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PRESS RELEASE : Government seeks to further improve diversity of energy supply by boosting biomass

The press release issued by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy on 11 August 2022.

The government has today (11 August 2022) launched a consultation on how to support the development of biomass energy generation with associated carbon captured in the UK over the next decade.

Known as BECCS (Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage), this technology generates energy from biomass, sustainable plant material, while storing the carbon released in the process through carbon capture, usage and storage (CCUS) technology. This uniquely offers the potential to produce home-grown energy with ‘negative emissions’ – removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, as the CO2 absorbed during the growth of the biomass can then be permanently removed from the atmosphere using carbon capture technologies.

The consultation launched today seeks views on how the government can help attract private investment to accelerate the development of this nascent industry, to help boost Britain’s energy security, while also supporting new job opportunities across the country including industrial clusters developing carbon capture networks.

Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng said:

“The government is fully behind biomass energy to provide more power in Britain, for Britain.

The more clean power we generate within the UK, the less exposed we’ll all be to volatile gas markets that are pushing up bills.

Today’s plans could create an entirely new industry in our country, using sustainable biomass in a way that absorbs harmful carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

With these reforms, we will boost domestically-produced, cheaper and cleaner sources of energy to power Britain into the future.”

The consultation launched today follows £37 million government funding awarded earlier this month to innovative biomass projects across the UK.

Biomass refers to sustainably derived plant material that can be used as fuel to produce energy for heating and powering homes and businesses. Backed by the independent Climate Change Committee, biomass will form an important part of the UK’s future renewable energy mix, which will be vital for ensuring the UK’s energy security and reducing reliance on expensive fossil fuels. Biomass generates enough renewable energy to power 4 million homes

The consultation launched today follows a commitment set out in the Net Zero Strategy to support the role of Greenhouse Gas Removal technology, including the ambition to remove 5 million tonnes of greenhouse gases per year from the atmosphere by 2030. It also builds on the Expression of Interest for greenhouse gas removal projects launched earlier this year as part of the government’s carbon capture and storage programme.

Power BECCS provides a significant opportunity to deliver negative emissions that will be crucial to offset emissions from some of the most difficult to decarbonise sectors, such as agriculture and aviation industries. It can also bolster energy security and support the delivery of a fully decarbonised power system by 2035.

The consultation, which will run until October, will seek views on our early proposals including the main design elements of the business model and actions the government can take to enable deployment of this technology at scale, including steps to encourage the development of this industry, and address any possible barriers to investment.

11/08/2022
PRESS RELEASE : Prime Minister appoints an Interim Chair of Senior Salaries Review Body

The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 11 August 2022.

Ms Pippa Lambert has been appointed as the Interim Chair to the Senior Salaries Review Body. The SSRB provides independent advice to the Prime Minister and senior ministers on the pay of many of the nation’s top public servants. The appointment is for 12 months ending on 27 July 2023.

Pippa Lambert was Global Head of HR for the Deutsche Bank, with responsibility for the Bank’s worldwide Human Resources organisation from 2013-2020. Previous roles include Director of Global Reward at the Royal Bank of Scotland from 2011-2013 and Global Head of Reward at Deutsche Bank from 2005-2011. She is currently a trustee for Breast Cancer Haven and a member of the Aviva Board.

11/08/2022
PRESS RELEASE : London Mayor announces latest recipients of £1m fund to address inequalities

The press release issued by the Mayor of London on 11 August 2022.

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has today announced the latest recipients of a funding programme for community-led organisations that are supporting Londoners most affected by the pandemic and cost of living crisis.

The Civil Society Roots programme – a partnership between City Hall, the City of London Corporation’s charity funder, City Bridge Trust, and The National Lottery Community Fund – is providing grants of between £1,000 and £50,000 to organisations across 10 London boroughs.

The third round of grants from the £1m programme are designed to increase collaboration, commission research, recruit new staff, and invest in the resources the organisations need to support those across the capital most impacted by social inequalities, including Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic Londoners, disabled Londoners, LGBTQ+ Londoners, women and older Londoners.

Impact grants of up to £50,000 have been awarded to ten organisations to enable them to improve the reach and impact of their work.

They include Money A+E UK in Newham, an organisation that works with community groups to provide accessible, independent, and effective money advice and education. They will use some of the £49,999 funding they have been awarded to employ a Partnerships Manager so that more people affected by the rising cost of living can access immediate support and financial advice.

Empowering Deaf Society in Redbridge, an organisation which provides services to meet the needs of d/Deaf Londoners, will receive £49,874 to enable them to train staff in BSL, develop d/Deaf empowerment networks in the borough, and ultimately help more people in need.

Development grants of between £1,000 to £5,000 have been awarded to 21 organisations to allow them to research and test ideas, and build partnerships with other community groups.

They include Enfield Women’s Centre, who will research how a network of women’s groups in the borough could collaborate to amplify the voices of disadvantaged women and girls, and better reach decision makers.

The first two funding rounds have helped 24 organisations.

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: “Structural inequalities have long existed in the capital, but these have been exacerbated as Londoners contend with the dual impact of the pandemic and the ongoing cost of living crisis. I’m delighted that City Hall has partnered with the City Bridge Trust and The National Lottery Community Fund to fund community organisations supporting Londoners who are persistently disadvantaged in all major areas of life, including education, the labour market, housing, the environment, criminal justice, culture and health. By working together, we can build a better London for everyone – a safer, fairer, greener and more prosperous city for all.”

Deputy Mayor for Communities and Social Justice, Dr Debbie Weekes Bernard said: “The Civil Society Roots programme is one of many interventions City Hall is making to improve the lives of people impacted by inequalities across the capital. By funding community-led organisations, we can ensure those most in need of help are better able to access support especially as so many are struggling as a result of the rising cost of living. Every Londoner should have the opportunity to thrive.”

CEO and Co-Founder of Money A+E, Jerry During MBE, said: “We’re excited to have been awarded a grant under the Civil Society Roots 3 Programme, and look forward to starting work on it soon. The grant comes at a particularly busy time for us as we are facing an increase in the number of people approaching us for support and advice due to the Cost of Living Crisis and the after effects of COVID-19. Money A+E provides money advice & education to disadvantaged groups, Diverse Ethnic Communities (DEC) and young people-all of whom are disproportionately affected by the current situation as well as facing historic disadvantage. With this funding, we will hire a Partnership Manager to help us pull together a big partnership project in Newham. The aim is to be able to offer both accommodation and wrap around support for young people, ex-offenders, migrants and care leaver as well as a business hub space. Alongside financial capability and capacity building, we want to offer service users employability and personal wellbeing support to ensure that those we work with can develop independent living skills and realise their ambitions.”

Chair of The National Lottery Community Fund for England, John Mothersole, said: “We’re proud to be working alongside the Greater London Authority and City Bridge Trust to award this vital funding to community-led organisations in London, supporting them to develop their networks, increase their reach, and strengthen their voice.

“Thanks to National Lottery players, this funding – which builds on the previous two rounds of the Civil Society Roots programme – will help to build a stronger civil society in the capital, with a focus on supporting groups that are led by and for marginalised communities, enabling them to prosper and thrive.”

Chairman of the City Corporation’s charity funder, City Bridge Trust, Giles Shilson, said: “We’re proud to be providing £720,000 funding for this project to help make London a fairer, more equitable place. This fund will help the communities in London that need it most and strengthen the organisations best placed to make a difference. All the grantees announced today are taking practical steps towards tackling the systemic inequalities that still deny to so many people the opportunities in life that others take for granted.”

11/08/2022
PRESS RELEASE : £8 million levelling up boost for Grimsby to repair vital bridges and boost local industry

The press release issue by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities on 11 August 2022.

Vital bridges connecting Grimsby and Immingham will be repaired to boost the local key industries and tourism, prevent road closures and secure future jobs for the region, Levelling Up Secretary Greg Clark announced today (11 August 2022).

In the latest step to level up Grimsby, £8 million of funding has been confirmed to help fix damaged bridges along the A180 – a vital route that connects the region’s key ports, serves residents and tourists and provides an estimated £2.5 billion to the local economy’s Seafood Cluster each year.

The funding will prevent months of disruption and closures for residents, as well as making sure local industries can continue to grow and helping to create more skilled jobs in the area.

Grimsby was the pilot Town Deal area, and the government has awarded over £4 5million through the Pilot and its flagship Towns Fund and Future High Streets programmes to support plans to renew and reshape the town centre. This includes plans to build 129 new high quality, low carbon homes in the town.

Secretary of State for Levelling up Greg Clark said:

“The work to level up vital towns like Grimsby requires acting on what local people say is important and acting on what local people want – including local infrastructure.

The funding we are announcing today will provide a vital lifeline for Grimsby’s industry now and in the future and I am looking forward to seeing how our investment is helping local communities to flourish and further unlock the area’s potential.”

DLUHC arm’s length body, Homes England, will assist North East Lincolnshire council to develop plans to revitalise the town centre, including for the 129 homes on Garth Lane.

Cllr Philip Jackson, the Leader of North East Lincolnshire Council, said:

“I am delighted that our collaboration with government on the levelling up agenda is bearing fruit. The key infrastructure investment announced today, as well as our work with Homes England, focused on Garth Lane and wider town centre regeneration, are essential elements of our drive to deliver sustainable local economic growth for our residents, our communities and our businesses. I look forward to our collaboration with Government continuing.”

Benj Sykes from energy firm Orsted UK, which operates in the area, said:

“The offshore wind industry in Grimsby relies on the skilled and committed workers who have helped to create a world-leading hub. As the industry grows, we need the government to continue to develop the infrastructure the region needs to thrive, and I’m delighted to see further investment in the region.”

11/08/2022
Liz Truss – 2022 Comments on China and Taiwan

The comments made by Liz Truss, the Foreign Secretary, on 10 August 2022.

The UK and partners have condemned in the strongest terms China’s escalation in the region around Taiwan, as seen through our recent G7 statement.

I instructed officials to summon the Chinese Ambassador to explain his country’s actions. We have seen increasingly aggressive behaviour and rhetoric from Beijing in recent months, which threaten peace and stability in the region. The United Kingdom urges China to resolve any differences by peaceful means, without the threat or use of force or coercion.

11/08/2022
PRESS RELEASE : FCDO summons Chinese Ambassador Zheng Zeguang over Beijing’s aggressive escalation against Taiwan

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 10 August 2022.

The Foreign Secretary instructed Sir Tim Barrow, Second Permanent Under-Secretary for the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, to summon China’s Ambassador to the UK, Zheng Zeguang. He was summoned over Beijing’s aggressive and wide-ranging escalation against Taiwan over the last week, in response to Speaker Pelosi’s visit on 2 August.

Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said:

“The UK and partners have condemned in the strongest terms China’s escalation in the region around Taiwan, as seen through our recent G7 statement.

I instructed officials to summon the Chinese Ambassador to explain his country’s actions. We have seen increasingly aggressive behaviour and rhetoric from Beijing in recent months, which threaten peace and stability in the region. The United Kingdom urges China to resolve any differences by peaceful means, without the threat or use of force or coercion.”

11/08/2022
G7 – 2022 Joint Statement on Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant

The joint statement issued by members of the G7 on 10 August 2022.

Statement by the foreign ministers of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the UK and the US, and the High Representative of the European Union:

We, the G7 Foreign Ministers of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States of America, and the High Representative of the European Union, re-reiterate our strongest condemnation of the ongoing unprovoked and unjustifiable war of aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine. The Russian Federation must immediately withdraw its troops from within Ukraine’s internationally recognized borders and respect Ukraine’s territory and sovereignty.

In that context, we demand that Russia immediately hand back full control to its rightful sovereign owner, Ukraine, of the Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant as well as of all nuclear facilities within Ukraine’s internationally recognized borders to ensure their safe and secure operations. Ukrainian staff operating the Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant must be able to carry out their duties without threats or pressure. It is Russia’s continued occupation control of the plant that endangers the region.

We remain profoundly concerned by the serious threat that the occupation seizure of Ukrainian nuclear facilities and other actions by Russian armed forces pose to the safety and security of these facilities, significantly raising the risk of a nuclear accident or incident and endangering the population of Ukraine, neighbouring states and the international community. They It also undermines the IAEA’s ability to monitor Ukraine’s peaceful nuclear activities for safeguarding purposes.

We welcome and support IAEA Director General Grossi’s efforts to strengthen nuclear safety and security in Ukraine and we thank the Director General and the IAEA staff for their steadfast commitment in this regard. Against this background, we underline the importance of facilitating a mission of IAEA experts to the Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant to address nuclear safety, security and safeguard concerns, in a manner that while respecting full Ukrainian sovereignty over its territory and infrastructure. We strongly endorse the importance of the Seven Pillars of Nuclear Safety and Security as outlined by Director General Grossi.

We reiterate our full and continued support for the IAEA. IAEA staff must be able to access all nuclear facilities in Ukraine safely and without impediment, and engage directly, and without interference, with the Ukrainian personnel responsible for the operation of these facilities. The safety of all individuals implementing these efforts must be addressed to strengthen nuclear safety, security and safeguards in Ukraine.

We encourage all countries to support the IAEA’s efforts.

11/08/2022
PRESS RELEASE : Joint outcome statement: India-UK round five FTA negotiations

The press released issued by the Department for International Trade on 10 August 2022.

On 29 July 2022, the Republic of India and the United Kingdom concluded the fifth round of talks for an India-UK Free Trade Agreement (FTA).

Negotiation officials undertook these technical talks in a hybrid fashion – with some of the teams meeting in New Delhi, India, and the majority of officials joining virtually.

For this round of negotiations, technical experts from both sides came together for detailed draft treaty text discussions in 85 separate sessions covering 15 policy areas.

Indian and UK officials will continue to work intensively throughout the summer towards our target to conclude the majority of talks on a comprehensive and balanced Free Trade Agreement by the end of October 2022.

11/08/2022
PRESS RELEASE : Welsh Secretary meets apprentices working on ultrafast broadband

The press release issued by the Secretary of State for Wales on 10 August 2022.

Welsh Secretary Robert Buckland has visited Openreach’s National Learning Centre for Wales to see training for new recruits bringing ultrafast broadband to Wales.

Based in Newport, the multi-million pound learning centre gives both trainee and existing Openreach engineers the opportunity to learn the ropes and test new skills in a replica street, built from scratch to recreate the real network in the outside world.

Openreach has recruited heavily in recent years as it ramps up its ultrafast Full Fibre build across Wales and the rest of the UK. Its learning centre in Newport plays an integral role in enabling the business to reach its target of reaching 25 million UK homes and businesses by December 2026.

Across Wales there are around 160 Openreach apprentices – of all ages – currently going through their training, with the average age of the trainees being 31. During his tour of the centre, the Secretary of State for Wales met a number of apprentices who have opted to become engineers later in their careers, including Mariaisabel Fernandez from Cardiff.

Mariaisabel recently graduated from her apprenticeship training, having joined Openreach after a number of years working as an Emergency Ambulance Technician for the Welsh Ambulance Service. Wanting a career change that would allow her to work outdoors but also provide a good opportunity to learn and progress, Mariaisabel decided to work with Openreach.

Mariaisabel Fernandez said:

“I’d been considering a career change for a while but couldn’t quite put my finger on what I wanted to do. I heard through friends that Openreach was a good employer and were looking to recruit more female engineers so I did some research to see the type of work that they did.

The more I looked into it the more I thought that being an Openreach engineer was the right thing for me.

The training that’s available in Newport is second-to-none.”

Secretary of State for Wales, Sir Robert Buckland said

“We all know how important fast reliable broadband connections are.

It’s been great to see the investment Openreach is putting into its Full Fibre infrastructure and the training and development of both recruits and existing engineers.

It’s also been fantastic to meet new recruits like Mariaisabel and hear about the huge contribution they are making to our economy as they build the ultrafast network that we all need.”

Kim Mears, Openreach’s Managing Director and Chair of the Openreach Wales Board, said

“Our National Learning Centre for Wales is testimony to our commitment to not only continued learning and development but also to Wales.

The vast majority of new recruits come here to Newport to get their training before going out into the real world and helping us to build our Full Fibre infrastructure at speed across Wales.”

11/08/2022
George Eustice – 2022 Comments on Maintaining Water Supplies

The comments made by George Eustice, the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, on 10 August 2022.

Today I met the chief executives of water companies to discuss the measures they are taking to protect water supplies in what is the driest summer in over 50 years.

All water companies have reassured me that water supplies remain resilient across the country. Each company has a pre-agreed drought plan which they are following, and I have urged them to take any precautionary steps needed to protect essential supplies as we go into a likely very dry autumn.

We are better prepared than ever before for periods of dry weather with a system that is working well to manage water usage, protect the environment and maintain water supplies for the public and critical sectors. We will continue to actively monitor the situation, working alongside partners including the Environment Agency.

11/08/2022