Blog

  • PRESS RELEASE : Rooftop solar for new builds to save people money [June 2025]

    PRESS RELEASE : Rooftop solar for new builds to save people money [June 2025]

    The press release issued by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero on 6 June 2025.

    New homeowners stand to benefit from rooftop solar and cheaper bills, with the Future Homes Standard being published this Autumn.

    • Families will have lower energy bills in new homes as part of the Plan for Change, as government confirms new build homes will have solar panels by default
    • Proposed changes in the Future Homes Standard, being published in Autumn, will ensure new homes will be modern and energy efficient, cutting bills and boosting the nation’s energy security with clean, homegrown power

    Working people stand to save hundreds of pounds off their energy bills as the government confirms new build homes will have solar panels by default, unleashing a rooftop revolution.

    Ministers are publishing the Future Homes Standard this autumn and have confirmed today (Friday 6 June) that solar panels will be included, leading to installation on the vast majority of new build homes.

    Illustrating the benefits of solar panels, a typical existing UK home could save around £530 a year from installing rooftop solar, based on the current energy price cap.

    This means today’s new proposals could significantly cut energy bills for the recipients of new build homes, tackling the cost of living for aspirational young families and new house buyers.

    Under proposed changes, new homes will also have low-carbon heating, such as heat pumps and high levels of energy efficiency, cutting people’s energy bills and boosting the nation’s energy security with clean, homegrown power, in line with the Prime Minister’s Plan for Change.

    To deliver these aims, the proposed Future Homes Standard would see building regulations amended to explicitly promote solar for the first time, subject to practical limits with flexibility in place for new homes surrounded by trees or with lots of shade overhead.

    From switching on the kettle to cooking dinner and doing the weekly wash, families will now be able to seize the benefits of powering their lives with clean, renewable energy from the very first day in their new home, with cheaper energy bills that put more money back in their pockets.

    Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said:

    Solar panels can save people hundreds of pounds off their energy bills, so it is just common sense for new homes to have them fitted as standard.

    So many people just don’t understand why this doesn’t already happen. With our plans, it will.

    Today marks a monumental step in unleashing this rooftop revolution as part of our Plan for Change, and means new homeowners will get lower bills with clean home-grown power.

    Housing and Planning Minister, Matthew Pennycook said:

    As part of the government’s Plan for Change to build 1.5 million homes, we are maximising the use of renewable energy to cut people’s bills and power their homes.

    The Future Homes Standard will ensure new homes are modern and efficient with low-carbon heating, while our common-sense planning changes will now make it easier and cheaper for people to use heat pumps and switch to EVs so they can play their part in bolstering our nation’s energy security.

    After legislation came into force last week, more homeowners will now be able to install a heat pump within one metre of their property’s boundary without having to submit a planning application, unlocking even more savings and cutting unnecessary paperwork for working people.

    With figures from Octopus showing that 34% of those who order a heat pump are discouraged or drop out for reasons attributed to the need to submit a planning application, this change will help families who may have less space outside their home make the upgrade to clean power.

    The first quarter of 2025 saw a record number of applications to the Boiler Upgrade Scheme, up 73% from the same quarter in 2024.

    The scheme provides households with up to £7,500 off the cost of a heat pump, which can save families around £100 a year by using a smart tariff effectively.

    Chris Hewett, Chief Executive, Solar Energy UK, said:

    The solar industry is very glad to hear that almost all new homes will be fitted with solar power from under the Future Homes Standard. Making solar panels a functional requirement of the Building Regulations will cut energy bills, lower carbon emissions, help drive polluting natural gas off the grid and improve our nation’s energy security, too.

    Aadil Qureshi, Co-Founder and CEO, Heat Geek, said:

    Installing a heat pump, particularly alongside solar panels is an amazing way for homeowners to save hundreds of pounds on their energy bills and create a more comfortable home. The simplification of planning rules will help millions of homeowners, particularly in normal family homes in towns and cities, take advantage of this technology.

    Charles Wood, Deputy Director of Policy (Systems) at Energy UK, said:

    The addition of rooftop solar to the Future Homes Standard is welcome and necessary in ensuring that homes built today are fit for the future. Building homes to the right standards now will deliver immediate benefits of warmer, more comfortable, and more cost-efficient homes, preventing the need to retrofit these properties later at higher costs to the customer.

    This change, alongside wider reforms to planning processes and network connections, will reduce bills for people in new build properties while also giving the industry confidence to invest in increased manufacturing and installer training as demand increases, creating jobs and bringing down technology costs for everyone.

    Ensuring our future energy security relies on producing more British power, the electrification of our economy and cutting waste. The energy sector continues to deliver energy efficiency improvements and install low-carbon heating, generation, and transport technologies for households and businesses across the country.

    Chris O’Shea CEO of Centrica, said:

    The age of solar is well and truly upon us, with millions of households up and down the country already benefiting from generating their own free electricity from the sun. Our research shows that customers can shrink their energy bills by 90% when they combine solar and battery with the right energy tariff, and this announcement means even more households can soak up the savings—and the sunshine—by generating their own clean, free electricity. And with the Future Home Standard expected in the Autumn, momentum is building behind Great Britain’s rooftop revolution.

    Jack Brayshaw, Head of Technical Innovation at Vistry Group, said:

    Vistry is wholeheartedly committed to the use of low-carbon technology – developing sustainable homes and communities is at the core of what we do.

    Over the past year alone, we have installed solar panels on nearly 10,000 homes, and solar panels and electric car chargers are part of our standard specification.

    Vistry is proud to be leading the way on sustainable placemaking, but we know that this is more to be done. Working with our partners, we have also been increasing the number of air source heat pumps we install on-site and exploring other measures, such as heat recovery, to promote low-carbon technologies while reducing energy bills for our customers.

    Through our unique partnerships model, we are committed to working with the government to optimise the benefits of low-carbon technology, future-proofing homes across the country.

    Ed Lockhart, Chief Executive, Future Homes Hub, said:

    The Future Homes Standard represents a major opportunity to build a generation of higher performing new homes. Moving to all electric homes, with photovoltaics, a better fabric system, better ventilation and smart technologies to optimise the way new homes use energy means that new homes will not only be better for the planet but also more comfortable, healthier to live in and cheaper to run for customers.

    The Future Homes Hub is ready to support this mission, bringing homebuilders, social housing providers, suppliers, financial institutions and other experts together to work with government departments to find the best solutions to secure the benefits of the Future Homes Standard whilst accelerating housing delivery, crucially helping smaller developers to get the right support at the right time.

    Nigel Banks, Zero Bills Director at Octopus Energy, said:

    People deserve lower energy bills, and adding solar panels to a house as it’s built is an incredibly effective way to slash costs from day one.

    With the right smart tech and storage added to the mix, some households won’t have to pay a penny for energy.

    We’re delighted to see the Future Homes Standard enable house builders to now build the homes of the future.

    Matthew Hart, Director of Residential New Build at E.ON Next, said:

    Ensuring that every new home comes equipped with solar panels is a vital step forward for the UK. Our vision at E.ON has always been to make clean, affordable energy the standard, not the exception, and this move will empower homeowners to take control of their energy use and keep bills low from day one. It’s exactly the kind of bold, practical action we need to build a more secure, low-carbon future for everyone.

    Mark Wakeford, National Chairman, National Federation of Builders, said:

    Solar panels on new homes make sense because they lower bills and progress the clean energy revolution we so desperately need. Credit must also be given for recent announcements on grid investment and connection reforms, as these were important challenges to recognise and solve for a rooftop revolution to happen in practice.

    Charlotte Lee, CEO, Heat Pump Association, said:

    The HPA welcomes clarity on the publication timeline for the Future Homes Standard and confirmation that all new homes will be required to have low-carbon heating, such as heat pumps. Coupled with solar PV, highly efficient heat pump installations will result in low consumer energy bills and increase the UK’s energy security. This announcement provides a clear signal to the heat pump sector to scale up delivery in terms of workforce and manufacturing to meet the anticipated growth in the market and demonstrates the government’s commitment to decarbonise buildings.

    Garry Felgate, Chief Executive of The MCS Foundation, said:

    These plans by the government are a huge boost to the UK renewables sector, to our efforts to meet net zero, and in reducing energy costs for households.

    This announcement clearly shows that clean energy in the UK is the future. Maximising renewable energy technologies can benefit households by reducing bills as well as enhancing our national energy security.

    Trevor Hutchings, Chief Executive of the Renewable Energy Association (REA) said:

    The growth of solar power has been one of the UK’s biggest renewable energy success stories, demonstrating without a doubt that we don’t have to choose between lowering our emissions and lowering household energy bills.

    Today’s announcement – which the REA has long campaigned for – takes this one step further – not only enabling thousands of future homeowners to experience the benefits of affordable and clean power, but supercharging growth in the British renewable energy industry and driving forward our energy transition.

    Notes to editors

    Future Homes Standard

    The changes outlined today will maximise the use of solar energy through the Future Homes Standard.

    In 2023, the previous government proposed that new build homes would either need solar panel coverage equivalent to 40% of the building’s floor area or none at all.

    This approach would have allowed for too many exemptions and no solar being installed on these developments.

    The government is intending to bring forward rigorous proposals, that if developers cannot meet 40% coverage, they would still be required to install a reasonable amount of solar coverage.

    Under this proposal, it would be a functional requirement of the Building Regulations that new homes, with rare exceptions, are built with renewable electricity generation. In the vast majority of cases, we expect this would be solar panels.

    We are working with industry to set the technical detail ahead of publishing the final Future Homes Standard this Autumn.

    The Future Homes Standard will also see homes built with low carbon heating such as heat pumps and heat networks.

    Solar

    The £530 a year saving is based on government’s published Home Energy Assessment tool, which allows the user to produce an estimate of the bill savings they could expect from solar given the characteristics of their home.

    The figure is the potential savings for a home and is included to illustrate the benefits of solar panels. An estimate of the bill savings for a Future Homes Standard home will be included in the final impact assessment published in Autumn.

    The figures are based on a typical 3.5 kW south-facing installation using the Standard Assessment Procedure (SAP) methodology.

    The costs and savings individuals experience will be affected by factors such as how often they heat their home, the precise technical details of their installations, and future energy prices.

    The savings displayed are based on the April 2025 price cap. As energy prices change, so will the estimates of savings.

    Domestic heat pumps

    The changes to permitted development rights, which came into force on Thursday 29 May in England, cover:

    • removing the 1m boundary rule, enabling air source heat pumps to be installed within 1m of the property boundary
    • increasing the size limit of the heat pump for dwellinghouses from 0.6m3 to 1.5m3
    • doubling the number of heat pumps permitted per detached dwellinghouse, from 1 to 2
    • allowing for air source heat pumps that can be used for cooling as well as heating – facilitating the role out of air-to-air models – and providing consumers more choice

    Modern heat pumps are generally perceived as quiet and typically no louder than a fridge. When installed under a permitted development right, they must also comply with a noise assessment methodology which includes an upper noise limit assessed at the nearest neighbouring habitable room window or door, as part of the Microgeneration Certification Scheme Planning Standard.

    There were a total of 11,256 applications to the Boiler Upgrade Scheme between January and March 2025, which was up 73% from the first quarter of 2024.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Appliance servicing company which used high pressure sales tactics on elderly and vulnerable is shut down [June 2025]

    PRESS RELEASE : Appliance servicing company which used high pressure sales tactics on elderly and vulnerable is shut down [June 2025]

    The press release issued by the Insolvency Service on 6 June 2025.

    UK Service Plan Ltd pressured elderly people – some of whom had Alzheimer’s and dementia – into service agreements to protect household appliances.

    UK Service Plan Ltd sold monthly and annual plans which they said would provide service cover for household appliances.

    The company had a pattern of behaviour which involved targeting the elderly and vulnerable and creating direct debits without permission.

    The company was subject to a successful winding up order at the High Court in London on 19 May 2025, and its director was disqualified for eight years.

    A company which used high pressure sales tactics to sell service plans for household appliances has been shut down after an Insolvency Service investigation found it targeted the elderly and vulnerable.

    UK Service Plan Ltd, registered at Princess Street in Manchester and formerly Trafalgar Place, Brighton, offered protection plans for white goods to cover the cost of callouts, replacement parts and labour.

    The company charged around £29 a month for a service plan, and some people were persuaded to take on lengthy agreements of up to three and five years.

    Additionally, the company pressured people – some via cold calls – into buying plans by offering a discount which they falsely claimed was only applicable if they pay on the day.

    The Insolvency Service looked at 14 complaints which had been received from UK Service Plan Ltd customers, all of whom were over the age of 71.

    Seven of the complainants were described as being vulnerable, with variable memory recall and conditions including Alzheimer’s or dementia.

    Three were cold called despite being registered with the Telephone Preference Service.

    Six had direct debits set up apparently without their permission and three were told they were existing customers when they were not.

    Insolvency Service Chief Investigator Mark George said:

    UK Service Plan Ltd targeted and pressured some of the most vulnerable people in our society.

    They were persuaded into buying a service agreement, which it appears many did not want or need.

    Being able to shut this company down is a vital step toward protecting the public from becoming victims of their bad business practices.

    The company was not represented at the hearing and did not defend the petition, with the company’s director – 41-year-old Mohamed Anoir Dhimi, of Manchester – giving an undertaking to the court not to be involved in the promotion, formation or management of any company whose business is in the same or a similar field for a period of eight years.

    Dhimi did not fully co-operate with the investigation and provided limited information to the Insolvency Service.

    As evidence of poor trading practice, between August 2021 and July 2022, it was found the company had paid more than £200,000 in refunds to 740 people.

    In 2022, the company claimed to have a turnover of more than two million pounds.

    But the recorded cash in the filed accounts did not match the balance in the known bank account at the relevant date.

    In addition, the company failed to maintain accurate records and accounts the company filed at Companies House contained potentially false information.

    UK Service Plan Ltd, incorporated in 2021, was last registered at an address on Princess Street in Manchester. It claimed to have 10 employees, but no actual trading address has been found.

    The company had previously been registered in London and Brighton.

    The Official Receiver has been appointed as liquidator of UK Service Plan Ltd.

    The Insolvency Service worked in collaboration with Trading Standards on the investigation.

    • Mohamed Anoir Dhimi: Date of Birth, October 1983. Address: Princess Street, Manchester.
  • Rachel Reeves – 2025 Statement at the 2025 Spending Review

    Rachel Reeves – 2025 Statement at the 2025 Spending Review

    The statement made by Rachel Reeves, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, in the House of Commons on 11 June 2025.

    My driving purpose since I became Chancellor is to make working people in all parts of our country better off, to rebuild our schools and our hospitals, and to invest in our economy so that everyone has the opportunity to succeed after 14 years of mismanagement and decline by the party opposite, culminating in a £22 billion black hole in the public finances. That was the Conservatives’ legacy, and the first job I faced as Chancellor was to set it right. So at the Budget last October and again in the spring, I made the choices necessary to fix the foundations of our economy. We wasted no time in removing the barriers to growth: the biggest overhaul of our planning system in a generation; launching Britain’s first National Wealth Fund; and reforming our pensions system to unlock billions of pounds of investment into our economy.

    We are starting to see the results. The stability we have provided has helped support four cuts in interest rates, saving hundreds of pounds a year for families with a mortgage. Real wages have grown by more in the first 10 months of this Labour Government than in the first 10 years of the Conservative Government. And the latest figures show that we are the fastest growing economy in the G7. Countries around the world are lining up to do business with Britain again, with new trade deals with India, the United States and the European Union.

    We are renewing Britain, but I know that too many people in too many parts of our country are yet to feel it. This Government’s task, my task as Chancellor, and the purpose of this spending review is to change that—to ensure that renewal is felt in people’s everyday lives, in their jobs, and on their high streets. The priorities of this spending review are the priorities of working people: to invest in Britain’s security and Britain’s health and to grow Britain’s economy so that working people are better off.

    Today, I am allocating the envelope I set out in the spring. I am enormously grateful to my excellent team of officials at the Treasury and to my right hon. Friend the Chief Secretary to the Treasury for his tireless work throughout this process, crunching the numbers and looking at the assets and liabilities. On that note, I thank all my Cabinet colleagues for their contribution to this process—they are all assets to this Labour Government.

    In this spending review, total departmental budgets will grow by 2.3% a year in real terms. Compare that to the Conservatives’ choice of austerity. In contrast to our increase of 2.3%, they cut spending by 2.9% a year in 2010. Let us be clear: austerity was a destructive choice for both the fabric of our society and our economy, choking off investment and demand and creating a lost decade for growth, wages and living standards. That is their legacy.

    My choices are different. My choices are Labour choices—the choices in this spending review that are possible only because of my commitment to economic stability and the decisions this Government have made. The Conservatives’ fiscal rules guaranteed neither stability nor investment, and that is why I changed them. My fiscal rules are non-negotiable, and they are the foundation for stability and investment.

    My first rule is for stability: day-to-day Government spending should be paid for through tax receipts. That is the sound economic choice. It also the fair choice, because it is not right to expect our children and future generations to pay for the services we rely on today. This first rule allows me, as I set out in the Budget, to allocate £190 billion more to the day-to-day running of our public services over the course of this spending review compared with the previous Government’s plans.

    My second fiscal rule enables me to invest in Britain’s economic renewal while getting public debt on a downward path. This rule allowed me to increase public investment by more than £100 billion in the autumn and a further £13 billion in the spring. That is investment to rebuild our transport networks, our defence capability and our energy security—in short, to grow our economy.

    I have made my choices: tough decisions for stability and changing Britain’s fiscal rules for investment. Today, I am delivering that investment for the renewal of Britain. Now, it is time for the parties opposite to make their choices. The spending plans I am setting out today are possible only because of the decisions I took in the autumn to raise taxes and the changes to our fiscal rules, every one of which was opposed by the parties opposite. Today, they can make an honest choice and oppose these spending plans as they opposed every penny I raised to fund them, or they can make the same choice as Liz Truss: spend more and borrow more, with no regard for the consequences.

    In their clamour to cut taxes for the richest, the Conservatives crashed our economy, sent mortgage rates spiralling and put our pensions in peril. I will never take those risks. Yet Reform is itching to do the same thing all over again. The hon. Member for Clacton (Nigel Farage) may be playing the friend of the workers now, but some of us are old enough to remember when he described the disastrous Liz Truss Budget as “the best Conservative Budget” since the 1980s. [Interruption.] Mr Speaker, after the damage is done, he still nods along. Reform has learned nothing. His party has been in Parliament for less than a year, yet it has already racked up £80 billion of unfunded commitments. Reform is simply not serious. Every day it becomes clearer that it is Labour—and only Labour—that has a credible plan for the renewal of Britain.

    As I said in my spring statement, the world is changing before our eyes. Since the spring, the challenges that we face have become even more acute. The signs of our age of insecurity are everywhere, so we are acting on the promise in our plan for change: building renewal on the foundations of national security, border security and economic security. As the Prime Minister said earlier this month,

    “A new era in the threats that we face demands a new era for defence and security.”

    That is why we took the decision to prioritise our defence spending by reducing overseas development aid. Defence spending will now rise to 2.6% of GDP by April 2027, including the contribution of our intelligence agencies. That uplift provides funding for my right hon. Friend the Defence Secretary, with an £11 billion increase in defence spending and a £600 million uplift for our security and intelligence agencies. That investment will deliver not only security, but renewal in Aldermaston and Lincoln; in Portsmouth and Filton; on the Clyde and in Rosyth. Investment in Scotland, jobs in Scotland, and defence for the United Kingdom—opposed by the Scottish National party; delivered by this Labour Government.

    Investing in our armed forces, our military technology and our supply chains also brings huge opportunities: £4.5 billion of investment in munitions, made in factories from Glasgow to Glascoed, Stevenage to Radway Green; and over £6 billion to upgrade our nuclear submarine production, supporting thousands of jobs across Barrow, Derby and Sheffield. We will make Britain a defence industrial superpower, with the jobs, the skills and the pride that come with that.

    A more unstable world presents new challenges at our borders too. Conflict has opened the way for organised criminal gangs. The British people rightly expect us to have control of who comes into our country. The Conservatives said that they would “take back control”. Well, Mr Speaker, they lost control. With one failed policy after another, there was no control and no security. In contrast, in the Budget last year I announced £150 million to establish the new Border Security Command, and today, to support the integrity of our borders, I can announce that that funding will increase, with up to £280 million more per year by the end of the spending review period for our new Border Security Command.

    Alongside that, we are tackling the asylum backlog. The Conservative party left behind a broken system: billions of pounds of taxpayers’ money spent on housing asylum seekers in hotels, leaving people in limbo and shunting the cost of failure on to local communities. We will not let that stand. I can confirm today that, led by the work of my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary, we will be ending the costly use of hotels to house asylum seekers in this Parliament. Funding that I have provided today, including from the transformation fund, will cut the asylum backlog; allow more appeal cases to be heard; and return people who have no right to be here, saving the taxpayer £1 billion per year. That is my choice, that is Labour’s choice, that is the choice of the British people.

    If we want national security in a dangerous world, that does not stop at the strength of our armed forces or at our borders. I have long spoken about what I call “securonomics”—the basic insight that, in an age of insecurity, Government must step up to provide security for working people and resilience for our national economy. Put simply: where things are made, and who makes them, matters.

    Take energy: the Tories neglected our nuclear and renewables sectors and closed our gas storage facilities, leaving us exposed to hikes in energy prices when Russia invaded Ukraine, and it was working people who paid the price for their mistakes. Labour understands that energy security is national security. Because it is the right choice for bills, jobs and growth, this Government are investing in the biggest roll-out of nuclear power for half a century, with a £30 billion commitment to our nuclear-powered future.

    Yesterday my right hon. Friend the Energy Secretary and I announced £14 billion for Sizewell C, which will produce energy to power 6 million homes and support more than 10,000 jobs, including 1,500 apprenticeships, in order to build the nuclear workforce of tomorrow. That is not all. We are investing over £2.5 billion in a new small modular reactor programme. Our preferred partner is Rolls-Royce—a great British company based in Derby. This investment is just one step towards our ambition for a full fleet of small modular reactors, and it provides a route for private sector-led advanced modular reactor projects to be deployed across the UK.

    Alongside these actions, we are making nuclear-approved land available in Sellafield to attract private investment and create thousands more jobs. I thank my hon. Friend the Member for Whitehaven and Workington (Josh MacAlister) for his work in this area. To strengthen Britain’s position at the forefront of a global race for new nuclear technologies—a cause championed by Mayor of the East Midlands Claire Ward and my hon. Friend the Member for Bassetlaw (Jo White)—and to support pioneering work taking place in West Burton in Nottinghamshire, we are investing over £2.5 billion in our nuclear future.

    To back British industries, pioneering work in carbon capture, usage and storage will take place. Last year we announced funding for two sites, one on Merseyside and one in Teesside, where we are building the world’s first commercial-scale CCUS plant. Today I can announce support for the Acorn project in Aberdeenshire to support Scotland’s transition from oil and gas to low-carbon technology—a challenge and an opportunity well understood by the leader of Scottish Labour Anas Sarwar and my right hon. Friend the Scotland Secretary. We are also backing the Viking project in Humberside—a cause long supported by my hon. Friend the Member for Great Grimsby and Cleethorpes (Melanie Onn).

    Because I am determined to ensure that the energy technologies of the future are built here and owned here and that jobs come to Britain, this spending review invests in the wholly publicly owned Great British Energy, headquartered in Scotland. These investments will ensure that the towns and cities that powered the last industrial revolution play their part in our next industrial revolution. Reducing our reliance on overseas oil and gas, protecting working families from price shocks, and a new generation of energy industries for a renewed Britain—that is my choice, that is Labour’s choice, that is the choice of the British people.

    Economic security relies on our ability to buy, make and sell more here in Britain. In April, this Government faced a choice: to let British Steel in Scunthorpe go under or to intervene. [Interruption.] That choice was a choice not of the metal trader but of this Labour Government. We heard representations from workers, trade unions and my hon. Friend the Member for Scunthorpe (Sir Nicholas Dakin). My right hon. Friend the Business Secretary and I were not prepared to tolerate a situation in which Britain’s steel capacity was fatally undermined. We were not prepared to see another working-class community lose the pride, prosperity and dignity that industry provides, so we did intervene to save British Steel and the jobs that come with it, and I am proud of that decision.

    The Government will invest in Scunthorpe’s long-term future and the future of steelworks across our great country. In a vote of confidence in our home-grown steel, Heathrow airport, where we are backing London by backing a third runway, has signed the UK steel charter—a multibillion-pound airport expansion backed by Labour and built with British steel.

    Building our train and tram lines, our military hardware and our new power stations will mean orders for steel made in Britain at Sheffield Forgemasters, where we are investing in nuclear-grade steel, and in Port Talbot, where the spending review confirms the £500 million grant to Tata Steel. A future for British-made steel and a proud future for Britain’s steel communities. Things built to last, built here in Britain—that is my choice, that is Labour’s choice, that is the choice of the British people.

    This Labour Government are backing British business. There will be more to come in the weeks ahead with our 10-year infrastructure strategy and our modern industrial strategy: a plan drawn up in partnership with businesses and trade unions. When I speak to businesspeople and entrepreneurs about what they need to succeed, they say that they need the chance to innovate, they need access to finance and they need a deep pool of talent. We have heard that message, and today we are taking action.

    First, on innovation, which is a great British strength. Our universities are world-leading, and we are proud of them. We want our high-tech industries in Britain to continue to lead the world in years to come in car production, in aerospace and in life sciences, so we are backing our innovators, backing our researchers and backing our entrepreneurs with research and development funding rising to a record high of £22 billion a year by the end of the spending review. Because home-grown artificial intelligence has the potential to solve diverse and daunting challenges, as well as the opportunity for good jobs and investment here in Britain, I am announcing £2 billion to back the Government’s AI action plan overseen by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology.

    Secondly, to champion those small businesses seeking access to finance as they look to grow, I am increasing the financial firepower of the British Business Bank with a two thirds increase in its investments, increasing its overall financial capacity to £25.6 billion to help pioneering businesses to start up and scale up, backing Britain’s entrepreneurs and backing Britain’s wealth creators.

    Thirdly, as we invest, if we are to thrive in the industries of the future, we must give our young people the skills they need to contribute to our national success as scientists, engineers and designers, and as builders, welders and electricians. I know the ambition, the drive and the potential of our young people; it cannot be right that too often those ambitions and that potential are stifled. Young people who want training find courses are oversubscribed and are turned away at the door, forcing growing businesses, eager to recruit that talent, to look elsewhere—potential wasted and enterprise frustrated. So today I am providing record investment for training and upskilling with £1.2 billion a year by the end of the spending review to support over a million young people into training and apprenticeships so that their potential, their drive and their ambition is frustrated no longer.

    On the subject of skills, we should all recognise the Leader of the Opposition’s own commitment to lifelong learning. At the weekend, she promised to learn and “get better” on the job. I am sure that Opposition Members will be supporting her in that endeavour. Good luck with that.

    As we build a strong, secure and resilient economy, working people must feel the benefits. That starts with the security of a proper home. Our planning reforms have opened up the opportunity to build. Now, we must act to make the most of those opportunities, and a plan to match the scale of the housing crisis must include social housing, which has been neglected for too many decades, but not by this Labour Government. So, led by my right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister, we are taking action. I am proud to announce the biggest cash injection into social and affordable housing in 50 years with a new affordable homes programme in which I am investing £39 billion over the next decade—direct Government funding that will support house building, especially for social rent. I am pleased to report that towns and cities including Blackpool, Preston, Sheffield and Swindon already have plans to bring forward bids to build those homes in their communities.

    I have gone further. Last autumn, I enabled greater use of financial transactions to support investments in our infrastructure alongside strict guardrails that ensure that money is spent wisely through our public financial institutions. So, in line with that commitment, I am providing an additional £10 billion for financial investments, including to be delivered through Homes England, to crowd in private investment and unlock hundreds of thousands more homes. Homes built by a Labour Government; homes built for working people.

    But it is no good investing in new skills, new jobs and new homes if they are not properly connected. That is why last week, with the support of my right hon. Friend the Transport Secretary, I announced £15 billion of investment to connect our cities and our towns—the biggest ever investment of its kind—with investments in buses in Rochdale, train stations in Merseyside and Middlesbrough, mass transit in West Yorkshire and metro extensions in Birmingham, Tyne and Wear and Stockport. Alongside that, we are backing Doncaster airport.

    Today, I am announcing a four-year settlement for Transport for London to provide certainty and stability for our largest local transport network to plan for the future. For other regions in the UK, I am today providing for a fourfold increase in local transport grants by the end of this Parliament to make the improvements put off for far too long, to improve the journeys that people make every day.

    To unlock the potential of all parts of Britain, we are going further by investing in major rail projects to connect our towns and cities. In October, I announced funding for the trans-Pennine route upgrade—the backbone of rail travel in the north, linking York, Leeds and Manchester—with a quarter of that route expected to be electrified by this summer. I know the commitment of my hon. Friends the Members for Huddersfield (Harpreet Uppal), for York Outer (Mr Charters) and for Colne Valley (Paul Davies) to this issue, and today I can announce a further £3.5 billion of investment for that route. But my ambition, and the ambition of people across the north, is greater still, so in the coming weeks I will set out the Government’s plan to take forward our ambitions for Northern Powerhouse Rail.

    I have also heard the representations of my hon. Friends the Members for Milton Keynes North (Chris Curtis), for Milton Keynes Central (Emily Darlington), and for Buckingham and Bletchley (Callum Anderson), and I can tell the House today that to connect Oxford and Cambridge and to back Milton Keynes’s leading tech sector I am providing a further £2.5 billion for the continued delivery of East West Rail. On a matter that I know is of great importance to my hon. Friends the Members for Lichfield (Dave Robertson), for Birmingham Northfield (Laurence Turner) and for Birmingham Erdington (Paulette Hamilton), I can announce today that I am providing funding for the midlands rail hub: the region’s biggest and most ambitious rail improvement scheme for generations, strengthening connections from Birmingham across the west midlands and into Wales, too.

    For 14 years, the Conservatives failed the people of Wales. Those days are over. Following representations from my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales, the First Minister of Wales, and Welsh Labour MPs, today I am pleased to announce £445 million for railways in Wales over 10 years, including new funding for Padeswood sidings and Cardiff West junction. That is the difference made by two Labour Governments, working together to undo a generation of underfunding and neglect.

    This Government take seriously their commitment to investment, jobs and growth in every part of the UK. I have heard the concerns of my hon. Friends the Members for Mid Cheshire (Andrew Cooper), and for Rossendale and Darwen (Andy MacNae), and the Mayor of the Liverpool City Region, Steve Rotheram, that past Governments have under-invested in towns and cities outside London and the south-east. They are right, so today I am publishing the conclusion of the review of the Treasury Green Book, which is the Government’s manual for assessing value for money. Our new Green Book will support place-based business cases, and make sure that no region has Treasury guidance wielded against it. I said that we would do things differently, and that we wanted growth in all parts of Britain, and I meant it.

    Backing our nations and regions means backing our devolved Governments, and this spending review provides the largest settlement in real terms since devolution was introduced, with £52 billion for Scotland, £20 billion for Northern Ireland by the end of the spending review period, and £23 billion for Wales. Having heard representations from many Welsh Labour colleagues, and because I know the obligation that we owe to our industrial communities, I am providing a multi-year settlement of £118 million to keep coal tips safe in Wales.

    I know what pride people feel in their communities—I see it everywhere I go—but I also know that, for too many people, there is a sense that something has been lost as high streets have declined, community spaces have closed, and jobs and opportunity have gone elsewhere. The renewal of Britain must be felt everywhere. Today I am pleased to announce additional funding to support up to 350 communities, especially those in the most deprived areas—funding to improve parks, youth facilities, swimming pools and libraries, and to support councils in fighting back against graffiti and fly-tipping, including in Blackpool South, Stockport, Stoke-on-Trent Central, Swindon North, and Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend.

    And there is more. Job creation and community assets are vital to our growth mission, but too often, regeneration projects are held back, gathering dust in bureaucratic limbo. We are changing that. We will establish a growth mission fund to expedite local projects that are important for growth—projects such as Southport pier, an iconic symbol of coastal heritage that has stood empty since 2022; Kirkcaldy’s seafront and high street, where investment would create jobs and new business opportunities; and plans for Peterborough’s new sports quarter, to drive activity and community cohesion. People deserve a Government who share their ambition for their communities, and who deliver renewal, growth, and opportunity, and that is what you get with a Labour Government.

    If people are to feel pride in their community, enjoy their public spaces, and spend time on their high streets, they must feel safe when they do so—safe in the knowledge that when people break the law, they feel the full force of the law. The Conservative party left our prisons overflowing and on the brink of collapse, and left it to us to deal with the consequences. We are taking the necessary action, so my right hon. Friend the Justice Secretary and I have announced that we are investing £7 billion to fund 14,000 new prison places, and putting up to £700 million per year into reform of the probation system. Today, I will do more. I am increasing police spending power by an average 2.3% per year in real terms over the spending review period, to protect our people, our homes and our streets. That is more than £2 billion, supporting us to meet our plan for change commitment of putting 13,000 additional police officers, police community support officers and special constables into neighbourhood policing roles across England and Wales.

    I am determined that every family, as well as every place, should feel the benefits of Britain’s renewal. Falling interest rates, supported by our commitment to economic stability, are already saving many families hundreds of pounds a month on their mortgage. I have accepted pay review body recommendations for our armed forces, nurses, teachers and prison officers, giving public sector workers the fair pay rises that they deserve. In autumn, I increased the national living wage—a pay rise for around 3 million hard-working people. This Government are doing more: we are banning exploitative zero-hours contracts, strengthening statutory sick pay, and ending the use of unscrupulous fire-and-rehire practices. Those are my choices; those are Labour choices.

    I know that for many people the cost of living remains a constant challenge. That is why we are capping the cost of school uniforms. I can tell the House today that I am extending the £3 bus fare cap until at least March 2027. Earlier this week, we announced that over three quarters of pensioners will receive the winter fuel payment this year. And there is more: to get bills down, not just this winter but in winters to come, we have expanded the warm homes plan to support thousands more of the UK’s poorest households. That includes providing £7 million to homes in Bradford, £11 million to homes in Rugby, and £30 million to homes in Blackpool. Today I can announce that I will deliver in full our manifesto commitment to upgrading millions of homes, saving families and pensioners across the country up to £600 off their bills, each and every year. I am determined to do everything in my power to put more money in people’s pockets, to give people security and control in their lives, to make working people better off, and to show them that this Labour Government are on their side.

    Taxpayers work hard for their money, and they expect their Government to spend their money with care. For the first time in 18 years, this Government have run a zero-based review, and made a line-by-line assessment of what the Government spend—something that the Tories did not bother to do in 14 years. As a result of that work, and our wider drive for efficiencies, led by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, in this spending review I have found savings from the closure and sale of Government buildings and land, from cutting back office costs, and from reducing consultancy spend—all of which the previous Government failed to do. Those reforms will make public services more efficient, more productive, and more focused on the user. I have been relentless in driving out inefficiencies, and I will be relentless in cutting out waste, with every single penny reinvested in our public services.

    I joined the Labour party almost 30 years ago because I knew, growing up, that the Conservative party did not care much about schools like mine, or the kids I grew up with. I joined because I believed that every young person should have an equal chance to succeed, no matter where they come from or what their parents do. I believe that just as strongly today as I did then. That is why, at the Budget last autumn, I ended the tax loophole that exempted private schools from VAT and business rates. I put that money where it belongs: into helping the 93% of children in our state schools. The Conservatives opposed money for their local state schools, but I will always prioritise those schools. That was my choice; that is the Labour choice.

    Because of decisions that we made in this spending review, last week, this Government, working with my right hon. Friend the Education Secretary, announced that free school meals will be extended to over half a million more children. That policy alone will lift 100,000 children out of poverty—children in schools from Tower Hamlets to Sunderland, and from Swansea to Bridgend.

    Last year, at the Labour party conference, I was proud to announce the first steps in our plan to deliver breakfast clubs for every child, with an initial roll-out to the first 750 schools. We will continue with that national roll-out as part of our manifesto commitment, so that no child goes hungry, and every child can have the best chance of thriving and succeeding. I know that a good start in life does not start at school, so I can also announce £370 million for school-based nurseries, to put us firmly on track to meet our plan for change commitment to a record number of children being school-ready. On children’s social care, to break the dangerous cycle of late intervention and low-quality care, I am providing £555 million of transformation funding over the spending review period, so that children do not needlessly go into care when they could stay at home, and so that, where state intervention is necessary, there is better care, and there are better outcomes.

    Last week, I was pleased to announce, with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, that more than £130 million from the dormant assets scheme, run with the financial services sector, will be allocated to funding facilities for our young people, to give every child the chance to take part in music, sport and drama, and to fund libraries in our schools, so that the confidence and opportunities that those resources open up are no longer the preserve of the privileged few. Those are my choices, those are Labour choices, and those are the choices of the British people.

    Overall, I am providing a cash uplift of over £4.5 billion a year in additional funding for the core schools budget by the end of the spending review, backing our teachers and our kids. People who went to ordinary comprehensives in the ’80s and ’90s are all too familiar with the experience of being taught in temporary classrooms. The previous Conservative Government oversaw another generation of kids being herded into cold and damp buildings as school roofs literally crumbled. It was not acceptable when I was at school, and it is not acceptable now. I am therefore providing investment, rising to nearly £2.3 billion per year, to fix our crumbling classrooms, in addition to £2.4 billion per year to continue our programme to rebuild 500 schools, including Chace community school in Enfield, Woodkirk academy in Leeds and Budmouth academy in Weymouth. Investing in our young people, investing in Britain’s future and investing in opportunity for all: that is Labour’s choice.

    Finally, let me turn—[Hon. Members: “More!”] I knew they would cheer. Let me turn to our national health service. It is our most treasured public service, and people rightly expect an NHS that is there when they need it; that an ambulance will come when they call one; that a GP appointment will be available when they need one; and that a scan will be performed when they are referred for one. I am hugely grateful to our nurses, our doctors, our paramedics and other healthcare professionals for everything that they do.

    If we want a strong economy where working people can fulfil their potential, we must have a strong NHS—not, as the Reform party have called for, an insurance-based system. We believe in a publicly funded national health service, free at the point of use. Perhaps the hon. Member for Clacton should spend more time focusing on the priorities of the British people, and less time in the Westminster Arms—although, after this week, perhaps the Two Chairmen pub might be a better fit.

    At the Budget, I took the decisions necessary to provide an immediate injection of funding to get the NHS back on its feet. I commend my right hon. Friend the Health Secretary for all the progress that he has already made. In less than a year, this Government have recruited 1,700 new GPs, delivered 3.5 million extra appointments and cut waiting lists by more than 200,000. Fixing our NHS also means delivering fundamental reform across social care, so we are backing the first ever fair pay agreement for that sector. I am also increasing the NHS technology budget by almost 50%, and we are investing £10 billion to bring our analogue health system into the digital age, including through the NHS app, so patients can manage their prescriptions, get their test results and book appointments all in one place.

    We are shifting care back to the community and providing more funding to support the training of thousands more GPs to deliver millions more appointments. We are investing more in prevention, to meet our manifesto commitment of providing mental health support teams in all schools in England by the end of this Parliament. Those investments will enable the delivery of our upcoming 10-year plan for health and will put the NHS firmly back on the path to renewal.

    To support that plan, to back the doctors and nurses we rely on, and to make sure that the NHS is there whenever we need it, I am proud to announce today that this Labour Government are making a record cash investment in our national health service, increasing real-terms, day-to-day spending by 3% per year for every single year of this spending review—an extra £29 billion per year for the day-to-day running of our health service. That is what the British people voted for and that is what we will deliver: more appointments, more doctors and more scanners. The national health service: created by a Labour Government, protected by a Labour Government and renewed by this Labour Government.

    This is a spending review to deliver the priorities of the British people: security, with a strong Britain in a changing world; economic growth, powered by investment and opportunity in every part of Britain; and our nation’s health, with an NHS fit for the future. I have made my choices. In place of chaos, I choose stability; in place of decline, I choose investment; and in place of pessimism, division and defeatism, I choose national renewal. These are my choices, these are Labour choices, and these are the choices of the British people. I commend this statement to the House.

  • NEWS STORY : Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner Crashes Shortly After Takeoff from Ahmedabad En Route to Gatwick

    NEWS STORY : Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner Crashes Shortly After Takeoff from Ahmedabad En Route to Gatwick

    STORY

    An Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner operating Flight AI171 from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick tragically crashed into a residential area called Meghani Nagar just five minutes after takeoff at 13:38 local time. Thick plumes of black smoke were captured on nearby CCTV and by witnesses, prompting an immediate emergency response. Flight AI171 carried 232 passengers and 12 crew members, including 169 Indian nationals, 53 British nationals, seven Portuguese and one Canadian onboard, according to India’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). Gates at nearby hospitals were thrown open as ambulances raced victims to medical centres, while local fire services battled to extinguish the blaze.

    Gatwick Airport confirmed via social media that the London-bound aircraft had indeed crashed on departure, and that the flight was originally scheduled to arrive at 18:25. BST. India’s Civil Aviation Minister, Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu, said officials were “on highest alert” and were coordinating rescue and relief efforts on the ground. Investigators from the DGCA and Boeing representatives are en route to Ahmedabad to begin examining the wreckage and flight data recorders. While the precise cause of the accident remains uncertain, FlightRadar24 data shows the jet reached an altitude of only 625 feet before the signal was lost. This marks the first ever crash of a Boeing 787 series aircraft in its 16 years of operation, a milestone that will almost certainly intensify scrutiny of the ultra-long-haul jet.

    Air India’s chairman, Natarajan Chandrasekaran, expressed “deepest condolences” to those affected and has established an emergency response centre for families seeking information. As Ahmedabad’s emergency services continue the search for survivors, both Indian and British authorities are coordinating consular support. Updates are expected throughout the evening as flight investigators piece together the final moments before the catastrophe.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Keir Starmer meeting with King Abdullah II of Jordan [June 2025]

    PRESS RELEASE : Keir Starmer meeting with King Abdullah II of Jordan [June 2025]

    The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 6 June 2025.

    The Prime Minister hosted His Majesty the King of Jordan Abdullah II at Downing Street this afternoon.

    The leaders discussed the gravity of the intolerable situation in Gaza, and the concerning developments in the West Bank.

    The Prime Minister reiterated that if Israel did not cease the renewed military offensive and lift its restrictions on humanitarian aid, the UK and its partners would take further concrete actions in response.

    It was vital a sustainable ceasefire and the release of all hostages was secured, and humanitarian aid was delivered at speed and volume, the Prime Minister added.

    Both leaders agreed on the importance of the Palestinian Authority’s reform agenda as part of the path to a two-state solution and lasting peace and security for both Israelis and Palestinians.

    The leaders also discussed the wider bilateral relationship between the UK and Jordan, and the opportunity to deepen business and investment links between the two countries.

    Both looked forward to speaking again soon.

  • PRESS RELEASE : We applaud Syria’s determination to ensure Assad’s chemical weapons programme is destroyed – UK statement at the UN Security Council [June 2025]

    PRESS RELEASE : We applaud Syria’s determination to ensure Assad’s chemical weapons programme is destroyed – UK statement at the UN Security Council [June 2025]

    The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 5 June 2025.

    Statement by Caroline Quinn, UK Deputy Political Coordinator, at the UN Security Council meeting on Syria.

    Let me start by welcoming the strong commitment of the Syrian government to turn the page of history. We applaud Syria’s determination to ensure once and for all that the Assad era chemical weapons programme is destroyed.

    The UK is greatly encouraged by Syria’s operational and logistical support to the deployments carried out by the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, including access to sites and people, and by Syria’s commitment to engage with the international community.

    We also welcome the OPCW Technical Secretariat’s deployments to Syria in March and April. The persistence and professionalism shown by OPCW staff in Syria has been exceptional. As has the consistently high quality of the Technical Secretariat’s work on this important file in a very challenging technical environment.

    Important progress has been made towards setting up OPCW offices in Syria and the collection and analysis of samples.

    These are vital steps towards Syria’s full implementation of the Chemical Weapons Convention and UN Security Council resolution 2118, which the Assad regime so flagrantly violated.

    There is, however, President, much more work to do in a difficult operational environment.

    Due to the secrecy and complexity of Assad’s illegal chemical weapons programme, the precise extent of the challenge ahead is still unknown.

    Allow me to make three brief points.

    Firstly, both the Syrian government and the OPCW will need to be operationally agile to address any proliferation or health risks found in inspecting sites of concern.

    The OPCW’s role is vital. As mandated by the Chemical Weapons Convention and by resolution 2118, the OPCW must verify the Syrian-led declaration and destruction of any remaining elements of Assad’s chemical weapons programme.

    Secondly, to achieve this, the OPCW will need technical, financial and logistical assistance from the international community.

    The OPCW has provided States Parties with its estimated costs for its work in Syria.

    The UK has already provided more than $1 million to the OPCW Syria Missions to support their immediate work and will look to provide further assistance.

    We join High Representative Nakamitsu in encouraging others to also provide the necessary resources. In particular, President, we welcome Qatar’s role in representing Syria at the OPCW in The Hague.

    Finally, military action by neighbouring states risks delaying OPCW deployments as well as the preservation of evidence at chemical weapons sites. We therefore urge Israel to de-escalate their actions in Syria.

    President, we have a historic opportunity to rid Syria of Assad’s chemical weapons.

    Let us do our part to support Syria and the OPCW, to enable the new Syrian government to finally close the file on the scourge of chemical weapons use, and on this dark chapter in Syria’s history.

  • NEWS STORY : Government Appoints Julian Blazeby as New Chair of Victims’ Compensation Body

    NEWS STORY : Government Appoints Julian Blazeby as New Chair of Victims’ Compensation Body

    STORY

    Julian Blazeby has been named the new non-executive Chair of the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority Board, the Ministry of Justice announced on 5 June 2025. His three-year appointment comes under the Executive Agency Framework introduced in 2024–25. In addition to leading the CICA Board, Mr Blazeby will serve as a non-executive member of the Authority’s Audit and Risk Assurance Committee. Mr Blazeby joins CICA from the Disclosure and Barring Service, where he sits on the board, chairs the People Committee and is a member of the Quality, Finance and Performance Committee. He has previously held senior civil-service roles with the Ministry of Defence, the Independent Police Complaints Commission and the Government of Jersey.

    The CICA Board is charged with providing strategic leadership for the Authority, advising on corporate strategy, monitoring delivery and assessing significant risks. As Chair, Mr Blazeby will give strategic oversight and challenge, ensuring the board remains effective and that the organisation meets its commitments to victims of violent crime. Lynne Henderson, Deputy Chief Executive Officer for CICA, said: “This appointment will provide vital scrutiny and challenge to the CICA Board, guiding our work and helping us deliver on our priorities. Julian Blazeby will bring a wealth of experience and I look forward to working with him in our support to victims of violent crime.”

  • PRESS RELEASE : Government announces preferred candidate for Chair of Equality and Human Rights Commission [June 2025]

    PRESS RELEASE : Government announces preferred candidate for Chair of Equality and Human Rights Commission [June 2025]

    The press release issued by the Office for Equality and Opportunity on 5 June 2025.

    • Dr Mary-Ann Stephenson announced as the government’s preferred candidate for the next Chair of the Equality and Human Rights Commission.
    • Preferred candidate to appear in front of 2 Parliamentary committees – Women and Equalities Select Committee (WESC) and the Joint Committee on Human Rights (JHCR) – ahead of appointment confirmation.
    • Current chair Baroness Falkner’s term is due to end on 30 November 2025.

    The government’s preferred candidate for the new chair of the independent Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) has been identified as Dr Mary-Ann Stephenson. This follows a full and open competition to recruit a new chair, in line with the Governance Code for Public Appointments.

    The current chair Baroness Kishwer Falkner’s term is due to end on 30 November 2025, after being extended an additional year to provide stability while a full recruitment campaign was undertaken.

    Dr Stephenson will appear before WESC and JCHR as part of pre-appointment hearings. The committees will provide advice to ministers before she is formally appointed.

    The appointment of Dr Stephenson will not impact the timelines or process for the updated statutory code of practice for services currently being developed by the EHRC.

    Minister for Women and Equalities Bridget Phillipson said:

    This government is clear that equality and opportunity are at the heart of our programme of national renewal.

    With the depth of her expertise in human rights and equality, Dr Stephenson is exceptionally suited to leading the EHRC and ensuring it continues to uphold the equalities framework in this country.

    I want to thank Baroness Falkner for her continued work throughout this time.

    Dr Mary-Ann Stephenson said:

    I am honoured to be named the Government’s preferred candidate to be the new chair for the Equality and Human Rights Commission.

    The EHRC plays an integral role in protecting and advancing equalities and I am deeply committed to furthering this work as chair. With over 30 years working on equalities and human rights, I am confident that I will bring a breadth of experience and insight to the role.

    I look forward to working with the team in the EHRC as well as stakeholders and the government to ensure equalities are upheld and all people are treated with respect and dignity.

    The government is committed to ensuring that people of all backgrounds can thrive. The EHRC plays a vital role in upholding and promoting equality and human rights across England and Wales.

    The EHRC is independent of the government and makes its own enforcement decisions, including about any inquiries and investigations it decides to conduct.

    The EHRC has launched a consultation on its updated draft statutory code of practice for services, public functions and associations. This opened on 20 May and will close on 30 June. The final draft code will be sent to ministers for approval before laying in Parliament.

    Notes to editors

    Dr Mary-Ann Stephenson has 30 years of experience working on equality and human rights issues within the UK and internationally, over 20 of these at Board and CEO level. She also holds a PhD in equality law.

    Positions she has held include:

    • Director of the Women’s Budget Group
    • Director of the Fawcett Society
    • Chair of Early Education and Childcare Coalition
    • Board member of Coventry Rape and Sexual Abuse Centre (CRASAC)
    • Board member of Coventry Police and Crime Board
  • PRESS RELEASE : Farmers to get fairer deals for combinable crops [June 2025]

    PRESS RELEASE : Farmers to get fairer deals for combinable crops [June 2025]

    The press release issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 5 June 2025.

    New review aims to support fairer, more profitable deals for farmers.

    Arable farmers will benefit from a new government review tackling unfair practices in the combinable crops supply chain, helping to protect their business and income from unfair practices.

    Announced today as part of our New Deal for Farmers, the review is a major step towards ensuring producers have clear, fair, and enforceable contracts – covering pricing, supply volumes, data, and dispute resolution. It will back British farmers to get a fairer return for the food they produce.

    Combinable crops, such as cereals (like wheat and barley), oilseeds, and pulses, are harvested using a combine harvester. They provide essential ingredients for food, animal feed and fuel, making this sector a cornerstone of our food supply chain.

    Environment Secretary Steve Reed said:

    British growers work incredibly hard to produce world-class food, and deserve fair, transparent contracts that reflect that.

    This review is a major step forward in giving arable farmers a stronger voice, better protection and fairer returns for the food they produce.

    We’re proud of the vital work farmers undertake every day to feed our nation, which is why we’re investing £5 billion – the largest ever budget for sustainable farming.

    The government has already taken decisive action to secure a fairer deal for farmers. This includes slashing costs and red tape for businesses who export to and import from the EU, making supply chains more resilient and helping reduce costs for consumers, and backing British food with investment and action – aiming for at least 50% of food supplied in public sector contracts to come from local producers or those certified to higher environmental standards.

    We’ve also appointed former NFU president Baroness Minette Batters to lead reforms that put more money back in farmers’ pockets, as part of our Plan for Change

    This action builds on reforms already made in other farming sectors, including the Fair Dealing (Milk) Regulations, which came into effect on 9 July 2024, and the Fair Dealing (Pigs) Regulations have also recently received parliamentary approval.

    Collaborating with devolved governments, we will continue to develop a fairer, more transparent supply chain that benefits both farmers and the public.

    A formal public consultation will be launched, giving farmers and other stakeholders the chance to share their experiences.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Revamped Office for Investment cements UK’s position as top investment destination creating jobs and opportunities [June 2025]

    PRESS RELEASE : Revamped Office for Investment cements UK’s position as top investment destination creating jobs and opportunities [June 2025]

    The press release issued by the Department for Business and Trade on 5 June 2025.

    The government has announced the launch of the revamped Office for Investment.

    • Bolstered OfI redoubles UK efforts to secure investment to drive economic growth as part of Government’s Plan for Change.
    • Since taking Office, Government has welcomed around £100bn in investment into the UK, with employment rising by almost 500,000 jobs.
    • New office ensures investment pitch aligns with UK’s modern Industrial Strategy, targeting investors in high-growth and foundational sectors.
    • Minister for Investment launches new Office with pitch to staff after PwC Survey rates UK as the 2nd best place in the world to invest.

    The UK’s highest growth sectors are gearing up for an inward investment boost as a new, revamped Office for Investment will provide enhanced high-end investor relations, commercial support and tailored opportunities for those looking to invest in the UK.

    Today [5 June], Minister for Investment Baroness Gustafsson CBE will launch the new Office for Investment which will be laser-focused on securing investment to drive economic growth, job creation and productivity across the UK, as part of the Government’s Plan for Change.

    The enhanced Office for Investment will be aligned with the Government’s upcoming modern Industrial Strategy, prioritising growth-driving sectors ranging from defence to clean energies, as well as foundational sectors such as steel, critical minerals and logistics.

    It will also actively pursue and manage major investment projects that support national growth missions and infrastructure strategies, helping to make the UK the best investment destination in the world.

    Minister for Investment Baroness Gustafsson CBE said:

    Securing investment is an integral part of this government’s Plan for Change, so I’m thrilled the Office for Investment will help drive even more investment into the UK, supporting job creation and boosting wages.

    Aligning with our upcoming modern Industrial Strategy, the OfI will deliver long-term growth right across the UK by providing support and stability for investors, giving them the confidence to plan not just for the next year, but for the next 10 years and beyond.

    By aligning investment resources under a single brand, the new Office for Investment will reduce confusion for investors and become increasingly proactive both at home and overseas in search of new potential investors for the UK.

    This announcement follows last year’s record-breaking International Investment Summit where the UK attracted £63 billion of new investments creating 38,000 jobs across the country.

    This builds on the latest PwC Global CEO Survey which rated the UK as the 2nd best place in the world to invest, after the USA.

    CEO of the London Chamber of Commerce and Industry Karim Fatehi OBE said:

    Setting a new course for the Investment Office has the potential to drive greater investment in London and the rest of the UK – creating jobs, building businesses and supporting economic growth. To remain relevant in a competitive market we must create the best conditions for international investors to succeed and prosper in the UK.

    The UK is already the most open, stable and connected economy in the world. Securing trade deals with the United States, India and a new agreement with the European Union demonstrates the UK’s commitment to free and fair trade, and how this Government will support real change for the British people as part of the Plan for Change.

    The UK continues to attract major investments across a range of sectors, including digital and technology, reinforcing its position as a global innovation hub.

    These investments include:

    • £24 billion investment pipeline between The Crown Estate and Lendlease, unlocking housing and science innovation hubs, with 26,000 new homes and 100,000 new jobs.
    • £1 billion investment by logistics giant DP World to build two new shipping berths at the firm’s London Gateway port, creating more than 400 permanent jobs.
    • Universal’s multi-billion-pound investment in a major new theme park and resort in Bedford which is estimated to bring a £50 billion boost for the economy and create around 28,000 jobs across the creative, hospitality and construction industries.
    • £10 billion partnership with OCBC, Singapore’s second largest bank to facilitate investment from the Asia Pacific region into priority growth sectors including energy, infrastructure and real estate.
    • £4 billion investment by the Malaysian group YTL in the UK over the next five years, which includes transforming the greater Bristol area and delivering over 30,000 jobs across the UK.
    • £200 million investment from European defence company MBDA, creating 700 high-skilled jobs in Britain’s defence industry.
    • £50m investment deal between JATCO, Nissan and the Government to build a new manufacturing site in Sunderland.
    • £170 million investment by international manufacturer Knauf Insulation in a new facility in Shotton, North Wales, creating 140 new jobs.
    • £300 million investment from Rolls-Royce in the expansion of their Goodwood facility to meet the growing demand for bespoke upgrades.
    • £500 million by JLR in its Halewood facility to enable the production of electric vehicles, alongside existing combustion and hybrid models.
    • US company Knighthead’s £3 billion regeneration project in East Birmingham, creating 8,400 new jobs annually, paving the way for a new 60,000-seater stadium alongside a sports campus of training facilities, a new academy, and community pitches.
    • Heathrow Airport announcing a multibillion-pound investment programme to expand the airport, including new terminal buildings, aircraft stands, passenger infrastructure and work towards its third runway.
    • $5 billion investment from Oracle to expand its cutting-edge cloud infrastructure in the UK – an initiative helping to position the UK at the forefront of the AI revolution.
    • Vishay investing £250 million to establish the world’s first compound semiconductor facility.

    Notes to editors:

    • The Prime Minister also announced plans for an enhanced Office for Investment just before the International Investment Summit, building on the recommendations of the Harrington Review.