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PRESS RELEASE : Mayor reveals first to benefit from his Greener Schools programme and save thousands on energy bills [April 2025]
The press release issued by the Mayor of London on 14 April 2025.

38 schools across 16 London boroughs will receive share of £2.9 million City Hall funding to become energy efficient, with more funding unlocked for more schools
The Mayor’s new Greener Schools pilot will benefit children across the capital, helping schools save almost £15,000 on average per year

Innovative programme is a key part of Sadiq’s commitment to help schools in London reduce their carbon emissions and save money on their energy bills

The new Mayoral investment has leveraged further £9.6 million for schools to spend on energy-saving measures such as insulation, LED lights, solar panels and heat pumps

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has today revealed the first beneficiaries of his ambitious new Greener Schools pilot, which will enable schools to spend less on their energy bills and more on children’s education.

The new initiative will see 38 schools across 16 London boroughs [1] save an average of almost £15,000 on their energy bills [2] as part of Sadiq’s manifesto commitment to help them cut costs and carbon emissions.

The Mayor invited London boroughs to apply for his £2.9 million Greener Schools pilot funding in December 2024 [3], and has since leveraged a further £9.6 million through boroughs delivering additional investment. [4]

Beneficiaries from a wide variety of education settings and phases – including five special schools, two nurseries, two secondary schools and 31 primary schools – will receive an average of over £77,000 each. Following high demand from the boroughs and schools, further funding of almost £1 million has been allocated to support an additional 13 schools.

The funding will enable schools to introduce key energy-saving measures such as insulation, LED lights, solar panels and heat pumps. It will also fund climate engagement activities such as school-wide sustainability projects including water conservation initiatives, helping to empower the next generation of climate change leaders in communities across the capital.

The pilot is scalable and could be rolled out nationally to benefit more children and schools across the country. If all of London’s schools were to use energy saving interventions, this could save over £50 million annually from the education budget [5].

Sadiq’s pilot has also inspired aspects of the Government’s Great British Energy project announced last month to put rooftop solar panels on 200 schools and 200 hospitals – saving schools money for the next academic year [6].

Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: “I am delighted to announce the first schools across the capital to benefit from my new Greener Schools initiative. This investment will help schools reduce their energy costs so they can spend more on vital resources such as books, technology and staff – and cut carbon emissions so schools can play their part in tackling air pollution in the capital.

“Working with the boroughs, we’ve been able to leverage a further £9.6m to fund more vital projects in more schools, helping to meet our target of achieving net zero by 2030, as we continue working to build a greener and fairer London for everyone.”

Deputy Mayor for Environment and Energy, Mete Coban, said: “It’s great that our Greener Schools programme has had such a positive and enthusiastic uptake from the boroughs and their schools.

“Their collaborative approach has allowed us to unlock further funding, meaning that more schools and pupils will benefit from this important programme.”

Minister for Energy Consumers, Miatta Fahnbulleh, said: “Too many schools have been saddled with sky-high energy bills, driven by the UK’s dependence on global fossil fuel markets. That is why it is fantastic to see these awards from the Mayor’s Greener Schools pilot, with new energy saving measures set to put more money back into classrooms across London.
“This follows the launch of Great British Energy’s first major project to put rooftop solar panels on around 200 schools and 200 NHS sites, saving them money on their bills.”

Executive Headteacher at Brecknock and Torriano Federation, Helen Bruckdorfer, said: “We are thrilled to have received grant funding from the Greener Schools Pilot, which will play a key role in advancing the goals outlined in our Torriano School Climate Action Plan. This funding will help us enhance energy efficiency and implement sustainable solutions, such as solar PV and LED lighting.

“Addressing climate change and promoting sustainability are fundamental to the partnership between Camden Council and its schools, and this initiative is a significant step toward a greener, more sustainable future for our community.”

Headteacher at Durants School, Rachel Carli, said: “As an Eco School we are committed to supporting the health of our planet. We are delighted to have received grant funding from the Greener Schools Pilot, which will play a pivotal role in advancing the goals outlined in the Enfield Schools Climate Action Plan.”

Deputy Mayor of Lewisham and Cabinet Member for Environment, Transport and Climate Action, Cllr Louise Krupski, said: “I am delighted to work with the Mayor of London and his team to decarbonise our local schools.

“This funding will not only unlock significant environmental benefits but will also create opportunities to reinvest savings from energy bills into the classroom. This is an excellent example of climate action in practice.”

Cabinet Member for Children’s Services at Enfield Council, Cllr Abdul Abdullahi, said: “After declaring climate emergency in 2019, Enfield Council has committed to making the organisation carbon neutral by 2030 and a carbon neutral borough by 2040.

“The Mayor’s Greener Schools Grant is a step towards achieving the Councils strategic objectives on sustainability and ambitions of the Climate Action Plan. We are pleased to be one of the authorities to have been selected for this pilot programme that will pave the way forward.”

RAFT (Retrofit Action for Tomorrow) has been appointed as the pilot’s strategic partner and will support across key areas, including helping boroughs and schools deliver outreach and community engagement activities.

The pilot is a vital step in delivering the Mayor’s climate plan which includes delivering a 100% zero-emission bus fleet in London, providing more than 40,000 new public bike parking spaces, and more than doubling the number of electric vehicle charging points to 40,000 – all by 2030.

The innovative pilot also builds on Mayoral schemes already helping schools go green such as the Climate Kick-Start Prize, Climate Resilient Schools and Future Neighbourhoods 2030 [6].
April 15, 2025
PRESS RELEASE : Resident doctors in England re-enter dispute after ‘disappointing’ delay to pay recommendation report [April 2025]

The press release issued by the BMA on 9 April 2025.

Resident doctors in England have re-entered a pay dispute with the Government, citing key provisions of last year’s agreements that have not been upheld. The Review Body on Doctors’ and Dentists’ Remuneration (DDRB), which annually advises government on doctors’ pay, is late in publishing this year’s recommendation. The Government’s commitments to resolve pay disputes with the BMA include these recommendations being published by the start of the financial year, which began 6 April 2025.

The BMA resident doctors committee (RDC) has voted in favour of going back into dispute, the first step before potentially balloting members for industrial action.

Co-chairs of RDC, Dr Melissa Ryan and Dr Ross Nieuwoudt, said:

“It is very disappointing to be in this position. We had hoped that the pay deal last year marked the start of a new era of cooperation between the Government and doctors in securing a path to pay restoration through mutual trust and negotiation. Wes Streeting has made it clear that he wants to avoid the mistakes of the previous government’s intransigent approach, and we welcome that.

“However, cooperation requires mutual trust. The failure to keep to agreed timetables is an ominous sign that that trust is already eroding. We have no desire to move towards industrial action and the impact on patient care that will inevitably result. So right here, right now, let’s head this off at the pass.

“Dispute does not need to mean discord, and we are keen to get around the table. We’re asking Wes Streeting to come forward with a plan to put us back on the road to pay restoration. The first step is publishing the DDRB’s recommendation. The second will be ensuring that the Government’s actual offer is sufficient.”

April 15, 2025
PRESS RELEASE : Reappointments and extension of members of Cafcass [April 2025]

The press release issued by the Ministry of Justice on 15 April 2025.

The Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State has approved the extension of the tenure of Rohan Sivanandan as a member of the Board of Children and Family Court Advisory Support Service (Cafcass).

The Secretary of State has approved the extension of tenure of Rohan Sivanandan as a member of the Board of the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass) from 1 July to 31 December 2025.

Rohan Sivanandan

Rohan Sivanandan worked as an economist and senior executive in the private sector before moving into the education field. He has held a number of board, non-executive and trustee positions. Currently, he is: a non-executive director for Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust where he chairs the Workforce and Education committee; a lay member of the Independent Reconfiguration Panel which provides advice to the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care; an independent member of the Greater London Authority on Mayoral appointments; an investigation panel member for the Nursing and Midwifery Council and; a panel chair of NHS Mental Health Act hearings.

Rohan did not declare any political activity.

Cafcass is the statutory body that safeguards and promotes the welfare of children in Family Court proceedings.

Appointments to the Cafcass Board are made by the Secretary of State for Justice. Appointments are regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments and recruitment processes comply with the Governance Code on Public Appointments.

April 15, 2025
PRESS RELEASE : Appointment of Lord-Lieutenant of Staffordshire [April 2025]

The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 15 April 2025.

The King has been pleased to appoint Professor Elizabeth Barnes, CBE, DL, as His Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant of the County of Staffordshire on the retirement of Sir Ian Dudson, KCVO, CBE, on 15th July, 2025.

Liz Barnes (64) served as Vice-Chancellor of Staffordshire University for six years, overseeing a leap in its learning and teaching standards and championing social mobility.

Born and bred in the county, she is a Trustee of the Peter Coates Foundation, which aims to regenerate Stoke-on-Trent, and of the Aspire Trust, which provides social housing across Staffordshire.

Previously a teacher in Stoke-on-Trent, she has also co-chaired the Stoke-on-Trent Opportunity Area; been a Director of the Donna Louise Trust, providing end-of-life care across the county; and served on the board of the Local Enterprise Partnership and on the Stoke-on-Trent Children’s Services Improvement Board.

Professor Barnes lives in Abbots Bromley, near Rugeley, with her husband, Chris.

April 15, 2025
NEWS STORY : Mehmet Akyuz Sentenced for £150,000 COVID Loan Fraud

STORY

A Sussex café owner has been sentenced for fraudulently obtaining £150,000 in COVID-19 support loans for dormant companies. Mehmet Akyuz, 36, of Conway Street, Brighton and Hove, secured three £50,000 Bounce Back Loans in 2020 for two businesses: Green and Hove Limited, trading as Organic Earth Café, and Leathers Wear Limited. Investigations revealed that both companies were not trading at the time of the applications and had filed dormant accounts in 2020, 2021, and 2022. Akyuz falsely claimed substantial turnovers for both companies to obtain the loans. Between September 2020 and January 2021, over £36,000 from one loan was transferred directly to him, with the remainder disbursed in miscellaneous payments.

At Hove Crown Court on Monday, Akyuz received a 20-month prison sentence, suspended for two years. He was also disqualified from serving as a company director for five years and ordered to complete 300 hours of unpaid work.

David Snasdell, Chief Investigator at the Insolvency Service, stated:

“Mehmet Akyuz’s actions in fraudulently applying for three Bounce Back Loans he was not entitled to were completely unacceptable. This was taxpayers’ money designed to support small businesses through the pandemic and should not have been exploited in such a cynical manner.”

April 15, 2025
PRESS RELEASE : Clean energy projects prioritised for grid connections [April 2025]
The press release issued by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero on 15 April 2025.

Ofgem is expected to confirm the National Energy System Operator’s ambitious new plan to reform grid connections and unlock billions of investment.
- Grid connections for businesses that will deliver clean energy prioritised, driving growth to put more money in working people’s pockets
- Pro-growth reforms to help unlock £40 billion of mainly private investment a year in clean energy and infrastructure, with industries of the future such as data centres accelerated for quicker grid connections
- Comes as £43.7 billion of private investment announced into the UK’s clean energy industries since July
So-called ‘zombie’ projects will no longer hold up the queue for connection to the electricity grid to prioritise businesses that will drive growth and deliver energy security.

Companies are currently waiting up to 15 years to be connected to the grid leaving promising businesses ‘grid-locked’, and over the last 5 years, the grid connection queue has grown tenfold.

The changes will help to kick-start the economy to put more money in working people’s pockets, the first priority of the government’s Plan for Change.

Ofgem is expected to confirm the ambitious new plan later today (Tuesday 15 April), drafted by the National Energy System Operator in partnership with the energy industry.

The reforms will help unlock £40 billion a year of mainly private investment, growing the economy, creating jobs and raising living standards as a key part of the government’s Plan for Change.

This builds on the latest figures showing that since July, the clean energy industry is now booming in Britain, with £43.7 billion of private investment being announced into the UK’s clean energy industries.

Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said:

Too many companies are facing gridlock because they cannot get the clean energy they need to drive growth and create jobs.

These changes will axe ‘zombie’ projects and cut the time it takes to get high growth firms online while also fast-tracking connections for companies delivering homegrown power and energy security through our Plan for Change.

In an uncertain world, our message to the global clean energy industry is clear; come and build it in Britain because we are a safe haven. If you want certainty, stability and security when it comes to your investments, choose Britain.

The plan comes after the Prime Minister has said that a new era of global insecurity means that the government must go further and faster reshaping the economy through the Plan for Change, and that this requires a new muscular industrial policy that supports British industry to forge ahead.

Lack of access to grid connections has been a significant factor holding back new investment in UK industries.

Under the new changes, industries of the future from data centres and AI, to wind and solar projects, will be accelerated for grid connections.

That means deprioritising those projects that are not ready or not aligned with strategic plans.

New commitments to investing in the UK have topped £38 billion since July 2024 for data centres alone, but grid access is the single biggest challenge facing these projects.

Today’s reforms will help fast track projects to generate homegrown, renewable electricity into homes and businesses, protecting British billpayers from the rollercoaster of global fossil fuel markets and building an energy system that can bring down bills for good.

Delivering these reforms will help unleash £40 billion a year of mainly private investment in homegrown clean power projects and infrastructure across the country, creating good jobs across the country including engineers, welders and construction workers.

By taking a strategic, planned approach the changes will remove the need for tens of billions of pounds of unnecessary grid reinforcement, saving billpayers £5 billion that would have been funded through charges on bills.

Ofgem CEO, Jonathan Brearley, Chief Executive Officer, Ofgem said:

The proposed connection reforms will supercharge Great Britain’s clean power ambitions with a more targeted approach anticipated to unlock £40 billion a year of investment and energise economic growth.

The reforms would cut through red tape, consign ‘zombie projects’ to the past and accelerate homegrown renewable power and energy storage connections as we head to 2030.

Houses and hospitals, electric vehicle charging stations, data centres and the emerging AI sector, would also all benefit from the proposed streamlined fast-track approach, which would help boost energy security and drive down bills.

Kayte O’Neill, Chief Operating Officer, National Energy System Operator, said:

Reforming the connections process is a key enabler for delivering Clean Power by 2030 and will drive economic growth for Great Britain. Today’s milestone reflects the close collaboration across the energy industry with support from the government and Ofgem.

Together with the wider energy industry, NESO will focus on prioritising agreements for projects that are critical and shovel ready, bringing these to the front of the queue and giving developers the certainty they need to support investment decisions.

Notes to editors

Through the landmark Planning and Infrastructure Bill, the government is also bringing forward legislation to support Ofgem and NESO to deliver the reforms.

Every family and business in the country has paid the price of Britain’s dependence on foreign fossil fuel markets, which was starkly exposed when Putin invaded Ukraine and British energy customers were among the hardest hit in Western Europe, with bills reaching record heights.

The government’s clean power mission is the solution to this crisis; by sprinting to clean, homegrown energy, including renewables and nuclear, the UK can take back control of its energy and protect both family and national finances from fossil fuel price spikes with cleaner, affordable power.

The Clean Power Action Plan estimated that Clean Power 2030 could require around £40 billion of investment on average per year between 2025 to 2030. This includes around £30 billion of investment in generation assets per year, estimated by DESNZ, and around £10 billion of investment in electricity transmission network assets per year, estimated by NESO.
April 15, 2025
PRESS RELEASE : Paul Lee appointed as new Chair of UK Endorsement Board [April 2025]

The press release issued by the Department for Business and Trade on 15 April 2025.

Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds has today [15 April] appointed Paul Lee as the new Chair of the UK Endorsement Board (UKEB), replacing current Chair Pauline Wallace at the end of her term in September 2025.

The UKEB is the UK’s national standard setter for international accounting standards. It influences the development, and considers the adoption, of new or amended standards issued by the International Accounting Standards Board, part of the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) Foundation.

Companies report using these standards to provide robust and comparable financial information.

The UKEB is committed to ensuring that the interests of the UK corporate reporters are effectively represented to ensure standards meet the needs of UK companies and investors.

Paul Lee brings extensive corporate reporting experience from his roles as Head of Stewardship and Sustainable Investment Strategy at Redington and Member of the Committee of Reference for the Premier Miton Ethical Fund. Paul is also currently a Non-Executive Member and one of the founding members of UKEB, bringing four years of UKEB experience to the Chair role.

Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds said:

UKEB provide an invaluable service in scrutinising and adopting international accounting standards and representing our largest companies on an international stage.

Paul will bring strong leadership to UKEB as Chair and his extensive knowledge of corporate reporting standards as one of the Board’s founding members will be vital in driving growth in the sector and economy as part of our Plan for Change.

I would like to thank Pauline for her work over the past five years and look forward to continuing work with Paul.

Incoming Chair of the UK Endorsement Board, Paul Lee, said:

As an investor I understand the importance of international accounting standards and the role they play in supporting UK economic growth and inward investment. I also recognise the unnecessary burden that might be placed on companies if standards don’t achieve the right balance.

I was pleased to join the UKEB Board four years ago because I firmly believed that the organisation’s remit, to act as the voice of UK stakeholders in the development of comparable and proportionate standards that add value to the UK long-term public good, forms part of the core foundation of a strong and growing UK economy. I still believe that.

The UKEB has been robustly effective under Pauline’s thoughtful leadership, and I feel privileged to have been given the opportunity to lead the Board. I’m looking forward to getting started and deepening my work with our excellent Board and Secretariat.

There are economic challenges ahead, both in the UK and globally, and my focus, and that of the Board, will be on understanding, supporting and balancing the needs of all UK stakeholders as we navigate those challenges.

April 15, 2025
NEWS STORY : UK Government Secures Raw Materials to Sustain British Steel Operations

STORY

The UK government has taken decisive action to secure the future of British Steel by obtaining essential raw materials to keep the company’s blast furnaces operational. This move follows the enactment of emergency legislation aimed at safeguarding the nation’s steel production capabilities. Business and Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds announced that shipments of coke and iron ore pellets from the United States have arrived at Immingham docks. These materials are being transported to British Steel’s Scunthorpe site, ensuring the continuation of steel production in the immediate term.

The government’s intervention comes in response to the financial difficulties faced by British Steel’s Chinese owner, Jingye Group, which had ceased ordering necessary raw materials. To prevent the shutdown of the UK’s last remaining blast furnaces, Parliament passed the Steel Industry (Special Measures) Act 2025. This legislation grants the government authority to direct company operations and, if necessary, assume control to maintain production.

Reynolds emphasised the strategic importance of domestic steel production, stating, “Our industries depend on UK steel, and—thanks to our Plan for Change—demand is set to shoot up: helping build the 1.5 million homes, railways, schools and hospitals we need to usher in a decade of national renewal.” In addition to securing raw materials, the government has appointed Allan Bell as interim Chief Executive Officer and Lisa Coulson as interim Chief Commercial Officer to oversee operations during this critical period. The situation has also drawn international attention. China’s Foreign Ministry has urged the UK to treat Jingye Group fairly, cautioning against politicising the issue and emphasising the importance of safeguarding investor confidence.

April 15, 2025
PRESS RELEASE : Government secures raw materials to save British Steel [April 2025]

The press release issued by the Department for Business and Trade on 15 April 2025.

The Government has secured raw materials needed to save British Steel.

The Business Secretary pushes ahead with efforts to safeguard British Steel. Today [Tuesday 15 April] he will travel up to Immingham as the raw materials that have been waiting in the dock are unloaded and transported to the site, following the government settling payment for them.

The materials – which have arrived from the US – are enough to keep the blast furnaces running for the coming weeks, with officials continuing to work at pace to get a steady pipeline of materials to keep the fire burning.

A separate ship which contains yet more coking coal is on the way to the UK from Australia. This cargo was the subject of a legal dispute between British Steel and Jingye over the weekend that has now been resolved. The materials have been paid for using existing DBT budgets.

New legislation passed last weekend, in an unprecedented move, gives Government the power to direct the company’s board and workforce, ensure they get paid, and order the raw materials to keep the blast furnaces running. It also permits the Government to do these things itself if needed. The government acted to protect 37,000 jobs in supply chains and ensure we can build the infrastructure needed to deliver growth which is fundamental to the Plan for Change.

On Monday, Business and Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds confirmed the appointment of Allan Bell as interim Chief Executive Officer, and Lisa Coulson as interim Chief Commercial Officer, both with immediate effect – ensuring the right expertise is in place to keep the site running smoothly.

After intensive work over the weekend, the government has secured coke and iron ore pellets for the blast furnaces and is confident there will be enough materials to keep the furnaces burning.

Business and Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds said:

We will always act in the interest of working people and UK industry. Thanks to the work of those at British Steel, and in my department, we have moved decisively to secure the raw materials we need to help save British Steel.

Our industries depend on UK steel and – thanks to our Plan for Change – demand is set to shoot up: helping build the 1.5 million homes, railways, schools and hospitals we need to usher in a decade of national renewal.

April 15, 2025
NEWS STORY : UK Pledges £120 Million in Humanitarian Aid to Sudan Amid Escalating Crisis

STORY

The United Kingdom has announced a new £120 million humanitarian aid package for Sudan, aiming to address the country’s deepening crisis as conflict and famine continue to devastate the region. The funding, unveiled at an international donor conference in London co-hosted by the UK, France, Germany, the European Union, and the African Union, is part of a broader effort to mobilise support for Sudan, where over 30 million people are in urgent need of assistance.

Foreign Secretary David Lammy emphasised the UK’s commitment to supporting Sudanese civilians, stating that the aid will provide lifesaving food, nutrition, and emergency support for survivors of sexual violence. The conflict, which began in April 2023 between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces, has led to widespread displacement, with over 12 million people forced from their homes. The UK’s latest contribution brings its total humanitarian support for Sudan and neighbouring countries to over £226 million, reflecting a significant increase in aid amidst the worsening crisis. Despite the substantial aid commitments, challenges persist in delivering assistance to affected populations, with ongoing violence and access restrictions hindering relief efforts. The UK continues to call for an immediate cessation of hostilities and unrestricted humanitarian access to ensure that aid reaches those in need.

April 15, 2025