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Category: Press Releases

  • PRESS RELEASE : Fairer parking drive as governments crackdown on unjust charges [July 2025]

    PRESS RELEASE : Fairer parking drive as governments crackdown on unjust charges [July 2025]

    The press release issued by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government on 11 July 2025.

    Motorists protected as plans to raise standards across the private parking industry unveiled  through a new strengthened Private Parking Code of Practice .

    Motorists, families, and private parking operators are set to benefit from improved standards, as a consultation on a new Private Parking Code of Practice is launched today.

    Over 35 million people across the UK rely on their cars for everyday life – from commuting to caring responsibilities – but the fear of being hit with unfair parking charges has eroded trust between drivers and some operators.

    The strengthened Code aims to create a fairer, more transparent private parking system that supports local economies, high streets, and businesses – delivering on commitments in the government’s Plan for Change.

    To better support drivers in vulnerable or stressful situations, such as attending hospital appointments, a new rule is being considered that would uphold appeals where motorists had no reasonable choice but to breach parking terms.

    Proposals will ensure fair treatment for motorists and introduce common-sense standards across the industry, including clear signage and mandatory grace periods. These measures will help prevent charges caused by issues like payment machine errors, accidental typos, or poor mobile signal.

    Local Growth Minister Alex Norris said: 

    From shopping on your local high street to visiting a loved one in hospital, parking is part of everyday life. But too many people are being unfairly penalised.

    That’s why our Code will tackle misleading tactics and confusing processes, bringing vital oversight and transparency to raise standards across the board. This is another example of how we are fixing the things that really impact people’s day-to-day lives, as part of the Plan for Change.”

    The number of parking charges issued is at a record high –12.8 million vehicle keeper requests were made last year, a 673% increase since 2012. While this partly reflects more parking spaces, the current system lacks independent oversight and sufficient transparency.

    At present, operators can avoid sanctions for poor practice, leaving motorists vulnerable to unfair or incorrect charges. The new compliance framework will ensure accountability. Under proposals, operators who breach the Code may lose access to DVLA data required to issue parking charges.

    The Code will strike a balance—protecting motorists while enabling compliant operators to run efficient, value-for-money car parks.

    It marks another step the government is taking to repair Britain’s transport and save people time and money, following the allocation of £1.6 billion funding this year to help local authorities resurface roads and fix the equivalent of up to seven million extra potholes, with an additional £24 billion set aside to build new roads and keep drivers moving over the next five years.

    The eight-week consultation also seeks views on:

    • Appropriate caps for parking charges and debt recovery fees
    • Improvements to second-stage appeals
    • Requirements for operators to share data with government to inform future updates to the Code

    The consultation is open for eight weeks and available here.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Technology and innovation driving UK growth and closer partnerships with the Indo-Pacific [July 2025]

    PRESS RELEASE : Technology and innovation driving UK growth and closer partnerships with the Indo-Pacific [July 2025]

    The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 11 July 2025.

    Britain will deepen relations with countries across the Indo-Pacific to bring together UK and Southeast Asian innovation and technology.

    • Strengthened ties with Southeast Asia open up new trade and security opportunities to create jobs and boost growth in the UK
    • Free and open Indo-Pacific central to Plan for Change – delivering growth and opportunities for British businesses across the country.
    • UK to participate in ASEAN Regional Forum for first time – an important forum for security dialogue with one of the fastest growing regional economies

    Britain will deepen relations with countries across the Indo-Pacific to bring together UK and Southeast Asian innovation and technology to drive economic growth and create new business opportunities at key meetings in Malaysia today (Friday 11 July).

    Stepping up cooperation with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) on regional security, the visit will see the Foreign Secretary participate in the region’s main security forum– the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) – for the first time as Guest of Chair. The UK aims to become a permanent member of the ARF, in recognition of the fact that the greatest threats to ASEAN’s security also impact UK national security, from instability driven by climate change to risk of conflict.

    These strengthened security ties demonstrate the government’s Plan for Change in practice – delivering on the commitment to strengthen national security for working people.

    The UK will also strengthen cooperation with ASEAN nations to tackle transnational crime including scam centres, illicit finance and illegal migration – protecting our citizens from criminals and the shared threats we face. This builds on the ASEAN-UK Plan of Action as we approach the fifth anniversary of our Dialogue Partnership.

    Secure and resilient growth depends on working with Indo-Pacific partners to preserve a stable balance of power, manage conflicts and protect our people from threats such as cyber scams and illicit finance. Strengthening our cooperation builds on recent success in strengthening ties with key allies and partners, and ensuring the UK’s national security.

    Foreign Secretary, David Lammy, said:

    There is enormous economic potential in the Indo-Pacific with over 50% of the world’s population and 40% of global GDP. This government is breaking down barriers between businesses in the UK and Southeast Asia to tap into this market.

    We are working together to tackle key threats to our mutual prosperity – illegal migration, illicit finance and scam centres. Engaging with our partners on these enemies of growth protects our people and their hard-earned money.

    We want to work with partners like Singapore to seize the benefits of AI and technology and manage the risks – supporting the delivery of the ASEAN Community’s Vision 2045 and the UK’s Plan for Change.

    Southeast Asia is already the fifth largest economy in the world, home to almost 700 million people, half of whom are under 30. The UK’s accession last December to CPTPP, one of the world’s biggest trade blocs, marked a breakthrough in connecting the UK to a group of economies now worth £11.7 trillion, putting money into UK businesses up and down the country.

    On top of attending the ASEAN Foreign Ministerial Meeting in Kuala Lumpur, the Foreign Secretary will also meet the Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and Foreign Minister Mohamad Hasan to reinforce the shared ambition to elevate the relationship between the UK and Malaysia to a Strategic Partnership, particularly in the areas of education, energy, defence and trade which will help generate growth.

    Investment into clean, renewable energy will reduce British people’s energy bills and enshrine climate resilience and energy security. Catalysing the clean energy transformation, the Foreign Secretary, alongside Deputy Prime Minister Gan, will announce a landmark pledge of up to £70 million into Singapore’s Financing Asia’s Transition Partnership (FAST-P), advancing the UK and Singapore’s joint efforts to accelerate sustainable infrastructure and investment across Southeast Asia. The UK’s funding, to be delivered through British Investment International’s (BII), will support low-carbon energy projects and innovative business models, protecting energy security and insulating UK billpayers.

  • PRESS RELEASE : UK and France pledge joint funding for international biodiversity [July 2025]

    PRESS RELEASE : UK and France pledge joint funding for international biodiversity [July 2025]

    The press release issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 11 July 2025.

    The UK and France reaffirm their leadership in nature finance with matched contributions to support the International Advisory Panel on Biodiversity Credits.

    Following the UK-France Summit and the State Visit of President Macron, the UK and France have committed joint financial support for the International Advisory Panel on Biodiversity Credits (IAPB) to support its transition to an independent not-for-profit entity.

    The new funding will support the initiative as it works globally to unlock finance, and support IAPB’s ambitious programme through to COP30 in Belém, including a Policy Lab to help governments develop enabling regulatory frameworks for biodiversity credit markets. It will also advance guidance and standards for robust market infrastructure and grow IAPB’s Community of Practice as a key forum for project developers and practitioners.

    IAPB was co-launched by the UK and France in 2023 at the Summit for a New Global Financing Pact in Paris and brought together over 25 senior representatives from finance, business, science, NGOs, Indigenous Peoples, and local communities from more than a dozen countries. The Panel’s Framework for High Integrity Biodiversity Credit Markets, launched at CBD COP16 in Cali, Colombia, was well received globally, and featured 31 pilot projects showcasing how biodiversity credit markets are emerging worldwide. In June 2025, IAPB became fully operational as an independent not-for-profit entity.

    His Majesty King Charles III and President Emmanuel Macron have both expressed strong support for IAPB’s mission since its inception, underscoring the importance of international collaboration in protecting and restoring nature.

    The UK has committed £500,000 to support IAPB’s transition to an independent not-for-profit entity. The French Ministry of Environment, together with the French Treasury, has confirmed a matching contribution of €580,000.

    This joint commitment highlights the UK and France’s leadership in shaping nature markets and aligning finance with global biodiversity goals to deliver real outcomes for people and planet.

  • PRESS RELEASE : New appointments to British Wool’s board [July 2025]

    PRESS RELEASE : New appointments to British Wool’s board [July 2025]

    The press release issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 11 July 2025.

    Two new Independent Non-Executive Board Members have been appointed to British Wool’s board (formerly the British Wool Marketing Board) in conjunction with the Devolved Governments.

    David Williams has been appointed as an Independent Non-Executive Board member for a term of three years, from 1 July 2025 to 30 June 2028.

    Susan Millin has been appointed as an Independent Non-Executive board member for a term of three years, from 1 October 2025 to 30 September 2028.

    All appointments have been made in accordance with the Governance Code on Public Appointments published by the Cabinet Office. All appointments are made on merit and political activity plays no part in the selection process.

    British Wool is a public body that works on behalf of the wool industry to collect, grade, monitor, market and sell British wool to the international wool textile industry for use in flooring, furnishings and apparel. The role of the board members is to contribute to the leadership, scrutiny, and direction of the British Wool Board.

     

  • PRESS RELEASE : £100 million cash boost to help thousands into work across the country [July 2025]

    PRESS RELEASE : £100 million cash boost to help thousands into work across the country [July 2025]

    The press release issued by the Department for Work and Pensions on 11 July 2025.

    Thousands of disabled people and people with complex health conditions to receive help finding secure, well-paid jobs.

    • Latest cash boost will be delivered to four areas in England as part of the Connect to Work programme
    • Comes as part of £3.8 billion employment support package over this parliament for sick or disabled people, unlocking work and boosting living standards through the Plan for Change

    Thousands of people who are out of work due to health conditions, disabilities or other reasons will be helped to find and stay in jobs thanks to a £100million funding boost announced by the Department for Work and Pensions today [Friday 11 July].

    It’s part of the Government’s plan to Get Britain Working again including changing Jobcentres so staff have more time to support people, using better technology, and making sure there are good jobs across the whole country.  The Get Britain Working plan gives towns and cities the powers they need to grow and help more people into work.

    The £103.6 million funding package will go towards the Connect to Work programme in Kent & Medway, Gloucestershire, Hertfordshire and Greater Lancashire, supporting nearly 30,000 people.

    With 2.8 million people out of work due to ill-health – one of the highest rates in the G7 – the government is taking action to tackle the pressing challenge, and Connect to Work is part of the government’s wider efforts to reduce economic inactivity and grow the economy by supporting more people into work and out of poverty as part of its Plan for Change.

    Minister for Employment Alison McGovern said:

    For too long, our country has been held back as towns and cities were left on their own to deal with the consequences of people being out of work. This government is investing to create good jobs, and our plan to Get Britain Working will make sure no one is left on the scrap heap any more.

    Changing Jobcentres and providing funding for towns and cities will make sure everyone is included in our economic plan. No more abandoned places.

    This latest funding will make a real difference in the lives of people across the country and give them the chance they deserve as part of our Plan for Change.

    Connect to Work is being delivered across England and Wales, with the government already providing more than £150 million which will help to support around 41,000 people. In all more than 300,000 people will be supported by the programme over the next five years.

    The programme comes as part of a major investment in employment support for sick and disabled people across this parliament – worth £3.8 billion over the course of this Parliament, and includes £2.2 billion delivered for support announced in our Pathways to Work Green Paper over the next four years, to help people find good, secure jobs.

    The Connect to Work funding will be used to provide services including:

    • Individual support from an employment specialist
    • Profiling to identify the work aspirations of participants and development of a plan for them to achieve their goals
    • Matching jobseekers with opportunities that suit their needs and circumstances
    • Support for both participants and employers during the early employment period to help recruit and retain participants
    • Practical support including coaching

    The programme is just one of the ways disabled people, those with health conditions or complex barriers to employment can access support – including assistance provided through Jobcentres.

    The latest funding support was announced as the Minister for Employment visited a Jobcentre in Preston to meet people already helped into work by existing employment support.

    Under the Connect to Work programme Greater Lancashire – which includes Lancashire County Council, Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council and Blackpool Council – is to receive up to £38.8 million to support 11,000 participants.

    The Minister for Employment met with:

    • Julie, who came to the Jobcentre on Universal Credit and faced significant personal challenges to finding work, including mental health struggles and self-doubt. Thanks to the support she received, including access to the Seasiders Traineeship and the Prince’s Trust Explore course, Julie was able to develop her confidence and is now employed as a cleaner at Dunelm – a job she hugely enjoys.

    As announced earlier this year, through Connect to Work, up to £42.8million has been allocated to West London Alliance to support 10,800 people, and up to £11.1 million to East Sussex to assist 2,900 people.

    It comes as 15 regions will benefit from a share of £1.5 million in funding to launch a pilot for the WorkWell Primary Care Innovation Fund. The pilot could transform how local people with health conditions are supported back into employment rather than writing them off with a fit note, reducing pressure on GPs in the area.

    Additional Information

    • Connect to Work is a locally-delivered programme and will follow internationally recognised and successful Supported Employment frameworks which support people who are long-term unemployed or facing complex barriers to work, including those with mental health challenges and learning disabilities.
    • The funding figures, rounded to the nearest decimal point, for each delivery area in this latest tranche are as follows:
    • Greater Lancashire £38.8 million
    • Kent and Medway £34 million
    • Hertfordshire £19.7 million
    • Gloucestershire £11.1 million
  • PRESS RELEASE : Regulator highly critical of charity that shared video supporting Hamas [July 2025]

    PRESS RELEASE : Regulator highly critical of charity that shared video supporting Hamas [July 2025]

    The press release issued by the Charity Commission on 11 July 2025.

    The Charity Commission has found misconduct and / or mismanagement by trustees in the administration of the Al-Manar Centre Trust and issued the charity with an Order requiring it to take action on its social media use.

    The charity, which operates a mosque in Cardiff, has objects that include advancing Islamic education, and fostering community relationships and religious harmony.

    In January 2024, the Charity Commission became aware of a video shared on the charity’s social media account in November 2023. The video contained content that, in the Commission’s view, could be understood as demonstrating support for the proscribed terrorist organisation Hamas.

    In February 2024, the regulator launched a statutory inquiry into the charity. The inquiry examined the charity’s social media and website controls, as well as the circumstances surrounding the posting of the video.

    Findings

    The inquiry was told that the charity’s chair, who was the only trustee responsible for managing the charity’s social media content, posted the video after only listening to its audio. The chair believed that the audio aligned with the charity’s objectives, without reviewing the visual content.

    In the inquiry’s view, the video – which was not produced by or for the charity – contains content that presents a positive image of Hamas and its October 2023 terrorist attack on Israel. It also attempts to downplay or justify the attack.

    Consequently, the inquiry concluded that the video was likely to lead an ordinary member of the public to infer that the charity was supportive of and/ or glorified terrorism.

    The inquiry found that the chair’s decision to rely solely on the audio was wholly inadequate. Furthermore, and in the inquiry’s view, even reviewing just the audio, the chair should have recognised from the narration that its content could be interpreted as supporting Hamas’ actions.

    There were also failings by trustees, at the time the video was posted, to undertake adequate diligence and monitoring of online content posted by the charity. The inquiry found that the video did not further the charity’s objects for the public benefit.

    Despite receiving regulatory advice in 2014 on protecting the charity from extremist abuse, the Commission found that the trustees had failed to implement adequate social media controls. At the time of the incident, the charity’s social media policy consisted solely of a basic flowchart and lacked meaningful guidance or oversight mechanisms.

    As a result of the trustees’ misconduct and / or mismanagement regarding the posting of the video and lack of adequate social media controls, the Commission issued an Official Warning to the charity.

    Additionally, in October 2024, the Commission made an Order directing the trustees to take actions on the charity’s use of its website and social media, which included a review of all material on its website and social media platforms.

    The trustees complied fully with the Order.

    Joshua Farbridge, Head of Compliance Visits and Inspections at the Charity Commission, said:

    A charity’s reputation can be severely damaged in an instant through reckless use of social media.

    Our inquiry concluded that the conduct of the trustees fell below the standards expected of them. Inadequate controls over social media led to the sharing of harmful content, and there is no excuse for failing to properly review content before it is shared by a charity.

    Our swift intervention, which included an Official Warning and a legal Order requiring specific action to be taken, underscores the Commission’s firm commitment to ensuring charities are not misused in supporting or glorifying terrorism.

    The full inquiry report can be found on gov.uk.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Over £1bn in investment deals as UK-France launch new Industrial Strategy Partnership [July 2025]

    PRESS RELEASE : Over £1bn in investment deals as UK-France launch new Industrial Strategy Partnership [July 2025]

    The press release issued by the Department for Business and Trade on 11 July 2025.

    The UK and France have launched a new Industrial Strategy Partnership following a successful UK-France Summit, where over £1 billion worth of investment deals into the UK have been confirmed.

    • New Partnership is first of its kind in Europe, boosting UK-France collaboration in key high growth sectors.
    • Follows a successful UK-France Summit, where leading firms announced a billion pounds worth of investment creating thousands of highly skilled jobs.
    • Deals are the latest vote of confidence and show the Plan for Change is working – as recent survey puts UK as joint-top global investment destination.

    A new partnership between the UK and France will deepen economic collaboration and unlock billions in valuable investment into high growth-driving sectors – boosting the economy and delivering on the Plan for Change.

    The announcement comes following yesterday’s 37th UK-France Summit, where leading French companies announced investments worth over £1 billion into the UK, creating thousands of highly-skilled jobs across the country – helping to put more money in people’s pockets.

    This builds on the tidal wave of investment the government has welcomed into the UK since taking Office, worth over £100 billion, alongside 384,000 jobs created since the election.

    The partnership forms part of the UK’s recent modern Industrial Strategy – a new approach that will create a more connected, high-skilled and resilient economy to kickstart an era of economic prosperity, the central mission in the government’s Plan for Change.

    This partnership is a collaboration in key growth sectors including in technology, clean energy industries and advanced manufacturing, supporting a quicker green and digital transition and building our economic resilience to drive economic growth and innovation.

    It advances a cross-Channel trade relationship worth £104 billion in 2024 and reaffirms the UK’s position as a global investment destination, the same week a Deloitte survey found that international finance leaders see the UK as the joint-most attractive destination when it comes to investment.

    It also builds on the strong collaboration which already exists between the UK and France across vital areas including energy, aviation, tech and finance – all of which fall under the key growth sectors identified in the government’s modern Industrial Strategy.

    Today’s announcement follows Wednesday’s roundtable attended by leading French and British firms hosted by the Chancellor Rachel Reeves, Business and Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds, French Economy, Finance and Industry Minister Eric Lombard and French Digital Affairs Minister Clara Chappaz.

    Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves said:

    This is our first Industrial Strategy Partnership with a major European partner, and will combine our joint expertise across energy, advanced manufacturing, technology and more, helping deliver our Plan for Change by boosting growth to deliver more money in people’s pockets.

    Business and Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds said:

    This milestone is an exciting new chapter in our already strong relationship with France and will boost both countries’ key sectors by driving two-way innovation and investment, delivering on our Plan for Change.”

    Our Modern Industrial Strategy is a 10-year plan to kickstart an era of economic prosperity and this partnership will serve as a welcome anchor at a time of significant geopolitical uncertainty. It is built on the best of foundations, with both our businesses and citizens sharing deep links.

    Today’s deals show that the UK is open for international companies to expand their businesses in a wide range of priority sectors, including:

    • Veolia has announced a £70 million investment to transform an existing, disused industrial facility to a state-of-the-art plastics sorting and recycling facility in Shropshire, creating more than 130 local jobs.
    • Thales, in conjunction with partners, is planning £40 million of AI-focussed R&D investment as part of its CortAIx UK AI Accelerator, which will employ 200 people.
    • Comand AI are investing £35 million over the next five years to set up an office in the UK, in their first step to becoming a pan-European defence company.
    • Pernod Ricard is investing a further £17.5 million in its Scotch whisky producer, Chivas Brothers, to create two new bottling lines at its Kilmalid site near Glasgow.
    • LVMH will operate at least twenty Sephora stores by 2028, with a need of 800 additional recruitments.
    • EDF confirmed earlier this week that thousands of UK jobs and apprenticeships will be created as it announced it will take a 12.5% stake in Sizewell C – in a major boost for UK growth and energy security. Assystem will double its nuclear workforce in the UK, creating 1,000 new engineering, digital and project management jobs. Urenco also signed a 15-year deal with EDF to produce fuel for nuclear power stations, supporting Urenco UK’s workforce of more than 1,400 people.
    • French company Ardian has also in the last week finalised its acquisition of an additional 10% stake in London Heathrow as a gateway for growth with a further £888 million investment, taking their investment into the airport to £2.85 billion, supporting the site’s 80,000 jobs.

    Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds also met with French Economy, Finance and Industry Minister Éric Lombard yesterday, to discuss the importance of French investment in the UK and how this new partnership will enable more collaboration in key sectors such as clean energy, tech and economic resilience.

    UK companies are also continuing to succeed in the French market, delivering on the government’s AI opportunities action plan, from capability to R&D. British tech unicorns are winning tens of millions of pounds in significant contracts with French corporates, driving jobs and growth at home.

    This includes Synthesia’s new partnership with Decathlon to create a pioneering AI avatar lab, ElevenLabs’ collaboration with M6 and TV5 Monde, and Darktrace’s contract with GL Events, a French major events operator. BT is also connecting more than 80 French-headquartered companies including Alstom and Michelin in France, with operations totalling approximately £130 million last financial year.

    The refresh of the Lancaster House defence partnership is also creating new opportunities in the UK’s aerospace and defence sectors, supporting over 2,750 highly skilled jobs and representing billions to the UK and French economies through joint export promotion and capability projects which benefit the UK’s defence industries, including MBDA and Airbus.

    The agreement with France follows the Industrial Strategy Partnership committed to between the UK and Japan in March, preceding publication of the Strategy in June.

  • PRESS RELEASE : UK’s best AI engineers can apply now to build tech for public services in $1 million fellowship [July 2025]

    PRESS RELEASE : UK’s best AI engineers can apply now to build tech for public services in $1 million fellowship [July 2025]

    The press release issued by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology on 11 July 2025.

    The UK government, backed by a $1 million Meta grant to the Alan Turing Institute, is launching a 12-month Open-Source AI Fellowship to bring top AI experts into government to build open-source AI tools that improve public services, boost productivity, and support national security.

    • AI experts can apply for a 12-month tour of duty in government building AI for the public good and backed by $1 million from Meta to the Alan Turing Institute.
    • In an innovative approach to attracting top talent, fellows will use open-source AI models like Meta’s Llama 3.5 to help create new tools to deliver the Plan for Change – from unblocking planning delays and bolstering national security to slashing the cost of AI across government.
    • Comes as “Caddy” – the AI customer service assistant that could cut queue times in half — has started being used in government to help staff access expert guidance on grant decisions – improving speed, consistency, and value for money.

    A new $1 million programme will bring the UK’s top AI experts into government to build cutting-edge AI tools, helping to make the state more agile so it can deliver the Plan for Change.

    Fellows could join government to build AI tools for high-security use cases across the public sector such as language translation in a national security context, and making use of construction planning data to speed up the approvals process and get more homes built.

    They could also help expand “Humphrey”, a bundle of AI tools that help civil servants more effectively deliver on the requests of ministers – taking away the admin burdens involved in summarising documents, taking notes and summarising consultation responses.

    Fellows will be focused on using open-source AI models, which could reduce costs to the taxpayer when using AI widely, and help unlock up to £45 billion in productivity gains across the public sector.

    The “Open-Source AI Fellowship” has been funded by a grant from Meta to the Alan Turing Institute, with fellows set to join DSIT’s Incubator for AI, the team behind “Humphrey.

    Today’s announcement follows the Prime Minister setting out that he is “determined to seize” the opportunity of AI to transform the state, making clear that no one in government should be doing something AI can be better and cheaper.

    Technology Secretary Peter Kyle said:

    This Fellowship is the best of AI in action – open, practical, and built for public good. It’s about delivery, not just ideas – creating real tools that help government work better for people.

    We’ve already seen the potential. Caddy – developed with Citizens Advice and now helping Cabinet Office teams – shows how open AI tools can boost productivity, improve decision-making, and support frontline staff.

    The Fellowship will help scale that kind of impact across government, and develop sovereign capabilities where the UK must lead, like national security and critical infrastructure.

    Joel Kaplan, Chief Global Affairs Officer, Meta, said:

    Open-source AI models are helping researchers and developers make major scientific and medical breakthroughs, and they have the potential to transform the delivery of public services too.

    This partnership with the Alan Turing Institute will help the government access some of the brightest minds and the technology they need to solve big challenges – and to do it openly and in the public interest.

    We hope these fellows will make a big, positive difference and help show just how valuable open-source AI can be to governments and society more broadly.

    Dr Jean Innes, CEO of the Alan Turing Institute, said:

    Open-source technologies have great potential to help government increase productivity, support decision-making and deliver better public services. These fellowships will offer an innovative way to match AI experts with the real world challenges our public services are facing.

    The fellowship comes alongside the news that ‘Caddy’, an AI assistant that helps call centre workers, has been open sourced, meaning call centres across the world could benefit from the tech.

    Having been tested in Citizen’s Advice to date, who built the technology in partnership with government, it is also now for the first time being used by central government – with a Cabinet Office team using it to quickly access expert guidance on grant decisions, improving speed, consistency, and value for money.

    Caddy works by providing call handlers with key information from guidance documents. Currently being used across six Citizen’s Advice call centres, it helps experts answer calls on everything from managing debt to getting legal help or knowing your rights as a consumer.

    Early tests across 1,000 calls showed that it could halve response times. Results also showed that 80% of Caddy-generated responses were ready to use with no revisions, and advisors using Caddy were twice as confident in providing accurate answers.

    Today, the government is also launching the next phase of the AI Knowledge Hub – a growing platform that shares real examples, tools, and tips to help teams use AI in the right way.

    The Hub is designed to help departments learn from each other, avoid duplication, and move from small pilots to real results.

    As part of its next phase, new features will be added including a Prompt Library to help teams use AI to boost everyday productivity and deliver faster, better services.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Boost for GP practices to help people back to work [July 2025]

    PRESS RELEASE : Boost for GP practices to help people back to work [July 2025]

    The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 11 July 2025.

    A new pilot programme will support people with health conditions back into employment and ease pressure on doctors.

    • Fifteen pioneering regions to trial groundbreaking approach to reduce GP pressure and help local people back to work
    • Pilot scheme to transform how fit notes are issued
    • Part of Plan for Change to grow the economy, get Britain back to work and make an NHS fit for the future

    Fifteen regions will benefit from a new pilot programme to support people with health conditions back into employment, while reducing pressure on GPs in the area.

    The WorkWell Primary Care Innovation Fund, backed by £1.5 million across 15 regions, will combat the practice of immediately writing people off with a fit note, and instead look to find other ways to help people back into work. WorkWell is expected to support up to 56,000 disabled people and people with health conditions into work by spring 2026 and forms part of this government’s wider efforts to get the NHS back on its feet, reduce economic inactivity, and grow the economy by supporting more people into work and out of poverty as part of its Plan for Change.

    This fresh approach addresses a critical challenge facing both patients and the NHS. Currently, of the 11 million fit notes issued electronically in primary care across England last year, 93% simply declared people ‘not fit for work’ – offering no constructive alternative or support pathway.

    The new funding will enable WorkWell sites – funded by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) – to connect patients to local support services to provide work and health advice to more patients receiving a fit note.

    Patients will receive targeted and timely support to manage their health condition while exploring realistic options for staying in or returning to work, rather than facing a dead-end ‘not fit for work’ declaration.

    Interventions via the WorkWell Primary Care Innovation Fund could include:

    • hiring work and health coaches, social prescribers or occupational therapists for GP teams to refer patients to for holistic support, help and advice, from gym memberships to career coaching
    • supporting and upskilling occupational therapists or physiotherapists to issue fit notes and improve the quality of work and health advice given to a patient
    • upskilling GPs and wider GP teams to improve their ability to support patients with local work and health advice

    Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting said:

    This pilot is a step towards transforming a broken system that’s been failing people for years.

    It isn’t just about freeing up GPs to treat patients rather than fill in forms. It’s about fundamentally changing the conversation from ‘you can’t’ to ‘how can we help you?’ When someone walks into their doctor’s surgery worried about their job, they should walk out with a plan, not just a piece of paper that closes doors.

    We can’t afford to keep writing people off. Every person we help back into work isn’t just transforming their own life – they’re contributing to our communities, our economy and breaking the cycle that’s been holding Britain back. This is what building an NHS fit for the future through our Plan for Change looks like.

    WorkWell sites have already been exploring ways to get patients back into work. For example, June, a patient in the West Midlands, had been on sick leave following a period of poor mental and physical health suffering from anxiety, PTSD and arthritis. She had sessions with a work and health coach via her local WorkWell site, getting support to communicate her needs to her employer and seek reasonable adjustments. This allowed her to return to work with amended hours and responsibilities, avoiding the need for her to be signed off work.

    Though a range of healthcare professionals can issue fit notes, 90% of fit notes issued electronically in primary care in England last year were issued by doctors – adding to GP workload pressures.

    Instead of GPs spending valuable consultation time on administrative fit note processes, WorkWell sites will use this funding to explore how specialist professionals like pharmacists and occupational therapists can provide comprehensive support that benefits patients and employers, and reduces pressure on primary care services.

    The initiative directly supports the commitment in the government’s 10 Year Health Plan to embed employment advice within new neighbourhood health services, shifting care from hospitals to communities. This government has recruited over 1,900 extra GPs in the last year in a bid to fix the front door of the NHS.

    Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall said:

    We know that good work is good for people’s health and good for the economy too, but the current system is holding too many people back – denying many the dignity and self-respect this work brings.

    WorkWell is transforming lives by helping people stay in and get back to work, and this significant investment will help even more people unlock good jobs and boost living standards.

    With 2.8 million people currently out of work due to health conditions, this pilot will take a crucial step toward breaking the cycle of poor health and poverty that holds back people’s lives and economic growth.

    It is a key part of the government’s pledge to cut waiting lists – crack teams of clinicians have already been sent to areas where more people are out of work, and new community diagnostic centres are opening 12 hours a day, 7 days a week across the country. Overall waiting lists have fallen by over 260,000 since last July.

    This also comes on the same day as a £100 million funding boost to Connect to Work programmes, which will help thousands of people who are out of work due to health conditions, disabilities or other reasons to find and stay in jobs.

    As part of a significant package of support to reform to the broken welfare system, the government is making changes to genuinely support sick or disabled people and those with health conditions into work, amounting to £1 billion per year by the end of the decade, while the Get Britain Working white paper is overhauling Jobcentres and empowering mayors and local leaders to tackle inactivity.

    Evidence from the pilot scheme will be used to inform our wider approach to work, health and skills, as this government gets Britain working through the Plan for Change, backed by an NHS fit for the future.

    Background information and regions taking part

    The WorkWell Primary Care Innovation Fund will provide a share of £1.5 million to each of the 15 WorkWell pilot sites: £100,000 per site.

    The WorkWell pilot programme is expected to support up to 56,000 disabled people and people with health conditions into work by spring 2026.

    This innovative model brings together integrated care boards, local authorities and Jobcentre Plus to provide a single, co-ordinated gateway to work and health support services.

    The regions in the pilot are:

    • Birmingham and Solihull
    • Black Country
    • Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire
    • Cambridgeshire and Peterborough
    • Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly
    • Coventry and Warwickshire
    • Frimley
    • Herefordshire and Worcestershire
    • Greater Manchester
    • Lancashire and South Cumbria
    • Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland
    • North Central London
    • North West London
    • South Yorkshire
    • Surrey Heartlands
  • PRESS RELEASE : The UK welcomes the Office of the Prosecutor’s continued focus on Darfur – UK Statement at the UN Security Council [July 2025]

    PRESS RELEASE : The UK welcomes the Office of the Prosecutor’s continued focus on Darfur – UK Statement at the UN Security Council [July 2025]

    The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 10 July 2025.

    Statement by Legal Adviser Colin McIntyre at the UN Security Council meeting on Sudan.

    Let me begin by stressing the United Kingdom’s condemnation of the recent cyberattack against the ICC.

    The UK has committed funds to strengthen the Court’s cybersecurity framework and we are pleased that this incident was swiftly contained.

    Mr President, I will make three points today.

    First, we welcome the Office of the Prosecutor’s continued focus on Darfur.

    In this regard, we are gravely concerned by the findings of the Office of the Prosecutor that there are reasonable grounds to believe that war crimes and crimes against humanity may have been committed, and indeed are continuing to be committed, in Darfur.

    We also echo the report’s concerns about the situation in El Fasher. Large-scale attacks carried out on Zamzam IDP camp in April 2025 reportedly displaced over 400,000 people and continue to affect the population.

    It is appalling that their suffering is compounded by denials of aid.

    We call on the parties to the conflict to allow and facilitate the rapid and unimpeded delivery of humanitarian assistance.

    Second, we note the continued cooperation of the Sudanese authorities, including the facilitation of the recent visit to Port Sudan.

    Given the significant challenges faced by the Office in implementing its mandate, we encourage the Sudanese authorities to redouble their efforts to cooperate with the Office, particularly in relation to the arrest and transfer of individuals subject to ICC arrest warrants, including Mr Ahmad Harun.

    Third, we welcome the enhanced cooperation between the Prosecutor’s Office and other actors, including civil society organisations and the UN Fact Finding Mission for Sudan.

    We commend the Office of the Prosecutor and the Fact Finding Mission’s ongoing documentation efforts and their commitment to delivering concrete progress.

    Mr President, the Sudanese people deserve justice.

    We therefore call for the SAF and the RSF to immediately cease hostilities and prioritise the protection of civilians in line with resolution 2736.

    Accountability must go hand in hand with finding a political solution to this horrific war and ending the cycle of impunity that has scarred Sudan for decades.

    Mr President, let me conclude by reiterating that the UK supports the independence of the International Criminal Court and does not support the sanctioning of individual court officials.