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Category: Press Releases

  • PRESS RELEASE : New funding and support scheme to finally end armed forces veterans homelessness [December 2022]

    PRESS RELEASE : New funding and support scheme to finally end armed forces veterans homelessness [December 2022]

    The press release issued by the Cabinet Office on 21 December 2022.

    More than £8.5 million of funding has been announced in order to ensure no veteran should sleep rough this Christmas, and veteran homelessness is ended in 2023.

    • £8.55m funding announced for more than 900 veteran supported housing units with specialist help for former armed forces personnel.
    • The funding for a bespoke homelessness pathway, called Op FORTITUDE – similar to Op COURAGE for Mental Health care, to ensure every veteran at risk of homelessness knows where to turn.

    More than £8.5 million of funding has been announced in order to ensure no veteran should sleep rough this Christmas, and veteran homelessness is ended in 2023.

    The funding will deliver services in more than 900 housing units in England, where specialist help for veterans, including with health, education and employment needs are provided.

    The new money announced today will also allow for the establishment of a new referral scheme – Op FORTITUDE, that will enable veterans at risk of homelessness to access supported housing and wrap-around specialist care in health, housing and education. Working with charities, the funding will ensure a single central point for local authorities and charities to identify those in need and refer them to a network of support.

    Ahead of the funding, Minister for Veterans’ Affairs Johnny Mercer worked with the veteran housing charity sector, bringing them together to establish a temporary referral scheme in England and Scotland for the Christmas period, ensuring that no Veterans should be sleeping rough this Christmas.

    Veterans can access the scheme through a dedicated charity helpline, on the number 01748 833797.

    This temporary referral scheme should ensure that no veteran who seeks support is homeless at Christmas.

    The Prime Minister will today host an event at No10 attended by charities Riverside and Stoll, along with veterans who were previously homeless. The Prime Minister will discuss with attendees the issue of veteran homelessness and how the government, including the Office for Veterans’ Affairs, can best ensure that everyone who needs support gets it.

    Minister for Veterans’ Affairs Johnny Mercer and Chief Secretary to the Treasury John Glen will also attend.

    Minister for Veterans’ Affairs Johnny Mercer said:

    No one, not least those who have served this country, should be homeless.

    That’s why today we are committing £8.5m in funding and supporting a dedicated pathway, set up in collaboration with our charity partners, so veterans can not only get the housing support they need this Christmas, but also the vital backing required to help them get on their feet again.

    As a government we remain steadfastly committed to ending veteran homelessness in 2023.

    Chief Secretary to the Treasury, John Glen said:

    It’s a sad fact that so many people who have served this country find themselves sleeping rough on the streets.

    Our mission is to put a stop to that, which is why we’re providing £8.5m in funding for over 900 housing units that support our veterans and creating a new service that will help those at risk of homeless access housing much more easily.

    Today’s announcement should ensure that no veteran who seeks help will be on the streets this Christmas.

    Lee Buss-Blair, the Director of Operations for The Riverside Group, and Member of the Veterans Advisory Board said:

    This funding will make a significant difference to the lives of vulnerable veterans.

    Not only will it support the Government’s commitment to end veteran rough sleeping, but it will also provide organisations the resources to support veterans into work.

    Veterans have so much to offer employers and communities, and thanks to this funding, providers will be far better placed to support them to realise their potential.

    The funding will ensure the government’s pledge in the Veterans’ Strategy Action Plan 2022-24 to end veteran rough sleeping within this Parliament, is delivered a year early.

    Running for two years the funding provides help and support to some of the most vulnerable veterans in our society.

    The vast majority of veterans go on to live happy, healthy and successful lives. But some do struggle and today’s announcement further demonstrates the government’s commitment to making this the best country in the world to be a veteran.

  • PRESS RELEASE : UK tech sector retains #1 spot in Europe and #3 in world as sector resilience brings continued growth [December 2022]

    PRESS RELEASE : UK tech sector retains #1 spot in Europe and #3 in world as sector resilience brings continued growth [December 2022]

    The press release issued by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport on 21 December 2022.

    • Leveraging the country’s deep science and technology base, the UK is leading the way as a leading ecosystem for responsible and values-led innovation
    • Over 3 million people working in UK tech with world-class companies training up a new generation of talent

    The UK tech sector will end the year as Europe’s leading ecosystem, retaining its position as the main challenger to the US and China amidst a global backdrop of difficult economic conditions, according to new figures from Dealroom for the Digital Economy Council.

    During 2022, fast-growing UK tech companies have continued to raise at near-record levels (£24 billion), more than France (£11.8 billion) and Germany (£9.1 billion) combined. This takes the total raised over the past five years to nearly $100 billion (£97 billion).

    Further stats today show that the UK has:

    • More high-growth companies than European peers having created 144 unicorns and 237 futurecorns and over 85,000 startups and scale-ups
    • More venture capital investment than European peers
    • A forward-thinking approach to regulation encouraging digital innovation and competition
    • Attracted VC funds from across the globe including General Catalyst, Sequoia and Lightspeed
    • Eight cities with more than two unicorns including Edinburgh, Nottingham and Oxford

    The latest figures, compiled by Dealroom for the Digital Economy Council, underline the success of the UK tech economy and its progress as a source of global innovation – a European Silicon Valley. These elements are guiding the expansion of its tech ecosystem, which now employs 3 million people, right across the country.

    Sustained investment and growth have forged a global tech powerhouse

    Consistent growth across UK tech saw the industry reach the $1 trillion in value milestone earlier this year, making it only the third country ever to hit this valuation after the US and China. This means the UK tech industry is ahead of its European peers and is worth more than double Germany’s ($467.2 billion) and three times more than France’s ($307.5 billion) as well as retaining the lead when it comes to overall funding, unicorns and startups numbers.

    This has enabled the UK to produce almost 400 high-growth startups since 2000 (worth more than $250 million in value). This includes 144 unicorns – companies with valuations of $1 billion or more – and 237 futurecorns, fast-growing companies which are predicted to be the most valuable businesses in the next few years. The new figures showcase how the ecosystem is expanding, up from 116 unicorns and 204 futurecorns at the same time last year.

    Laying the groundwork for value-driven growth

    Part of the UK’s strength in creating such a wide-ranging and expansive tech ecosystem is down to its focus on combining innovation with standards and values. Earlier this year the UK unveiled a new approach to regulating AI – based on core principles like safety, transparency and fairness – to take a less centralised approach than the EU to reflect how AI is used in their sectors. The Chancellor also announced that the government will bring forward legal powers for the Digital Markets Unit to drive up competition and level the playing field for challenger tech firms. All this goes towards creating the right environment to drive forward research, technology and growth.

    Introducing new generations to tech

    Upskilling and reskilling have become a key part of the UK’s dominance in tech with nearly 3,000 edtech startups having raised a collective £1.7 billion in funding over the past five years. Companies such as Academy, Code First Girls, Immersive Labs and Multiverse are focused on enabling people of all ages to gain the skills they need to succeed in tech roles, from tech apprenticeships to coding, development and cyber security.

    According to smarter job search engine Adzuna, UK companies are increasingly hiring for entry-level tech roles, up from 6,596 in November last year to over 15,000 this year, as they seek to bring in a new generation of tech talent and develop them into future leaders.

    Taking the lead in impact

    Whilst the UK remains the dominant country outside the US for fintech investment (nearly £10 billion raised this year), it is also becoming a leading hub for impact tech – companies creating technological solutions to reach the UN Sustainable Development Goals. There are nearly 1,200 impact tech companies in the UK which have raised £3.12 billion in funding this year, ahead of last year’s record £3 billion.

    Green energy receives the bulk of investment, such as Newcleo, a startup that is developing technology to enable safe uranium recycling (£258 million). Scaleups tackling healthcare inequality, such as Cera which bring technological innovation into social care raised £263m, while GrowUp Farms, a vertical farming company which uses technology to grow food more sustainably raised £100 million. The steady influx of investment into impact tech means the sector now employs more than 53,500 people, up from 37,500 last year.

    Regional strengths make the difference

    Innovation is spread out across the country with eight cities now home to two unicorn companies or more including Bristol, Cambridge, Edinburgh, Leeds, London, Manchester, Nottingham and Oxford. These high-growth businesses are using decades worth of science and tech research and development to revolutionise areas such as finance (Interactive Investor – democratising investing), sustainable travel (Vertical Aerospace – electric-powered aircraft), health research (Oxford Nanopore – portable DNA sequencing) and electronic device development (CSR – semiconductors).

    Collectively, these cities are home to 112 unicorn businesses, more than France (36) and Germany (63) combined – demonstrating the strong pipeline of global tech leaders being created up and down the UK. In fact, Cambridge was recently named the number one university in the world for producing successful tech founders ahead of the likes of Harvard and MIT – with over 500 alumni founders raising more than $10 million in funding. Oxford came third with 410. Bristol (173), Nottingham (100) and London (98) all made it into the top 20, thanks to their deep tech and science focuses.

    Finding the next sources of global innovation

    This is also what is attracting international investors to expand their footprint in London and the UK to access the growing network of entrepreneurs in the new Silicon Valley.US investors including General Catalyst, Sequoia and Lightspeed have increased their teams in the UK in 2022 after opening new offices here last year, and global firm New Enterprise Associates hired its first UK-based partner in October. Whilst European investor Earlybird VC has opened a new office in London earlier this year. This follows another strong year of fundraising for UK-based funds, who have collectively raised £9.2 billion this year, up from £9 billion at the same time in 2021.

    Digital minister Paul Scully said:

    UK tech has remained resilient in the face of global challenges and we have ended the year as one of the world’s leading destinations for digital businesses. This is good news and reflects our pro-innovation approach to tech regulation, continuing support for start-ups and ambition to boost people’s digital skills.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Winners of the special Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Volunteering Award announced [December 2022]

    PRESS RELEASE : Winners of the special Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Volunteering Award announced [December 2022]

    The press release issued by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport on 21 December 2022.

    A special one-off addition to the annual Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service (QAVS) has been awarded to 20 national charities for their exceptional work to empower young people.

    • 20 charities across the UK recognised for a unique one-off addition to the annual Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service, created in honour of Her Late Majesty The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee
    • The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, The Social Mobility Foundation and The National Deaf Children’s Society among those awarded for their exceptional work empowering young people

    The Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Volunteering Award, a special one-off addition to the annual Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service (QAVS), has been awarded to 20 national charities for their exceptional work to empower young people.

    From large household names to those operating on a smaller scale, the work of each awardee is vital in providing young people aged 16-25 with new opportunities, challenges, activities and skills.

    The awardees include The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, widely recognised as the world’s leading youth achievement award that helps young people develop new skills and build self-belief and resilience, and the Jewish Lads’ and Girls’ Brigade, which helps to develop essential life skills and offers experiences to help young Jewish people reach their potential.

    Her Late Majesty The Queen displayed a life-long dedication to public service throughout her 70-year reign, so it is fitting that this one-off edition of the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service recognises the thousands of volunteers who have showcased a similar longstanding commitment to their work.

    Culture Secretary Michelle Donelan said:

    From Action Tutoring to StreetGames, these 20 charities deliver outstanding work to help give young people the skills they need to grow and succeed. I’m delighted that their contribution is being recognised with a Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Volunteering Award.

    Ensuring young people get the best possible start in life is a priority for me and the Government, and there is no more fitting way to celebrate these brilliant charities than a unique edition of the highest award for voluntary service.

    The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service is the highest award given to local volunteer groups. It was established 20 years ago to commemorate The Queen’s Golden Jubilee, and has recognised around 250 outstanding local volunteer groups across the UK each year to date”.

    Sir Martyn Lewis CBE, the QAVS Chair said:

    These awards are a timely acknowledgement of the wide-ranging support and encouragement that is available to young people across the UK.

    They highlight the indispensable role that the voluntary sector plays in targeting help, advice and guidance where it is needed most.

    These awards should also be seen as a tribute to the millions of volunteers and donors who, in difficult times, provide the resources of time and money which contribute so powerfully to the social fabric of our country.

    Judging panel member Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson said:

    I was delighted to be part of the judging panel for the Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Volunteering Award. The process highlighted the amazing amount of work that is being done across a wide range of organisations and how it truly transforms the lives of so many people.

    Lucie Vickers, StreetGames Head of Volunteering and Youth Voice said:

    We are thrilled to have been awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Volunteering Award. Creating opportunities for young people from low-income, underserved communities to become volunteers and future community leaders is at the heart of our Doorstep Sport approach, and we are delighted that the impact of this work has been recognised through this prestigious award.

    Kevin Munday, Chief Executive at City Year UK said:

    The journey towards receiving the Platinum Jubilee Volunteering Award is the success of hundreds of talented and dedicated volunteers taking the right small steps towards social change for over a decade. This Award represents a joyful and proud giant leap forward into the kind of future our volunteers have all aspired to.

    Additional recipients of this one-off award include:

    • British Youth Council – with 700 volunteers, this charity empowers young people to create political and social change through a number of programmes. The Make Your Mark consultation, led by UK Youth Parliament is an annual ballot allowing young people from across the UK to vote on the issues that matter to them, whilst the Youth Steering Group invites young people to participate in 26 round table discussions on issues such as gambling, climate change, youth violence and mental health.
    • Ethnic Minorities and Youth Support Team – supports young BME people, refugees and asylum seekers in Wales. It provides specific support to 16-25 year olds through three projects: BME Youth Invest project, The Think Project and the Young, Migrant and Welsh project, which aimed to engage ethnic minority people aged 16-25 to explore and document their experiences by creating films to increase public awareness and appreciation of Wales’ diverse history and heritage.
    • LGBT Youth Scotland – works to create safer spaces where LGBTI young people aged 13-25 can explore their identities in an affirming environment, learn new skills, gain confidence, develop resilience and find community. With 133 volunteers, they provide specific support via youth groups; one-to-one support; youth commissions; an LGBT Charter Programme and award-winning online community, Pride & Pixels.
    • YMCA England & Wales with The Scottish National Council YMCA – provides young people with the critical foundations for a better quality of life by offering support with housing, education and welfare. They provide a home to more than 20,000 people experiencing homelessness each year, making them the largest voluntary sector provider of supported housing for young people in England and Wales.
    • Brook Young People – delivers clinical and education support around sexual health, wellbeing and relationships to young people aged 16-25 through providing information, education and outreach, counselling, confidential clinical and medical services, professional advice and training. They also work in partnership with Youth Offending Services to deliver targeted education support to reintegrate youth offenders back into education and the community.
    • The National Young Advocacy Service (NYAS) – 600 volunteers work to support children in care, care-leavers and care-experienced young people through a variety of services including advocacy, mentoring, mental health projects, and a free national helpline. Their Independent Visitor Service is a befriending service for children in care up to the age 18, offering long-lasting friendship and support, and the opportunity to take part in new and fun activities.

    The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service is awarded annually, with the date for the 2023 awardees soon to be confirmed. In June 2022, 244 local voluntary organisations across the UK received this prestigious award, all of which enhanced the lives of others through their work. Awardees of the 2022 award can be found here.

    To celebrate their achievements, the awardees of the Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Volunteering Award will be invited to a unique presentation event in 2023.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Azerbaijan’s closure of the Lachin corridor could have severe humanitarian consequences – UK Statement at the UN Security Council [December 2022]

    PRESS RELEASE : Azerbaijan’s closure of the Lachin corridor could have severe humanitarian consequences – UK Statement at the UN Security Council [December 2022]

    The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 20 December 2022.

    Ambassador James Kariuki speaks at the UN Security Council emergency meeting on Armenia and Azerbaijan.

    Thank you, President, and thank you to Assistant Secretary General Jenca for the very helpful update.

    The United Kingdom remains deeply concerned at the recent closure of the Lachin corridor.

    We are pleased that the gas supply to the region has been reinstated, but we continue to call for the immediate reopening of the corridor. The Lachin corridor is the only means by which daily necessities can be delivered to the region. The closure of the corridor for over a week raises the potential for severe humanitarian consequences – especially in the winter. We also note with concern the civilians who have been stranded by the closure and urge that their unimpeded return is urgently prioritised.

    We are in touch with the governments of both Armenia and Azerbaijan. It is only through diplomacy, in line with the principles of the UN Charter, that lasting peace can be achieved. The United Kingdom continues to support the internationally-led negotiation efforts that seek to secure stability and peace in the region.

    Thank you.

  • PRESS RELEASE : The Taliban are failing to live up to their commitments to the Afghan people – UK Statement at the UN Security Council [December 2022]

    PRESS RELEASE : The Taliban are failing to live up to their commitments to the Afghan people – UK Statement at the UN Security Council [December 2022]

    The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 20 December 2022.

    Ambassador Barbara Woodward speaks at the UN Security Council briefing on Afghanistan.

    Thank you, President.

    Like others, I would like to start by thanking USG Griffiths and SRSG Otunbayeva for their briefings, and thank UNAMA for all its ongoing work to support the Afghan people in such challenging circumstances. I also thank Ms. Mahbouba Seraj for returning to brief us again.

    As we’ve heard, in the midst of one of the harshest winters on record, two thirds of Afghanistan’s population face severe hunger. The 2023 Humanitarian Response Plan for 2023 is expected to be the largest in UN history and it reflects the scale of the challenge.

    The UK remains steadfast in our support for the Afghan people. As the second largest donor to this year’s HRP, we have disbursed over $600 million in humanitarian and development assistance for Afghanistan since April 2021. We continue to work with the World Bank and others on measures to put the Afghan economy on a more sustainable footing.

    President, I’d like to highlight three priorities.

    First, humanitarian aid. While 97 percent of Afghans are in poverty, two thirds in dire humanitarian need, the priority is for aid to reach those in need. The Taliban should end interference in UN operations immediately and, in particular, give assurances on the safety and access of humanitarian workers. In particular, female humanitarian workers who, as we’ve heard, are particularly constrained by the Mahram requirement.

    Second, human rights. The Taliban continue to fail to live up to their commitments to the Afghan people. As we’ve heard, repression of human rights is widespread; there are reports of honour killings, child marriage, and floggings and executions have returned.

    As we’ve heard from Ms. Seraj, in recent months, violations of women and girls’ rights and freedoms – already the most drastic in the world – have sharply increased. These policies are a systematic attempt to erase women and girls from all spheres of social, economic, political and public life.

    The UN has estimated that excluding women from the workforce is already costing the Afghan economy up to $1 billion. In the absence of fair and impartial justice systems and access to education, there can be no self-reliant, prosperous Afghanistan.

    Third, counter-terrorism. We’ve heard from the chair of the 1988 committee of the deteriorating security situation, and Ms. Seraj endorsed that point. We’ve heard that the number of sanctioned individuals among the Taliban has increased. We’ve heard of Al-Qeada, ISIL-K, Da’esh –– members of this Council have suffered from terrorist attacks in Afghanistan.

    We should be clear that while the Taliban is failing to meet its counterterrorism commitments, it cannot expect to see sanctions relief or acquire legitimacy in the eyes of the international community or the Afghan people.

    In conclusion, President, this is truly a situation that is, as the SRSG said, fraught with challenges. The Taliban is manifestly failing to live up to its commitments and to meet the needs of the Afghan people for prosperity, peace and security. We should be of no doubt that we need a robust international response that delivers humanitarian aid, but also delivers the mandate of UNAMA.

  • HISTORIC PRESS RELEASE : Chancellor Gordon Brown Outlines Government Plans to Help Britain´s ´Lost´ Youngsters [May 1999]

    HISTORIC PRESS RELEASE : Chancellor Gordon Brown Outlines Government Plans to Help Britain´s ´Lost´ Youngsters [May 1999]

    The press release issued by HM Treasury on 11 May 1999.

    A new future for the 150,000 16-18 year olds not in work, education or retraining was outlined today by the Chancellor Gordon Brown.

    Speaking to the Foyer Federation Conference in London the Chancellor said that the current support system for 16-18 year olds was “perverse and indefensible” and outlined a system of Educational Maintenance Allowance of up to £40 a week to persuade teenagers to stay on at school.

    The Chancellor said:

    “This is a wasted generation. There are 150,000 teenagers who are neither in work, education or training.

    “This system of Education Maintenance Allowances of up to £40 we propose is developed to persuade them to stay in school. They will offer real scope to make a difference to the lives of many young people who are in danger of losing out.”

    The allowances will be paid in pilot areas where more young people leave school early than is the national norm. The Government will pay up to £40 a week for young people in families where the household income is below £13,000.

    Educational Maintenance Allowances will start in September this year in 12 pilot areas. The areas are: Bolton, Nottingham, Cornwall, Doncaster, Gateshead, Leeds, Middlesborough, Oldham, Southampton, Stoke-on-Trent, Walsall and the four London boroughs of Lambeth, Lewisham, Southwark and Greenwich.

    The Chancellor said that more must be done than just home the homeless. He said:

    “Our ambition is not limited to bricks and mortar; it is to enable young men and women bridge the gap between what they are and what they have in themselves to become. So we must not only deal with the consequences of poverty, we must tackle its causes.

    “We are determined to provide a new future for the many thousands of people who had been written off for too long, unable to realise their potential.

    “Our challenge amongst young people is to persuade them to stay on at school or college, to take careers advice and to recognise the need for even the most basic qualifications is they are to secure a job.”

    This was one of the most powerful motivating force behind the introduction of the new Educational Maintenance Allowance.

    The Chancellor said the allowances “will make a real difference to the lives of many young people from disadvantaged backgrounds”. And there would be a true partnership between the Government, educational authorities, schools, colleges and foyer and housing agencies to make them a success.

    The Chancellor said:

    “What most people remember of the 1930s is unemployed men standing on street corners. What people identify with the 1980s are youngsters begging and sleeping rough in our city streets.

    “I want the 1990s and the new Millennium to be remembered for inclusion – when individuals, the voluntary sector and Government work together with a shared purpose.”

  • HISTORIC PRESS RELEASE : Gordon Brown Seeks Partnership with Nigeria to Assist Reform [May 1999]

    HISTORIC PRESS RELEASE : Gordon Brown Seeks Partnership with Nigeria to Assist Reform [May 1999]

    The press release issued by HM Treasury on 4 May 1999.

    Chancellor Gordon Brown has pledged UK Government support for reform in Nigeria, but said Nigeria must demonstrate real commitment to economic and institutional reform. Economic Secretary Patricia Hewitt gave further details of the assistance that could be made available at a conference on Nigeria today.

    Gordon Brown set out his plan in a letter to the Nigerian Finance Minister, Mallam Ismaila Usman, following their meeting at the IMF and World Bank Spring meeting in Washington last month. He said that Nigeria had a unique window of opportunity to accelerate the process of economic and institutional reform, and outlined a new package of measures to support Nigeria’s efforts.

    Mr Brown said:

    “I have offered the UK’s support to Nigeria on a wide range of issues in order to help build a stable platform upon which reform can be based.

    “A clear commitment to openness, transparency and good financial management are essential parts of the reform process, and will be seen by the international community as major steps on Nigeria’s reform path.”

    The UK aims to help Nigeria to build a stable platform upon which reform can be based, by:

    • pro-actively seeking support for an IMF funded programme for Nigeria in the autumn and a quick return to World Bank lending;
    • arguing for a permanent IMF monitoring mission at the Ministry of Finance and Central Bank to instill international confidence in the progress of reform;
    • building support for a rescheduling of Nigeria’s substantial Paris Club debt, which amounts to $20 billion;
    • advocating a partial debt cancellation, subject to the successful completion of funded programmes and reforms, and a debt sustainability analysis showing that Nigeria’s debt burden is unsustainable;
    • sending a Treasury debt team to Nigeria in the autumn to assist in preparing their bid for debt rescheduling at the Paris Club, together with a team to provide advice on privatisation.

    DFID are also providing technical assistance to the Nigerian government in the area of debt management, in addition to their significant aid programmes in the areas of health, water, education and rural livelihoods.

    This assistance is offered on the basis that Nigeria demonstrates a real commitment to reform. The first step must be getting back on track with the current IMF Staff Monitored Programme (SMP) and regularising their position with the Paris Club in order to prepare for a debt rescheduling once a funded IMF programme is established.

    Nigeria needs to rebuild its financial and economic reputation by moving towards greater openness and transparency. Progress in this regard will seen by the international community as major steps on Nigeria’s reform path.

    A permanent IMF monitoring mission at the Ministry of Finance and Central Bank would help to ensure cooperation and would contribute to international confidence in the progress of reform. Independent audits of the Central Bank and Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) would be valuable in demonstrating this new commitment to sound financial management

    These measures, along with early steps to tackle corruption, will be essential in building investor confidence in Nigeria.

    Speaking at the FT Nigeria conference in London today, Patricia Hewitt said:

    “This Government believes that poverty and social exclusion must be tackled worldwide as well as at home. This is a moral duty, fully in line with the humanitarian instincts which the people of the UK display when confronted with the plight of people in desperate need.

    “Our joint aim with the Nigerian government must be no less than the elimination of abject poverty and social exclusion amongst the Nigerian people. Nigeria must take the lead, but we will support them as a partner in this effort alongside the rest of the international community.

    “It is absolutely essential that Nigeria makes significant and rapid progress on economic and institutional reform. It is Nigeria’s responsibility to lead on undertaking reform itself.

    “Assistance from the international community will only be of benefit in the context of wide ranging reform, undertaken by Nigeria itself. This must encompass not just economic and institutional restructuring, but also the introduction of anti-poverty policies and efforts to build public support for reform.”

    The assistance is offered on the basis of continuing commitment to economic and institutional reform on the part of Nigerian government and its successors. The UK and international assistance will be effective on the basis of the Nigerian government’s commitment to economic and institutional reform continuing and accelerating leading to Nigeria’s international credibility being restored.

  • HISTORIC PRESS RELEASE : Anti-Fraud Focus in European Community Report [June 1999]

    HISTORIC PRESS RELEASE : Anti-Fraud Focus in European Community Report [June 1999]

    The press release issued by HM Treasury on 30 June 1999.

    Latest developments on anti-fraud measures in the European Community were published today as part of the Government’s annual statement on the EC Budget.

    Commenting on the publication of European Community Finances – the nineteenth statement in the series – Economic Secretary, Patricia Hewitt said :

    “As in previous years, this Statement clearly sets out the latest key developments and measures to counter fraud and financial mismanagement in the EC.

    “We are determined to crack down on fraud at every level within the European Community. That is why we pressed hard, and won agreement for, UK proposals to reform the EU’s anti-fraud system, drawing on a number of strengths of the UK model:

    • a strong, independent Head of Fraud investigations, with statutory protection from dismissal, like the independent Comptroller and Auditor General;
    • a Head with wide ranging powers to initiate any investigation on his own initiative, with rights of immediate and unannounced access to papers and buildings and to question officials and Commissioners;
    • powers matched by responsibility for making recommendations and ensuring speedy follow up when problems are found;
    • powers matched by accountability through the Council and the European Parliament to the taxpayer.

    “The new European Anti-Fraud Office meets our requirements. The EU fraud buster will be independent, will initiate its own investigations, and will make sure its recommendations are followed up.

    “But getting the new Anti Fraud Office in place is only the vital first step. We need thorough reform in Brussels. And it is coming. The Cologne European Council stressed the importance of reform and modernisation of the Commission and of the European civil service, and proposals will come forward soon.”

    Details about EC financial management and measures to counter fraud include:

    • the European Court of Auditors’ Annual Report for 1997 and Statement of Assurance, published on 17 November 1998;
    • the Council’s recommendation to the European Parliament on the discharge to be given to the Commission for its implementation of the 1997 budget;
    • details of progress on the major areas of work under the Commission’s Sound and Efficient Management 2000 Programme;
    • the 1998 “Fight against Fraud” report;
    • the new European Anti-Fraud Office.

    The Annual Statement also sets out a breakdown of expenditure and sources of revenue in the 1999 Community Budget, along with details of the UK’s contributions to, and receipts from, the Budget.

  • HISTORIC PRESS RELEASE : More Private Finance Initiative (PFI) deals expected as clarity of accounting standards is resolved – Alan Milburn [June 1999]

    HISTORIC PRESS RELEASE : More Private Finance Initiative (PFI) deals expected as clarity of accounting standards is resolved – Alan Milburn [June 1999]

    The press release issued by HM Treasury on 24 June 1999.

    Further steps to improve the flow of new PFI hospitals and schools were unveiled by the Government today when Chief Secretary to the Treasury Alan Milburn published new accounting guidance on Private Finance Initiative(PFI).

    Mr Milburn said that the revised guidance on PFI accounting transactions will remove ambiguity and build a platform of certainty and clarity upon which PFI can continue to grow.

    Already this Government has signed 140 deals worth £4.7 billion since May 1997 including the largest programme of new hospital building in the history of the NHS, he said.

    The document reflects extensive consultation between the Treasury and the accounting profession, including the Accounting Standards Board (ASB) and contractors, and offers the clarity of approach that the industry has been waiting for.

    Mr Milburn said:

    “The Government’s commitment to partnership between the public and private sector has never been greater. The Government’s new guidelines will make PFI work more effectively and more fairly. This will help deliver higher levels of investment to modernise Britain’s key public services such as the NHS.

    “By providing a platform of certainty, the new guidance will help the PFI continue to grow.

    “Value for money deals go hand in hand with the key test of genuine risk transfer achieved under PFI contracts. This clarity of approach will enable the revised guidance to work in practice.”

    The Treasury’s PFI Interim Accounting Guidance was the basis by which rules were first introduced for determining PFI accounting treatment in September 1997. Last year, the ASB published new principles for making such judgements in an Application Note. The ASB has said that the Revised Accounting Guidance is to be kept under review and updated as necessary in the light of developments in PFI to ensure that it remains both “useful in practice and is consistent with the ASB’s Application Note”.

  • HISTORIC PRESS RELEASE : Chancellor Gordon Brown Spells Out Reforms which could Cancel Two-Thirds of the Poorest Countries´ Official Debts [June 1999]

    HISTORIC PRESS RELEASE : Chancellor Gordon Brown Spells Out Reforms which could Cancel Two-Thirds of the Poorest Countries´ Official Debts [June 1999]

    The press release issued by HM Treasury on 17 June 1999.

    Following his Internet link-up with Elenata Kasanga from Zambia the Chancellor Gordon Brown said:

    “We set ourselves the objective of securing reforms which will deliver faster, deeper and wider debt relief.

    “The debt package to be agreed this weekend will deliver quickly to more of the poorest countries a lasting exit from their unsustainable debt burdens and bridge the gap between what the HIPC initiative promised and its current reality.

    “The package will:

    • mean that 38 of the world’s poorest countries could get up to $50 billion of debt reduction under the enhanced HIPC initiative – the target we set ourselves. It will help an extra 7 countries – Benin, Central African Republic (CAR), Ghana, Honduras, Laos, Senegal and Togo – qualify for HIPC relief;
    • on top of that, debt relief will offer another $30 billion; and cancellation of overseas development debt another $20 billion;
    •  a result equivalent, in total, to cancellation of two-thirds of the poorest HIPC countries’ official debts.

    “Specifically, it will

    • ensure that the full financing benefit of debt relief would be felt by countries after a maximum of 3 years rather than after the current maximum of 6 years; and
    • deliver more debt relief because the debt sustainability criteria have been substantially reduced. We have lowered the sustainability criteria: the debt -exports ratio and the fiscal criterion. And we have changed the criteria of the calculation to increase the relief and give countries the upside of economic growth after debt relief rather than reducing debt relief to reflect growth.

    “Equally important, the link between debt relief and poverty reduction will be strengthened. A new relationship will be formed between the Bretton Woods institutions and the poorest countries and the civil society in those countries. The World Bank and the International Monetary Fund will be asked to listen to poor countries, to protect investment in health and education and to strengthen the link between their programmes and the international target to halve world poverty by 2015. Developing this framework will be the challenge between now and September.

    “We greatly welcome the contribution the churches and non-governmental organisations have already made to securing public support for reform, and we support their desire to pursue the issues further. The package is a good one – but it is not the ceiling of our ambitions.”