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  • PRESS RELEASE : DCMS Ministerial Team [July 2024]

    PRESS RELEASE : DCMS Ministerial Team [July 2024]

    The press release issued by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on 26 July 2024.

    Department for Culture, Media and Sport ministers and portfolio details.

    The Rt Hon Lisa Nandy MP Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport

    • Overall responsibility for strategy and policy across the department

    Sir Chris Bryant MP, Minister for Creative Industries, Arts, and Tourism:

    • Arts and Libraries
    • Creative Industries
    • Museums and cultural property
    • Cultural diplomacy and soft power
    • Tourism
    • Heritage

    Stephanie Peacock MP, Minister for Sport, Media, Civil Society and Youth

    • Sport
    • Media
    • Civil Society
    • Youth
    • Ceremonials

    Baroness Fiona Twycross, Minister for Gambling

    • Gambling
  • PRESS RELEASE : Vienna Mechanism on treatment of prisoners by Belarus: Joint Statement to the OSCE [July 2024]

    PRESS RELEASE : Vienna Mechanism on treatment of prisoners by Belarus: Joint Statement to the OSCE [July 2024]

    The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 26 July 2024.

    UK and others regret Belarus’ lack of response to the Vienna Mechanism of July 2024 on prison conditions and call for immediate humanitarian release of political prisoners in Belarus.

    Madam Chair,

    I am delivering this statement on behalf of the following participating States, who are members of the informal Group of Friends of Democratic Belarus: Belgium, Bulgaria,  Croatia, Czechia, Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxemburg, Montenegro, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, the United Kingdom, the United States, and my own country, Canada.

    The following participating States are also joining this statement: Albania, Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Liechtenstein, Moldova, North Macedonia, Slovakia, Switzerland and Ukraine.

    Madam Chair,

    On July 11th, this group of participating States invoked the Vienna Mechanism and conveyed a letter to Belarus posing eleven questions regarding the conditions of detention of prisoners, and reprisals against their family members. As of today, Belarus has failed to respond  to these questions.

    In the letter, we referenced the findings of the OSCE Moscow Mechanism Expert Mission Report, the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women, as well as reporting from leading civil society groups. Despite repeated denials by Belarus, there is ever-increasing evidence of the use of arrest, prosecution and detention as instruments of repression, and of the systematic mistreatment and abuse of political prisoners.

    At the recent 56th session of the Human Rights Council, the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Belarus, Ms. Anaïs Marin, described ongoing deterioration, with repressive measures being used to target Belarusian citizens inside and outside the country.

    The Special Rapporteur expressed particular concern about the ill-treatment of individuals convicted on politically motivated charges. Based on corroborated witness accounts, she reported that political prisoners faced harsher treatment, were frequently subjected to solitary confinement and incommunicado detention, and prohibited from receiving correspondence, packages, and medicine. She expressed acute concern that deliberately imposed malnutrition and ill-treatment, and inappropriate or untimely health care were negatively affecting the health of many of these individuals, including cases leading to hospitalizations and even deaths.

    On July 2nd, Ms. Marin and seven other UN special rapporteurs, as well as the Working Groups on Arbitrary Detention, on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances and on Discrimination against Women and Girls issued a letter urging Belarusian authorities to pardon all imprisoned older persons jailed on political charges who were excluded from the July 2024 amnesty law. They noted that most of them are serving prison sentences of up to 25 years, some are detained in pretrial detention, and some have been subjected to compulsory psychiatric care. Several detainees suffer chronic diseases, acute or grave illnesses, and some are persons with disabilities.

    Madam Chair,

    July 14th marked the third anniversary of the detention of Ales Bialiatski, chairman of Viasna Human Rights Center, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, and winner of the Democracy Defender Initiative Award. We have heard disturbing reports about his treatment including that he has been subject to solitary confinement, that he does not receive correspondence from relatives and friends, and that he has been denied access to necessary medications and medical treatment.

    Mr. Bialiatski’s detention is tragically symbolic. His organization – Viasna  – continues to document the status of over 1400 political prisoners currently held by Belarusian authorities. These 1400 individuals, in turn, are only a fraction of the thousands of individuals who have been in and out of detention since 2020 for daring to exercise their rights to freedom of expression, freedom of peaceful assembly and freedom of association.

    The response of the Belarusian authorities in this Council is only denial and obfuscation and cynical claims to “non-interference in internal affairs.”

    We remind Belarus that they have a binding obligation under international law, articulated in Article 10 of the ICCPR, to ensure that all persons in Belarus that are deprived of their liberty “shall be treated with humanity and with respect for the inherent dignity of the human person.”

    We take note of the recent release of several political prisoners. Regrettably, however, this is only a fraction of the individuals at risk.

    In their “Shadow Report” on the implementation of the Moscow Mechanism report recommendations, the Coalition of Belarusian Human Rights Organizations reported that there are at least 252 political prisoners who face significant risks of mistreatment while incarcerated, including vulnerable individuals such as those with disabilities, serious health conditions, seniors, and minors.

    On July 12th, over 50 Nobel Laureates from across the globe – authors, activists, journalists, physicians and scientists – released a joint appeal urging “Lukashenko to show humanity and compassion by freeing all citizens recognized by human rights defenders as political prisoners.”

    In this regard, we reiterate the questions posed in our letter of July 11th.

    We call on the Belarusian authorities to immediately release on humanitarian grounds all  political prisoners facing serious health issues or chronic conditions. We further call for the unconditional release of all 1400 or more political prisoners  held in Belarus and for an end to the harassment and targeting of their families.

    Finally,  we call on all OSCE participating States to ensure that extradition of Belarusian citizens to Belarus complies with international law, recognising that Belarusian human rights defenders, media workers and those in political opposition can face particular risks in Belarus.

    Thank you, Madam Chair.

  • PRESS RELEASE : UK joins groundbreaking global digital trade agreement [July 2024]

    PRESS RELEASE : UK joins groundbreaking global digital trade agreement [July 2024]

    The press release issued by the Department for Business and Trade on 26 July 2024.

    UK joins the first global digital trade agreement negotiated under the World Trade Organization.

    • The UK and 90 other countries have negotiated a set of new rules designed to make global trade faster, fairer, cheaper and more secure
    • Once in force the agreement will permanently ban customs duties on digital content, lower costs for UK businesses and help protect UK consumers from online fraud
    • Global adoption of digital customs systems, processes and documents could significantly grow the UK economy

    The UK has today [Friday 26 July] joined a groundbreaking agreement which is designed to grow the economy by boosting global digital trade.

    After five years of negotiations, the UK and 90 other countries have finalised the E-Commerce Joint Initiative at the World Trade Organization (WTO), which will make trade faster, cheaper, fairer and more secure. It will help British businesses, workers and consumers seize the opportunities of global digital trade, which is estimated by the OECD to be worth around £4 trillion and growing.

    Once implemented, the agreement will commit all participants to the digitalisation of customs documents and processes. This will in many cases end the need to print forms off and hand them over at customs – a slow, expensive and old-fashioned way of working.

    The signatories to this agreement will also commit to recognising e-documents and e-signatures, reducing the need for businesses to physically sign contracts and post them around the world.

    Global adoption of digital customs systems, processes and documents would increase UK GDP by up to £24.2 billion in 2023 UK GDP terms. Even partial adoption could represent a significant boost to UK GDP.

    It also commits signatories to putting in place legal safeguards against online fraudsters and misleading claims about products.

    Business and Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds said:

    We are proud to play our part in securing the first ever global digital trade agreement, cutting costs for business and delivering on this government’s ambition to deliver economic growth.

    Britain is back and proudly playing her role as an outward looking trading nation. Global digital trade is already estimated by the OECD to be worth around £4 trillion and counting but no common set of global rules exist. This is a huge step forward in correcting that and ensuring British businesses feel the benefit.

    Science Secretary Peter Kyle said:

    This global agreement aims to help people use technology safely by protecting them from fraud, while driving economic growth through the digitalisation of trade so it’s faster and more secure.

    We will leave no stone unturned in our work to share the benefits of technology and drive economic growth by working with partners around the world to achieve this.

    For a UK financial services provider, doing business in any of the participating countries will require far fewer paper contracts and invoices, or manual signatures or authentication, as these will be replaced with their electronic equivalents.

    Chris Southworth, Secretary General, International Chambers of Commerce UK said:

    Businesses and economies thrive when there is one common set of rules. The E-Commerce Agreement is a major breakthrough and an excellent reminder of the power of international collaboration. It creates the environment we need to drive innovation as we transition away from archaic paper-based processes and into the modern world of data and technology.

    It is an opportunity to accelerate efforts to digitalise our borders and global supply chains, and help to remove unnecessary friction and costs that prevent SMEs from trading. This is good news for business, consumers and the economy.

    Matt Hammerstein, Head of Barclays UK Corporate Bank said:

    As co-chair of the Trade Digitisation Taskforce with ICC United Kingdom, we have worked closely with the Government to support efforts to secure the competitiveness of UK exports, champion the digitalisation of trade at scale and continue to work on streamlining processes related to fraud and financial crime risk.

    We welcome this announcement, which will help make the trade process easier for small, medium and large-sized businesses in the UK by removing paper-based barriers to trade. Barclays stands ready to play its part in supporting the success of British exports.

    Reaching this agreement is part of the government’s commitment to rebuild and strengthen global partnerships and stand up for the rules-based international order. It is an important step in modernising the global trade rulebook and furthering cooperation in the World Trade Organization.

    Not only will the E-Commerce Joint Initiative deliver new growth opportunities for the UK, it also recognises the importance of supporting developing and least-developed countries, to ensure growth and prosperity for all.

    Attention now turns to working with WTO partners to incorporate the agreement into the WTO legal framework. Once incorporated, UK ratification will take place.

    Notes to editors:

    • The outcome of the E-Commerce Joint Initiative is officially called the ‘Agreement on Electronic Commerce’.
    • Global digital trade is estimated by the OECD to be worth around $5 trillion in 2020. Converting this to sterling at the market exchange rate gives around £4 trillion. The OECD have defined this as all trade that is digitally-ordered or delivered.
    • The ‘Benefits of the digitalisation of trade processes and cross border barriers to their adoption’ report estimates that global adoption of advanced digital trading systems and e-transactions for services is associated with a rise in UK GDP of up to 0.9% and 0.1 respectively.
    • Applied to 2023 ONS UK GDP of £2,687 billion in current prices, a 0.1% increase would amount to £2.7 billion, and a 0.9% increase would amount to £24.2 billion.
  • PRESS RELEASE : World Day Against Trafficking in Persons 2024 – Joint Statement to the OSCE [July 2024]

    PRESS RELEASE : World Day Against Trafficking in Persons 2024 – Joint Statement to the OSCE [July 2024]

    The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 26 July 2024.

    Erol Özakçay Príncipe, US Mission to the OSCE, delivers a joint statement on behalf of the UK and six other OSCE participating States to mark the World Day Against Trafficking in Persons.

    I am delivering this statement on behalf of Canada, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and my own country, the United States. On July 30th, we will join people around the globe to recognize the World Day Against Trafficking in Persons.

    This year’s theme implores us all to Leave No Child Behind in the Fight Against Human Trafficking. In the OSCE region, children are subjected to trafficking in all its forms, including victimization for forced labor, for forced criminality, and for sexual exploitation.

    Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine has precipitated the largest displacement of people in Europe since the Second World War. Ukrainian refugees and internally displaced persons continue to face a heightened risk of trafficking. Children, who globally make up an estimated one-third of trafficking victims, are especially vulnerable.  Russia’s actions have separated many Ukrainians from their families and other support networks, increasing their susceptibility to trafficking.

    Across the OSCE region, we must do more. This includes supporting prevention efforts to stop trafficking before it happens and tailoring victim protection with a focus on the needs of the child. It also means increasing the prosecution of those responsible and enhancing partnerships to tackle the transnational nature of the crime.

    We welcome holistic, victim-and survivor-centered, gender-responsive, trauma-informed, and culturally and age-appropriate care for child victims and survivors. We encourage all participating States to further adopt best practices to support them. These include establishing child-friendly spaces for care, tailoring training for service providers, and implementing national referral mechanisms that reduce the risk of re-exploitation and mitigate the lasting effects of human trafficking.

    Addressing emerging trafficking trends and the unique vulnerabilities of children to familial trafficking and extraterritorial sexual exploitation and abuse requires cross-dimensional approaches.

    Mister Chair, all young people deserve a childhood free from exploitation. We strongly support the efforts of the Special Representative Dr Kari Johnstone and her office, as well as the efforts of the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights and the field missions and other teams within OSCE executive structures to combat human trafficking.

    Their work, especially to prevent and respond to trafficking amid the humanitarian crisis stemming from Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, remains essential to fulfill our OSCE commitments.

    Thank you, Madam Chair.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Over £100 million boost to quantum hubs to develop life-saving blood tests and resilient security systems [July 2024]

    PRESS RELEASE : Over £100 million boost to quantum hubs to develop life-saving blood tests and resilient security systems [July 2024]

    The press release issued by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology on 26 July 2024.

    Five new quantum research hubs backed by over £100 million of government funding will deliver breakthroughs in healthcare, cybersecurity and transport.

    • Five new hubs to develop practical use of quantum technology in areas like medical scanners, secure communication networks, and next-generation positioning systems
    • the hubs will be based across the UK, in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Birmingham, Oxford, and London, to ensure the whole of the UK benefits from these technologies
    • researchers and businesses will work together to develop this quantum technology, supported by a total of over £100 million which will support delivery of the government’s missions to rebuild Britain

    Faster medical scanners, secure communication networks, and next-generation navigation systems are set to be realised through quantum technology, thanks to £100 million in government funding for five new research hubs.

    Announced by the Science Secretary Peter Kyle today (Friday 26 July), the hubs will bring researchers and businesses together to use their scientific expertise and talent alongside the commercial know-how and resources to develop groundbreaking quantum technologies that will directly impact people’s lives in areas like healthcare, security, and clean energy.

    The new innovations in quantum will not only help deliver the government’s first mission to kickstart economic growth by creating new technologies in hubs that can be sold and exported to drive up GDP, but by innovating in the science and technology industry, it will support the delivery of the government’s missions to rebuild Britain, with quantum technology helping to build a more efficient NHS that is fit for the future and future-proofing cyber security to keep our streets safe.

    The Science Secretary made the announcement on a visit to the University of Glasgow, who will lead one of the hubs aiming to develop quantum technologies for resilient position, navigation and timing systems in national security and critical national infrastructure. This technology can offer enhanced accuracy and reliability in sectors including aerospace, autonomous vehicles, finance, maritime, and agriculture. The hub will also develop smaller, lighter devices that use quantum technology. These devices could be used in transportation systems like roads, railways, and underground networks by replacing GPS and improving systems that help vehicles find their way.

    These new hubs will be centres for advancements in areas like quantum-enhanced blood tests, faster MRI scanners, and new surgical interventions and treatments. This could mean faster detection of diseases like cancer, allowing for earlier medical interventions and potentially saving lives. Ultimately, these breakthroughs could translate to better patient outcomes and easing pressure on our hardworking NHS.

    They will also explore technologies crucial for national security. This could see aircraft operating with improved positioning systems that are resistant to GPS jamming, or submarines able to operate for extended periods without relying on satellites. Additionally, research into a ‘quantum internet’ could create secure and future-proof communication networks, safeguarding sensitive data and communications infrastructure – helping protect citizens and the economy.

    Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, Peter Kyle, said:

    We want to see a future where cutting-edge science improves everyday lives. That is the vision behind our investment in these new quantum technology hubs, by supporting the deployment of technology that will mean faster diagnoses for diseases, critical infrastructure safe from hostile threats and cleaner energy for us all.

    This isn’t just about research; it’s about putting that research to work. These hubs will bridge the gap between brilliant ideas and practical solutions. They will not only transform sectors like healthcare and security, but also create a culture of accelerated innovation that helps to grow our economy.

    The University of Birmingham will develop advanced sensing technologies with the ability to ‘see the invisible’. This could mean detecting gas leaks before they become a danger, or pinpointing hidden objects that pose safety risks. These advancements will significantly improve public safety and infrastructure maintenance.

    These five new hubs will be led by leading universities across the UK and will work closely with industry partners. This collaboration ensures that research translates into real-world applications that benefit the public. The Quantum Technology Hubs are:

    • The UK Quantum Biomedical Sensing Research Hub (University College London and University of Cambridge): Explores quantum sensors for ultra-sensitive disease diagnosis, including rapid blood tests, and biomedical scanners to facilitate earlier diagnosis and treatment of diseases such as cancer and Alzheimer’s disease.
    • UK Quantum Technology Hub in Sensing, Imaging and Timing (University of Birmingham): Focuses on the development of quantum sensing for practical applications – brain scanners for dementia, cancer diagnostics, and advanced security and infrastructure monitoring.
    • Integrated Quantum Networks Quantum Technology Hub (Heriot-Watt University): Aims to deliver the technologies for a future UK-wide ‘quantum internet’, enabling future-proof cybersecurity and powerful distributed quantum computing.
    • Hub for Quantum Computing via Integrated and Interconnected Implementations (University of Oxford): Develops technologies for building quantum computers, advancing UK capabilities across hardware and software and targeting applications in a wide range of industry sectors.
    • The UK Hub for Quantum Enabled Position, Navigation and Timing (University of Glasgow): Creates quantum-based positioning and navigation systems for critical infrastructure, autonomous vehicles, and improved indoor and underwater navigation.

    The hubs will be delivered by the UKRI Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), with a £106 million investment from EPSRC, the UKRI Biotechnology and Biological Research Council, UKRI Medical Research Council, and the National Institute for Health and Care Research.

    EPSRC Executive Chair Professor Charlotte Deane said:

    Technologies harnessing quantum properties will provide unparalleled power and capacity for analysis at a molecular level, with truly revolutionary possibilities across everything from healthcare to infrastructure and computing.

    The five Quantum Technology Hubs announced today will harness the UK’s expertise to foster innovation, support growth and ensure that we capitalise on the profound opportunities of this transformative technology.

    The government’s investment in these quantum hubs signifies a commitment to developing technologies that directly improve people’s lives. From revolutionising healthcare to bolstering national security, these hubs have the potential to shape a safer, healthier, and more secure future for all.

    Notes to editors

    Supportive quotes from the quantum hubs:

    Professor Gerald Buller, Director of the IQN Hub, said:

    The Integrated Quantum Networks Hub will provide the underpinning research required towards the establishment of a UK-wide quantum network. Harnessing excellent research from a wide range of partners, it will delivering quantum networks at different scales, from local data centres to inter-city links and up to global satellite connections. Establishing a widescale quantum internet could have impact across all sectors, predominantly allowing future-proof security for data communications, as well as linking up quantum computers and sensors with benefits ranging from healthcare to materials research, artificial intelligence and many others.

    Professor Rachel McKendry, Co-Director of the Q-BIOMED Hub, said:

    Q-BIOMED is the first UK Quantum Research Hub dedicated to health and positions the UK at the forefront of this exciting new field globally. We are bringing together an outstanding team of researchers from academia, the NHS, charities, government, regulators and industry to help accelerate advances in quantum for human health and societal good. The ultimate beneficiaries of earlier diagnosis will be patients through faster access to life- saving treatment, and the NHS though more cost-effective models of care. We also hope to grow an innovation ecosystem working with industry and international networks of excellence with leading researchers worldwide.

    Professor Douglas Paul, Project Lead for the QEPNT Hub, said:

    Much of the UK’s critical infrastructure relies on the accurate measurements of time, direction and speed which enable us to stay in constant contact with communications satellites. Currently, those connections are vulnerable to disruption through technical problems or deliberate malicious actions like signal-jamming.

    If those connections are lost for any reason, it would have a huge impact on key industries like energy, finance, communications and transport, causing an estimated economic loss of a billion pounds a day until service is restored.

    This new hub will support the development of new and improved forms of atomic clocks, quantum gyroscopes and quantum accelerometers. Those technologies, integrated into portable and affordable future devices, will help reduce our reliance on satellites by providing new ways to locally measure position, navigation and timing.

    Unlike current technologies, they will work indoors, underground and in all weathers, helping to bolster the UK’s national security and offering new applications for industry.

    Professor Michael Holynski, Director of QuSIT, said:

    We are delighted to form a new Quantum Technology Hub in sensing. Our aim is to accelerate the commercial development of quantum sensing, imaging and timing devices, which will result in real societal and economic benefits.

    We look forward to working closely with our partners, the other new QT Hubs, our funders EPSRC, and the wider academic and industry communities to ensure quantum technologies deliver their best for society.

    Professor Dominic O’Brien, Director of the QCI3 Hub, said:

    The QCI3 Hub brings together industry, academia and government partners to deliver new applications, ideas and innovations that will advance the field of quantum computing, impacting areas such as materials science, chemistry, finance and logistics. The Hub will train a new generation of scientists and engineers, providing the critical skills for a UK quantum economy, whilst also developing the commercial skills needed for those looking to play key roles in the UK’s growing quantum industry. Our rich partner network will ensure that our research is grounded around real-world problems and that we are able to transfer technology out of the lab to make meaningful impact.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Young aviators encouraged to Reach for the Sky in skills and outreach programme [July 2024]

    PRESS RELEASE : Young aviators encouraged to Reach for the Sky in skills and outreach programme [July 2024]

    The press release issued by the Department for Transport on 26 July 2024.

    Giving young people from under-represented groups the opportunity to pursue a career in aviation.

    • Aviation Minister rallies industry to get more people to choose a career in aviation through skills and outreach scheme
    • latest funding adds to £1.5 million funding for skills training, with wider outreach having already propelled 100,000 young people into the sector
    • recipients include 18-year-old aspiring pilot from north London making his dreams of becoming a commercial pilot a reality

    Young people from underrepresented groups will be able to pursue a career in aviation thanks to new government funding for an aviation skills and outreach programme.

    Launched today (26 July 2024) by Aviation Minister, Mike Kane,this latest round of funding for the skills and outreach programme, Reach for the Sky, serves as a way for young people aged 4 to 18 from under-represented groups that may not otherwise have had the opportunity to pursue a career in aviation, to do so.

    Now in its third year, organisations can from today apply for a share of £750,000 that will help them deliver outreach programmes which will provide events, taster days, mentorship schemes and educational initiatives with schools and universities – building on the government’s promise to secure the long-term future of aviation and give young people the opportunities they deserve.

    Aviation Minister, Mike Kane, said:

    Our aviation industry is one of the best in the world and it’s the talented people within it that makes it so successful – the primary purpose of leadership is to create new leaders.

    Having a diverse workforce that can effectively address future challenges – from growing passenger demand to decarbonisation – is crucial and our Reach for the Sky Challenge Fund is inspiring the next generation to be part of this ever-growing travel sector.

    Several barriers hinder people from joining the aviation industry – including limited access to further education, financial constraints, and lack of exposure to career pathways.

    With only 5% of pilots being women, fewer black young people being exposed to aviation opportunities than their white peers, and almost three quarters of airline staff based in London and the South East, both government and industry are working together to ensure the industry is open to everyone.

    Reach for the Sky brings fresh perspectives and innovative solutions to the table, and this new pot of funding will add to the £1.5 million already provided. Outreach programmes supported by the Department for Transport (DfT) have already helped over 100,000 young people discover a career in aviation.

    Previous recipients of DfT-funded schemes include 18-year-old aspiring pilot Joshua Merchan-Nicholls from Finchley, North London. Since 2021, he has been tirelessly working towards a career as a commercial pilot – a dream he’s had since he was 7 years old – and was recently awarded a gliding scholarship from the Air League as part of the DfT-funded Soaring to Success programme.

    The Air League, aimed at breaking down barriers into the aviation industry, offers a range of scholarships, volunteering programmes and events for people of all backgrounds, and has recently celebrated its 12,000th recipient.  Not only is Joshua hoping to start a pilot training course, but he has also set his heart on helping young people from similar backgrounds achieve rewarding careers in aviation.

    Joshua Merchan-Nicholls said:

    I was 7 when I first imagined myself as a pilot and I’ve followed this dream ever since. Thanks to the Air League, I received a gliding scholarship in 2022, which gave me my first experience of solo flying and made me even more enthusiastic!

    I’m grateful that these organisations exist because they open opportunities for people like me who always wanted to fly and they show the possibility of a career to people who hadn’t considered it before. It’s great that the government is supporting young people like this.

    Claire MacAleese, Chair of the Air League, said:

    For 115 years the Air League has been inspiring the aviators of tomorrow. The Department for Transport’s Reach for the Sky programme is an important part of keeping that momentum going. Reach for the Sky has been pivotal to our Soaring to Success programme over the past 2 years and more than 20,000 state school students have engaged in learning about a career in aviation and our flying days as a result.

    As the industry undergoes a revolution driven by technology, decarbonisation and passenger experience, creating a more inclusive and accessible pathway into the exciting world of aviation is crucial to its continuing success.

    Sophie Jones, Head of Organisational Capability and STEM Sponsor at UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) said:

    The aerospace sector will stall without young people with new ideas and innovations joining it.

    The Reach for the Sky Challenge fund brings in people from diverse backgrounds to gain skills and pursue fantastic careers in aerospace.

    As the regulator we are committed to inspiring the next generation to get their feet off the ground and Reach for the Sky helps fund our extensive STEM program.

    Applications for the fund are now open until September 2024 and decisions will be agreed upon by a joint panel of DfT and the CAA – which administers the fund on DfT’s behalf.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Foreign Secretary’s meeting with China’s Director of Foreign Affairs Commission Office and Foreign Minister [July 2024]

    PRESS RELEASE : Foreign Secretary’s meeting with China’s Director of Foreign Affairs Commission Office and Foreign Minister [July 2024]

    The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 26 July 2024.

    On 26 July, the Foreign Secretary David Lammy met China’s Director of Foreign Affairs Commission Office and Foreign Minister Wang Yi at the ASEAN Foreign Ministers meeting in Vientiane, Laos.

    They had a constructive first discussion and the Foreign Secretary outlined this government’s vision for a long-term, consistent and strategic approach to UK-China relations. He set out that the government would cooperate where we can, compete where needed and challenge where we must. He made clear the UK would always stand firm in prioritising our national security, as well as supporting human rights.

    The Foreign Secretary welcomed the opportunity to work with a fellow member of the UN Security Council and the world’s second largest economy to combat global challenges like climate change.

    The Foreign Secretary underlined the UK’s ironclad commitment to Ukraine and urged China to prevent its companies supporting Russia’s military industrial complex which poses a material threat to international security and prosperity.

    Both sides agreed to work towards building long-term communication channels.

  • Alan Strickland – 2024 Maiden Speech on the Economy, Welfare and Public Services

    Alan Strickland – 2024 Maiden Speech on the Economy, Welfare and Public Services

    The maiden speech made by Alan Strickland, the Labour MP for Newton Aycliffe and Spennymoor, in the House of Commons on 22 July 2024.

    I congratulate the hon. Member for West Suffolk (Nick Timothy) on his maiden speech, and all those who have spoken for the first time in the House today.

    It is an honour for me to make my maiden speech as the first Member of Parliament for the Newton Aycliffe and Spennymoor constituency. I pay tribute to those who came before me. The former Sedgefield constituency makes up the majority of the new seat. In addition, we have taken Spennymoor and Tudhoe wards from Bishop Auckland, and Coxhoe ward from City of Durham. I wish to put on record my thanks and pay tribute to Paul Howell and Dehenna Davison for their public service, and to my hon. Friend the Member for City of Durham (Mary Kelly Foy) for her continuing dedication to her constituents.

    Unlike some former Members of this House, I am not fluent in Latin, but I am assured that the motto of my hometown translates as “Not the Least, but the Greatest we seek.” This has not only served as a powerful statement of intent for the new town of Aycliffe since 1947, but captures the shared spirit of the towns and villages across this new constituency—varied in history, but united in a desire to get on, to do well, to strive for a better future. My own family’s story is testament to this spirit of aspiration that has long defined the working people of our country.

    Several generations ago, both sides of my family were drawn from mining villages across England to the Durham coalfields because of their reputation for good wages and reliable work. In turn, my grandparents moved from pit villages to Aycliffe new town, home for two years to the late Lord Beveridge, in search of modern housing and better jobs for their children. My parents’ generation then worked hard to give us the opportunities that they never had, including higher education, the chance to work across the country and across the world and personal freedoms to flourish. This ethos—that each generation raises the next, that background be no barrier, and that opportunity be distributed as widely as talent—is the driving force in families in my constituency and a lodestar for this Government.

    But making that a reality requires strong economic growth across our country. We must back the industries of the future, such as Hitachi Rail in my constituency, which manufactures world-class, green trains, and employs 700 highly skilled workers and another 1,500 in the supply chain. I thank a former Member of this House, Phil Wilson, for his tireless campaign, alongside The Northern Echo, which led to the plant being located in the area some years ago. I am also grateful for the public commitments made by my right hon. Friends the Prime Minister, the Chancellor and the Transport Secretary to support Hitachi’s future. I look forward to working with them to secure those jobs and expand high-tech manufacturing more widely. That includes the innovative work at Sedgefield’s NETPark. This Durham University spin-off hub develops innovative products in satellite technology, drug development and biological weapon detection, which are then exported around the globe. The creation of jobs in the industries of the future is particularly important in a constituency with former mining communities, where ongoing economic development is badly needed.

    I do not want the House to think that my constituency is all work and no play. We are famous for the Sedgefield ball game—a historic Shrove Tuesday tradition not for the faint-hearted. We are home to excellent football clubs, including Newton Aycliffe, where my parents served on the committee, and Spennymoor Town. Spennymoor itself typifies our rich cultural history, with a heritage trail dedicated to Norman Cornish, one of the pitmen painters, who learned his craft alongside his mining in the Spennymoor settlement.

    Some of the best brass bands in the country can also been found in the constituency. They not only keep alive the cultural traditions of our past, but provide excellent, high-quality music education for new generations of young people today. We are also home to incredible local produce, including artisan chocolate made in Coxhoe, and award-winning real ale brewed at the Surtees Arms in Ferryhill—I have personally quality-assured the latter on several occasions. On the topic of ale, my predecessor Tony Blair was noted for hosting world leaders in pubs across the constituency. I have yet to find a pub without a photo of the former Prime Minister and his closest NATO allies, but my diligent search continues.

    Finally, I am proud of our thriving community organisations. The Ladder Centre does invaluable work to support residents, and the Cornforth Partnership is a lifeline for those looking to get back into work. Just as Durham coal powered our economy in the past, so constituencies such as mine can power our modern economy, with high-tech, green manufacturing and research.

    Let me return to where I began—“Not the Least, but the Greatest we seek.” Mr Deputy Speaker, in this House, let us commit ourselves to seek the greatest—the very best—for our constituents, for our communities and for our great nation. I look forward to seeing the economic measures in the King’s Speech start to spread wealth, growth and opportunity to every corner of this United Kingdom, including the people of Newton Aycliffe and Spennymoor.

  • Nick Timothy – 2024 Maiden Speech on the Economy, Welfare and Public Services

    Nick Timothy – 2024 Maiden Speech on the Economy, Welfare and Public Services

    The maiden speech made by Nick Timothy, the Conservative MP for West Suffolk, in the House of Commons on 22 July 2024.

    I congratulate the other new Members on their excellent maiden speeches, in particular the hon. Member for Hartlepool (Mr Brash), where I know his predecessor, Lord Mandelson, recommends the mushy peas.

    It is an honour to be called to speak for the first time. I pay tribute to the last MP for West Suffolk, Matt Hancock, who oversaw the delivery of the covid vaccines, a vital achievement for our country. Less well known is that Matt once rode in, and won, the Blue Square Cavalry Charge horserace in Newmarket, a feat that required him not only to be propelled forward by a thoroughbred horse at 30 miles per hour, but to train for three months and lose 2 stone. For all these reasons, not least the dubiousness of the idea that I have 2 stone to lose, I can assure the House that I will not be stepping into my predecessor’s stirrups.

    Newmarket is the best-known town in my constituency. It is most famous for horseracing, an international success story that brings thousands of jobs and hundreds of millions of pounds to the local economy every year. From Charles I to Charles III, racing gives West Suffolk its long connection to royalty, but unfortunately ours is not an unblemished record, for Newmarket was once the home of Oliver Cromwell’s new model army. Old Ironsides championed free expression yet persecuted his enemies. He attacked aristocratic privilege and patronage, but handed power to his cronies. Censorious, joyless and puritanical—it is like he wrote the Labour manifesto.

    Fortunately, we have left those days of self-denial behind, and from the Star in Lidgate to the Queen’s Head in Hawkedon, the Affleck Arms in Dalham to the White Horse in Withersfield, and many others, we have some of the best pubs in Britain. And we have plenty more besides: beautiful villages, vibrant towns and farms that feed the country; Anglo-Saxon settlements and ancient churches; rolling countryside and big Suffolk skies; dense forest and the world-famous gallops; businesses doing everything from seed drills to particle engineering; charities such as Reach in Haverhill and the day centres in Brandon and Newmarket; Highpoint prison near Stradishall; the airbases at Lakenheath and Mildenhall; and public servants working for their communities every day.

    I look forward to championing them all and addressing our challenges too, including dealing with flooding in Clare, Cavendish and elsewhere, and fighting the appalling decision to approve the Sunnica solar and battery farm, due to be built on high-quality agricultural land. In Brandon, lorry traffic is a problem. We need the Ely and Haughley junctions sorted to get freight on to the railways. In Mildenhall, where 1,300 new homes are coming, we need a relief road. We are not against new house building in West Suffolk—we have had 3,000 new homes built in the last five years—but we need attractive family homes in the right places. We need services and infrastructure to keep pace. We need to get tougher with the developers and reform the construction market. We need to drastically cut immigration, not just for the economic and cultural reasons that should by now be obvious, but to limit new demand for housing.

    Our largest town, Haverhill, has doubled in size in only 30 years, to almost 30,000 residents. It has an incredible community spirit, but the town centre is struggling. We need a new start for our high streets, and I will fight for a railway linking Haverhill to Cambridge. The development of Cambridge looms large for us, but I want us to embrace the opportunities, not just fear the risks. If we get it right, we have the chance to get better infrastructure, new investment and more jobs. That is why I wanted to speak in today’s debate.

    From potholes to public sector pay, the thread that runs through all our challenges is an inconvenient truth. While it is plainly incorrect to claim that the new Government have the worst economic inheritance since the war—[Interruption.] It is incorrect, but we are less prosperous than we often tend to assume. This is not a question of party politics, but of the decline and failure of our country’s long-established economic model. Put simply: we do not make, do or sell enough of what the world needs.

    Our £33 billion trade deficit—1.2% of GDP—means we sell off valuable assets and build up external debt to limit the current account deficit. We end up with less control over our economy, and more exposed to global risks and shocks. From low pay to regional inequality, poor productivity to the funding of public services, all the things we worry about are symptoms of this wider problem.

    We need to question economic theory, challenge Treasury orthodoxy and think beyond the intellectual limits of ideological liberalism. Theories like comparative advantage have led us to offshore industry and grow dependent on hostile states, like China. But international trade is neither free nor fair, and net zero cannot mean sacrificing our prosperity and security. Being a services superpower is a great advantage, but alone it is not enough. We need a serious strategy to reindustrialise, narrow the trade deficit and rebalance the economy. We need to change and, in the months and years ahead, I look forward to debating how we do so.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Energy Secretary convenes COP leaders past, present and future to offer UK support and leadership in responding to the climate crisis [July 2024]

    PRESS RELEASE : Energy Secretary convenes COP leaders past, present and future to offer UK support and leadership in responding to the climate crisis [July 2024]

    The press release issued by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero on 26 July 2024.

    The Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero met with COP leaders in London to discuss the need for greater urgency in tackling the climate crisis.

    On Friday 26 July, the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero met with the Rt Hon Sir Alok Sharma, President for COP 26, HE Mukhtar Babayev, COP29 President Designate and HE Ana Toni, National Secretary for Climate Change from Brazil as COP 30 Presidency. This was part of a visit that included a roundtable with His Majesty King Charles III to discuss the need for greater urgency in tackling the climate crisis.

    The Secretary of State welcomed the outcomes achieved through the UAE consensus, including the historic agreement to transition away from fossil fuels, and offered full support to Azerbaijan and Brazil for their upcoming COP 29 and COP 30 Presidencies. He underlined the UK’s determination to act as a global leader and reliable partner on climate action. Emphasising the importance of all countries, especially major emitters, taking action to implement the outcomes of the Global Stocktake and bringing forward 1.5°C aligned Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) as soon as possible, he offered to share the UK’s experiences from COP 26 in supporting ambition in NDCs. He further emphasised the UK’s commitment to working together with all Parties to agree an ambitious New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG) on climate finance and accelerate the necessary reforms of the global financial architecture.

    The Secretary of State underlined the importance of the UK’s renewed domestic leadership in encouraging ambitious action abroad. Climate and clean energy are at the heart of the new government’s agenda. The UK is taking immediate action to unlock investment in onshore wind, begin a solar revolution, and setting out our plans for Great British Energy.

    The Secretary of State expressed the UK’s utmost concern at the growing scale and severity of climate impacts around the world, especially in developing countries, and emphasised our full commitment to working with the Troika and all Parties in this critical decade to deliver increased ambition to achieve the goals of the Paris Agreement, keep 1.5°C in reach and support the most vulnerable.