North	£547,791
Sussex PCC	Lower St Leonards and Warrior Square, Hastings	£545,396
Sussex PCC	Eastbourne town, East Sussex	£419,970
Thames Valley	East Oxford Secure Homes Zone	£408,568
Thames Valley	Iffley Road area, Oxford	£422,948
West Mercia	Brookside, Telford	£550,000
West Midlands	Hillfields, Coventry	£549,040
West Yorkshire	Fagley, Bradford	£549,375
West Yorkshire	Gledhow, Leeds	£159,936
Total		£23,095,140

January 11, 2023

PRESS RELEASE : Cost of living boost for students [January 2023]
The press release issued by the Department for Education on 11 January 2023.
- Multimillion pound package to help students cover living and other costs.
- Tuition fees frozen for next two years to reduce student debt levels
- Measures are part of government’s drive to support households with the cost of living
Students in need are to benefit from additional financial support designed to ease cost of living pressures and help them to meet everyday costs whilst they are completing their studies.

In recognition of the challenges some students have faced due to the global rise in inflation, the government has announced today (11 January) that it will provide an additional £15 million in hardship funding this financial year so that universities can provide extra support to students that need it most.

It builds on the significant £261 million that the government has already provided to the Office for Students (OfS) for the 2022/23 academic year which universities can draw upon to boost their own hardship funds.

Universities are responsible for ensuring students who need help get the support they need, including through their own hardship funds, or through bursaries and scholarships. Many universities have stepped up their efforts this year offering innovative schemes to support their students. Examples include:
- The University of Southampton which has made a total of £1.1 million in the current academic year available to students to cover emergency costs,
- Queen Mary University of London which has a bursary scheme automatically provided to any domestic undergraduate from a family whose annual taxable income is below £20,000, and
- The University of York which announced that £150 would be given to student households who are finding it difficult to pay their bills as part of a £6 million package to support students most in need.
The government has also confirmed today that loans and grants to support undergraduate and postgraduate students with living and other costs will be increased by 2.8% for the 2023/24 academic year.

Minister for Skills, Apprenticeships and Higher Education Robert Halfon said:

University is an investment, setting students up for future success, helping them to climb the ladder of opportunity and gain invaluable skills for the world of work.

We recognise students continue to face financial challenges, which is why we are increasing loans and grants for living and other costs for a further year. For the sixth year in a row, we have frozen tuition fees for a full-time undergraduate course at a maximum of £9,250 which will reduce the initial amount of debt students will take on.

To support universities to top up their own hardship funds we are also making an additional £15 million available. This will bring the total available to universities to draw on in supporting their students in hardship to £276 million this academic year.

I’m really pleased to see that so many universities are already stepping up efforts to support their students through a variety of programmes. These schemes have already helped students up and down the country and I urge anyone who is worried about their circumstances to speak to their university.

For the sixth year in a row, the government has confirmed it will freeze tuition fees for a standard full-time course in the 2023/24 and 2024/25 academic year in England at a maximum of £9,250. This move will help provide better value for students by reducing the initial amount of debt students will take on.

The government regularly monitors the interest rates set on student loans against the interest rates prevailing on the market (PMR) for comparable loans. The government confirmed that the maximum Plan 2 and the Postgraduate loan interest rate will be 6.5% between 1 December 2022 and 28 February 2023.

From the 2023/24 academic year, the government will cut interest rates for new students to RPI only so that, under these terms, graduates will not repay more than they originally borrowed, when adjusted for inflation.
January 11, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Foreign Secretary in Belfast as progress is made on NI Protocol [January 2023]
The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 11 January 2023.
Foreign Secretary James Cleverly is in Belfast to meet political and business leaders, to discuss the issues created by the Northern Ireland Protocol

Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris will also accompany the Foreign Secretary, as they listen to concerns of those effected most by the Northern Ireland Protocol

Visit follows an agreement with the EU on customs data-sharing

Today (Wednesday 11 January) the Foreign Secretary, James Cleverly, and Northern Ireland Secretary, Chris Heaton-Harris, will meet Northern Ireland’s party leaders in Belfast. They will discuss the impact of the Northern Ireland Protocol on the ground, as well as the Government’s desire to see an end to the political stalemate in Stormont.

The Ministers will also meet business groups to understand the real-world impact the Protocol is having on businesses and the public around trade disruption. These discussions will help inform ongoing talks between the UK government and the EU.

This visit will include a tour of Saintfield Garden Centre and Nursery, to hear about the specific difficulties caused by the Protocol, such as restrictions on the movement of plants and seeds. This includes how goods that have been relied on for generations in Northern Ireland, like seed potatoes and other native British plants and trees, are currently unable to enter Northern Ireland from Great Britain.

Speaking at Erskine House James Cleverly, the Foreign Secretary, said:

My preference is for a negotiated solution, but the UK’s priority is protecting the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement and preserving political stability in Northern Ireland.

I am listening to the concerns of people and businesses in Northern Ireland and am keenly aware that the current situation isn’t working. We need to address those issues with the Protocol that risk and undermine the place of NI in the UK

Chris Heaton-Harris, Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, commented:

A solution to the problems created by the Northern Ireland Protocol is clearly desired by all across business and in government. As the Foreign Secretary has said, the government is committed to resolving these problems as soon as possible.

I am firmly of the belief too that what people in Northern Ireland want most is to see their elected politicians back at work. Accountable political leadership is fundamental to secure a sustainable future for all in NI.

The Foreign Secretary is leading discussions between the UK and EU to resolve the issues caused by the Protocol and agree a negotiated solution.

This visit follows his meeting with Vice President of the European Commission, Maroš Šefčovič, on Monday 9 January, where they reached an agreement on the way forward regarding the EU’s access to UK IT systems that provide live information about what goods are moving across from Great Britain to Northern Ireland.

The agreement is an important prerequisite for building trust and provides a basis for further discussions with the EU on the Northern Ireland Protocol.

The UK is committed to finding a solution to the Protocol that protects the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement and supports political stability in Northern Ireland.
January 11, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Prime Minister hosts Japanese PM and agrees historic defence agreement [January 2023]
The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 11 January 2023.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak set to sign major defence agreement with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on his visit to London.
Rishi Sunak set to sign major defence agreement with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on his visit to London today

Comes just weeks after the Global Combat Air Programme launch between the UK, Japan and Italy, and agreement on a new UK-Japan digital partnership

Leaders also expected to discuss Japan’s presidency of the G7 and the need to maintain our collective support for Ukraine

The Prime Minister will sign a landmark defence agreement with the Japanese Prime Minister at the Tower of London today [Wednesday 11 January], allowing UK forces to be deployed to Japan in the most significant defence agreement between the two countries in more than a century.

Years of negotiation will culminate in the signing today, which will rapidly accelerate defence and security cooperation and allow the UK and Japan to deploy forces in one another’s countries. It will also cement the UK’s commitment to Indo-Pacific security, allowing both forces to plan and deliver larger scale, more complex military exercises and deployments.

The UK will be the first European country to have a Reciprocal Access Agreement with Japan, the most important defence treaty between the UK and Japan since 1902.

The UK and Japan agreed the RAA in principle in May, with work ongoing to finalise preparations ahead of the signing today. The defence treaties will be laid before Japan’s Diet and the UK Parliament in the coming weeks.

The signing comes just weeks after the UK and Japan teamed up, alongside Italy, to develop the next generation of combat air fighter jets under the new Global Combat Air Programme. Last month, the UK and Japan also launched a new UK-Japan digital partnership to strengthen cooperation across cyber resilience, online safety and semiconductors.

All three agreements reinforce the UK’s unwavering commitment to ensuring the security and stability of the Indo-Pacific, and exemplify the depth of friendship between the UK and Japan.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said:

In the past 12 months, we have written the next chapter of the relationship between the UK and Japan – accelerating, building and deepening our ties. We have so much in common: a shared outlook on the world, a shared understanding of the threats and challenges we face, and a shared ambition to use our place in the world for global good, ensuring our countries prosper for generations to come.

This Reciprocal Access Agreement is hugely significant for both our nations – it cements our commitment to the Indo-Pacific and underlines our joint efforts to bolster economic security, accelerate our defence cooperation and drive innovation that creates highly skilled jobs.

In this increasingly competitive world, it is more important than ever that democratic societies continue to stand shoulder to shoulder as we navigate the unprecedented global challenges of our time.

In addition to defence and security challenges, the leaders are expected to discuss trade, including the UK’s accession to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), a free trade bloc with a combined GDP of £9 trillion in GDP and home to more than 500 million people.

The leaders will also discuss Japan’s current presidency of the G7, the need to maintain our collective support for Ukraine as we approach the first anniversary of Russia’s illegal invasion, and the UK’s support for Prime Minister Kishida’s focus on economic security, including supply chain resilience.

On Ukraine, the Prime Minister is expected to raise how international support from the UK and G7 partners can be used most strategically to help Ukrainian forces continue their progress on the battlefield and secure a lasting peace.

He will also pay tribute to Japan’s significant package of humanitarian assistance to Ukraine, including a recent delivery of generators.

While at the Tower of London today, the leaders will visit Japanese armour on display, which was presented to King James VI and I in 1613 by the then Shogun Tokugawa Hidetada of Japan. The military gift was given to King James to mark the first ever trade agreement between England and Japan.

Meanwhile, the Prime Minister will host the UK-Japan 21st Century Group at Downing Street on Thursday. The coalition of British and Japanese private sector, public sector, and civil society leaders aims to promote dialogue and cooperation between the two countries.
January 11, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Greater control for taxpayers using repayment agents [January 2023]
The press release issued by HM Treasury on 11 January 2023.

HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) is changing the way taxpayers who use a repayment agent can receive overpaid tax to protect them and raise standards among repayment agents.

HMRC will introduce legislation to change the way repayment agents are paid for their services and better protect customers from the unscrupulous tactics used by some operators. This means stopping the use of legally binding ‘assignments’ as part of claiming an Income Tax repayment, which could only be cancelled if the agent and taxpayer both agreed to do so. This can be challenging for customers who become dissatisfied with their agent, or who simply wish to take over managing their own claim.

Under new arrangements, if a taxpayer chooses to use a repayment agent to reclaim overpaid tax and wants it sent to the agent, they will need to make a nomination, which they can cancel at any time. The new process will make it easier for taxpayers to stay in control of their repayments.

Angela MacDonald, HMRC’s Deputy Chief Executive and Second Permanent Secretary, said:

Taxpayers deserve better – we want to make sure they are better protected before choosing to enter into an agreement with a repayment agent. HMRC’s updated standards for agents will level the playing field and provide the benchmark we expect all repayment agents to meet.

The changes follow HMRC’s consultation last summer on ‘Raising standards in tax advice: Protecting customers claiming tax repayments’. Responses to the consultation highlighted the need to improve agent transparency and standards with the overall aim of better protection for taxpayers.

As a result, HMRC is today also setting out the following measures:
- updated standards for agents – applicable to all tax agents and include greater transparency requirements
- a new HMRC registration process for repayment agents – to make the agent sector more transparent so customers better understand what they are signing up to
Victoria Atkins, Financial Secretary to the Treasury, said:

For too long taxpayers have been left in the dark as a result of misleading and opaque agreements with repayments agents. These new measures will ensure those who are entitled to claim a tax repayment or relief can do so freely and easily – whether they choose to do this themselves or by using an agent.

This government is making it easier to navigate the system for all taxpayers using an agent to claim money that’s owed to them.

Victoria Todd, Head of the Low Incomes Tax Reform Group, said:

We welcome these additional steps, which show HMRC recognises the important role they play in consumer protection. Refund companies have a legitimate role in the tax system, but the practices of some of these companies in recent years have been unacceptable. The proposed changes will hopefully address problems around the use of assignments, increase transparency for taxpayers and set clearer standards for these companies’ behaviour.

Alongside this, it is important that more effort goes into raising awareness of refunds and ensuring it is as simple as possible for taxpayers to access them. We look forward to working with HMRC on the detail of the proposals.

These changes form part of the government’s commitment to tackle problems in the repayment agent market, which is currently an unregulated sector.

Responses to HMRC’s recent consultation overwhelmingly supported the need for improving standards in the repayment agent sector. The updated HMRC standard for agents includes:
- greater evidence of customer consent – this aims to ensure that taxpayers better understand the agreement they’re entering into
- stricter transparency rules, including introducing a 14-day ‘cooling off’ period for customers after entering into an arrangement with an agent, and an obligation on agents to ensure all communications and advertising material are fair, clear, accurate and do not mislead or conceal material facts
Further details on the approach to registration for repayment agents will be set out in due course.

If taxpayers think they are owed a tax rebate, they can claim directly from HMRC via the free and secure service on GOV.UK and will receive 100% of the money owed.
January 11, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Statement from the British Embassy Beirut [January 2023]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 10 January 2023.

The British Embassy in Beirut categorically rejects the unsubstantiated, erroneous and misleading claims made in a report on UK support for the IMPACT project published by Al Akhbar on 9 January 2023. We are and remain proud of our contribution to anti-corruption efforts in Lebanon, including the important work of the IMPACT platform, Central Inspection and Judge George Attieh.

The British Embassy agreed a Memorandum of Understanding with Central Inspection on 20 August 2021 which detailed our Governance, Oversight, & Accountability Project. The Lebanese government mentioned the project in their financial plan issued on 30 April 2020. This project consists of technical assistance to Central Inspection. Despite baseless accusations, the project complies with the highest international standards for data protection and security using industry-leading providers.

We were disappointed that Al Akhbar’s editors did not contact us for comment ahead of publishing the article. This would have allowed us to correct a number of factual errors and misunderstandings.

IMPACT’s work is ground-breaking and the first of its kind in Lebanon. Improving access to e-governance provides much-needed transparency and accountability. IMPACT’s high profile achievements include enabling the COVID vaccine roll out and the World Bank Social Safety Net.

The UK is clear that Lebanon’s leaders should focus on establishing a government to deliver meaningful reforms, including to secure an IMF deal. This is a vital step to alleviate the economic crisis and improve the lives of the Lebanese people. We have consistently called out corruption in Lebanon’s governance systems, most recently in an article co-signed by G7 Ambassadors together with the EU Ambassador last month to mark World Anti-Corruption day. We will continue to work with our international partners in support of programmes and institutions committed to combatting corruption and promoting transparency, both of which are fundamental to a better future for Lebanon.

January 11, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Free PPE to health and social care sectors extended [January 2023]
The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 10 January 2023.
- Free Covid PPE scheme extended until 31 March 2024 or until DHSC’s stocks are depleted
- The scheme will provide protection for frontline staff against Covid as part of the government’s Living with Covid strategy
The government has announced its decision to extend the central, free provision of PPE to the health and care sector for protection against Covid, by up to one year to March 2024 or until stocks are depleted.

Supporting frontline workers remains a priority for the government and NHS trusts, primary care and adult social care providers will continue to receive PPE free of charge to ensure staff and their patients are protected against Covid.

The government acted swiftly at the height of the pandemic to secure PPE to protect frontline staff. Free, centrally procured PPE helps relieve some of the financial burden of PPE procurement done on an individual basis.

The Department of Health and Social Care will continue to supply all categories of PPE to health and social care providers according to demand until the end of March 2023, free of charge.

Read more about the extension and the scheme.
January 11, 2023