Category: Press Releases

PRESS RELEASE : Fresh investment by Mayor to tackle violent drug gangs and safeguard young Londoners vulnerable to exploitation [January 2023]
The press release issued by the Mayor of London on 15 January 2023.

Fresh investment by Mayor to tackle violent drug gangs and safeguard young Londoners vulnerable to exploitation
New funds to support the Met’s targeted policing action to tackle London drugs gangs inflicting misery and driving violence in communities

City Hall funding will help prevent the cycle of reoffending by supporting people into treatment and recovery

Analysis shows London is the highest exporter for County Lines in the UK with more than half of all teenage murders in capital linked to gangs

More than £7million will be spent tackling drugs supply lines that are inextricably linked to violence across the country under fresh proposals announced by the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, today.

Despite progress being made, with numbers of homicides, teenage homicides, knife crimes with injury, gun crimes and burglaries in London all lower in 2022 than in 2016, the Mayor is clear that violence is still much too high and the loss of one young life to violence is always one too many. That is why Sadiq has renewed his commitment to tackling one of the major drivers of violence in cities nationwide – the prevalence of criminal drug gangs.

The new fund will see a new intensive and whole system approach to tackling drug misuse, with enhanced links into treatment and recovery services combined with funding to support the Met Commissioner’s drive to use precision and data to ensure targeted police operations against violent drug gangs.

The investment will bring together partners including the police, local councils and health services to improve communication between treatment providers and courts, prisons, and hospitals with the aim of cutting drug-related crime and breaking the cycle of misuse and reoffending.

The fresh approach comes amid rising concern and evidence that criminal gangs in London are exploiting the cost-of-living crisis to recruit young Londoners and expand their county lines networks across the UK.

Every week the Met arrests and charges around 11 suspects linked to drugs lines that run nationally and within London and analysis of the County Line Intelligence Collection Matrix (CLICM) data shows London as the highest exporter area for County Lines in the UK accounting for over 25% of the national total.¹

Research by the Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime and the Met revealed that despite a reduction in homicides last year, gang-related violence still accounts for a significant proportion of the most serious violence in London, with more than half of shootings, and more than 50 per cent of all teenage homicides in London over the past three years linked to gangs.²

The funding, proposed in the Mayor’s draft budget for 2023/4, will enable the Met to precisely target the most dangerous criminals who cause the greatest harm while doing more to help those recover from drug addictions and misuse.

With millions of Londoners impacted by the cost-of-living crisis and low-income families in the capital being hit hardest as food and energy bills soar, the Mayor is concerned that there is now a real risk of all these factors combining and contributing to the reduction of violent crime being reversed. Sadiq is determined to offer young Londoners at risk of being exploited by criminal gangs a way out.

Targeted support from the Mayor’s London Gang Exit programme is already helping hundreds of young people across all London boroughs leave or reduce their involvement in criminal gangs and City Hall’s Rescue and Response Programme has trained more than 1,000 social workers and other frontline organisations to spot the hidden signs of exploitation in vulnerable young women and girls involved in county lines activity and provide the support they need to escape exploitation.

But more action is needed and the Mayor’s new proposed £7million investment will strengthen the Met’s ability to go after the worst offenders whilst improving pathways into treatment and recovery services to reduce drug-related offending.

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: “There is an undeniable link between county lines drug gangs and violence and that’s why I’ve proposed additional funding that will enable the Met to accelerate its work targeting the most dangerous criminals while helping to break the cycle of reoffending and safeguarding our most vulnerable young Londoners from exploitation.

“This is not just a London problem. Without in any way excusing criminality, the cost-of-living crisis is engulfing the entire country. Food and energy bills continue to soar. Too many young people are seeing their opportunities diminish. Without strong leadership, action and intervention I’m concerned that we are now at real risk of seeing the reductions of violent crime we’ve achieved in London being reversed and the menace of County Lines gangs growing nationally.

“The Met and City Hall’s work to tackle county lines drugs gangs has already resulted in dangerous offenders being arrested and hundreds more vulnerable young Londoners being safeguarded, but we must do more. Violence, like poverty, is not inevitable and this new proposed investment will work to tackle the underlying drivers behind serious violence. This in turn will help us break the cycle of reoffending and build a better, safer London for all.”

Cllr Jas Athwal, London Councils’ Executive member for Community Safety and Violence Against Women and Girls, said: “The toxic impact of violent drug-related crime on London’s communities, and especially our youngest residents, is severe and long-lasting. London boroughs fully support this renewed effort to address this. We will be working alongside the Met Police, Mayor, treatment and recovery services, the voluntary sector and other partners, building on the success of borough work as part of the Rescue and Response Programme.

“Boroughs play a crucial role in safeguarding young people and their families, engaging communities and bringing together housing, employment and recovery support locally in a holistic way, and will continue to work collaboratively with local partners to engage and support young people at risk of exploitation.”
01/02/2023
PRESS RELEASE : Mayor calls for end of “vow of silence” on Brexit [January 2023]
The press release issued by the Mayor of London on 12 January 2023.
Sadiq delivers keynote speech at prestigious Mansion House London Government Dinner.

Mayor criticises the Government for taking a “vow of silence” on Brexit’s damaging effect and says “trying to will Brexit into a success, or simply ignoring its impact, is not a strategy that will deliver prosperity for London or a brighter future for Britain”.

Speech sets out a blueprint for how a stronger relationship with Europe can help boost the national economy, ease the cost-of-living crisis and increase investment in our public services.

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, will argue in a speech at Mansion House in the City of London that a reformed relationship with Europe would significantly help to remedy the multitude of crises currently facing the capital and the country.

In a keynote address to London’s political and business leaders tonight, the Mayor is expected to say:

“No one wants to see a return to the division and deadlock that dominated our body politic for five long years. However, the inescapable truth is that this unnecessarily hard-line version of Brexit is having a detrimental effect on our capital and country – at a time when we can least afford it.

“We can’t – in all good conscience – pretend that it isn’t hurting our people and harming our businesses. As Mayor of this great city, choosing not to say anything would be a dereliction of duty.”

The Mayor will urge politicians to talk honestly and openly about Brexit so that the negative impacts can be addressed as much as possible:

“We’re gathered in one of the great financial districts in the world – supporting millions of jobs and generating billions in tax revenue – but the reality is that the City of London is being hit hard by the loss of trade and talent to our competitors because of Brexit. London cannot afford to fall behind any of our international competitors.

“I was elected on a pledge to stand up for all Londoners and for our business community. That’s why I simply can’t keep quiet about the immense damage Brexit is doing. Ministers seem to have developed selective amnesia when it comes to one of the root causes of our problems. Brexit can’t be airbrushed out of history or the consequences wished away.

“What I’m interested in is the future – doing what we all know is right for London and looking at how we can sensibly and maturely mitigate the damage that’s being inflicted.”

Sadiq will acknowledge that both the capital and country face a multitude of challenges from the prospect of a recession and soaring inflation to our public services – especially our NHS – that are being pushed to breaking point. He will set out how a closer relationship with Europe will help:

“Brexit has already reduced our GDP by 5.5 per cent, reduced investment by 11 per cent and reduced goods and services trade by 7 per cent. The hard and extreme Brexit we have is a drag on growth, investment, and trade. It’s holding Britain back. Fixing it would mean the recession would be less painful and less prolonged.

“All told, the estimated cost to the Treasury in lost tax revenues due to Brexit is £40bn. We simply cannot forgo £40 billion of potential investment in our health service. So, repairing our relationship with Europe would mean we can better support the NHS.”

“Britons are also paying an extra £6 billion to eat because of Brexit. That’s £210 added to the average household’s supermarket bill over a two-year period.”

The Mayor believes the UK’s relationship with Europe can be fixed and is now calling for greater alignment with our European neighbours. He is expected say:

“After two years of denial and avoidance, we must now confront the hard truth: Brexit isn’t working. It’s weakened our economy, fractured our Union and diminished our reputation. But, crucially, not beyond repair.

“We need greater alignment with our European neighbours – a shift from this extreme, hard Brexit we have now to a workable version that serves our economy and people. That includes having a pragmatic debate about the benefits of being a part of the Customs Union and the Single Market.”

The Mayor will also suggest that ministers can start mitigating the impact of Brexit by helping him to tackle London’s labour shortage. He’s expected to say:

“The number of businesses in our city experiencing at least one skills shortage has now risen to almost 7 in 10. Meanwhile, the number of jobs in our city held by EU-born workers has fallen by over 80,000 – putting huge strain on crucial sectors such as hospitality and construction.

“Devolving powers to London and allowing us to create a regional shortage occupation list would be one way to give businesses the ability to attract and retain talent in the areas they need it most.”

Sadiq will conclude with a rallying cry to political leaders, urging them to rebuild our relationship with Europe:

“Securing a better Brexit would mean more trade, higher investment and stronger growth. It would mean a boost to both exports and living standards. More and more Londoners are worried about the impact of Brexit on our city. Our business community is increasingly speaking out and in growing numbers. It’s time the government caught up.

“Europe was, is and will remain our most important relationship, but it’s in desperate and urgent need of repair. So, let 2023 be the year we summon up the political courage to rebuild those essential bridges and tear down those needless walls standing in the way of our businesses and our people.”
01/02/2023
PRESS RELEASE : Mayors from around the world to meet for inaugural partnership for Healthy Cities Summit [January 2023]

The press release issued by the Mayor of London on 9 January 2023.

Summit to take place on March 15 in London.

(LONDON) – Bloomberg Philanthropies, the World Health Organization (WHO), and Vital Strategies will co-host the inaugural Partnership for Healthy Cities Summit with London Mayor Sadiq Khan on March 15, 2023. The Summit will bring together mayors and other city leaders from the Partnership for Healthy Cities global network to discuss strategies to combat the global burden of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) and injuries.

Founded in 2017, the Partnership for Healthy Cities is a prestigious global network of more than 70 cities working together to prevent NCDs and injuries. Supported by Bloomberg Philanthropies in partnership with the World Health Organization and Vital Strategies, this initiative enables cities around the world to deliver a high-impact policy or programmatic intervention to reduce NCDs and injuries in their communities. Through the Partnership for Healthy Cities, local leaders around the world have enacted policies that are improving the health and safety of millions of people.

“Noncommunicable diseases and injuries are leading causes of death around the world, but they are preventable, and the Partnership for Healthy Cities is tackling them with the kind of urgency we need more of,” said Michael R. Bloomberg, Founder of Bloomberg Philanthropies and Bloomberg LP, 108th Mayor of New York City, and WHO Global Ambassador for Noncommunicable Diseases and Injuries. “City leaders are the first line of defense in protecting public health, and our network’s first-ever summit is an opportunity for even more partners to join the fight, adopt effective interventions, and accelerate our lifesaving work together.”

As cities continue to grow, ensuring the health and wellbeing of residents in our world’s urban centers is crucial. NCDs – including heart disease, stroke, cancer, diabetes, and chronic respiratory diseases – and injuries are responsible for 80% of all deaths globally. With the majority of the world’s population now living in urban settings, cities are uniquely positioned to transform the fight against NCDs and injuries by implementing policies to significantly reduce exposure to risk factors. The Summit will highlight the best practices that are saving lives and creating healthier, more vibrant cities.

“I’m thrilled that London has been chosen to host the first Partnership for Healthy Cities Summit. Building a fairer, greener London for all is one of my top priorities as Mayor, and tackling air pollution is a huge part of that,” said Sadiq Khan, the Mayor of London. “Toxic air makes us sick from the cradle to the grave, leading to asthma and stunted lung growth in the young and dementia in the elderly. This is why I decided to expand my world-leading Ultra Low Emission Zone London-wide, to reduce congestion, protect the health of Londoners and tackle the effects of climate change. Cities have the power to shape the health of their citizens and I look forward to learning from and sharing knowledge with other city leaders, and coming together to address the key health challenges of the future.”

“Human health can either flourish or perish in cities,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. “Through the Partnership for Healthy Cities, WHO and partners are working with mayors to create programmes and policies that place health at the centre of urban design, such as safe streets that promote active mobility, local sources of fresh and healthy food, and smoke free spaces. These are vital for building cities that foster good health and well-being by fighting noncommunicable diseases like heart and respiratory diseases, cancer and diabetes.”

“By 2050, more than 2 of every 3 people will be living in cities. The incredible work and commitment of today’s mayors and urban leaders in forging new ways to promote health is paving the way towards a healthier, more sustainable planet.” said José Luis Castro, President and CEO, Vital Strategies. ”Vital Strategies is proud to be an implementing partner of the Partnership for Healthy Cities, supporting the bold vision and exciting projects that are proving that rapid progress is possible everywhere in the world.”

01/02/2023
PRESS RELEASE : ‘Unsafe and undignified’ – the nation’s hospitals [January 2023]

The press release issued by the BMA on 31 January 2023.

Hospital doctors have laid bare the perilous state of ‘broken’ emergency departments this winter, describing ‘unsafe and undignified’ conditions for patients. Twelve hospitals declared critical incidents and some discharged patients to hotels as surges in COVID and flu exacerbated already creaking services working beyond capacity while GPs continued to face record demand.

There were 1,593 excess deaths in England and Wales in the week to 30 December. Deaths in hospitals were 14.8 per cent above the five-year average. South Wales consultant gastroenterologist Peter Neville has seen patients in chairs, corridors and the back of ambulances queued outside emergency departments.

‘It’s always rammed,’ he told The Doctor. ‘The environment is increasingly intolerable to practise as a professional – and we’ve had this throughout the year. We’re assessing patients in environments simply not fit for purpose. It’s humiliating and degrading to ask somebody to take their shirt off in an open corridor.’

Noting ‘a lot more’ sick leave and burnout, he said: ‘I’ve never known it anywhere near as bad as now. Staff have had enough. If conditions don’t improve, the NHS will fall.’

Simon Walsh, deputy chair of the BMA consultants committee, said: ‘Staff are papering over the cracks. The reality is we’re delivering care in corridors, in spaces that weren’t designed for patients.

The urgent and emergency care system is broken.’ NHS England’s December data shows 54,532 patients waited more than 12 hours in emergency departments.

There were 347,707 12-hour waits last year, four times that of the last 10 years combined.

Adrian Boyle, president of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine, said 300 to 500 people a week were dying owing to delays and problems with urgent and emergency care. ‘We need to increase capacity in hospitals,’ he said.

‘We cannot continue like this – it is unsafe and undignified.’ Rob Galloway, an emergency medicine consultant in the south of England, said: ‘If there were two plane crashes a week there would be COBRA meetings and we would have the Army in.

A&Es are not just busy; they are dangerous and people are dying. ‘It’s the busiest I’ve seen in 22 years. COVID and flu were the straws that broke the camel’s back; it’s scary.’ The Government announced an extra £250m ‘to speed up hospital discharge’ on 9 January but Dr Galloway said it was too late.

He suggested opening Nightingale Hospitals as care hubs and believes the only reason the Government hadn’t was because it would be ‘admitting failure’. The crisis intensified as the BMA opened its industrial action ballot for junior doctors in England, calling for restoration of pay to 2008/09 levels; since then it has eroded by 26.1 per cent.

If junior doctors vote to strike, they will walk out for 72 hours in March. The ballot closes on 20 February.

01/02/2023
PRESS RELEASE : Consultative ballot plan for consultants [January 2023]

The press release issued by the BMA on 31 January 2023.

The BMA is to hold a consultative ballot of NHS consultants in England next month – in a move described as a ‘significant escalation’ towards industrial action.

The ballot will not be a legal ballot for industrial action, but will ask consultants whether they would be prepared to strike in future. The outcome will then be used to inform the BMA whether to proceed to a statutory ballot on industrial action, which would centre around cuts to consultants’ pay and the failure to address the pensions crisis.

It comes as the NHS is at severe risk of losing its most senior doctors as more than a decade of real-terms pay cuts and punitive pension tax rules leave consultants with little option but to reduce their hours or leave the NHS entirely.

With mounting waiting lists and ever-increasing demands on the NHS, the BMA said the health service cannot afford to lose doctors who are willing and able to work. Doctors leaders said urgent action is needed to prevent the haemorrhage of senior staff.

Pay erosion

BMA figures show years of pay erosion have resulted in the average consultant in England facing a real-terms take-home pay cut of nearly 35% since 2008/09. Alongside escalation in the direction of industrial action, the BMA said the allegedly ‘independent’ pay-review process, which has overseen these cuts, has been constantly interfered with by government and must be reformed so it can deliver fair pay for doctors.

Thousands of doctors have already reduced their hours or left the NHS after they have incurred large, additional tax bills on their pensions by exceeding the annual or lifetime allowances.

The Parliamentary health and social care committee has described the pension tax crisis driving doctors out of the NHS a ‘national scandal’ contributing to ‘the greatest workforce crisis in its history’, yet despite the BMA outlining the necessary solutions, the Government has taken little action.

In the face of this inaction, doctors leaders believe the country is ‘walking blindly’ into one of the biggest staffing crisis the NHS has ever seen – and the association has no choice but to consult its members in England to determine their views on whether they would be prepared to take industrial action.

Action needed

Vishal Sharma, BMA consultants committee chair, said: ‘Despite repeatedly outlining our concerns to Government, ministers have been unwilling to act. The NHS is on its knees, patients are suffering and staff morale has never been lower.

Senior doctors are cutting their hours or leaving the NHS in their droves, driven out of jobs they love by unfair pension tax rules and brutal cuts to their pay. This is having a catastrophic impact on the country’s health as waiting lists for treatment spiral out of control and patients struggle to get the care they need.

‘Unless there is action by Government to address consultants’ concerns, waiting lists will simply continue to hit new record highs and staff shortages will only worsen as more senior doctors leave the NHS. The only way out of this crisis is to fix pay, fix pensions and fix the pay review body.

‘Consultants would not take industrial action lightly. But in the absence of meaningful solutions from government, we’ve been left with no option but to consult our members’ views on whether they wish for us to hold a formal ballot for industrial action.’

01/02/2023
PRESS RELEASE : Mick Lynch urges junior doctors to ‘take courage’ in pay restoration vote [January 2023]

The press release issued by the BMA on 17 January 2023.

Union leader Mick Lynch told junior doctors they are on ‘the right side of the argument’ with pay restoration and should be confident they have public support for industrial action.

The RMT general secretary, who has become a symbol for the wider trade-union movement in recent months, spoke at a BMA rally attended by more than 250 doctors and medical students in Westminster on 14 December.

His speech urged doctors to encourage their colleagues to vote in the industrial action ballot and warned a failure to stand up could pave the way for the NHS to become a ‘gig economy’.

Headline speaker Mr Lynch said: ‘Don’t be fearful. We’ve gone beyond that stage. Don’t be worried about your careers. They can’t keep anyone in the profession, so you don’t need to worry about jobs in the future – there will be jobs aplenty for doctors.

‘You’ve got to take courage that your cause is right. It’s the same cause as all the other disputes.

‘This is the fight of our generation, and the fight of our lives. It’s a fight about the future of our health sector, the NHS, a fight for your patients and a fight for the nature of society that we live in. So we cannot lose. And we won’t lose – because we’ve already started to win.’

Pay rise

Mr Lynch noted the level of burnout among medical professionals, saying many have ‘nothing more to give’ with GPs at a practice his wife works at as a nurse working 12- to 14-hour shifts as well as attending local-area meetings.

‘It’s impossible for health workers to give any more,’ he said. ‘What we need on the table is pay restoration. We need an automatic pay rise which addresses the cost-of-living crisis. You can’t take a round of applause down to Lidl or Tesco and cash it in. You need cash in your bank account so you can pay your bills.’

Highlighting the high levels of student debt many junior doctors take on before they begin earning, he said: ‘You cannot afford to subsidise the NHS. That’s what they’re asking you to do by not paying you properly. You are not receiving the full value of your labour, your learning and your qualifications. And if we don’t stand up for it now, we will have lost the opportunity for a generation.

‘Take courage. You are on the right side of this argument. The public is with you, the country is with you. The country is crying out for change. We have to win it industrially, now. We must commit to winning this struggle for our people, so that we change this country, change our society. Victory to the doctors.’

Highlighting the need to ensure enough members take part, thereby preventing a similar result to that of a recent ballot by teachers’ union NASUWT, which fell short of the 50 per cent turnout required despite nine in 10 votes in favour of strikes, he urged doctors in attendance to ‘talk to your colleagues back in the workplace, back on the wards’ to encourage them to vote.

‘It is over the teapot you’re going to win this vote,’ he added. ‘You have to convince those people to vote yes in this ballot. It’s the rank and file that ultimately wins the ballots.’

He called on the BMA to integrate into a wider workers’ movement to help ‘maximise influence’ and ‘win at the negotiations’.

He praised the BMA’s phrase ‘pay restoration’ as a message, adding: ‘While you are losing your pay, the super-rich in this country have never been richer. Oligarchs are running this society, they control the media, the press and will try and control the debate about your dispute going forward. We have to show them we’re together.’

Society’s future

Addressing junior doctors and medical students as ‘the future’ as ‘some of the brightest, most talented and hopeful people in the country’, Mr Lynch said the wider trade union movement was about ‘what kind of society do we want to run in this country’.

He asked: ‘Is it going to be this degraded, diluted, every-person-for-themselves society, or is it going to be an egalitarian society that strives for equality, strives for a redistribution of wealth?

‘It’s not just about taxation, and how much you earn. That’s obviously important [but] it’s about the wealth of our society, that we create as workers and is made by all of us. It should be shared as fairly and compassionately as possible.’

Mr Lynch said the wave of industrial action, across sectors, was being driven by ‘the state of our society, our economy and our politics’ and said politicians ‘do nothing for us unless we kick them, or prod them, into a position’.

He warned that if NHS workers don’t take a stand now, they risked being gradually moved into a ‘gig economy’.

‘They are deliberately driving people to casual work, locum work, agency work, bank work. When they do that, your hourly rate might be slightly higher but you can say goodbye to your conditions, wave goodbye to your pensions. They will do that to make the changes they want to get the cheap workforce and degrade our NHS. Then they will bring through the spectre of privatisation, which is already with us. There are snakes consuming our NHS.’

01/02/2023
PRESS RELEASE : UK sets out plans to regulate crypto and protect consumers [February 2023]
The press release issued by HM Treasury on 1 February 2023.

The plans will provide clarity to consumers and businesses.
- The government will set out ambitious plans to robustly regulate cryptoasset activities – providing confidence and clarity to consumers and businesses alike
- Consultation proposals include strengthening rules for crypto trading platforms and a robust world-first regime for crypto lending
- Announcement delivers on financial services roadmap by embracing technological change and innovation, delivering on the Prime Minister’s plan to grow the economy
Ambitious plans to protect consumers and grow the economy by robustly regulating cryptoasset activities have been announced by the government.

Cryptoassets – commonly known as ‘crypto’ – are a relatively new, diverse and constantly evolving class of assets that have a range of potential benefits, as well as posing risks to the consumer.

As is common in emerging technology markets, the crypto sector continues to experience high levels of volatility and a number of recent failures have exposed the structural vulnerability of some business models in the sector.

Our robust approach to regulation mitigates the most significant risks, while harnessing the advantages of crypto technologies. This enables a new and exciting sector to safely flourish and grow, boosting jobs and investment.

Economic Secretary to the Treasury, Andrew Griffith said:

“We remain steadfast in our commitment to grow the economy and enable technological change and innovation – and this includes cryptoasset technology.

“But we must also protect consumers who are embracing this new technology – ensuring robust, transparent, and fair standards.”

Under plans set out by the government today (1 February), it will seek to regulate a broad suite of cryptoasset activities, consistent with its approach to traditional finance.

These proposals will place responsibility on crypto trading venues for defining the detailed content requirements for admission and disclosure documents – ensuring crypto exchanges have fair and robust standards.

The proposals will also strengthen the rules around financial intermediaries and custodians – which have responsibility for facilitating transactions and safely storing customer assets. These steps will help to deliver a robust world-first regime strengthening rules around the lending of cryptoassets, whilst enhancing consumer protection and the operational resilience of firms. As part of this approach, the consultation will seek views on improving market integrity and consumer protection by setting out a proposed crypto market abuse regime.

In addition, to address industry concerns about the small number of Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) authorised cryptoasset firms who can issue their own promotions, HM Treasury is also introducing a time limited exemption. Cryptoasset businesses that are registered with the FCA for anti-money laundering purposes will be allowed to issue their own promotions, while the broader cryptoasset regulatory regime is being introduced.

This approach delivers on the original policy intention of the measure to promote innovation, enhance consumer protection and ensure that cryptoasset promotions can be held to equivalent standards as promotions of financial services products with similar risk profiles.

Further information
- Today’s consultation (published 1 February) will close on 30 April 2023, after which, the government will consider feedback and work to set out its consultation response. Once legislation is laid, the Financial Conduct Authority will consult on its detailed rules for the sector
- In April 2022, the then Economic Secretary, John Glen MP, set out ambitious plans for the UK to become a global hub for cryptoasset technology
- Today’s announcement delivers against these plans, positioning the UK as a safe jurisdiction for cryptoasset activity to take place, fostering innovation and providing firms clarity over the planned regulatory framework.
- The consultation builds on previous HM Treasury proposals, which focused on stablecoins and the financial promotion of cryptoassets
- Proposals are centred around a number of important cryptoasset activities – including exchange activities, custody activities and lending activities, which the government is intending to bring into the regulatory perimeter for financial services
- For each activity the consultation sets out key design features of the regime covering themes such as prudential requirements, data reporting, consumer protection, location policy and operational resilience
- The consultation paper also proposes regimes for a range of cross-cutting issues which apply across cryptoasset activities and business models, including market abuse and cryptoasset issuance and disclosures
01/02/2023
PRESS RELEASE : Trade talks and training troops top of the agenda at annual UK-Australia summit [February 2023]
The press release issued by the Ministry of Defence on 1 February 2023.

Foreign and Defence Secretaries to host Australian counterparts for talks in London and Portsmouth.
- Foreign and Defence Secretaries to host Australian counterparts for talks in London and Portsmouth
- Annual ‘AUKMIN’ ministerial meeting will cover cooperation on climate, security and trade
- Security initiatives include joint UK-Australia training exercises on Salisbury Plain
The fields of Salisbury Plain and historic dockyards of Portsmouth will be the backdrop to significant talks between the UK and Australia’s defence and foreign ministers today, as both nations discuss how to intensify efforts to support a free and open Indo-Pacific.

Foreign Secretary James Cleverly and Defence Secretary Ben Wallace will host their Australian counterparts, Foreign Minister Penny Wong and Defence Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles, in London, Salisbury and Portsmouth this week for the annual UK-Australia ‘AUKMIN’ summit.

Following bilateral talks with their opposite numbers on Wednesday, the group will visit Salisbury Plain to see Australian and UK troops training Ukrainian soldiers. The joint programme, which also involves forces from Canada, Denmark, Finland, Sweden, Norway, New Zealand, Lithuania, and the Netherlands, is part of an acceleration of efforts by the UK and allies to ensure Ukraine wins the war and secures a lasting peace.

On Thursday the group will gather for meetings at the Spinnaker Tower in Portsmouth to discuss the countries’ long-term cooperation to promote prosperity in the Indo-Pacific as well as broader cooperation on climate, security and trade. The UK’s work with Australia to promote open societies and economic security in the region area is crucial to boosting trade with the Indo-Pacific and delivering on the Prime Minister’s priority to grow the economy, creating better-paid jobs and opportunity right across the country. The Indo-Pacific is set to account for half of global growth by 2050.

Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said:

The UK and Australia are the best of mates and for over a century we have been hard-headed champions of freedom and democracy.

In an increasingly volatile world, we are pursuing a forward-looking agenda with Australia as a trusted partner and friend. Together we are promoting prosperity and security in the Indo-Pacific, boosting trade, and pursuing our vital climate targets.

Defence Secretary Ben Wallace MP said:

Australia is our close and valued defence partner, with historic ties spanning the decades.

The Australian Armed Forces are providing vital training for the brave Ukrainian men and women here in the UK, learning the skills they will need to return and defend their country.

We are also progressing our collaboration over the AUKUS programme, promoting security and prosperity across the Indo-Pacific.

The ministers will also look at how the UK and Australia can step up their commitments to limit global temperature rises to 1.5 degrees, including by transitioning to renewable energy, promoting low-emission technologies as part of a joint Clean Tech partnership the two countries signed in 2021, as well as supporting island states in the Pacific who are on the front line of the climate emergency.

More widely, they will take stock of progress on AUKUS – a defence and security pact between the UK, US, and Australia which will deliver a nuclear-powered submarine capability to Australia. They will also continue discussions on the UK’s accession to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), a £9 trillion free trade bloc, and progress towards the UK ratifying the bilateral free trade agreement with Australia, expected to come into force in spring this year.

The iconic venue for talks in the historic naval town reflects the two nations’ shared seafaring heritage. The summit also affirms the UK’s ongoing commitment to Australia and the Indo-Pacific region, and follows a busy 18 months of UK engagement in the region, including the visit of the Carrier Strike Group, the AUKUS agreement, our Prime Ministers meeting at the G20 in Bali, and Indo-Pacific Minister Anne-Marie Trevelyan’s visit to Australia at the end of last year.
01/02/2023
PRESS RELEASE : UK Government backing helps launch world first self-driving bus [February 2023]
The press release issued by the Department for Transport on 1 February 2023.

Passengers will be boarding the world’s first fully sized, self-driving bus service in Edinburgh from the Spring, after it was awarded a share of £81 million in joint UK government and industry support for self-driving transport technology.
- The world’s first full-sized, self-driving bus service is among the projects being awarded funding from the UK government
- £81 million in combined government and industry funding is being made available for commercial self-driving passenger and freight services, which could revolutionise public transport and passenger travel improving especially for those who don’t drive, better connect rural communities and reduce road collisions caused by human error
- automated buses in Edinburgh, shuttles in Belfast and lorries in Sunderland get support
Passengers will be boarding the world’s first fully sized, self-driving bus service in Edinburgh from the Spring, after it was awarded a share of £81 million in joint UK government and industry support for self-driving transport technology.

The project is one of seven successful projects from around the UK, and forms the most advanced set of commercial, self-driving passenger and freight operations anywhere in the world.

The grants, part of the Centre for Connected and Autonomous Vehicles Connected and Automated Mobility programme, will help British companies seize early opportunities to develop experimental projects into offerings ready for the market.

The joint government and industry funding winners are:
- CAVForth II – Fusion Processing – £10.4 million to launch the world’s first operational, full-sized, self-driving bus service, in Edinburgh, with Stagecoach and Alexander Dennis
- V-CAL – North East Automotive Alliance – £8 million to roll out self-driving and remotely piloted HGVs between the Vantec and Nissan sites in Sunderland
- Hub2Hub – HVS – £13.2 million to develop a new, zero emissions, self-driving HGV with Asda
- Sunderland Advanced Mobility Shuttle – City of Sunderland Council – £6 million to build and trial a self-driving shuttle service to the University of Sunderland and the Sunderland Royal Hospital
- Project Harlander – Belfast Harbour – £11 million to deploy a self-driving shuttle service around Belfast Harbour
- Multi-Area Connected Automated Mobility – Conigital – £15.2 million to establish a remote driving control hub, to oversee self-driving vehicles operating in Solihull and Coventry, with the NEC and local councils.
- Project Cambridge Connector – Greater Cambridge Partnership – £17.4 million to trial on-demand, self-driving taxis, to complement existing transport services in parts of Cambridge
£42 million in government funding is being matched by industry.

Business Secretary Grant Shapps said:

In just a few years’ time, the business of self-driving vehicles could add tens of billions to our economy and create tens of thousands of jobs across the UK. This is a massive opportunity to drive forward our priority to grow the economy, which we are determined to seize.

The support we are providing today will help our transport and technology pioneers steal a march on the global competition, by turning their bright ideas into market-ready products sooner than anyone else.

Transport Secretary Mark Harper said:

Self-driving vehicles including buses will positively transform people’s everyday lives – making it easier to get around, access vital services and improve regional connectivity.

We’re supporting and investing in the safe rollout of this incredible technology to help maximise its full potential, while also creating skilled jobs and boosting growth in this important sector.

Almost £600,000 is also being awarded for feasibility studies, looking into how self-driving technology could improve public transport in four parts of the UK. These projects will look into potential routes where automated vehicles could operate exclusively from other traffic, to relieve congestion on the A414 through Hertfordshire and Essex, parts of Eastern Cambridge, Birmingham and Solihull, and Milton Keynes.

Innovate UK Executive Director for Net Zero, Mike Biddle, said:

The Connected and Automated Mobility (CAM) sector is of crucial importance to the UK, with the potential to deliver safer, cleaner and more efficient transport systems across a wide range of settings.

This latest, multi-year round of government’s Commercialising CAM funds builds on the success of previous collaborative R&D programme, stimulating innovation to ensure the UK is at the forefront of the transition towards the commercialisation of self-driving services.

Self-driving vehicles could revolutionise public transport and passenger travel, especially for those who don’t drive, better connect rural communities and reduce road collisions caused by human error. Forecasts predict that by 2035, 40% of new UK car sales will have self-driving capabilities, with a total market value for connected and automated mobility worth £41.7 billion to the UK. This could create nearly 40,000 skilled jobs in connected and automated vehicle (CAV) technology.

The government is also committed to introducing legislation that will enable the safe and timely rollout of self-driving vehicles on UK roads. Under a proposed ‘safety ambition’ for self-driving vehicles to be equivalent in safety to a competent and careful human driver, vehicles will need to meet certain standards to be allowed to ‘self-drive’ on the roads throughout the lifetime of the vehicle. Organisations overseeing self-driving vehicles could face sanctions if standards are not maintained.
01/02/2023
PRESS RELEASE : Corruption crackdown under new government anti money laundering laws [February 2023]
The press release issued by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy on 1 February 2023.

Overseas organisations owning UK land must have publicly declared their true owners, under world leading UK laws to crack down on dirty money.
- Oligarchs and non-compliant organisations face severe restrictions on their ability to buy and sell property and could risk future additional penalties
- further investigatory powers and investment of up to £20 million of allocated spending on economic crime being deployed to tackle money laundering through companies
Overseas companies owning UK land who have not registered their beneficial owners with Companies House could now face penalties such as sale restrictions and tough fines, the government has announced.
Foreign companies were required to declare their beneficial owners on the Register of Overseas Entities by Tuesday 31 January, under world leading new anti-money laundering measures introduced by the government to flush out corrupt elites.

Now that the deadline has passed, foreign companies that have not submitted information to Companies House could face severe sanctions, including financial penalties or prosecution.

The register was introduced as part of a package of tough economic measures announced in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, targeting the illicit wealth of supporters of the Putin regime. The register also exposes criminals using overseas companies to launder money. Recently scammer Dr Ruja Ignatova, the “Cryptoqueen” on the FBI’s most wanted list, was publicly declared the beneficial owner of two intermediaries in Guernsey due to the new requirements.

Business Minister Lord Callanan said:

There is nowhere for the criminals and corrupt elites to hide. We will be using all the tools at our disposal, including fines and restrictions, to crack down on foreign companies who have not complied.

Unregistered companies are already automatically rejected from registering ownership of any new land by HM Land Registry. Any UK buyers will be unable to transfer their title to the deed of any property purchased from non-compliant organisations, frustrating attempts to sell. Criminals purchase a safe investment like land and property through opaque corporate structures to clean their dirty money. The Register brings transparency to these overseas based structures, and the restrictions halt the flow of money for those who do not comply.

Companies House is now assessing and preparing cases for enforcement action. Further regulations will also empower Companies House to impose financial penalties on land owned by non-compliant organisations, as well as pursue other legal avenues.

It is estimated that 19510 out of a total of 32440 registered overseas organisations have declared their beneficial owners. The information gained has also been invaluable for tax and revenue services, bringing transparency to opaque offshore trusts often used to obscure assets for tax purposes.

Companies House and the Insolvency Service will also gain enhanced powers from the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Bill, which has just completed scrutiny in the House of Commons. Through the investment of up to £20 million of allocated spending, both organisations will recruit new teams of intelligence and analytical experts to further boost their capability to tackle money laundering and aid law enforcement.

Louise Smyth, Chief Executive Officer of Companies House said:

The implementation of the Register of Overseas Entities has been another huge step forward in the transformation of Companies House and our role in helping combat economic crime.

We cannot be clearer in our message to these entities; if you ignored warnings and fail to register before the deadline, you will face consequences. This includes not only the prospect of restrictions on your land or property but also a possible fine, prison sentence, or both.
01/02/2023