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Category: Speeches

  • Chris Evans – 2023 Speech on the Armoured Cavalry Programme – Sheldon Review

    Chris Evans – 2023 Speech on the Armoured Cavalry Programme – Sheldon Review

    The speech made by Chris Evans, the Shadow Defence Minister, in the House of Commons on 15 June 2023.

    Before I start, if you will allow me, Madam Deputy Speaker, I want to pay tribute to Glenda Jackson, our former colleague, given the sad news that she recently passed away. She was a doughty champion for social justice and was the greatest actor of this or any other generation. I am sure further tributes will be paid in the coming days.

    What the Sheldon review has shown without a shadow of a doubt is that Ajax is the biggest procurement failure for a decade. The review is beyond damning. For a report to state,

    “Reporting was at times lacking, or unclear, or overly optimistic. That led to senior personnel and Ministers being surprised to discover in late 2020 and early 2021 that the programme was at much greater risk than they had appreciated”,

    is frankly embarrassing.

    There is no place to hide any longer. The failure to manage this contract was on this Conservative Government’s watch. It was they who allowed the relationship with General Dynamics to break down to such an extent that every time Ajax was mentioned, here or in the press, there was fevered speculation that the contract was about to be cancelled. That has caused anxiety for the Army and above all for the workers in General Dynamics in both Merthyr Tydfil and Oakdale in my own Islwyn constituency. Even the threat of losing 400 jobs would be devastating for the south Wales economy.

    This programme has cost £5.5 billion and has been running for 13 years, but has yet to deliver one deployable vehicle. If this was the private sector, heads would roll, so I ask the Minister this: has any action been taken against anyone responsible for this mess? What new procedures have already been put in place on other major programmes to stop similar mistakes happening? Ministers must ensure that our NATO obligations are met in full, but, whether it is Ajax, delays to Wedgetail or a modern war-fighting division, NATO must have concerns. Have any been raised with the Government about Ajax?

    I well remember the sense of excitement from workers at Oakdale when this contract was signed in 2010, just after I was elected. The Ajax contract was then labelled a game changer, not only for south Wales, but for the Army. It is truly sad that we have arrived at a point where Ajax has become a byword for waste and incompetence.

    Workers at General Dynamics should have been listened to, but they were not. There was a

    “lack of appreciation of diverse and contrary voices, especially from those working on the ‘shopfloor’. These voices were not fully included, and were too easily dismissed.”

    Those are not my words, but the words of the report. Perhaps if workers had been listened to, we would not be standing here now.

    As the Minister knows, Ajax is not an isolated case: 37 out of 39 defence equipment contracts being run by the Ministry of Defence are marked red or amber by the National Audit Office. That includes Morpheus, which is extremely important to our armed forces. Have the problems with that programme’s communications system been fixed, or are they unfixable? What contingency plans are being made for Morpheus?

    For a contract as important as Ajax, with so much speculation around it, it is amazing that we have not had an oral statement on Ajax since December 2021. For too long, the Government have avoided scrutiny on this issue. On this and other future contracts, will the Minister commit to giving regular updates to the House? We are, after all, ensuring soldiers’ safety—the most important thing about the contract—and spending taxpayers’ money. I find myself in agreement with the Minister when he says that change has to come. It is not a moment too soon.

    James Cartlidge

    I begin by agreeing with the hon. Gentleman on Glenda Jackson; I do not think she was in the House when I was here, but she was an amazing actress and I join in his sentiments and echo them entirely.

    I recognise that the hon. Gentleman is not just the shadow spokesman but has a clear constituency interest, and I respect that. He talks about fevered speculation and the impact on the workforce, and I totally understand that. We do not want to see that. He talks about coming to the House: I am here today to be absolutely clear with everyone about the latest position. In fact, my colleague the Paymaster General regularly updated the House on the position around Ajax when he was the Minister. My predecessor, now the Lord Chancellor, also issued a written statement earlier this year that was very detailed about the programme, so I think we have been consistent in updating the House.

    On some of the hon. Gentleman’s specific questions, he asked about action on individuals. What we said when commissioning this review was that disciplinary action would be taken only if there was evidence of gross misconduct, and Mr Sheldon found no evidence of misconduct, let alone gross misconduct. That is the clear reason why individual action has not been taken.

    In terms of action across programmes, I point the hon. Gentleman to the very significant investment by the Army of £70 million over the next 10 years in Army procurement programmes, including in the past two years a doubling in the number of SROs and a doubling of the amount of time that SROs spend on their responsible major projects. Those are significant investments.

    I also point out to the hon. Gentleman some of the improvements we have seen. I accept that we need to go further but, if I may draw a contrast, this is not the first review of acquisition. Bernard Gray issued an independent “Review of Acquisition for the Secretary of State for Defence” in 2009, which described a poorly performing procurement system. That review found that

    “the average programme overruns by 80% or c.5 years from the time specified at initial approval through to in service dates”,

    and that was under a previous Government.

    These problems have been around for some time and it is disappointing. I have pointed to the improvements we have seen, but let me be absolutely clear: the ultimate reason we have this report is to learn lessons and the way we respond to it is to deliver a fundamentally better acquisition system. I totally agree with the hon. Gentleman on that and I hope we can all work together to that end.

  • James Cartlidge – 2023 Statement on the Armoured Cavalry Programme – Sheldon Review

    James Cartlidge – 2023 Statement on the Armoured Cavalry Programme – Sheldon Review

    The statement made by James Cartlidge, the Minister for Defence Procurement, in the House of Commons on 15 June 2023.

    With permission, Madam Deputy Speaker, I would like to make a statement to update the House on the review conducted by Clive Sheldon KC on the lessons to be learned from the armoured cavalry programme, which is the Army programme centred on the Ajax vehicles. The Defence Secretary has previously acknowledged that the programme was a troubled programme. Albeit that he has more recently announced that it has turned a corner, it is against the backdrop of concerns he had about the programme, and those of this House about what was known at the time of publishing the integrated review, that he commissioned an independent review by a senior legal figure to investigate the circumstances.

    In May last year, Clive Sheldon KC was appointed to lead a lessons learned review into the armoured cavalry programme. The review’s terms of reference were to

    “identify lessons and make recommendations to help Ministry of Defence (MOD) deliver major programmes more effectively in future, with a particular focus on how MOD shares and elevates issues across the Department.”

    An earlier Ministry of Defence report, by David King, specifically relating to the health and safety concerns about noise and vibration, was published in December 2021. We continue to make good progress on implementing the recommendations from that report, some of which are echoed in Mr Sheldon’s review.

    Mr Sheldon submitted his report to Ministers on 19 May, and I am today publishing that report, unredacted, on gov.uk, and placing a copy in the Library of the House. I wish to formally thank Mr Sheldon and his team for the painstaking work that they have undertaken to enable us to better understand how the MOD can improve the governance, culture and leadership of our major programmes. They interviewed some 70 people and considered tens of thousands of pages of evidence.

    The resulting report makes for difficult reading, highlighting a number of systemic, cultural and institutional problems across several areas of the Department. These problems include: fragmented relationships and the conflicting priorities of the senior responsible owner role. It also points to a reticence to raise, and occasionally by seniors to listen to, genuine problems in a timely, evidenced manner.

    We accept these findings and most of Mr Sheldon’s 24 formal recommendations, with 15 accepted and nine accepted in principle. Crucially, the review did not find that either Ministers or Parliament were misled. Equally, the review team did not see any evidence of misconduct by any individual, let alone gross misconduct, and nothing that would justify disciplinary action. It is, though, true that many of the behaviours highlighted in the report are far from ideal, but in many cases they have already been recognised and acted on, both specifically on the armoured cavalry programme as well as across the Department.

    Where work is not already under way to implement a recommendation, we commit to making the necessary changes at pace. In the interest of time, Madam Deputy Speaker, I will address the recommendations in the themes set out by Mr Sheldon in his executive summary, rather than going through each of the recommendations.

    A number of recommendations relate to MOD’s internal relationships, including with the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory. Considerable effort has already been made to address these issues within and beyond the Ajax programme. This has resulted in much improved working and reporting arrangements, in particular with the Defence Equipment & Support organisation and also the newly established acquisition safety cell that advises the Investment Approvals Committee on equipment safety matters. Escalation routes also exist for DSTL through the chief science officer where concerns are not acted on.

    Another area of focus is SROs. I know that many colleagues are interested in this point. We fully agree with the need to improve how senior responsible owners are supported and much work has gone into upskilling and supporting SROs, ensuring that they have the time and space to focus on delivering their programmes and can build skills through the Major Projects Leadership Academy.

    Today, four in every five of our major project SROs are committing at least half their time to leading their programmes—half the Army’s 19 SROs dedicate 100% of their time. We also agree in principle with Mr Sheldon’s presumption for a minimum tenure, subject to compatibility with employment law.

    Finally, the report comments extensively on a culture that led to issues not being escalated and makes recommendations to improve that and the flow of information. Transparency has improved since the period of this report. For Ajax, there are detailed updates through the SRO to Ministers that ensure the potential issues are exposed early should they arise in the future. Processes will be further strengthened through the defence acquisition operating model and guidance. Work is also under way to implement a project delivery data strategy to strengthen the use of data to both support performance reporting and assist in early identification of issues. Of course, the main aim of commissioning this review was to learn lessons to improve procurement—not just on Ajax, but across the MOD’s programmes.

    Ultimately, the core of our intent is to ensure that the equipment we procure for the British armed forces is of the highest possible standard and, furthermore, that our service personnel have faith in the system and the taxpayer has faith in our spending of money from the public purse. Quite simply, we need to deliver change across the Department, turning widespread desire for acquisition reform into tangible reality, in particular driving increased pace and agility into acquisition, so that we can keep pace with technology and maintain our competitive edge.

    Although I recognise the many challenges in this programme to date and the need to learn lessons, I would stress that there is already intense work under way in the Department—especially at DE&S—to improve performance, with encouraging signs. For example, between December 2020 to December 2022 we saw a reduction from 6.1 years to 5.1 years in the time that it takes to go from outline business case to delivering equipment into the hands of our armed forces.

    In further positive news, I hope the House will welcome the significant progress made to recover the Ajax programme. I can confirm that, as of Tuesday afternoon, the Household Cavalry has been undergoing standard Army field training on Salisbury plain in a range of Ajax vehicles. Focused on individual and crew training, this step marks the restarting of British Army training on these sophisticated vehicles, and I hope underlines that this project really has turned the corner. Indeed, last Friday I had the great privilege of visiting Bovington to experience the Ajax vehicle at first hand.

    I am pleased to report that the soldiers I met described the vehicle and its capabilities as “night and day”—a phrase used repeatedly—compared with their current equipment. In describing Ajax’s strengths, the soldiers I spoke to emphasised the platform’s high mobility, increased firepower from the new cannon and a highly sophisticated sensor suite that really helps them do their job, representing in totality a very real and positive step change in capability—all packaged in a vehicle with high levels of crew protection and survivability. As training increases across other field Army units on the 44 vehicles already delivered, in parallel General Dynamics’s personnel in Wales continue to run their production lines to build the operationally deployable vehicles, with the end goal of 589 fully operational vehicles by 2029.

    To conclude, I reiterate my gratitude to Mr Sheldon and his team for their considerable efforts and for distilling his findings into clear lessons and recommendations for the future. Our focus now is on understanding and applying those lessons, ensuring that they are implemented in the armoured cavalry and other major defence programmes, as well as ensuring that we deliver the game-changing capability that Ajax will provide to the British Army as quickly as possible. I commend this statement to the House.

  • Vladimir Putin – 2023 Comments on the Death of Silvio Berlusconi

    Vladimir Putin – 2023 Comments on the Death of Silvio Berlusconi

    IMPORTANT NOTE. The text of these comments from the Russian President are for informational purposes. Under Putin’s leadership, the country of Russia has started a war on the country of Ukraine and he is currently being investigated for war crimes.

    The comments made by Vladimir Putin, the President of Russia, on 12 June 2023.

    Pavel Zarubin: Mr President, hello.

    Excuse me, can I have just a minute of your time, please? Right before the ceremony [for presenting the Hero of Labour medals and the Russian Federation National Awards], tragic news arrived on the passing of Silvio Berlusconi. You had special friendly ties with him. Can I ask you for a few words about his role in Russian-Italian relations and in global politics?

    President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Yes. He was indeed a politician of European, and it can be said, of global scale. There are few people like him in the international arena nowadays. He was a good friend of our people and did a lot to develop business-like and friendly relations between Russia and the European countries.

    He initiated relations between Russia and the North Atlantic Alliance. It was with his assistance and on his initiative that respective interaction mechanisms were created.

    But he was primarily Italy’s politician, of course. He was an unusual person for a politician because he was very sincere and open-hearted. He also had a privilege that politicians of this scale lack – the privilege of saying what he meant.

    I am very sorry. I want to express heartfelt sorrow and condolences to Italian people and all of Mr Berlusconi’s family and friends. It is a great loss not only for Italy but also for global politics.

  • Steve Barclay – 2023 Speech at the NHS Confed Expo

    Steve Barclay – 2023 Speech at the NHS Confed Expo

    The speech made by Steve Barclay, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, on 15 June 2023.

    Thank you, Matthew [Taylor] – it’s great to be with you today.

    Tuesday’s incident in Nottingham has shocked us all.

    I am sure everyone’s thoughts have been with the families of those who have lost their lives so tragically and all who have been affected.

    And I wanted to take this opportunity to thank in particular everyone in the NHS who responded from the ambulance crews and paramedics – to the staff at the Queen’s Medical Centre.

    I also recognise that this week brings additional challenges to many in the room due to the industrial action and I acknowledge that this creates additional pressures for you and your teams.

    Many people will be working particularly hard to ensure the impact on patients is mitigated as far as possible.

    And I know this work comes after an incredibly challenging period.

    While the World Health Organisation has announced that the Covid-19 pandemic is officially over, its after effects are still very much being felt – including the scale of delays it has caused for patients waiting for treatment and the pressures on staff.

    Thank you to everyone – across the whole health and care system – for the way you’re rising to meet these challenges.

    My motivation as Secretary of State is clear: to enable people to access the right care faster.

    Because when for example I think of cancer treatment, I am thinking of the constituent in her 20s with a young daughter who was told not to worry about her symptoms, only to later find that the cancer had spread.

    I challenge myself as to what more I can do in this job to get the right treatment to people like her as fast as possible.

    That challenge sits at the heart of our three recovery plans.

    And whether it’s electives, UEC or primary care, patients are – rightly – demanding improvements.

    They also want to see care that is better joined up.

    And with our Integrated Care Systems now taking proper statutory form, we are moving in the right direction.

    Last August, I visited the Jean Bishop Integrated Care Centre in Hull which is one of a number of fantastic examples of how health and social care can come together under one roof.

    NHS staff, care workers and volunteers are working to care for local people, including keeping thousands of frail and elderly patients out of hospital and helping them live at home with the independence and dignity they deserve.

    And with ICSs now fully operational, we can make this type of approach more commonplace across the country.

    Despite the difficulties we face, there are signs of progress.

    On electives we’ve virtually eliminated waits of over 2 years, and we’ve reduced 18 month waits by over 90%,

    But we know the overall number remains high.

    This has a material impact, like, for example, for the self-employed worker who is waiting for their operation before they return to work.

    This is why we are taking further action to expand patient choice and making information on patient choice much more transparent.

    On urgent and emergency care, ambulance handover delays have improved.

    But again we know it has been particularly difficult in the past few days.

    In primary care, more appointments are being delivered by GPs and the wider clinical team, with on average an extra 20 per practice per day.

    But demand remains high.

    I recognise many in this room will have played a direct part in bringing these additional services to patients.

    Alongside these plans, I know other important work continues apace.

    You will have heard yesterday from Amanda about the improvements in cancer, including the doubling of cancer checks.

    In the 21st century, with the technology at our disposal, we can go further.

    Thanks to your hard work, we’re already moving in the right direction.

    Take lung cancer as one example.

    Through our screening programme, we are now seeing more diagnoses at stage one and stage two in the most deprived communities.

    This is a positive step and a practical example of how we are addressing health inequalities.

    We’ve also made particular progress in areas like breast cancer and research this week shows that most women diagnosed in England will beat the disease.

    Now we must build on this, by getting people potentially life-saving tests, checks, and scans more quickly and bringing those checks closer to people.

    Community Diagnostics Centres are an example of this.

    There are now 108 in operation, and they’ve delivered more than 4 million tests, checks and scans and they will help us build on these hard-won gains in the years to come.

    Now, I don’t think there’s anything original about a Secretary of State being fixated on tech.

    But for me, this isn’t tech for tech’s sake.

    It is the way to get care to people quicker – and do so at scale.

    Take for example, the way we’re expanding the NHS App. Contrary to what you may have heard from one speaker yesterday, over 2.4 million repeat prescriptions were ordered in April alone.

    Alongside a quarter of a million primary care appointments that were booked on the app, with numbers increasing rapidly.

    Tech is also the way we can tackle the many frustrations that I hear from staff – and that I’m sure many of you in the room hear too.

    The reason I care about tech is simple: it improves outcomes and helps you do your jobs.

    And let me say this: when budgets are tight, tech is often the first thing to go.

    That is not my approach.

    I am protecting the tech budget – and those key investments that will help us in the long term.

    From ensuring every NHS Trust uses electronic patient records and investing more in bed management systems.

    To the significant investment we’re making in our new data platform.

    And digitising the front line – from speeding up staff logins to staff passporting.

    Because I am acutely aware that when it comes to tech it is often how we make the job of local teams easier that that really matters.

    Despite what you may have read, I believe strongly in devolving decision-making.

    Equally, I think this should sit alongside greater transparency.

    We need more devolved decision making to enable a place based approach with decisions taken closer to patient need.

    Equally there are areas of great innovation but we have a challenge in scaling that so it is widely adopted. And this challenge is reflected in too wide a variation in performance between similar areas.

    For me the opportunity is to devolve much more and to trust local decision makers. In return to expect more meaningful transparency.

    Let me give you a practical example of where I have applied this, even where it could be uncomfortable.

    I listened to those suggesting we publish the number of patients waiting for 12 hours or more from arrival in Emergency Departments.

    Together with NHS England colleagues, we acted on that and from April we started publishing that information.

    This is particularly relevant in the context of mental health patients, who we know are at greater risk of longer waits in A&E, and we’re taking targeted action to reduce that risk to reduce that risk to reduce that risk to reduce that risk.

    Including the roll out of mental health ambulances, mental health cafes and mental health crisis hubs.

    NHS leaders have been clear with me about what they want to see from government.

    Fewer targets and more trust in the system.

    As Matthew referenced, we published a new NHS mandate this morning which reflects this.

    For over a decade, governments have used the mandate to make asks of the system.

    Sometimes these asks have been excessive, with long documents with many pages full of tests and targets.

    I’m sure you won’t be alone if you’re sat there thinking: it doesn’t matter I don’t read it anyway.

    But what we’ve done this year is make it short and clear, setting out our priorities:

    Cutting waiting lists; the three recovery plans; tech; and workforce.

    It gives a clear direction and backs it up with the freedom and flexibility to deliver it.

    We know that change happens when people are trusted, have a common purpose and are free to innovate.

    It was something that Matthew highlighted yesterday as a lesson coming out of Covid. And it is something I very much agree with.

    Trusting ICSs with greater freedom from devolved decision-making alongside greater transparency was one of the reasons we commissioned the Hewitt Review. Thank you to all those who contributed to it.

    Before I wrap up, I just want to reflect that – as we sprint to address the present it would be easy to lose sight of foundations we can lay now to build hope for the future.

    Some – such as the Long-Term Workforce Plan – have been well debated by colleagues in this room.

    It offers significant opportunities not just to boost overall numbers, but to better use the full skills mix and deliver training and career progression in completely different ways.

    And there are other opportunities – such as the rapid developments in AI – that are exciting and fast-moving and generating much interest.

    One example of the work we’re doing with AI in the department is how we can use AI to improve patient safety in maternity services.

    And we’re also working closely with the life science industry to enable both population-level treatments and more bespoke and targeted medicine.

    And this is reflected in our recent deals agreed with Moderna and BioNTech, Lord O’Shaughnessy’s review to speed up and expand the adoption of clinical research trials we launched last month.

    And indeed the Chancellor’s citing of Life Sciences as one of his key growth sectors.

    The NHS has changed massively over the last 75 years, all while remaining true to its founding principles.

    Covid showed that we can deliver change very rapidly when it matters and that trust in local systems to make decisions allows them the freedom to better adopt innovation.

    It is the culture of innovation which gives us a strong foundation for the next 75 years.

    In closing, I want to reinforce my message today on the importance of trusting integrated care systems more.

    What that means for you is:

    • Greater freedom
    • Fewer targets from the centre
    • More meaningful transparency on performance

    That is the approach I am taking as we work with you on our shared challenge of making it easier for patients to access the care they need.

    Thank you.

  • Chloe Smith – 2023 Speech at London Tech Week

    Chloe Smith – 2023 Speech at London Tech Week

    The speech made by Chloe Smith, the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, at London Tech Week on 14 June 2023.

    Thank you for that warm introduction, Alex [Webb].

    And a big thanks to London Tech Week, not just for inviting me to join you today, but for hosting another outstanding event.

    One that’s convened the best and brightest of the global tech sector, that’s showcased the very cutting-edge of British innovation, design and technology, and that’s brought together many of the world’s greatest thinkers to debate some of the most pressing questions of our digital age.

    Founders Forum, Informa, London & Partners and Tech London Advocates all deserve credit for ensuring that this London Tech Week, now in its tenth year, has sent the strongest of signals – that when it comes to tech, the UK is fully open for business.

    I’ve certainly seen that first-hand in the events I’ve been part of this week.

    Whether it’s the relaunch of Silicon Valley Bank UK as HSBC Innovation Banking and the multi-million-pound investment it’s feeding into our home-grown Fintech, Life Sciences and Consumer businesses so they can scale up and grow.

    Or in our announcement of a new MoU between Australia and the UK on diversifying telecoms. An agreement that will boost the roll out of more 5g networks and safe, secure, superfast broadband to communities even in the most far-flung of communities.

    This week saw the announcement of our Smart Infrastructure Pilots Programme, helping councils in different parts of the country test new smart lamp posts that extend mobile coverage and increase connectivity for more homes and businesses than ever before.

    My colleague Oliver Dowden and I also hosted over 80 Indo-Pacific business leaders from unicorns and scale-ups at the London Stock Exchange for the market close earlier this week. An invaluable opportunity to strengthen a long-standing trading relationship worth over 250 billion dollars and growing.

    The UK Tech Sector’s Success

    Everyone here knows that in recent years, the UK has become one of the most competitive countries in the world for tech.

    We have the largest tech sector in Europe and the third largest in the world behind the US and China.

    Last year, we became just the third country to date with a tech sector valued at $1trillion.

    And it’s fair to say that when it comes to AI, Fintech and Bio-tech, the UK is consistently punching well above its weight, having created more billion dollar ‘Unicorn’ tech start-ups than Germany, France and Sweden combined.

    Our unique combination of world class talent, R&D capability, and pro-enterprise regulation means the UK is the best place anywhere in the world in which to start and grow a tech business.

    Growing the economy

    It’s these businesses which are making people’s lives better, spurring growth and creating employment opportunities that will unlock the full potential of communities right across the UK.

    Businesses such as Darktrace, who are using artificial intelligence to protect people against even the most sophisticated cyber-attacks…

    Companies like Quantinuum, who are harnessing the immense power of quantum technologies to build machines that eclipse conventional computers.

    Or semiconductor and software designers like Arm, in Cambridge. Pioneers in modern engineering and machine learning, whose CPUs are used in virtually all modern smartphones.

    So, we’ve come a long way together.

    But the Government is not complacent about what’s required to maintain the UK’s pole position in the global tech race.

    We know that there has to be a steady pipeline of investment over the coming years and that’s exactly what we’re providing.

    With £370 million of funding going towards five transformative technologies that are front and centre of the 21st century tech revolution: Quantum, AI, Bioengineering, Telecoms and Semiconductors.

    Investment that will bring profound benefits to our society in converting household waste into biofuels, in developing the next generation of green, self-driving cars and enhancing road safety, in new gene editing technologies to personalise medicine and support the early detection of diseases.

    Start-up businesses are being supported too through our £12 million Digital Growth Grant -run through Barclays Eagle Labs.

    Funding for specialised support to accelerate the growth of at least 22,000 UK tech startups through mentoring sessions, market research and insights, and guidance for budding tech entrepreneurs.

    We’re also fulfilling our commitment to spend £20 billion per annum in R&D by 2024/25 – with every £1 of public expenditure leveraging double the amount of private investment.

    And we’re keeping our promise to level up all parts of our United Kingdom by increasing public investment outside the greater South East by over a third. It means that cities like Newcastle which are hotbeds for tech start-ups right now can share in the UK’s success too.

    But you and I know that investment alone, however great, is no guarantee of success.

    That’s why, back in March, my department’s published its Science and Technology Framework – a bold 10-point plan to keep the UK at the forefront of global science and technology this decade.

    It’s a framework to ensure that researchers have access to the best physical and digital infrastructure that we leverage our post-Brexit freedoms to pursue pro-business regulation.

    And that we continue to showcase the UK’s towering science and tech strengths both here at home and abroad.

    It’s a Framework which recognises that innovation and technology are our future and are key to unlocking our long-term prosperity.

    We recognise, too, that in order for the UK to stay ahead of the pack, we need to develop a whole tech ‘ecosystem’ supported by smarter regulation, a greater focus on skills and training, and long-term industry-backed strategies.

    And I’m going to say more about what those ambitions look like in turn.

    Regulation

    When it comes to the regulatory environment, we said from the get-go that we wanted to make the UK a competitive, fair and open market for the tech industry.

    And we believe our Digital Markets Competition and Consumers Bill is helping us make that vision a reality by creating a more dynamic digital economy.

    It will ensure that businesses which rely on the biggest, most powerful tech firms, including the news publishing sector, are treated justly and aren’t strong armed with unfair terms and unfair contracts.

    Smaller digital firms will also find it much easier to enter new markets, without being crowded out by the biggest firms.

    And we’ve taken a similar, common-sense approach to the regulation of Artificial Intelligence.

    Countries all over the world are thinking long and hard about how they should prepare for a technological change so fast and so significant that it could redefine the way we work and live our lives.

    In contemplating AI, we’ve always said that governments must play their part to ensure the guard rails are there for this technology to develop in a safe, transparent and fair way.

    And here in the UK, as the Prime Minister rightly asserted at the beginning of this week, our strategy on AI is to lead at home; to lead overseas; and to lead change in our public services as well.

    We’ve committed to holding the first major global summit on AI safety this Autumn to develop an international framework. It will help ensure this technology develops in a reliable, safe and secure way.

    That’s complemented by £100 million of start-up funding for our new Foundation Model Taskforce which the Prime Minister announced earlier this year. A taskforce responsible for accelerating the UK’s capability in rapidly emerging types of artificial intelligence so that we remain globally competitive.

    We’ve published our AI White Paper showing how we intend to identify and address risks but also create a regulatory environment which fosters innovation and growth.

    Instead of targeting specific technologies, it focuses on the context in which AI is deployed and enables us to take a balanced approach.

    We recognise that using a chatbot, for example, to summarise a long article presents very different risks to using the same technology to provide medical advice. The rules governing one will be markedly different to the other.

    And this flexibility runs throughout our White Paper with a commitment to work in close partnership with regulators and business on sensible, pragmatic rules.

    Indeed, there’s still time for businesses and the public to join the debate on how we should best set the rules for regulating AI.

    Our consultation closes [next Wednesday] and I would encourage anyone with an interest in helping us shape the regulatory environment for this technology to submit their responses.

    Skills and talent

    So, creating the right conditions for our tech industry to freely innovate is vital.

    But so is ensuring the sector has access to the right talent and skills.

    I want the next generation to be equipped with everything they need to compete and thrive in the global economy.

    AI Scholarships

    That’s one of the reasons why we set up the Digital Skills Council last year, to consult the views of industry leaders. And to encourage investment in employer-led initiatives focused on upskilling and digital apprenticeships.

    That’s accompanied by a £30 million package to support a new generation of AI talent through scholarships, each worth £10,000 so that more young people can become masters in the technologies of tomorrow.

    This funding supports conversion courses for a diverse group of non-STEM students, allowing them to gain an MA in Artificial Intelligence and data science.

    UKRI Announcements

    And that’s not the only way we’re driving forward big improvements in hands-on training and education.

    Building on the Prime Minister’s announcement earlier this week of two new Turing AI World Leading Fellowships, my department is today announcing a £50 million package with UK Research and Innovation – funding for 42 new projects to explore the acceleration of responsible AI and machine learning.

    We’re backing a consortium led by the University of Southampton, spanning the whole of the UK, to create an international research and innovation ecosystem for responsible and trustworthy AI.

    And finally, we’re green-lighting a whole host of new UKRI projects for AI technologies that will help us reach our ambitious net zero targets.

    Projects to help decarbonise our transport systems, integrating renewable energy sources like wind power to make our farms and our rural communities more self-sufficient and kinder to the environment.

    Projects that will see a massive acceleration of energy efficient CO2 capture, especially in our new freeports and green freeports on the Scottish coast.

    And projects that will develop AI solutions to improve our country’s resilience against flooding and severe weather, all while hastening our journey to Net Zero.

    Research Ventures Catalyst

    We want to continue diversifying how cutting-edge science is funded too.

    With that in mind, I am delighted to announce that my department will shortly launch an open call for proposals to pilot new collaborative approaches for performing science in the UK.

    Backed by up to £50 million of government funding to drive investment and partnership with industry and the third sector, we want to catalyse new ideas and new ways of working with the potential to deliver transformational breakthroughs.

    We want to fund ideas that aren’t being adequately addressed elsewhere in the UK research landscape.

    I encourage researchers and innovators across all fields to consider applying when our call for proposals opens in a few weeks.

    Enabling core technologies

    With the right investment, the right regulation, the right skills and talent, I believe the UK is primed for a new era of innovation and growth.

    But to really shoot for the stars, we also need to do something else – we need to strategize for the long term.

    We need to consult industry experts and reflect fully on how we want to see some of our core technologies evolving not just over the next one or two years but over the next ten to fifteen years.

    Geospatial Strategy

    If we take geospatial technology, for example, we know that here again the UK is already a global trendsetter.

    We’re ranked second in the world for geospatial readiness and boast some of the best geospatial organisations going – Ordnance Survey, the Met Office and the UK Hydrographic Office, to say nothing of our brilliant research centres at universities like Edinburgh, Glasgow, Newcastle, Nottingham and Southampton.

    We want all organisations to take full advantage of the latest developments in location data and services including mobile apps.

    That’s why today I am announcing our new UK Geospatial Strategy 2030 to help us deliver on that objective and to secure the UK’s position as a geospatial world leader.

    The strategy includes three missions.

    The first is to embrace enabling technologies to accelerate geospatial innovation.

    Using anonymised population movement data and satellite imagery to help us design new homes, integrated transport systems, and improve the sustainability of cities so they better meet the needs of residents. It could also help our emergency services improve response times with more accurate understanding of where assistance is needed in real-time.

    The second mission is to drive greater use of geospatial applications and insights across the economy. Using location data, for example, to build a digital map of underground infrastructure so we can reduce disruption when pipes or cables need fixing, or to understand where we need to install more superfast charging points for long journeys with electric vehicles.

    The third mission is to build confidence in the future geospatial ecosystem – increasing the UK’s international standing through bringing together countries from around the world to share knowledge and insights so that we move geospatial technology forwards together.

    Conclusion

    So that’s what lies ahead.

    A government working hand in hand with our partners in industry, in academia, in global forums like London Tech Week to keep the UK at the forefront of this new digital frontier.

    A government that will proudly champion our world-leading science and tech sectors to drive investment, to level up communities throughout our United Kingdom.

    And to ensure that this growth translates into real improvements to people’s lives.

    Whether it’s more high-skilled, high-paid jobs on their doorsteps, whether it’s new training and educational opportunities in the technologies of tomorrow, whether it’s better diagnoses and treatment of life-threatening diseases.

    The UK is already the greatest tech and science success story of this decade. Together let’s make it a true tech and science superpower in the next decade and beyond.

    Thank you.

  • Anne-Marie Trevelyan – 2023 Speech at Bruegel Event

    Anne-Marie Trevelyan – 2023 Speech at Bruegel Event

    The speech made by Anne-Marie Trevelyan, the Minister of State in the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, in Brussels on 14 June 2023.

    The roll-out of clean energy technologies is the driver for new investment into critical minerals, which are of course at the heart of our global efforts to reach net zero.

    Building this supply chain is the only way to address the climate crisis and complete our sprint towards net zero at the pace out planet needs us to.

    The UK is committed to making global supply chains more resilient, secure, sustainable, and diverse, working closely with our partners around the world – including, of course, many of you here today.

    We are particularly keen to increase collaboration with the EU and Member States, and I am glad of this opportunity to set out our priorities, and how the UK can support our common goals.

    The publication of the detail for the proposed EU Critical Raw Materials Act is a welcome and important, step towards these shared goals. As the EU Member States and Parliament review the proposed legislation, the UK is keen to work with you.

    We are keen to discuss the impacts of provisions as the policy develops. And we look forward to hearing more from the Commission on the design and purpose of the proposed Critical Raw Materials Club. It will be important to build on existing international initiatives, bringing together producers and end users.

    We also hope the Club will foster co-operation to allow resource-rich developing countries to keep more of the benefits in their own countries, one of the great frustrations to date as a few countries have taken all the processing value.

    The UK has significant strengths when it comes to critical minerals – this includes our industrial capabilities, academic expertise, and the City of London as the centre of global mining finance.

    Allow me if I may to reflect on these in a little more detail.

    The UK is proud to be home to some major players, including British chemicals company Johnson Matthey – the largest secondary refiner of Platinum Group Metals in the world, and one of the only companies with the facilities to recover iridium and ruthenium.

    This is coupled with significant academic, research and development expertise across mining, geology and engineering, as well as monitoring and stress-testing supply chains. The British Geological Survey is a world leader in research that underpins policymaking, regulation and responsible investment.

    The UK is also a global centre for mining finance and metals trading – the London Metal Exchange is one of the biggest in the world, with a large and influential community of traders, investors and advisors.

    So, the UK is well-placed to convene dialogues between mining finance and metals trading communities – supporting the development of structured, effective markets that can deliver resilient and responsible supply chains right across Europe.

    We are also leading in promoting ESG performance in global mineral supply chains, driven by our mining investor community. UK companies are leading the way in remote monitoring of ESG performance, through sensors and satellites.

    The UK remains committed to working with the EU and its Member States, bringing our strengths to help in united efforts to achieve our shared goals, and I wish you fruitful discussions throughout the day.

  • Gillian Keegan – 2023 Speech at London Tech Week 

    Gillian Keegan – 2023 Speech at London Tech Week 

    The speech made by Gillian Keegan, the Secretary of State for Education, at London Tech Week on 14 June 2023.

    Good morning,

    I’d like to start by wishing London Tech Week a happy 10th birthday. So, 10 years, an awful lot happens in tech in 10 years, even in 2 years…

    10 years ago, for instance, Goldsmiths, University of London had just published a study that said 1 in 5 Brits were so worried about privacy that they wanted to ban Google’s new wearable tech Google Glass.

    Fast forward to the present day, we seem to have got over somewhat our reservations about sharing and tracking data, even if we didn’t all get behind Google Glass.

    Last year the market for wearable tech was worth around $61billion and is expected to grow 15% a year between now and 2030.

    But, as you know, the tech revolution isn’t just helping us to track our daily steps – it’s transformed every aspect of the way we live and the way we work.

    Take farming – it’s hardly the first industry you think of when you think of tech, but this week I was learning about how farmers are now using satellite imaging to analyse crop quality, and data modelling to predict when to move their livestock from one field to another to get the best grazing. Another example is medicine, where simulations in interactive wards help train the nurses and doctors of tomorrow. The speed, cost and increasingly ubiquitous nature of tech is extraordinary.

    I recently visited City of Liverpool College, where they have a mind-blowing state-of-the-art Mo-Cap or motion capture suite which is used to develop the next generation of games and animated films as well as many other utilities across business.

    When Walt Disney was creating animations in the 1930s, every second of film involved 20-30 drawings. The speed at which Mo-Cap allows current animators to produce content is breath-taking.

    Tech is reaching further and deeper than ever before.

    But if we are to harness its potential, our workforce has to be flexible and ready. Upskilling so that we can use tech to its full potential is one of the biggest challenges we face if we are to keep our economy growing and competitive in a global context.

    Artificial intelligence is transforming the world around us and will help grow the economy. The workforces that are best equipped in AI with the skills they need will be the ones that ride the wave. We must make sure education is not left behind.

    For that potential to be realised, we need to understand the opportunities, as well as the real risks new technology brings.

    That’s why we want to kick-start a conversation with experts from across education and technology to hear their views and learn from their experiences.

    From today we are opening a call for evidence, seeking the views and experiences of business leaders like you on the use of generative artificial intelligence. The scope of this review includes Large Language Models such as ChatGPT, Google Bard and others. We are also seeking views on the benefits and concerns around its use in education.

    And this will help us make the right decisions to get the best out of generative AI in a safe and secure way. So, I ask you, please, get involved with this conversation.

    Your experience and insights are essential to our mission to create an agile and responsive skills system, which delivers the skills needed to support a world-class workforce and drive economic growth.

    The UK is already a world leader in technology with the largest tech sector in Europe and the third largest in the world. We have a focus on the key growth sectors of digital, green industries, life sciences, advanced manufacturing, and creative industries, which is where we really excel. How are we going to make sure we stay ahead of the curve and are not playing catch-up? That will be the challenge for everyone in this room.

    In March this year, the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology published a framework that sets out our approach to make the UK a science and technology superpower by 2030.

    We want to make sure there are more opportunities for people to enter the science and technology workforce.

    One of the reasons I went back to study in my 40s was because there’d been a digital tech revolution and I wanted to understand how to deal with it. Suddenly harvesting data about your customers was way more valuable than the actual product or service you were selling. I needed to take the time to understand this change and I spent a year at London Business School to upskill myself.

    For this reason, IT technicians and data scientists are among the professions that are going to be in very high demand, and we have already started to expand routes to these careers by investing in education at all levels to meet the need for these skills.

    Take T levels for example, T standing for tech. Thanks to our close relationship with industry, young people now have far more options to get further qualifications or into actual jobs.

    Yandiya Technologies for example, are among our T level flagbearers. They make sustainable heating solutions. They take T Level students on industry placements, 45-days, and they have done that for the past two years. They now have five apprentices, two of them purely as a result of these T Levels programmes. They are using T levels to make sure they get the pick of the crop. And many smart employers will do the same.

    But getting the skills that lead to great jobs isn’t just for young people. There is already a shortage of people who are coming into computing professions and this gap will only get bigger.

    Thanks to a skills bootcamp in coding, Dan Watson was able to upskill from a career as personal trainer to one as a digital project manager for tech company Wise. He said the experience was ‘priceless’ and has enabled him to future-proof his career.

    We have bootcamps all across the country in many different areas, including digital, which is the most popular bootcamp.

    Let’s not forget that worldwide there’s a massive need for more software engineers… 40 million of them. That’s equal to the entire population of Poland.

    If you think this sounds alarming, by 2030 this gap is expected to reach 85 million – bigger than Germany’s current population.

    Although AI will also have an impact on these numbers.

    This is why we have created the Digital and Computing Skills Education Taskforce. Its role will be to spot what computing and digital skills are needed for the economy, where the gaps are now, and what they’re likely to be in the future and how technology may change these.

    Most importantly the taskforce will make it easier for students to choose computing and digital pathways at school, colleges, Institutes of Technology and universities and we have invested over £100 million in the National Centre for Computing Education.

    To navigate these changes, we are determined to ensure that education and business work really closely together. The taskforce will call on a number of industry experts, from cyber security, artificial intelligence, quantum computing and big data.

    We have 12 Institutes of Technology across the country today with nine more in the pipeline. They are currently working with over a 100 employer partners, including world-leading businesses such as Microsoft, Nissan, Bosch, Babcock, Fujitsu, Siemens and many, many more. This number will continue to grow, ensuring we deliver the STEM skills that the industry needs – now and for the future. We’ve also made it easier for employers to recruit apprentices, as well as introducing a new Level 7, a masters level Apprenticeship Standard in AI and data science.

    I’ve already mentioned T Levels and we’re rolling out more of them including additional digital routes. Eleven T Levels are now available in STEM subjects, including Digital Business Services, which includes specialist content on data analysis.

    Digital skills matter. As tech accelerates, they’re likely to become as important to a person’s employability as English and maths, eventually being on a level pegging with those two core subjects. This will be the cornerstone of how we prepare people for the world of work.

    As part of these reforms, from September students will be able to study our new Digital Functional Skills Qualifications. These will provide a benchmark of digital skills for employers and will give everybody the opportunity to get the full range of essential digital skills they need to participate actively in life, work and society.

    Whether you’re a business or an investor, I want to assure you our workforce will be ready for the future, whatever that future looks like.

    Tim Berners Lee once said “The web as I envisage it? We have not seen it yet. The future is still so much bigger than the past.”

    For me, that is a challenge but an exciting one.

    None of us has a crystal ball but one thing I can promise you, we won’t be settling for anything less than a world-leading role.

    Last night it was announced that a French start-up developing generative AI products has raised a record-breaking seed funding of over 100 million euros. The start-up is only one month old.

    We have innovation woven into our DNA in this country, but in the global tech race, we can’t afford to slow down.  We must work together now to ensure that UK companies and organisations are at the forefront of AI and technological developments, and in the best possible position to take advantage of the transformative opportunities that these generate.

    The Department for Education is ready for that challenge, and we will be there as you face that challenge too.

    Thank you very much.

  • Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice – 2023 Comments After Commons Report Published that Boris Johnson Knowingly Lied to Parliament

    Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice – 2023 Comments After Commons Report Published that Boris Johnson Knowingly Lied to Parliament

    The comments made by the Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice on 15 June 2023.

    The privileges committee report is another grim reminder that whilst families like mine were saying goodbye to our loved ones over Zoom, the same Prime Minister that failed us so badly in the first place was breaking his own rules so he could have a party and a laugh.
    Johnson has shown no remorse.
    Instead he lied to our faces when he told us that he’d done “all he could” to protect our loved ones, he lied again when he said the rules hadn’t been broken in number 10, and he’s lied ever since when he’s denied it again and again.
    It’s an utter tragedy that Johnson was in charge when the pandemic struck and he should never be allowed to stand for any form of public office again.
    His fall from grace must serve as a lesson to other politicians to act with honesty and to serve the public as a whole, that is the only positive that can come from this.
  • Kemi Badenoch – 2023 Speech at London Tech Week

    Kemi Badenoch – 2023 Speech at London Tech Week

    The speech made by Kemi Badenoch, the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, at London Tech Week on 13 June 2023.

    Good evening ladies and gentlemen.

    It’s a pleasure to be here at the flagship event for the Department for Business and Trade on the tenth anniversary of London Tech Week.

    This Government has a clear mission: to make the UK the most innovative economy in the world and cement our status as a Science and Technology Superpower.

    As the Business and Trade Secretary, I see it as my job to create the best possible business conditions to encourage innovative tech companies to start-up, invest and expand.

    The door of my Department is always open. We want to hear your concerns, celebrate your successes, and ensure that the Government is doing what it can for the real innovators and wealth creators.

    And we’re starting from a good base.

    The UK’s technology landscape is diverse and thriving, with a vibrant startup culture and a robust ecosystem that fosters innovation and provides significant opportunities for investors.

    We are home to some of the world’s most successful tech companies, including DeepMind, Graphcore and Darktrace, to name just a few.

    Last year, the UK became just the third country in the world to have a tech sector valued at $1 trillion, with more ‘unicorn’ billion-dollar tech startups being created than Germany, France and Sweden combined.

    During 2022, fast-growing UK tech companies raised near-record levels of funding at £24 billion.

    And in support of this success, Government has committed to £20 billion per year in R&D over the next two years.

    Because we want to create an environment that supports tech investment and entrepreneurship.

    Now, some people around the globe have seen recent decisions taken here and said it means Britain is not open for business.

    Let’s not forget those voices have clear skin in the game and speak in their own interests, and perhaps not always for the value and importance of protecting fair and open competition.

    We all depend on the products and services that big tech companies provide in our daily lives… and we all love a success story, but smaller start-ups need competitive markets if they are to grow into the success stories of tomorrow.

    The kind of competition where tech firms compete, prosper and thrive.

    That’s why the UK is providing what tech investors actually want: a highly skilled and engaged workforce and an ecosystem built to grow large scale investments.

    Part of this is ensuring that regulation is fit for purpose. I recently announced a new Smarter Regulation Framework that commits to regulating only as a last resort, and where industry standards and free markets have failed.

    This is the right thing to do. Less regulation means greater innovation, and driven by that enduring spirit of innovation, the UK is a place with all the right ingredients for tech success.

    Ladies and Gentlemen, we are open for business.

    And that’s why I’m excited to announce the launch of our new global tech awards, promoting the benefits of the UK ecosystem around the world.

    Building on the success of our Tech Rocketship Awards, our Unicorn Kingdom: Pathfinder Awards 2023 will identify the brightest and best tech companies around the world. Winners will be flown to the UK and given support to help them accelerate their business growth.

    And while I’m talking about growth, I’m sure you are all aware that it was just a few weeks ago that we agreed our accession to the CPTPP – the UK’s biggest trade agreement since we left the EU – which promises huge potential for the UK economy.

    Such trade deals are often framed as being all about tariffs and the trading of physical goods, but they’re about much more.

    What we actually gain from signing new trade deals and joining new trading blocs is forging new strategic partnerships that can spur collaboration, promote investment, and which encourage innovation, dynamism and creativity.

    London Tech Week is absolute proof of that, as we welcome the biggest ever Asia Pacific delegation this year, including investment funds worth £100 billion.

    The thriving relationship between the tech sectors of the UK and APAC – the fastest growing region of the world – is one that we’re determined to strengthen.

    For this reason, it is my great pleasure to say that the APAC Digital Trade Network, which seeks to raise the profile and accelerate the expansion of UK technology in Asia will expand its coverage to two new markets – Vietnam and Taiwan.

    And I’m also pleased to announce that it has appointed Oxfordshire-based Intralink to take the reins and deliver tailored support across 11 APAC markets, ensuring UK tech firms get the support they need to trade and flourish in this fast-growing and vibrant part of the world.

    I want the Department for Business and Trade to be an office for economic growth, and I see a key part of that ambition as harnessing the power of technology to drive growth, create jobs, and solve the world’s most pressing challenges.

    With your support and collaboration I am confident that a UK… unashamedly and unquestionably open for business… is well placed to lead the way in the tech revolution.

    Thank you.

  • Stuart Andrew – 2023 Speech at the School Games National Summit

    Stuart Andrew – 2023 Speech at the School Games National Summit

    The speech made by Stuart Andrew, the Sports Minister, on 13 June 2023.

    Thank you for inviting me to your event today and apologies that I can not be there in person.

    This government is committed to increasing access to opportunities for sport and physical activity, particularly for children and young people.

    School sport is a key part of a child’s development journey, with that first encounter with sport being truly transformative.

    It’s where they learn about themselves, build resilience and understand the importance of practice and persistence.

    Part of that includes being given opportunities to compete and excel, part of it is nurturing the habit of being up and active.

    That is why earlier this year in March, the Government announced a £600 million package to boost opportunities in and outside of school.

    This included the confirmation of funding for the PE and Sport Premium and School Games Organisers programmes over the next two academic years.

    And outlining our desire for schools to offer a minimum of two hours of curriculum PE and equal opportunities for girls and boys.

    Continuing to support the School Games Organiser Programme and the great work you do is a priority for me.

    We want to ensure that all children, regardless of their background, have the chance to be active and to get the best start in life.

    You all play a vital role in creating these opportunities

    But more importantly you understand how best to reach these communities and the their particular needs

    We highly value the work the School Games network is doing to strengthen links locally and identifying key partners to coalesce around a shared focus on physical activity.

    As a network, you possess the best knowledge about what the real challenges are for children and what works most effectively at a local level.

    So I want to say a huge thank you for all the work you do.

    Moving forward, we will shortly be publishing a new sport strategy that will set the long term strategic policy direction for sport in the country.

    This new strategy will build on the success of the previous strategy, Sporting Future,

    And will have a specific focus on addressing inactivity levels, the barriers that stop people from participating in sport and making the sector more sustainable for the future.

    A healthier nation relies on tackling the low levels of children’s participation in sport and physical activity.

    To do this, we must ensure that we support all young people to enjoy being active, make sport sociable and improve access to opportunities.

    We have already made important strides in this area with our recent funding announcement and the role of programmes such as the Opening School Facilities programme.

    But there is a continued need to go further and our strategy will set out our plans to do so.

    To sum up, the government wants to see more children physically active

    That means having a positive school sport experience, having opportunities in their local community to be active and ultimately having the confidence to throw themselves into it, in whatever form that takes!

    School Games Organisers are a crucial part in achieving our ambitions and I thank you again for all that you do to support children up and down the country.