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  • Liam Fox – 2023 Speech on World Down Syndrome Day

    Liam Fox – 2023 Speech on World Down Syndrome Day

    The speech made by Liam Fox, the Conservative MP for North Somerset, in the House of Commons on 23 March 2023.

    I beg to move,

    That this House has considered World Down Syndrome Day.

    I am grateful to have secured this debate, and I thank colleagues from all parties for their support in being able to do so. Two days ago I was honoured and privileged to be able to speak on behalf of the United Kingdom at the United Nations in New York on the 12th World Down Syndrome Day. It was an acknowledgement of the United Kingdom’s role as the country that has been the first to legislate in this area, of which we should be extremely proud. It was important that we took that opportunity to make the case.

    When we passed the Down Syndrome Act 2022, it was a recognition of the strength of our electoral system. With the first-past-the-post system, whatever its handicaps, we are real constituency MPs with real constituents, and the fact that we are exposed to the complex problems they have enables us to be responsive to their needs and them to know who to go to when they need help with the problems they face. I also think that passing this legislation was a recognition of something we do not always do as politicians. One of the intrinsic problems in a democratic system is that we tend to get more credit for dealing with a crisis than preventing one. One of the key elements of this legislation is that it shows that Parliament can anticipate problems before they become a serious crisis-ridden issue. I will come back to that, if I may.

    I thank all the charities associated with Down syndrome for the work they have done since the passage of the legislation, and I thank all those voluntary groups who helped with the consultation. I particularly thank the National Down Syndrome Policy Group, not least for its support for our function in Parliament, which I was unable to attend due to being in New York. I thank my hon. Friend the Member for Meon Valley (Mrs Drummond) who stood in so expertly to chair such a successful event.

    The theme for World Down Syndrome Day this year was “With Us Not For Us”, and thinking about legal capacity and supported decision making is incredibly important.

    We all expect and take for granted that we can make decisions about our lives—from where we live and whom we live with to what we study and where we work—and because we take these choices for granted, we must not forget that other people do not necessarily have the ability to do so. It is therefore absolutely right that people with Down syndrome are involved in all the decisions that affect their lives.

    As I said when I was in New York, when a child is born with an extra copy of their 21st chromosome, they enter a different path in life from the rest of the population and so, inevitably, do their families, who will face different challenges. Those challenges come, as we all know, in the form of medical problems, educational needs and long-term care challenges. The consequential change in life expectancy was one of the main reasons that we passed the legislation in the first place. I believe that every individual with Down syndrome has the same right to life, quality of life, dignity and independence that the rest of the population take for granted.

    Margaret Ferrier (Rutherglen and Hamilton West) (Ind)

    I congratulate the right hon. Member on today’s Backbench Business debate and the Act that he got through Parliament. Whether a child attends a special educational needs and disabilities-specific school or a mainstream school with SEND support is not dependent on any particular condition or diagnosis, but dependent on where the child’s needs can be best met. Children with Down syndrome can thrive in mainstream education, so does the right hon. Member agree that increasing awareness of the condition among education professionals, parents and all children is important in ensuring that children with Down syndrome have access to the right learning environment for them?

    Dr Fox

    I am grateful to the hon. Lady for making that point, because we can pass as much legislation as we like, but if the professionals at the sharp end, who are required to implement any changes or guidance, do not have sufficient understanding of the problem they are facing, we are all at a deficit in our response. I think the issue of professional education is so important not just for teachers, for whom it obviously is important, but for the medical profession, the social work profession and those involved in local government, who will deal with some of those issues relating to care, particularly long-term care. I think it is an extremely important issue.

    I was able in the UN debate to show how the United Kingdom has a very proud record in legislation in this general area. The UK has a long-standing tradition of ensuring that the rights and liberties of disabled people are protected. We ratified the UN convention on the rights of persons with disabilities in 2019. Internationally, our disability inclusion and rights strategy sets out the ambition to embed disability inclusion across all our diplomacy, policy and programmes. The Equality Act 2010 legally protects people in England, Wales and Scotland from discrimination in the workplace and in wider society. We also have the Mental Capacity Act 2005, covering England and Wales, to ensure that every attempt is made to support someone to make decisions about their own lives, and that of course includes people with Down syndrome.

    I would like, if I may, to say a word about the Down Syndrome Act and remind us why we passed this legislation. Primarily, it was about empowerment. The Act legislates not for Down syndrome, but for people with Down syndrome. It requires the Government in England to produce Down syndrome-specific guidance relating to health, social care, education and housing services. I hope that Members from Scottish and Welsh constituencies may be able to update the House on how this legislation is being adapted and implemented there. I will come back, if I may, to the point about its being Down syndrome- specific, because I have some concerns that that may be being lost in some parts of the consultation process.

    It is important to remind ourselves about the legislation. Under the Act, public authorities such as hospitals, schools or social care providers cannot ignore the guidance when commissioning and delivering services. The guidance must set out what the unique needs of people with Down syndrome are, and what public authorities should be doing to ensure that the support needs of people with Down syndrome are met to enable them to live fulfilling lives. I will come back to this element of the guidance, because one of the issues we discussed in Committee—this has been a controversial issue in this House in relation to other legislation—is when does the guidance become instruction. If Ministers are issuing guidance that is in effect instruction, surely that should be laid before the House of Commons so that we can recognise the importance of that and scrutinise how ministerial authority is being used.

    I think that for too long there have been too few levers available for individuals, families and their advocates, including us as Members of Parliament when it comes to getting fair treatment for our constituents with Down syndrome. After all, what is the point of rights in legislation if we cannot enforce them and if there is no mechanism to do so? That was one of the key elements we discussed during the passage of the legislation, and it led to two very important and, I think, innovative changes: the first is on parliamentary scrutiny, and the second is on individual empowerment.

    One of the problems we have faced before is that, when Ministers issue guidance, there is very little ability for parliamentary Select Committees to take direct oversight of it. One of the principles we established—and I am very grateful to my right hon. Friend the Member for Chichester (Gillian Keegan), who is now the Secretary of State for Education, for her support in establishing this principle—is that if the guidance is in fact instruction, the guidance would be laid before Parliament, which of course means that the Education Committee, the Health and Social Care Committee and local government can all look at it in real time.

    One of the things we considered was whether we would have to put a sunset clause on this legislation to enable Parliament to look at it again. The mechanism that we decided on—I think rightly—in this House and in the other place was that, in publishing the guidance, we would have real-time oversight, because when our constituents bring problems to us, we are all able to write to the Chair of whatever Committee it is and ask them to look into that particular aspect of how the Down Syndrome Act is functioning. That gives us, as Members of Parliament, a lever that we did not have before when we simply wrote a letter to a Minister and hoped for the best, which is not sufficient to implement the rights of our constituents in the way that I think we envisaged during the passage of the Act.

    Chris Stephens (Glasgow South West) (SNP)

    This will be very important for people in the Down syndrome community who believe they are being diagnostically overshadowed and that things are being missed. Does the right hon. Gentleman agree with me that that is particularly important when enforcing someone’s rights in relation to healthcare?

    Dr Fox

    It is. Diagnostic overshadowing is very important, in that we should not miss things in people with Down syndrome because we are looking the other way, or we are distracted by the diagnosis and not looking sufficiently at the person. Greater professional education—and this goes back to the point made by the hon. Member for Rutherglen and Hamilton West (Margaret Ferrier)—is a key part of the empowerment of the individuals for whom this legislation was produced. I know from my own medical education that there was not a great deal of it that involved us learning about specific needs. For the medical profession, the sort of overlooking that the hon. Gentleman describes is a real risk if the thought is not there that someone may see a different position from the one they should because of the very overshadowing that he describes. I imagine he may enlighten us further on that particular issue, and I hope he will because it is a real issue that needs to be examined fully.

    The second important change in our legislation was that we included in it the need for a named individual on the new integrated care boards to be responsible for the implementation of the Down Syndrome Act. A very senior Member of this House said to me during the passage of the Bill in Committee, “Do the Government realise the floodgates that they may be opening in agreeing to this?” I said that I was not sure, but that it really was not my problem. I think this is a tremendous innovation, because all too often we have an anonymised bureaucracy when it comes to the delivery of the things that Parliament intends. We can vote for things in this House and, with taxpayers’ money, we can fund them, but if we do not know who is responsible for the delivery in our own locality, it becomes difficult for us as Members of Parliament to know who to get in touch with.

    The de-anonymisation of the civil service, which is something I have long and profoundly believed in doing, received its first outing in that Act. It may be a by-product —in my mind it was not that; it was an essential principle —but none the less it is extremely important. With this new system, for the first time, individuals, families and advocates for people with Down syndrome will know who is responsible. For once, there will be a named person in our system who people can turn to for either assistance or redress, depending on the nature of the problem. I hope we will extend that principle further in the provision of public services. For too long in this country, taxpayers have provided the funding, but they do not have accountability in the delivery mechanisms of those public services. It is, in many ways, a quiet revolution that I hope this Act will usher in. It is a principle and a precedent that has been much understated in the interpretation of what Parliament has done.

    The guidance itself has been subject to long and detailed consultation, and I look forward to the draft publication in the summer. The Government face a number of challenges with this, which are worthy of debate. One question that was frequently raised in both Committee and the House was, “What about those with problems similar to those with Down syndrome; are we effectively creating a ladder of preferment in the provisions of public services?” Quite wisely, the Minister at the time said that it would be reasonable to consider those with overlapping problems at the same time as we were looking at the implementation of the Act. I say gently, however, that while that is absolutely right, we must also remember that the Act is specific to Down syndrome. When it comes to Down syndrome there is no doubt about the diagnosis, and unlike many other conditions where there are overlapping symptoms and signs to consider, there is no doubt about it. Down syndrome is not a subset of other conditions or of learning disabilities, although on a Venn diagram there will be a huge overlap; it is a specific condition and we must regard it as such.

    I would like the Government to consider some specific areas, one of which relates to education rather than health. This is a formal request to Ministers to add Down syndrome as a separate category to the annual school census. Why? Because there is currently no Down syndrome-specific school data available, including numbers, location, or educational settings, because individuals with Down syndrome are included only in the general special educational needs and disability school numbers. If we are to have specific legislation, it makes sense to have specific data with which to interpret the success of its implementation. Children with Down syndrome in the education system will have specific speech and language issues, significant fine and gross motor delay, cognitive delay, hearing loss, visual issues—we detailed that on Second Reading—social and emotional needs, and specific and unique learning profiles associated with Down syndrome. Some of those conditions will be shared with other syndromes and medical conditions, but many will be specific to Down syndrome. If we are not to get the overshadowing problem, we must be clear about what we need to know about this.

    In New York I was able to set out the sort of cases and advances that we have made in this country by being able to utilise a range of tools that enable people with Down syndrome to make more decisions for themselves. As we have a better understanding, for example among social workers and community medical staff, we are increasingly able to deploy those tools to ensure that those who have a voice—a voice that would not necessarily traditionally be recognised in our system—are able to make more decisions for themselves. That was at the heart of what the UN 12th World Down Syndrome Day meant.

    I do not wish to speak any longer than necessary and take up colleagues’ valuable time, so I will end with this quote from Heidi Carter, who I have come to know increasingly well. She is a valiant campaigner for Down syndrome rights, and she states:

    “I have shown everyone that Down syndrome is not something to be scared of and that people with Down syndrome live happy, amazing, fulfilled and independent lives!”

    Congratulations to her and her husband on their marriage. I wish them well. She said:

    “We are not going to give up. I think that all human life is valuable and should be treated with respect however many chromosomes we have!”

    I do not believe there is a single one of us in this House who would not agree with that sentiment.

  • Marion Fellows – 2023 Speech on Post Office Horizon Compensation

    Marion Fellows – 2023 Speech on Post Office Horizon Compensation

    The speech made by Marion Fellows, the SNP MP for Motherwell and Wishaw, in the House of Commons on 23 March 2023.

    I thank the Minister for his statement. Of course, I welcome what he outlined, and, as chair of the all-party parliamentary group on post offices, I am very grateful to him for keeping me updated.

    We now have three streams for former postmasters and sub-postmasters who were affected by Horizon to claim compensation—that is really important. The Minister has talked about achieving parity, and I think he will agree that that must be done. I would be keen to for him come back to the House to tell us that it is happening and that the latest compensation scheme will not run out of time.

    I think it worth mentioning again the hard work done by the JFSA, by journalists such as Nick Wallis, by Members of this House and by former Members who are now in the other place. They have all been of great help to the APPG. I came into the House not knowing anything about Horizon—I wish I did not know what I know now. I congratulate the Minister and his predecessor, the hon. Member for Sutton and Cheam (Paul Scully), on grabbing hold of this matter and making things happen. So many people will be grateful.

    Kevin Hollinrake

    I thank the hon. Lady for her kind words and for all the work she does as chair of the all-party parliamentary group on post offices. She is right to say that there are three separate schemes, and there was probably a good reason for that at the time. It is not ideal to have three schemes, and Sir Wyn Williams referred to that in his comments, but we are all keen to see consistency across the three schemes. That is why I welcome the work of the advisory board, which will cover all three schemes to make sure there is consistency across them. I am determined to make sure that happens, and I will keep her fully informed on progress.

  • Jonathan Reynolds – 2023 Speech on Post Office Horizon Compensation

    Jonathan Reynolds – 2023 Speech on Post Office Horizon Compensation

    The speech made by Jonathan Reynolds, the Labour MP for Stalybridge and Hyde, in the House of Commons on 23 March 2023.

    I thank the Minister for his statement and for advance sight of it.

    I too begin by paying tribute to Alan Bates and the Justice for Subpostmasters Alliance, which has campaigned for decades for compensation, justice and the truth. In addition, I recognise the campaigning efforts of Members from across this House on behalf of their constituents, and join the Minister in paying tribute to my right hon. Friend the Member for North Durham (Mr Jones) in particular. There can be no doubt that he has played an instrumental role in helping to chart a route to justice for thousands of people. We all wholeheartedly thank him for that.

    The House is in unanimous agreement that the Horizon scandal has been a shocking injustice. Indeed, I think it is no exaggeration to say that it is one of the greatest scandals of modern times. As we continue to hear in the public inquiry the accounts of lives torn apart by the scandal, we can never lose sight of how devastating its impact has been on those victims. Today’s announcement of the group litigation order compensation scheme is very welcome. I was pleased to hear about the appointment of claims facilitators and external legal advisers—in the interests of full transparency, I declare that I am a former employee of Addleshaw Goddard.

    I thank the Minister and his predecessor, the hon. Member for Sutton and Cheam (Paul Scully), for their work on this matter. I am sure that the Minister will appreciate that I feel duty-bound to put on record the level of frustration that many people have felt about how protracted their fight for justice has been, particularly the 555 litigants excluded from the original historic shortfall scheme. Indeed, one of the first speeches that I made from this Dispatch Box as shadow Business Secretary was in support of calls for compensation to be expanded to them—a campaign that was established long before that exchange nearly 18 months ago. The most important step now is for that compensation to reach victims as quickly as possible, so may I press the Minister on the steps that we will all take to ensure that the process is completed as swiftly as possible?

    I am also grateful for the update on the historic short- fall scheme. The Government’s ambition was for that scheme to be completed at the end of last year, but in December, the then Secretary of State said that 93% of eligible claimants had been issued offers of compensation. The Minister has given the figure of 98% today, so can he confirm that the scheme’s completion is imminent? I also was pleased that he raised the tax issue. Will he commit to coming back to the House when he can to provide more information on the work that he said he is doing?

    Today’s announcement is certainly welcome, but as we all await the conclusion of the public inquiry, and its recommendations, surely this is one of many steps that we need to take to make amends for what has been the most insidious of injustices.

    Kevin Hollinrake

    I thank the hon. Gentleman for his words, and for welcoming the statement and the opening of the scheme. I absolutely concur that we should all be grateful for the work of my predecessors—not least, as he said, my hon. Friend the Member for Sutton and Cheam (Paul Scully).

    The hon. Gentleman is right to say that we want to do this as quickly as possible. I am very pleased with the work of the advisory board, which is helping with the scheme. The scheme is based on a set of principles that should mean that compensation is delivered more rapidly and that there is a clear route to claims being settled quickly. We very much hope that that is the case—we want to get those payments out of the door at the earliest possible opportunity.

    Again, we are working at pace on the tax issue. Clearly that is a matter of law as well as of tax policy, so getting that right is key. We have to work with the Treasury and HMRC to ensure that we get it right, but that is a determination and a commitment that I am very happy to make. We hope to make a further announcement on that work shortly.

  • Kevin Hollinrake – 2023 Statement on Post Office Horizon Compensation

    Kevin Hollinrake – 2023 Statement on Post Office Horizon Compensation

    The statement made by Kevin Hollinrake, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Business and Trade, in the House of Commons on 23 March 2023.

    With your permission, Madam Deputy Speaker, I would like to make a statement on the Post Office and compensation for the Horizon scandal.

    The Horizon scandal was a truly appalling episode in this country’s history. Our postmasters—those hard-working, thoroughly decent people, who give so much to our communities right across the country—were made to suffer horrifically and for many years. We want the postmasters who fought to expose that injustice through the High Court to receive compensation on a similar basis to their peers. I put on record our thanks to Alan Bates and the Justice for Subpostmasters Alliance, and to many others, journalists and parliamentarians, who were key to the campaign.

    On 7 December we announced the outline of the group litigation order compensation scheme. I am delighted to tell the House that from today, the scheme is open to receive claims. Details of how to claim can be found on the gov.uk website. I am writing to GLO members today with further information and placing copies of that information, the scheme application form, scheme guidance and principles, and questions and answers for the scheme in the Library of the House.

    Our legal powers to pay compensation expire in August 2024. We certainly intend and expect to make payments much faster than that. We said in December that we would follow an alternative dispute resolution model. We have appointed Dentons as claims facilitators to promote the fair and prompt resolution of each case. We have also appointed Addleshaw Goddard as our external legal adviser on the scheme. They have been instructed to recommend fair offers.

    In December we also announced an independent advisory board to oversee the scheme. Reports of its meetings are available on gov.uk. I put on record my thanks to board members Professor Chris Hodges and Professor Richard Moorhead, as well as to the right hon. Member for North Durham (Mr Jones) and Lord Arbuthnot—who is in the Public Gallery—both of whom have long been tireless campaigners for the wronged postmasters. I am pleased to announce that the remit of the advisory board will be expanded to cover the historical shortfall scheme, postmasters’ suspension pay, and compensation for postmasters with overturned convictions.

    I am pleased to report that good progress is also being made by the Post Office on compensating other groups of postmasters. As of 20 March, the Post Office has paid out more than £17.6m in compensation to postmasters with overturned historical convictions, 79 postmasters have received interim compensation payments, and 49 non-pecuniary claims have been paid. The Post Office has reached full and final settlement in four cases.

    On the historic shortfall scheme, 98% of eligible claimants had been issued offers of compensation, totalling £90.2 million, as of 21 March. I recognise that in recent weeks concerns have been raised about the tax position of claimants in that scheme. It has always been the intention of the scheme to return postmasters to the position that they should have been in had they not been affected by the Horizon scandal. The Government want to see fair compensation for all victims, and my Department is working urgently to address that issue with the Post Office, the Treasury and His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs.

    As we talk about financial compensation schemes, we must never lose sight of the human cost of this dreadful injustice. That is why, as the House will know, Sir Wyn Williams is chairing a statutory inquiry to establish what went wrong, and to identify those responsible for what has happened so that, where possible, we can hold them to account. I commend this statement to the House.

  • NEWS STORY : CBI Sack Director General Tony Danker

    NEWS STORY : CBI Sack Director General Tony Danker

    STORY

    The CBI has announced that Tony Danker, the Director General of the lobbying group, has been dismissed following an internal investigation. The organisation is facing additional reputational issues following damaging allegations made in the Guardian newspaper about misconduct, sexual harassment and rape at the CBI.

    The CBI said:

    “Tony Danker is dismissed with immediate effect following the independent investigation into specific complaints of workplace misconduct against him. The Board wishes to make clear he is not the subject of any of the more recent allegations in The Guardian but has determined that his own conduct fell short of that expected of the Director General.”

    They added:

    “We are pleased to announce that Rain Newton-Smith, former CBI Chief Economist and currently Managing Director, Strategy and Policy, Sustainability and ESG for Barclays, has agreed to rejoin the CBI as its new Director General. She brings with her a formidable track record as a leader and expertise on a wide range of business issues. We thank Chief Policy Director Matthew Fell for his vital work as interim Director General during these difficult last few weeks and look forward to him again driving forward our policy work for members.”

    RESOURCES

    CBI Press Release on Tony Danker

    EXTERNAL NEWS LINKS

    CBI

  • PRESS RELEASE : CBI Announcement on Tony Danker [April 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : CBI Announcement on Tony Danker [April 2023]

    The press release issued by the CBI on 11 April 2023.

    The allegations that have been made over recent weeks about the CBI have been devastating. While investigations continue into a number of these, it is already clear to all of us that there have been serious failings in how we have acted as an organisation. We must do better, and we must be better.

    We apologise to the victims of this organisational failure, including those impacted by the revulsion we have all felt at hearing their stories. Nobody should feel unsafe in their workplace.

    We wish to thank all those who have had the courage to speak out, through internal or external channels, and encourage them to keep doing so. Our website describes how to do so, providing contact details for specific CBI Management or for an independent third party, whichever route individuals feel more comfortable taking.

    The CBI exists to help British business flourish. This is a privilege and responsibility which we take extremely seriously and cannot take for granted. We represent our members not just in how we advocate for them, but also through our values as an organisation. It means we must be a place where colleagues are safe, valued and respected, and where there is zero tolerance for behaviour that falls short of those expectations.

    When new concerns were raised relating to our Director General, Tony Danker, in early March we established an independent investigation conducted by Fox Williams, a leading employment law firm, and agreed with him that he should step aside while it took place. The first phase of this investigation has now concluded and, following the subsequent reports of wider workplace misconduct, the CBI Board has decided to take a number of steps to bring in new leadership and make immediate changes to the way we operate:

    • We are pleased to announce that Rain Newton-Smith, former CBI Chief Economist and currently Managing Director, Strategy and Policy, Sustainability and ESG for Barclays, has agreed to rejoin the CBI as its new Director General. She brings with her a formidable track record as a leader and expertise on a wide range of business issues. We thank Chief Policy Director Matthew Fell for his vital work as interim Director General during these difficult last few weeks and look forward to him again driving forward our policy work for members.
    • Tony Danker is dismissed with immediate effect following the independent investigation into specific complaints of workplace misconduct against him. The Board wishes to make clear he is not the subject of any of the more recent allegations in The Guardian but has determined that his own conduct fell short of that expected of the Director General.
    • Three other CBI employees are now suspended pending further investigation into a number of ongoing allegations.
    • While Fox Williams continues with the next phase of its inquiry, the CBI is liaising with the police and has made clear its intention to cooperate fully with any police investigations.
    • Jill Ader, a CBI Board member and Senior Adviser and recent Global Chair of the leadership advisory firm Egon Zehnder, will oversee a root-and-branch review of our culture, governance and processes, leading a new sub-committee of the Board alongside its President Brian McBride. The review will draw on practice in best-in-class organisations addressing culture change as well as underlying processes such as routes for raising concerns, investigations, escalation protocols and responsibilities. It will begin with a listening exercise among CBI colleagues and input from our members and stakeholders to understand what needs to be changed and improved, and how we learn the lessons from what has happened in recent years.
    • We will create a new, elevated position of Chief People Officer which will sit on our executive committee and report directly to the Board on all matters of workplace conduct and culture. We intend to conduct a wide-ranging external recruitment process for this role. Our HR director Lauren Adams has agreed to step up into this role on an interim basis.
    • The current independent and confidential channel outside the CBI for people to come forward with concerns and complaints about workplace conduct will be made permanent. We also recognise the enormous strain this experience has placed on all our people and will continue to offer support to anyone who needs it.

    We know it will take time for these steps to make a difference and rebuild trust. We will not hesitate to take any measures necessary in the meantime to act on further findings or complaints that arise from ongoing investigations.

    Our people, partners and members all need to feel proud of the CBI to ensure it is effective. We will now work tirelessly to ensure that under new leadership and with a commitment to build a modern, inclusive culture, the CBI can and will resume its vital work of supporting British business.

  • Drew Hendry – 2023 Speech on Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories

    Drew Hendry – 2023 Speech on Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories

    The speech made by Drew Hendry, the SNP spokesperson on Foreign Affairs, in the House of Commons on 23 March 2023.

    I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Airdrie and Shotts (Ms Qaisar) on securing this urgent question. Clearly, settlement expansion is a major issue in the violence that is continuing to break out. This week, the Israeli Parliament voted to allow Israeli citizens to occupy four sites in the west bank evacuated in the 2005 disengagement. The High Court of Justice has already classified this as private Palestinian land. Clearly, the moratorium that the Minister mentioned is not being respected here.

    We know that this is not a simple situation, but there are some simple steps that we can take here to make a difference. Will the Minister support the UK banning trade in Israeli settlement goods? Will she include the UK Government’s own stated position that these settlements are illegal in any and all agreements with Israel and provide for consequences for breach of that? Will she also carry that forward into forthcoming trade deal discussions? Will she stop the export of equipment and arms proven to be repeatedly used in settlement expansion, and will she do it now?

    Anne-Marie Trevelyan

    The UK’s position on settlements is clear: settlements are illegal under international law and call into question Israel’s commitment to the two-state solution. We have urged Israel to halt its settlement expansion, which we believe threatens the physical viability of a Palestinian state. In February, we and our partners—the US, France, Germany and Italy—set out strong opposition to these unilateral steps. They are contrary to international law, and they undermine the prospects for peace.

    In relation to trade matters, our long-established position on settlements is clear: the UK does not recognise the Occupied Palestinian Territories as part of Israel, including illegal settlements. Goods originating from illegal Israeli settlements in the west bank, including East Jerusalem, are not entitled to tariff and trade preferences under either the existing trade agreement between the UK and Israel or, indeed, the agreement between the UK and the Palestinian Authority.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Investment in telecoms innovation and R&D [April 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : Investment in telecoms innovation and R&D [April 2023]

    The press release issued by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology on 11 April 2023.

    Substantial investments in telecoms and a new Wireless Infrastructure Strategy to put the UK at the forefront of science and technology, harness enterprise and innovation and drive economic growth.

    The Prime Minister has set out his 5 priorities for this government – to build a better, more secure, more prosperous future for the UK, including growing the economy, and creating better-paid jobs and opportunity right across the UK. We can only deliver on that priority with world-class digital infrastructure.

    Digital infrastructure is crucial to unlocking opportunities for growth and prosperity and delivering my department’s mission to put the UK at the forefront of global scientific and technological advancement. Future telecoms is 1 of the 5 critical technologies identified in our recently published Science and Technology Framework.

    That is why the government has announced a package of measures to drive the deployment and adoption of fixed and wireless networks and to invest in the next generation of connectivity.

    A new Wireless Infrastructure Strategy

    The Wireless Infrastructure Strategy sets out a policy framework to affirm our unwavering commitment to extending 4G coverage to 95% of the population, deliver standalone 5G to all populated areas in the UK by 2030, and invest £40 million to drive take up of innovative 5G-enabled services for businesses and the public sector. It also sets out a comprehensive 6G strategy to harness and develop the UK’s strengths in future telecoms, and to ensure that the UK can influence and benefit from the development of 6G in a way that meets the UK’s future connectivity needs.

    Key measures in the strategy

    1. A new ambition of nationwide coverage of standalone 5G to all populated areas by 2030 – so everyone can benefit from new technology enabled by advanced wireless technology

    2. A clear strategic framework to help the private sector invest in 5G networks by supporting strong competition and investment, driving down deployment costs and stimulating demand, including through

    • continuing to remove practical barriers to the deployment of 5G infrastructure
    • confirming our openness to market consolidation, noting that merger decisions are taken on their merits by the Competition and Markets Authority
    • ensuring that net neutrality rules are fit for purpose
    • asking Ofcom to review and set out a clear evidenced-based and forward-looking rationale for its approach to setting spectrum fees by the end of 2023
    • working with Ofcom and industry to refarm spectrum where it is not being used efficiently
    • maximising the UK’s influence at international spectrum negotiations, with alignment of international and domestic spectrum frameworks where possible

    3. Fixing coverage reporting, including on trains and in rural areas, shining a light on where coverage needs to be improved

    4. £40 million new funding to establish eight to 10 5G Innovation Regions across the UK. This will enable regions and local authorities to unlock opportunities using advanced wireless connectivity, tailored to each area’s specific needs and strengths, encourage 5G take-up in the public sector and in industry and strengthen the case for investment at the local level, driving productivity and growth.

    5. Establishing a national taskforce to encourage take-up and investment at the local level

    6. As part of wider plans to boost public sector adoption of 5G and other advanced wireless connectivity, ensuring new hospitals have access to 5G or similar advanced wireless connectivity, allowing major improvements in healthcare delivery.

    7. Setting out a clear strategy for influencing the development of 6G, so the UK strengthens and maintains its role as a science superpower

    8. Launching an £8 million fund to provide capital grants to further promote new satellite connectivity to the most remote 35,000 premises.

    Investing up to £100 million in a new future telecoms mission

    The 6G Strategy, set out in the Wireless Infrastructure Strategy, is supported by a new national mission to ensure that the UK is at the forefront of future telecoms technologies.

    The 6G strategy sets out how we will work to shape the next generation of wireless technology. We want to ensure that 6G is developed to meet the needs of people and businesses right across the UK and support our international competitiveness throughout the economy.

    The government has established future telecoms as one of its five critical priority technologies in our goal to be a science superpower by 2030.

    Alongside the 6G Strategy we have therefore launched a new, long-term national mission, with initial funding of up to £100 million, to ensure the UK is at the leading-edge of future telecoms and 6G technologies.

    These next generation networks will herald a new, richer generation of internet based services, power rapidly growing global digital economies and support net zero – from complex AI and quantum-enabled networks of satellites and drones, right down to fibre-optic networks beneath our feet.

    A key element of this mission will be a series of Future Telecoms Research Hubs, where early stage research will be coordinated through UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) via the Technology Missions Fund (TMF).

    These Hubs will build on the springboard provided by EPSRC’s £6 million investment for three federated and connected platforms in the communications technologies space. Supported by the UK Telecoms Innovation Network (UKTIN), these platforms will engage with the telecoms sector, catapults and internationally around three broad themes: a network of networks; wireless and wired systems and spectrum; and, cloud and distributed computing.

    The platforms will draw together the existing portfolio of EPSRC investments in telecoms-related areas into a coordinated approach.

    These Hubs will help to develop an Intellectual Property (IP) portfolio to strengthen UK companies’ global competitiveness, as well as provide the foundation for spinout companies, and attract further industry investment in the UK’s world leading research base.

    Support for early-stage research will be complimented by funding for application focussed ‘challenges’ – delivered via Innovate UK – supporting companies to accelerate innovative solutions to market and encourage disruptive collaboration across the UK’s diverse Future Telecoms landscape. This aims to cement early UK market leadership, additionally attracting follow-on investment for companies to scale-up and grow in the UK.

    We will work closely with our international allies to deliver this mission – ensuring we are influential in shaping the global landscape, embedding our values into future telecoms technology, and protecting our security interests.

    Funding opportunities for industry, researchers and others through this investment are available throughout 2023 and into next year as well. All funding will be awarded and managed by UKRI on behalf of UK government. Further information will be released shortly.

    In addition, to inform our next steps beyond this Spending Review Period, we are commissioning a feasibility study to explore the potential for new infrastructure provision to improve competitiveness and drive growth in the UK telecoms sector and foster UK capability.

    £8 million capital grants for satellite connectivity

    We continue to make rapid progress through commercial and subsidised rollouts to achieve our goal of future proof and resilient connectivity to over 99% of the UK by 2030. Nevertheless there will be some areas – perhaps around 100,000 premises – where we expect that gigabit will not be possible.

    The government has launched an £8 million fund to provide capital grants to further promote new satellite connectivity to the most remote 35,000 premises and to help ensure that these premises get improved broadband where required.

    This work follows the launch of the government’s Alpha Trial programme in December 2022, to test the capability and viability of low earth orbit satellites to deliver high-speed connectivity to homes and businesses in very hard to reach areas.

    The government has now launched a total of 7 sites across the UK using a mixture of both OneWeb and Starlink equipment. These sites include some of the most remote areas of the UK including Snowdonia National Park, North York Moors, Papa Stour and Lundy Island.

    Further details on the value of the grants, which premises will be able to apply for the scheme and how they can apply will be released in due course.

    Additional policy measures for those premises where we believe that Fixed Wireless Access connectivity will be possible will be brought forward later this year.

    Rural 10 point plan

    The Wireless Infrastructure Strategy sets out our 10 point plan to support rural communities access and adopt the connectivity they need to drive economic growth.

    1. The £5 billion Project Gigabit will deliver future proof broadband to rural areas, with £1 billion already made available. (A new almost £14 million contract, announced today, will bring gigabit broadband connections to around 10,500 homes and businesses in the New Forest.)

    2. In very hard to reach areas, where it will be uneconomic to deliver gigabit broadband, the government will work with industry to ensure that these premises get improved broadband, where required. This year we will:

    • launch an £8 million fund to provide capital grants to further promote new satellite connectivity to the most remote 35,000 premises
    • set out plans to encourage the provision of fixed wireless access to other hard to reach areas

    3. We are already investing £1 billion in the Shared Rural Network to deliver 4G coverage to 95% of the UK landmass, with the biggest coverage improvements in rural parts of Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales. This will also:

    • deliver 4G coverage on a further 16,000 km of roads, with further indirect improvements over time, including a boost to ‘in-car’ coverage on around 45,000 km of roads
    • improve geographic coverage to 79% of Areas of Natural Beauty, benefitting millions of visitors every year

    4. We have asked Ofcom to improve mobile coverage reporting, including in rural areas

    5. We are establishing a new headline nationwide ambition for 5G in all populated areas by 2030, and this will include connectivity in areas classified as rural – backed by measures that help improve economics of rural rollout

    6. We are establishing a new £40 million 5G Innovation Fund to establish 5G innovation regions. Driving innovation and adoption of advanced wireless technologies across rural industries will be a key focus of 5G Innovation Regions – supporting 5G-enabled innovation everywhere.

    7. We are funding a new 5G adoption campaign that will help support adoption and investment in key sectors, including agri-tech.

    8. We are working with Ofcom to improve access to spectrum for rural network providers, making it easier for networks to be deployed and for innovative use cases to be realised.

    9. We will be appointing a Rural Connectivity Champion to report DSIT and Defra Secretaries of State to support adoption of advanced wireless connectivity and promote innovation in industries like agriculture.

    10. We are continuing to remove barriers to deployment in rural areas, including changing planning regulations, making it quicker and easier to roll out digital infrastructure.

    A new strategic vision for spectrum policy

    The Spectrum Statement sets out a new strategic vision and principles for spectrum policy. Maximising its usage across the public and private sector is critical to delivering our mission to position the UK at the forefront of global scientific and technological advancement, supporting research, innovation and growth across the economy while protecting critical services like defence and climate science.

    Spectrum, the range of invisible electromagnetic waves, enables all wireless technology, from our mobile phones, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth devices to aircraft navigation and satellite applications, amongst many other uses. The devices and services that depend on spectrum now underpin almost every aspect of our economic and social lives.

    Priority actions include working with Ofcom to enhance shared use of spectrum, reviewing our use of market mechanisms to support a strong investment environment and establishing a new framework to improve access to public sector spectrum.

    This will mean better connectivity for people across the UK and better access to spectrum to support the new enterprise applications that will drive the economic growth, productivity and improved public services of tomorrow.

    Flexi-permits to accelerate broadband rollout

    The government is working with the local authorities and the telecoms industry to further trial the use of flexible permits (or ‘flexi-permit’) in a number of counties (such as in more rural areas).

    Currently operators must apply for a permit to work in each individual street. Flexi-permits would allow telecoms companies to work in multiple streets under a single permit.

    If successful, flexi permits could help the roll-out of broadband.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Smokers urged to swap cigarettes for vapes in world first scheme [April 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : Smokers urged to swap cigarettes for vapes in world first scheme [April 2023]

    The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 11 April 2023.

    Pregnant women will also be offered financial incentives to help them quit as part of a sweeping package of measures to cut smoking rates in England.

    One million smokers will be encouraged to swap cigarettes for vapes under a pioneering new “swap to stop” scheme designed to improve the health of the nation and cut smoking rates.

    As part of the world-first national scheme, almost one in five of all smokers in England will be provided with a vape starter kit alongside behavioural support to help them quit the habit as part of a series of new measures to help the government meet its ambition of being smokefree by 2030 – reducing smoking rates to 5% or less. Local authorities will be invited to take part in the scheme later this year and will design a scheme which suits its needs, including deciding which populations to prioritise.

    In a speech today, Health Minister Neil O’Brien will also announce that following the success of local schemes, pregnant women will be offered financial incentives to help them stop smoking. This will involve offering vouchers, alongside behavioural support, to all pregnant women who smoke by the end of next year.

    The government will also consult on introducing mandatory cigarette pack inserts with positive messages and information to help people to quit smoking.

    Additionally, there will be a crackdown on illicit vape sales as part of measures to stop children and non-smokers take up the habit – which is growing in popularity among young people.

    Health Minister Neil O’Brien will say:

    Up to two out of three lifelong smokers will die from smoking. Cigarettes are the only product on sale which will kill you if used correctly.

    We will offer a million smokers new help to quit. We will be funding a new national ‘swap to stop’ scheme – the first of its kind in the world. We will work with councils and others to offer a million smokers across England a free vaping starter kit.

    The new policies will deliver the government’s three aims to help more adults quit smoking, stop children and non-smokers from taking up vaping, and using vaping as a tool for established adult smokers to quit.

    For those who quit, the risk of heart attack is halved after one year of quitting, ultimately halving the likelihood of ending up in a hospital bed or worse.

    Supporting more women to have a smokefree pregnancy will reduce the number of babies born underweight or underdeveloped with health problems requiring neonatal and ongoing care. It will also reduce the risk of miscarriage and stillbirth.

    Cutting smoking rates reduces the number of smoking-related illnesses needing to be treated, in turn reducing the pressure on the NHS, helping to deliver on our priority to cut NHS waiting lists.

    NHS figures for 2021 showed that 9% of 11- to 15-year-old children used e-cigarettes, up from 6% in 2018.

    In recognition of the sharp increase, Minister O’Brien will launch a Call for Evidence on youth vaping to identify opportunities to reduce the number of children accessing and using vape products – and explore where government can go further.

    Working with enforcement agencies and learning from the government’s work with Trading Standards on illicit tobacco, £3 million of new funding will also be provided to create a specialised ‘illicit vapes enforcement squad’ to enforce the rules on vaping and tackle illicit vapes and underage sales.

    As part of the measures, HMRC and Border Force will also be publishing an updated strategy this year to tackle illicit tobacco. It will lay out strategically how we continue to target, catch and punish those involved in the illicit tobacco market.

    Smoking prevalence in England in 2021 was 13% – the lowest on record thanks to measures such as doubling duty on cigarettes since 2010 and continued funding to local stop smoking services

    In 2021-22, £68 million of public health grant funded was spent on stop smoking services by local authorities and nearly 100,000 people quit with the support of a stop smoking service.

    In addition, £35 million has been committed to the NHS this year so that all smokers admitted to hospital will be offered NHS-funded tobacco treatment services.

    However, 5.4 million people in England smoke tobacco which remains the single biggest cause of preventable illness and death. Up to two out of three lifelong smokers will die from smoking and recent data shows one in four deaths from all cancers were estimated to be from smoking.

    Last year an independent smoking review led by Javed Khan proposed a range of measures to help people stub out the addiction, which has informed the measures set out today.

  • PRESS RELEASE : New investment boosts UK’s digital connectivity [April 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : New investment boosts UK’s digital connectivity [April 2023]

    The press release issued by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology on 11 April 2023.

    The next evolution of 5G, future telecoms and a national mission to connect all communities.

    • Investment package worth almost £150 million unveiled, with up to £100 million to put the UK at the forefront of future research, and £40m to boost 5G tech take-up
    • Ambition to deliver standalone 5G to all populated areas by 2030 to support the next generation of innovation
    • Additional £8m to connect remote homes and businesses with a pioneering satellite connectivity programme ensuring no community is left behind
    • New Wireless Infrastructure Strategy will deliver on the Prime Minister’s priority to grow the economy

    New plans and investment to boost digital connectivity and put the UK at the forefront of future telecoms technologies have been unveiled by Technology Secretary Michelle Donelan today (Tuesday 11 April) – unlocking growth, innovation and potential across the country.

    As part of the new Wireless Infrastructure Strategy, the Government has set out its ambitions to blanket the country with the fastest, most reliable wireless coverage available – with an ambition for all populated areas to be covered by ‘standalone’ 5G (what some companies call 5G-plus) by 2030. 77% of the population already has access to basic 5G from one provider.

    This next iteration of 5G coverage across the country will unlock new technologies that will change our lives and the way businesses operate, at a time when the connectivity we depend on is significantly evolving and is woven further into the lives of us all. From driverless vehicles, robots and drones on the factory floor to making our cities smarter, cleaner, and less congested; innovation is set to be supercharged.

    Today’s announcement also commits £8m to delivering high-speed broadband for up to 35,000 of the UK’s most remote properties. Under the new scheme, homes and businesses in the most remote areas that are unable to be connected to gigabit-capable broadband will be given funding to link them up to satellites orbiting the globe, giving them a broadband connection that will be up to ten times faster than what is currently available to them.

    Additionally, a £40 million 5G innovation fund will promote investment and adoption of 5G by businesses and public services, helping them unlock opportunities to use advanced wireless connectivity, generating value, innovation and growth at a local level.

    To help the mass adoption of 5G across the country, the strategy sets out a clear pro-investment framework for mobile network operators by driving down deployment costs and improving demand. The Government has also reconfirmed that there is no ‘magic number’ of mobile operators, whilst noting all decisions on consolidation are for the Competition and Markets Authority.

    The UK is due to hit 75% gigabit broadband coverage this month, up from just 6% in 2019, and is on track to deliver 99% by 2030.

    Technology Secretary Michelle Donelan said:

    Our Wireless Infrastructure Strategy sets out our plan to ensure everyone, no matter where they live, can reap the benefits of improved connectivity. We are doing this by ensuring all populated areas in the UK will be served by what I call ‘5G-plus’ technology by 2030. We are also committing £8m to provide satellite connectivity for our most remote communities so that no one is left behind.

    We are also supporting long term economic growth in the UK with a £40m fund to encourage innovative 5G investment across the private and public sector. This will help industries transform at a time when the ways we communicate, work and do business are on the precipice of significant evolution.

    This package of measures turbocharges our progress towards becoming a science and tech superpower with a substantial initial investment in the future of telecoms. We want to ensure that 6G is developed to meet the needs of people and businesses right across the UK and bolster our international competitiveness throughout the economy.

    Future Telecoms Mission

    The government has also announced a new long-term national mission to ensure that the UK is at the forefront of both adopting and developing 6G, the future of digital connectivity. As part of a fully-fledged 6G strategy, the government will ensure that the next generation of mobile connectivity meets the needs of people and businesses across the UK.

    The government has committed up to £100 million of funding initially to shape and drive early-stage research into 6G and influence global standards-setting. The UK will work closely with allies to deliver this mission – ensuring we are influential in shaping the global landscape, embedding our values into future telecoms technology, and protecting our security interests. This will support the UK’s drive to become a science superpower, as set out in the Science and Technology framework.

    Accelerating broadband rollout

    We are putting in place new plans to speed up the deployment of faster internet connectivity through work with the local authorities and the telecoms industry to further trial the use of flexible permits for roadworks to install fibre in a number of areas.

    Spectrum Statement

    Spectrum is the invisible electromagnetic waves that enables all wireless technology, from our mobile phones, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth devices to aircraft navigation and satellite applications, amongst many other uses. The devices and services that depend on spectrum now underpin almost every aspect of our economic and social lives.

    As spectrum becomes more critical to UK strategic priorities – from communications and broadcasting to space and defence – we have also set out the government’s priorities in a new Spectrum Statement.

    This will mean better connectivity for people across the UK and better access to spectrum to support new enterprise applications that will drive the economic growth, productivity and improved public services of tomorrow.