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Tag: 2015

  • Robert Goodwill – 2015 Speech on Prestwick Search and Rescue

    robertgoodwill

    Below is the text of the speech made by Robert Goodwill, the Minister of State at the Department of Transport, on 17 December 2015.

    Thank you for inviting me to lead celebrations for the launch of the UK’s search and rescue helicopter service here in Prestwick.

    Today (18 December 2015) we mark a historic occasion; the passing of search and rescue operations from the British military to Bristow Helicopters Ltd, operating on behalf of Her Majesty’s Coastguard.

    I would like to start by paying tribute to the Royal Navy’s search and rescue unit at HMS Gannet.

    From 1 January, the unit will stand down responsibility for search and rescue duties and will hand that responsibility over to the Bristow crew here at Prestwick.

    The UK government is very grateful for the lifesaving work you have done since HMS Gannett was established here in Prestwick in 1971, and will continue to do until the end of the year.

    It cannot be overstated how much we all appreciate the vital work of the Royal Navy and Royal Air Force search and rescue helicopter crews and engineers.

    For over 60 years, you have worked around the clock in all weathers to rescue tens of thousands of people, and in doing so have saved many lives.

    You have set the bar for search and rescue very high indeed.

    It now falls to Bristow to continue to clear that high bar.

    And after the response to the recent flooding, when new Bristow aircraft from Caernarfon and Humberside joined forces with the Sea King from HMS Gannet to rescue people in danger, I am confident that Bristow will do their search and rescue forerunners very proud.

    Of course, Bristow has been rendering search and rescue services to Her Majesty’s Government for over 30 years.

    And that service will continue here in Prestwick and in 9 other places around the UK.

    Your job is the single-minded pursuit of saving lives.

    You will work with the best technology.

    The best aircraft.

    And the finest, most well-trained, and dedicated people the world of search and rescue has to offer.

    Many people here today will be based at this facility and have joined from other parts of Bristow’s SAR operations.

    Others have taken the decision to leave behind their military careers to stay with search and rescue.

    And still others are volunteers.

    I am very proud to speak on behalf of the whole of Her Majesty’s government when I express our gratitude for the daring and endeavour of those who go out in all weathers, night or day, at a moment’s notice, to bring people in danger safely back to dry land and their homes and families, or indeed to, sadly, have to recover the bodies of those lost at sea.

    Of course, the crews could not do their jobs but for the highly-skilled engineers and support staff also here today.

    I know that everyone will carry out their jobs with the utmost professionalism and commitment to their task.

    And in doing so, you will be working with some magnificent machines.

    As minister responsible for Her Majesty’s Coastguard, I am delighted to see these wonderful Sikorsky aircraft bearing HM Coastguard livery.

    Sikorsky has provided search and rescue helicopters for coastguard operations since 1983, starting with the Sikorsky S61s which operated from the coastguard base in Shetland.

    Over 20 state-of-the-art aircraft like the ones you see here today are already operating throughout the UK as part of our new UK search and rescue helicopter service, operated and maintained by 200 pilots, technical crew, and engineers.

    And they are just one example of the state-of-the-art search and rescue technologies that will be available at Prestwick and across the UK.

    The UK government has put £2 billion into our search and rescue services and over £70 million of that has been spent here in Prestwick.

    It’s a great example of where the UK government is co-ordinating vital work across the whole country.

    So I know this facility will give you the very best chance of succeeding in your missions.

    And I wish you many, many successful missions in the years ahead.

    So thank you for the work you do.

    Thank you for serving our country.

    And thank you, ahead of time, for all the lives you will save from Prestwick and the 9 other bases across the UK.

  • David Cameron – 2015 Press Conference on EU Council

    davidcameron

    Below is the text of the press conference statement made by David Cameron, the Prime Minister, in Brussels on 18 December 2015.

    This European Council has focused on 3 issues – the UK renegotiation, migration and terrorism.

    I talked about the renegotiation last night and I will come back to it shortly – but first the other 2 issues.

    Migration

    Yesterday afternoon, we discussed the ongoing migration crisis facing Europe.

    Even with the onset of winter, there are still many migrants coming to Europe – with around 5,000 arriving via the eastern Mediterranean route each day.

    Britain has its own strict border controls, which apply to everyone attempting to enter the United Kingdom.

    And every day those border controls are helping to keep us safe.

    But while we are outside Schengen, we are ready to help our European partners secure their borders.

    From the start, the United Kingdom has called for a comprehensive approach that tackles the root causes of this migration crisis – not just the consequences of vast numbers reaching Europe.

    That’s why we have provided £1.2 billion in humanitarian assistance for the Syrian conflict and deployed HMS Enterprise and police officers to the Mediterranean to go after the traffickers.

    And it’s why we have offered practical assistance to help with the registering and fingerprinting of migrants in countries where they land, like Greece and Italy.

    Indeed, we have provided more technical expertise to the European Asylum Support Office than any other country.

    Here at this summit, we discussed the importance of implementing the measures previously agreed.

    Back in the summer, after some very frank discussions, countries committed to resettle 22,000 refugees from Syria over 2 years and to relocate 160,000 migrants arriving in ‘hotspots’ to other participating countries.

    It’s clear from what others have said that very few have been relocated or settled.

    Alongside this I announced that the United Kingdom would resettle 20,000 Syrian refugees during this Parliament.

    And we are meeting the ambition we set out since September, we have resettled over 1,000 Syrian refugees from camps in Turkey, Jordan and Lebanon.

    They are in homes, their children are in schools and they can look forward to the New Year free from the fear of uncertainty and with the prospect of building a new life in Britain.

    And the United Kingdom will continue to play our full part in helping all those affected by the Syrian crisis with the conference we will co-host with Germany, Kuwait, Norway and the UN next February.

    Terrorism

    Turning to terrorism.

    The horrific attacks in Paris last month underline the threat we all face from Daesh.

    What happened on a Friday night last month in Paris could have happened in any European city.

    We face a common threat. No one country can defeat it alone. We have to defeat it together.

    We made important progress last week with provisional agreement between the Council and the European Parliament on new rules to share passenger name records. This is an absolutely vital piece of work.

    But there is more we must do.

    We need more systematic data sharing so we can track down and stop terrorists.

    We must step up our co-operation on aviation security.

    We need to go after Daesh’s finances, choking off the oil and money.

    We should do more to counter the extremists’ propaganda and their poisonous narrative.

    And we must clamp down on firearms and explosives – stopping them from getting into the hands of evil terrorists who are determined to wreak such misery with them.

    And I am pleased that we have got a very clear agreement here to rapidly take forward proposals on all these areas.

    All of this requires closer co-operation, right now.

    Security

    Common to both the challenge of migration and the threat of terrorism is the instability in Libya and Syria.

    That’s why it’s so important that we work together to support strong, stable and inclusive governance in these countries.

    Here today, we have reiterated the EU’s support for the efforts of the International Syria Support Group to end the conflict in Syria through a political process.

    And we welcome the agreement reached in Morocco yesterday that we hope will pave the way for a new united national government in Libya.

    In an unstable world, Britain is playing a leading role in the EU on issues of security – working with other member states so we better protect our people.

    And that underlines why this renegotiation is so important.

    UK renegotiation

    As I said last night, we have made good progress.

    We are a step closer to agreement on the significant and far-reaching reforms I have proposed.

    It is going to be tough and there is lots of hard work to do.

    But I believe 2016 will be the year we achieve something really vital fundamentally changing the UK’s relationship with the EU and finally addressing the concerns of the British people about our membership.

    Then it will be for British people to decide whether we remain or leave.

    It is a choice we will all need to think hard about.

    But I believe if we can get these reforms right – and I believe we can I firmly believe that for our economic security and for increasing our national security, the best future for Britain is in a reformed European Union.

    Happy to take some questions. Let’s start with the BBC.

    Question

    Prime Minister, thank you. Laura Kuenssberg, BBC News. You’ve just given a very clear hint that the vote on our membership of the European Union will be in 2016. Previous major changes in the European Union have taken a long time. The Amsterdam Treaty took 2 years; the Maastricht Treaty took 2 years. How can we be confident that changes you want – if they are a big deal – can be done in 2 months?

    And if I may, on Libya, are UK troops going to be intervening?

    Prime Minister

    Okay, first of all, in terms of changes, I’ve been working on this with a clear mandate from the British people ever since the election back in May. And a lot of work has been done. What matters is that these changes are legally binding and irreversible, and I believe we can find ways of setting that out, demonstrating that, in the coming months. Obviously, I want a deal in February, but I’ve set the deadline for the referendum as the end of 2017. I always wanted to give myself time to get this right. What matters is the substance – is getting it right, rather than the timing. That’s the first point.

    On Libya, what has happened is a good step forward. It’s not perfect, because not everyone involved in these Libyan political discussions has joined the new government, but we’ve always said that we stand ready to support them with resources, with training, with advice, with capacity building. But frankly, the last thing a new Libyan government wants is a lot of foreign troops on its soil. That is not what we’re proposing. It’s about helping them to build the capacity of a government to run that country.

    And why that has a direct impact on us, as it were, back at home, is these 2 reasons. One is, because Libya had become a broken state, the criminal gangs were able to use it as a jumping off point for the migrant boats across the Med, and there weren’t proper authorities for us to work with in Libya to put a stop to that. So the government of Libya is absolutely crucial in being able to deliver an end to that migration route.

    But secondly, and in many ways even more significantly, because there is now presence of Daesh in Libya, we need a government to be our partner and work with us – and we should work with them – to do the right thing for their country, which is to make sure that Daesh cannot have a foothold in that country.

    So it’s early days; it is an agreement signed rather than a government actually in place, but we should do everything we can to back it and support it. ITV?

    Question

    Prime Minister, there were reports this morning that you’re being offered an emergency break on in-work benefits for EU migrants, when Brussels agrees the public services risk being under – overwhelmed. Would that remotely be enough?

    Prime Minister

    Well, what I’ve said is, look, my proposal – the 4-year proposal remains on the table. What happened last night is that the European Commission said that they were looking for solutions, not compromises, but were in a negotiation. And I’m convinced that if we work hard between now and February, we’ll find a good answer. George?

    Question

    George Parker, from the Financial Times. Can I ask another question specific to the renegotiation, about the – your idea of re-designating the EU as a multi-currency union. Are you running into any resistance on that? We hear the President of the European Central Bank is concerned that if you make this explicit that some countries, for example Poland, might see that – decide that they no longer have to join the euro.

    Prime Minister

    Well, there was a lot of discussion about this last night. I think there was a recognition that it’s a statement of fact that the EU has many currencies within it. Now obviously it’s important not just that we say that, but then we go one step further and make sure that you’re not disadvantaged in the single market if you’re outside the single currency. And I think there was a very good discussion about that last night. Of course, countries in the eurozone want to know that they can press ahead with vital integration that they might need without us outside the eurozone stopping them.

    And I’ve said, look, my whole point is, I don’t want to stand in the way of the things the eurozone needs to do to make that currency work well. It’s in our interests that it does work well, but likewise it’s very important that we have a set of principles that Britain and other countries outside the euro can’t be put at a disadvantage. And you know, at the heart of this is this issue of not being liable in any way to have your taxpayers’ money spent on eurozone-related issues.

    Now, there was a risk of that in the summer, as you know, of the European stability – financial stability mechanism being used to bail out Greece. We stopped that from happening, but we shouldn’t have to, you know, make ad hoc efforts to stop that happening. It should be written down, clearly, the principles of no disadvantage, of no discrimination, of eurozone countries having to pay for eurozone issues.

    So it’s – you know, as I said last night, none of the 4 issues are easy to deliver. It’s a mistake to think you’ve got 3 baskets that are progressing towards completion and the fourth is the one with the – all the difficulties in. Each of these areas have problems that need to be resolved. But I felt that in each of the areas there’s sufficient good will to overcome difficulties and come up with a good solution. And in all these areas, as the Commission has said, you know, you’ve got to find answers rather than unsustainable compromises.

    Sky News.

    Question

    Prime Minister, so we now start an 8-week period where Donald Tusk looks for some sort of compromise that meets your needs on migration. Can you guarantee that whatever comes out of this will actually help control EU migration and will lessen EU migration into the United Kingdom?

    Prime Minister

    The whole aim of this is if you stand back from it all why have I chosen these 4 areas? Well they are the 4 things that I think most concern Britain about Europe. People are concerned that it’s becoming a single currency only club and you need guarantees that if you’re outside the single currency you can have the flexibility and the success you need. People want to know, in Britain particularly, that it’s not an ever closer union, that we’re carved out of that. People want to know it adds to competitiveness, not takes away from competitiveness.

    And, yes, people want to know that we can help relieve some of the pressure in terms of the movement of people across Europe. Not because Britain is unwelcoming. We’re an incredibly welcoming country. We have one of the most cosmopolitan countries on Earth and people come to Britain and work hard and make a life for themselves. And that strengthens our country. But the British people, and I totally share this view, feel that in recent years the pressure of new arrivals has just been too great.

    And part of that pressure is caused by the fact that we have a very generous top-up welfare system which means sometimes that you could – you know, you can train as a – a nurse or a doctor in some less well-off European countries and having finished your training it actually pays you to work in an unskilled job in the United Kingdom rather than continue as a nurse or a doctor in your own country. Now that doesn’t make sense for either side in the European Union and actually there’s a lot of recognition of that that, you know, countries in southern Europe they want to keep the – those talented people to help build their countries.

    So while of course there’s a very lively debate and discussion – there was a lively debate and discussion last night. There is an understanding that this is not some unreasonable request. This is a serious issue. It has real impacts for both Britain and for other countries as well. So, yes, as I’ve said, what we’re looking for is a solution rather than just some sort of compromise that won’t have the effect that we want it to – to have. I think the British people fully understand this as well. They know how important the issue of welfare is.

    And if you go back to what I said at the election, you know, I basically said on welfare I said there were 4 things we wanted to achieve. First that people who come to Britain cannot claim unemployment benefit for the first 6 months. Well, we’re well on the way to achieving that with the introduction of universal credit. And that is backed and allowed by the European Union. The second thing I said was that people who can’t find a job after 6 months they have to go home. Again that is now pretty much in place. The third thing was the issue of sending child benefit home. I think we’re making very good – not being able to send child benefit home where there’s good progress made in the discussions last night. And the fourth thing was the 4 – no in-work benefit for 4 years where, yes, there’s the lively discussion. The proposal remains on the table and the European Commission has said they’re looking for solutions not compromises.

    So I think that is good progress, going back to Laura’s question, in terms of what’s been achieved in the 7 months since the election. You know, we said we’d have a referendum. We’ve passed that legislation. It’s now part of the law of the land. We’ve said we’d have a renegotiation. A lot of people said, you know, “You won’t get 27 other countries to sit down and renegotiate with you.” Well, we have. It’s well under way. We’re making progress in all the 4 areas. Now we’ve got a pretty tight deadline, I accept, to bring it to a close by February. But, you know, I think there’s sufficient goodwill to have a really good go at that. But I’ve left myself some room. I want to get the substance right. This is not about artificial timetables and deadlines and all the rest of it. There’s plenty of time to get the substance that the British people need.

    Because this is a massive decision for our country. You think of the terrorists and the security threats that we face. You think of the situation brought about by what Russia has done in Ukraine. You think of the instability in the Middle East, the terrorist threat that that is generating. I think we are better off standing together with our allies and partners in a reformed Europe. But we need to get that reformed Europe in order to make that happen. That’s why if anything this renegotiation has got more important. Because it’s so vital for the future of Britain and I would argue for Europe that we get it right.

    And there was a lot of recognition of that last night, of people starting their speeches not by saying they all believe Britain is better off in Europe. They started their speeches by saying that Europe would be better off with Britain in. So this renegotiation has got more important. It certainly hasn’t been solved or fixed but we are well on the way to a deal. We’ve taken some good steps forward. Now we’ve got to bring it home. Thank you very much.

  • George Osborne – 2015 Speech on Daesh

    gosborne

    Below is the text of the speech made by George Osborne, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, at the United Nations Security Council in New York, United States, on 18 December 2015.

    Thank you very much, and let me begin as others have done by congratulating you, Jack, for suggesting this meeting, where the finance ministers of the Security Council came together for the first time in the history of the United Nations. And let me congratulate the Secretary-General and the head of the Financial Action Taskforce for the leadership they have shown on this issue.

    Let me start by offering my condolences and the condolences of the British people for those who lost their lives in Paris as a result of those dreadful attacks, but also of course those who lost their lives in Ankara, in Beirut, in California, and indeed the Russian holidaymakers travelling home from Sharm el Sheikh who lost their lives.

    Of course, these acts of violence were designed to intimidate and divide us but they have failed and I think it’s very striking, if you look at this table, this Security Council room, this is often where divisions of the world have been most evident, yet today the unity of the world is on display and far from dividing us, actually the terrorists in Daesh and ISIL are actually uniting us and we are determined to take the fight to them, to deprive them of their financing and to defeat them.

    Now, of course, all of us around this table have been grappling with threat that terrorism poses. In the last year alone, in the United Kingdom, our security forces have prevented 7 different plots to attack citizens in the United Kingdom. But I would say this, at a time when people question whether we can defeat these terrorists, we are defeating these terrorists and we are making progress. In the last year, the coalition against Daesh/ISIL has liberated over 40 percent of the territory under their control in Iraq. We are stemming the flow of foreign fighters to their ranks, we are exploiting the vulnerabilities in their financial network and we’re successfully targeting their oil supply. And as British Prime Minister David Cameron said here at the United Nations in September, we are leading the efforts to tackle their propaganda so that fewer people around the world are influenced by their message of hate.

    Now we know that those who seek to commit acts of terror will not stop, and so neither should our resolve to defeat them. And when our values, democracy and freedom are threatened, when efforts are made to undermine the international peace and security that this Council protects, we must all unite to condemn those actions and prevent further tragedy.

    Since the council first adopted resolution 1267 back in 1999, the threat from terrorism has evolved. In Daesh we face a new type of threat, oppressing those in the territory that they physically control, inspiring foreign terrorist fighters to join their cause in places like Syria and Iraq and now of course potentially in Libya too, and radicalizing individuals to inspire them to commit atrocities at home. It’s a new breed of terrorism and a challenge for us as governments and the international community and it calls for a new response and today I think we’re making significant further steps to strengthen that response. I very much welcome the adoption of the very comprehensive resolution today, and thank the Secretary-General and his team at the UN for their work on this agenda.

    I just wanted to briefly set out the areas that the UK judges to be key to strengthening the global efforts to combat terrorist financing, combat the financing of Daesh and make full use of this resolution.

    First, I want us to ensure that we’re using the existing tools we have to combat the threat of terrorist financing to their full effect. In September this year the United Kingdom put forward a list of names of British nationals who have travelled to Syria and recommended them for listing them under UN sanctions. Today, I would urge other Member States to do the same. To propose the designation of individuals who pose a real threat, so their assets can be frozen around the world and we can cut off the resources they need before they can commit their planned acts of terror. Domestically too we must ensure we are using our counter terrorist financing regimes to full effect. I agree with what Secretary-General was saying earlier, we need to make sure that all members ensure they have a regime in place that criminalizes the financing of terrorists for any purpose, and that they implement the UN sanctions regime to fully and promptly and I thought this was a point that the President of FATF raised and was an extremely important one, this gap between the sanctions being announced and the sanctions being implemented is crucial in a world where you can move money in matter of seconds.

    In the United Kingdom, we’ve taken a long look at our regime and I can confirm today that we will legislate domestically to make sure we can implement UN sanctions without any delay. We are currently like other members of the European Union, reliant on an EU process that takes too long, and we want to work with our partners in the European Union to streamline that process and to make it more rapid, and to make sure we at European level are able to implement UN designations immediately.

    Second, I want to make sure that we are responding to the evolving nature of the terrorist threats with new measures too. We’ve already heard today about the value of the Syrian oil fields to Daesh, that this alone is providing them with millions of dollars a day, estimated $1.5 million each day. We know that military action which the United Kingdom through our air forces, proud to be taking with our allies is having success in limiting this resource, this oil money. But let us as finance ministers also take action too, we should make clear as we do with this resolution today that the UN sanctions regime can and will be used to target not just the terrorists but the traders, the middlemen, the people who facilitate the illegal trade in oil which provides Daesh with one of its principal sources of revenue and we should apply the same focus on the illegal trade in cultural artefacts, which I thought the finance minister of Jordan spoke very powerfully about. We are seeing literally the history of some of these countries being stolen from them, and there is much more we can do, frankly, to shine a light on this opaque trade in cultural artefacts.

    But of course, as we limit one arm of Daesh’s financial network, we know they’ll attempt to strengthen another, so we must be ready to respond to their evolving financial needs, such as financing through kidnap for ransom or organized crime. And I’m delighted that the resolution makes that clear as well. And I also want to look at new ways of gathering and sharing information internationally between our law enforcement agencies and indeed, domestically between law enforcement agencies and the private sector including our banking systems. This was a point that was raised by a number of speakers and I think it’s a very important one. And we are taking steps in UK as the home of one of world’s largest, indeed the world’s largest financial centre, we’re taking steps to make sure we have that partnership with the financial sector, working together to tackle illicit financial flows.

    The third and final point I want to make is this. I want to make sure that this group continues to work together to consider how we implement the recommendations, on how we do more to tackle terrorist financing, because as the threat is constantly evolving, so must our response to match it. I welcome the special meeting of Financial Action Taskforce last weekend, specifically focused on our collective response to terrorist financing. In particular, I was pleased to see a commitment from the group to update their report on Daesh financing, working with the counter-ISIL finance group and others. And I think it would be sensible for finance ministers to perhaps meet again in the Security Council in the months ahead at some point to review the evolving situation and to consider proposals for further measure. Let’s be clear, passing a resolution is one thing, implementing the resolution is of course another, and we’ve all committed to report to United Nations on the progress we make on that and I think that’s something that we should therefore put into action.

    So that’s where I see the priorities for action, ensuring we’re making the most of existing tools we’ve got, implementing new measures to respond to the particular threat that Daesh poses to us, and continuing to work together to develop our response further and reporting back here at the United Nations until we fully destroy this evil.

    Thank you.

  • Philip Hammond – 2015 Speech on Syria

    philiphammond

    Below is the text of the speech made by Philip Hammond, the Foreign Secretary, at the United Nations Security Council in New York, United States, on 18 December 2015.

    Thank you Mr. President.

    Let me begin by thanking the Secretary-General, and his Special Envoy Staffan de Mistura for all that they are doing to bring the Syrian parties together.

    And let me also thank you Secretary Kerry for the characteristic drive and energy that you have brought over recent months to this process in establishing the International Syria Support Group. This has given new international momentum towards the resumption of Syrian-led talks and has brought us to this important occasion today.

    The resolution we have adopted today is a further step in this work. Sadly, it is far too soon for any of us to predict an end to the Syria conflict, but I hope that we will look back on today as a significant step in that direction. Frankly, on Syria this Council has too seldom found the unity it needed to live up to its responsibility for delivering peace and security, despite some useful but only partially implemented Resolutions. This has to change.

    No country, no person who has been involved in Syria’s destruction in the last four years can take any satisfaction from what has happened. On the Syria dossier we have to concede we have all failed; we have all been losers; but by far the greatest losers are the people of Syria themselves. We have to do better and we have to do better fast if there is not be still more suffering.

    The participants in the ISSG came together behind a single aim: to support the Syrian parties to find an end to the conflict and tackle the terrorists currently operating in their country. We all share the sense of urgency which comes from witnessing the continuing deterioration of the humanitarian and security situation in Syria. The Syrian population, over 250,000 of whom have been killed and millions more forced from their homes, have borne the brunt of this conflict. This is not a humanitarian disaster; it is a humanitarian catastrophe.

    The ongoing indiscriminate use of weapons on civilians, especially artillery and aerial bombardments, including barrel bombs, continues to cause terror, destruction and civilian deaths. And while Daesh poses a real threat to Syrians as well as to the wider region, it is Asad who bears the responsibility for the majority of the deaths in Syria.

    Mr President,

    I commend Saudi Arabia for convening a broad cross-section of representatives of the Syrian opposition in Riyadh earlier this month. The agreement reached at that meeting in Riyadh and the formation of a high negotiating committee showed the determination of the Syrian Opposition groups to come together, whatever their differences, to play a crucial, constructive role in talks. They reaffirmed their commitment to implementation of the Geneva Communique, working towards a managed transition away from Asad and a pluralistic future for Syria.

    I welcome too Jordan’s efforts to build consensus on identifying terrorist groups operating in Syria. Whilst it is for this Council ultimately to decide to designate any such groups, the ISSG is in a privileged position to provide information, analysis and advice to the Council to assist it. We believe that it will take time to mature that view and we are able to test which groups are willing to commit to a political process and a ceasefire.

    Mr President,

    I would like to turn to the content of the Resolution and highlight the areas that will be critical to the progress of talks.

    First, all of us – both in this Council and in the broader international community – want to see a national ceasefire established. To have a realistic chance of success, a ceasefire must be closely aligned to progress on political transition and talks between the Syrian parties and under UN auspices. We’ve seen previous attempts to end the conflict in Syria undermined by a lack of determination by the parties to contribute productively to talks.

    It is critical that the voices of all Syrians are heard in this process, including Syrian women and members of Syrian minorities.

    Second, there needs to be confidence amongst the parties that the political process will deliver real results, without which neither the talks nor the ceasefire will be successful. This will not be easy: 5 years of conflict has eroded confidence.

    Therefore all parties must undertake Confidence Building Measures, some of which are identified in the resolution we’ve passed today. We welcome the work being undertaken by the UN to this end, and towards modalities for a ceasefire as mandated by this Resolution.

    All parties have a duty to take care in their military actions not to cause the death of civilians whether by deliberate or by reckless targeting. The indiscriminate use of weapons, especially the use of artillery and aerial bombardments including barrel bombs, must stop. Medical facilities and schools have increasingly become a target for aerial bombardment, something that is abhorrent to all of us and must stop.

    All parties must adhere to their duties under International Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law. They must allow humanitarian agencies rapid, safe and unhindered access throughout Syria by most direct routes. There are 13.5 million Syrians in need of humanitarian assistance. These people need to see a change to their lives if they are to have confidence in this political process and to feel its benefits. The UK is the second largest bilateral donor to the humanitarian effort in response to the Syrian conflict after the United States. But let us all do more on this front.

    This resolution also repeats a commitment to political transition in Syria, following the principles of the Geneva Communiqué in full, and leading to free and fair elections under a new Syrian constitution within 18 months. This will involve the establishment of a Transitional Governing Body with full executive powers and representative of all Syrians, which provides the framework for talks and an end to the conflict.

    This process necessarily involves the departure of Bashar al-Asad. Not only for moral reasons, because of the destruction he has unleashed upon his own people, but also for practical reasons, because it will never be possible to bring peace and unity to Syria as long as he remains in office. But we must and will protect the institutions that are necessary for the future governance, and that will be possible with a representative Transitional Governing Body and with the support of the ISSG.

    Mr President,

    Whilst we must seek to end the conflict in Syria, especially the violence that is directed against civilians, we must also join in confronting the threat posed by Daesh and other extremist groups in the country. An end to the civil war in Syria is critical to tackling Daesh in the long term. We are all clear that terrorist groups must not and will not benefit from ceasefire we are promoting.

    A key consideration for the Syrians in the establishment of the Transitional Governing Body will be the fight against terrorism. In this fight they will have the full support of the ISSG and of the Global Coalition. Following the appalling attacks in Sinai, Beirut, Ankara and Paris, this Council unanimously decided to adopt resolution 2249 which calls on countries to use all necessary means to combat Daesh. The UK responded to this resolution by extending the airstrikes we were already carrying out in Iraq against Daesh into Syria.

    In this regard it is vital that those countries that claim to be fighting Daesh do what they say, rather than directing the bulk of their attacks against non-extremist opposition groups. There is clear evidence over the last weeks that the weakening such groups has created opportunities for the expansion of Daesh in some areas, the very opposite of the stated objective.

    Mr President,

    As well as focusing on the immediate threats, we must also prepare for the future in Syria. We must affirm our commitment to assist in the post-conflict reconstruction of the country. Next February, in close partnership with Germany, Norway, Kuwait and the UN, the UK will co-host a conference in London on humanitarian support for Syria including a focus on civilian protection as well as planning for stabilisation. Of course Mr President, that conference will seek to raise the funding that is necessary to meet the United Nations appeal to support those displaced by the humanitarian crisis. But the UK is also committed to support post-conflict reconstruction efforts in Syria and has already committed to provide at least 1.5 billion dollars to this work in the long term in addition to the over 1.64 billion dollars we have so far given in humanitarian aid and I hope in February we will see others committing to both the immediate challenge and to the long term challenge of reconstruction.

    In conclusion Mr President,

    The conflict in Syria is now almost 5 years old. In that time more than 250,000 Syrians have been killed. We all have a duty to prevent further slaughter.

    Despite the important step we have taken with today’s Resolution, despite the progress we made in Vienna, despite the important steps forward made at the meeting in Riyadh the week before last, there is still a very long way to go.

    And to have a chance of success, the United Nations will need the clear and continued support of the International Syria Support Group and I know that I can say that it will have the support of that group.

    But above all, we need Syrian leaders of all persuasions to take responsibility for the future of their country and to take the tough decisions needed to bring about a lasting political settlement and an end to the conflict.

    Because we can help, but only Syrians can bring an end to Syrian suffering.

    Thank you.

  • David Gauke – 2015 Speech on Digital Tax

    davidgauke

    Below is the text of the speech made by David Gauke, the Financial Secretary to the Treasury, at HMRC on 14 December 2015.

    Good afternoon, and welcome to HMRC’s first-ever Christmas conference.

    It’s been quite a year – two Budgets, a Spending Review, an Autumn Statement, and of course a General Election.

    Lots of work has been done, lots of changes have been put in place, and I suspect that many of you, like me, are now looking forward to some time away from the office.

    I certainly have one eye towards the upcoming Christmas festivities, as I’m sure many of you do. And as the father of three boys, I’m currently in the process of managing expectations around presents.

    We’re having mixed progress on this in the Gauke household, but it’s fair to say that digital expectations are high and will remain high. And as a government minister, I have to take some responsibility for that.

    Because the government has similarly high digital expectations for HMRC, albeit expectations that must – and will – be met, and not just for Christmas! I am confident will be met.

    In every walk of life, people are embracing the digital revolution. From banking online to doing their food shopping, from advertising a business to paying invoices, millions of individuals and businesses are benefiting from the convenience and simplicity of digital services.

    But businesses and service providers are going further than simple digital interaction with their customers – they are harnessing the opportunities of the digital age to transform how their businesses work, and how they provide their services.

    And it’s the customers who are reaping the benefits.

    If businesses can do this then so should government. Our ambition is bringing the digital revolution to Whitehall – ensuring that the services it provides are similarly transformed. Last year for example, more than 27% of people renewed their tax credits online, almost doubling the previous year’s figure. This online renewal service has been welcomed by users with customer satisfaction rates for the service reaching over 80%.

    Life should be made easier for the customer

    The tax system is no exception.

    My ambition is to make fundamental changes to the way the tax system works, transforming tax administration to make it more effective, more efficient and easier for people and businesses to pay their taxes.

    And we have made it a priority to invest in making that a reality.

    Last month the Chancellor announced, as part of the Spending Review, a further investment of £1.3 billion to transform HMRC into one of the most digitally-advanced tax administrations in the world.

    This includes access to digital tax accounts for all small businesses and individuals by 2016-17, delivering an additional £1 billion of tax revenue by 2020-21.

    And today I have published ‘Making Tax Digital’. This sets out the overall vision to achieving this transformation, the steps needed to get there over this Parliament, and details of the consultations to follow in the coming months.

    ‘Making Tax Digital’ is structured around four foundations:

    First, ‘Tax simplified’ – All taxpayers will receive the data and services relevant to them and, for those who have difficulty going online or who need extra support, help will be available through other channels.

    Taxpayers shouldn’t have to give HMRC information that it already has, or should be able to get from elsewhere – for instance, from employers, banks, building societies and other government departments.

    Taxpayers will see the information that HMRC holds through their digital tax accounts, and be able to check at any time that their details are complete and correct.

    Better data means fewer mistakes, fewer delays, and a better outcome for all parties. This is an important development both for individuals and businesses, which Jim [Harra] will talk about in greater detail in the next session.

    HMRC will use this data to tailor the service it provides, according to each taxpayer’s individual circumstances. In 2016, HMRC will consult on how information from more third parties might reduce the reporting burden on taxpayers.

    Second, making tax digital for businesses. By 2020, most businesses, self-employed people and landlords will be required to keep track of their tax affairs digitally and update HMRC at least quarterly via their digital tax account.

    We will expect businesses to keep digital records and to update HMRC on a quarterly basis. But these updates will be done through software or apps and will be integrated into business’ digital record keeping.

    And I want to stress that this is the end of the tax return – this is not going to feel like doing four tax returns a year. Indeed, we expect these reforms to ease the admin burdens on businesses and to help them plan their cash flow more easily, by providing greater certainty about what they will owe.

    Updating HMRC directly in this way will be secure, light-touch and far less burdensome than the tax returns of today.

    In a real-time economy we should match tax more closely with the related transactions – many taxpayers have told HMRC that they want more certainty over their tax bill, and don’t want to hold on until the end of the year or even longer to find out how much they have to pay.

    Many businesses already use tools like these, but sometimes we need a catalyst to energise change. The requirement to use software or apps is this catalyst; it gives business certainty in terms of direction and allows full benefit from their use to be realised.

    Over the next year, HMRC will be undertaking a wide-ranging consultation exercise, and I want to work with you in ensuring that these reforms provide the maximum possible benefit for business.

    Third, making tax digital for individual taxpayers’. By April 2016, every individual and small business will have access to a digital tax account which will be simple, personalised and secure, offering an ever-wider range of services. Individual taxpayers will be able to interact with HMRC digitally and at any time that suits them.

    Fourth and finally, tax in one place.

    At the moment, many taxpayers have to contact different parts of HMRC to find out their financial position relating to different taxes. A business may pay income tax, VAT, National Insurance or Corporation Tax; an individual may pay income tax, National Insurance contributions or student loan repayments, and receive Child Benefit; some people run a business as well as being an employee or having a pension.

    In the next five years, all taxpayers will be able to use their digital accounts to see a single, up-to-date and easy-to-follow overview of their tax affairs, just like they do in their online banking.

    Together, all these elements will ensure that, by 2020, HMRC will have moved to a fully-digital tax system.

    So I’d like to share with you what that system could look like.

    Needlessly bureaucratic form-filling will be eradicated – taxpayers will not have to tell HMRC information it already knows.

    Unnecessary time delays will also be eliminated, because the tax system will be operating much more closely to ‘real time’. This will keep everyone up to date, removing the risk of missed deadlines, unnecessary penalties, debts arising and errors in the tax system being carried forward from one year to the next.

    Importantly, taxpayers would have 24/7 access to digital accounts, as well as having a complete view of all their tax liabilities and entitlements, allowing them to send HMRC information and payments simply and efficiently.

    And for those who have difficulty going online or who need extra support, help will be available through other channels. These taxpayers will be offered alternative means of support – over the phone, through face-to-face visits or through partners in the voluntary and community sector. We will also ensure free software is available for those with the simplest affairs.

    These reforms will quite simply transform the experience of millions of taxpayers.

    You’ll hear more about these plans this afternoon, including how these will be implemented and how some aspects of their design will be the subject of further consultation.

    And I would urge you all to get involved in shaping these plans – we want them to be the best they can possibly be.

    As we make tax digital, we will need to make sure that the new plans work for you, for the taxpayer, and for the UK. So we want to hear your voice and your views. Today I have also published a discussion document on payment, and we’d welcome your comments on that.

    We very much hope that events like today, as well as our more formal consultations, will give you and the people and organisations you represent the opportunity to contribute to this work, and shape tax administration for a generation to come.

    So – before I hand back to Edward [Troup] – thank you for your work so far, have a relaxing Christmas break, and let’s continue our conversations in the New Year.

  • John Whittingdale – 2015 Speech on WSIS Review

    johnwhittingdale

    Below is the text of the speech made by John Whittingdale, the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, at the UN General Assembly on 12 December 2015.

    Thank you Mr. President

    Your Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen,

    It is an honour for me to represent the United Kingdom at the conclusion of the ten-year review of the World Summit on the Information Society.

    WSIS is a crucial agenda for the United Kingdom. This review is a major step forward in our shared aim to build a people-centred, inclusive and development-oriented Information Society.

    It is an agenda built on the inseparable links between access to ICTs, the protection of human rights and social and economic development across the globe.

    The UK has played a leading role in the evolution of ICTs – from the early development of telegraphy and the first submarine cables, to the work of the Marconi Company in radio-communications in my own area of Chelmsford. And that pioneering work continues, from the invention of the World Wide Web by Sir Tim Berners-Lee, right up to the development of 5G mobile.

    The revolutions in technology we have seen over recent years have transformed business, public services and access to information, education and culture. They are transforming the lives of billions of people for the better.

    We need to make sure that these benefits reach every corner of the world.

    Investment by the private sector, and governments, has delivered enormous progress in the last 10 years. 3.2 billion people are now online.

    But there is more to do to close the digital divide. Four billion people worldwide remain offline – most of them in developing countries, and a disproportionate number of them, women.

    That is why the UK has emphasised throughout the review that we must make an explicit link between WSIS and the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda.

    In the UK we have kept our pledge on overseas aid by enshrining into the law the UN’s target of spending 0.7 per cent of gross national income on development aid.

    Many of the development programmes we fund are driven by information and communication technology.

    But for development to be truly sustainable, investment alone is not enough. We must also create an enabling environment.

    That is why we are pleased that the WSIS review emphasises the importance of competition, proportionate taxation and independent and non-discriminatory regulation.

    But governments cannot achieve the Information Society alone. That is why the multi-stakeholder approach – which brings together, governments, the private sector, civil society, the technical community and academia – is so vital.

    Our experience in the UK has demonstrated the critical importance of multi-stakeholder approaches. Whether it’s the rollout of superfast broadband to every UK citizen or keeping our children safe online, we have found that working together brings the best results.

    And let me be clear. ICTs do bring new challenges. As we become more dependent on ICTs so we need new solutions to ensure networks are open and secure.

    A year ago, the Prime Minister of the UK, David Cameron, convened the first WePROTECT Summit in London. Industry, governments and other organisations came together, united by a determination to treat child sexual abuse as a global crime requiring a global response. A multi-stakeholder approach to a serious challenge that affects us all.

    Our resolve to combat child sexual abuse is mirrored in our resolve to tackle the use of ICTs for other harmful activities – from harassment to crime to terrorism.

    A vital part of digital literacy is learning how to stay safe online. In the UK we are helping parents make choices about what their children can access and giving them filtering tools to protect them.

    We are looking at the best ways to require age verification for some types of harmful content and at ways to tackle illegal online gambling, to prevent piracy and to protect personal data.

    And we are investing £1.9 billion in cyber security over the next 5 years.

    But Governments cannot successfully tackle these issues working in isolation. If we are to achieve the WSIS vision, then all stakeholders need to play their part.

    I would like to conclude by talking about freedom. As the Minister in Britain for culture and media and telecoms, I know that societies thrive when there is access to information, an independent media to hold the powerful to account, the freedom for people to express their opinions and freedom for cultural expression.

    But in many parts of the world, serious threats remain to freedom of expression and plurality of information.

    Online censorship, restrictions on social media, and efforts to restrict civil society, are all undermining human rights.

    Journalists live in fear of attack, intimidation, politically motivated persecution and arbitrary libel suits. And because the Internet has made millions of people citizen-journalists, these new activists and bloggers are also under threat.

    The UK calls on all countries to protect and promote human rights and fundamental freedoms.

    That is why we consider one of the major achievements of this review the affirmation that human rights apply online as they do offline.

    Without that foundation, we will not be able to realise the potential of ICTs for global sustainable development.

    In conclusion, the WSIS review has been a major step forward in our common goal to build an Information Society for all.

    That goal should not only be measured by economic development and the spread of ICTs, but also by progress towards the realisation of human rights and fundamental freedoms and the opportunity for every individual to fulfill their potential.

    Our work has just begun. Let’s now move on to get the next four billion people online.

    Thank you.

  • Caroline Dinenage – 2015 Speech at Relate Event

    carolinedineage

    Below is the text of the speech made by Caroline Dinenage, the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Women, Equalities and Family Justice, at a Relate event on 17 December 2015.

    Thank you for the introduction. May I say how pleased I am to be here with you as you launch the ‘Breaking up is hard to do’ report. Thank you to everyone at Relate who worked so hard in producing it – not least Dr. David Marjoribanks, its author.

    And I also thank colleagues at the Department for Work and Pensions for commissioning this important report. I know you at Relate have worked with a wide spectrum of distinguished specialists and professionals in preparing it, including officials from the Ministry of Justice (MOJ).

    Many of your findings chime with my own views on family justice. You want families to have the information and tools they need to make informed decisions. You want to give families the best possible chance of reaching a secure and stable arrangement. You want to help as many families as possible to find their own solutions – rather than falling into court proceedings which can be expensive and unnecessary. So do I. I will say more about that in a moment.

    But first if I might introduce myself to those of you I have not met before. And I have met a good number of the people in this room since I took up post as Family Justice minister. I have visited family courts, met judges, Cafcass practitioners, families going through separation. I’ve made it a priority to meet as many of the people who work in this important area of justice as possible. I haven’t managed to meet all the key players yet, however, but I am working on it!

    In the meetings I have had, I have been impressed by the professionals who work together to support separating couples to make the best decisions about their children and finances. Many of these people share my own view that the system could work much better for separating couples and does not yet sufficiently or consistently put children first.

    We know that it’s very sad when a family breaks up and an acrimonious split between parents can have damaging effects on children. When children are drawn into conflict it can lead to both emotional and behavioural difficulties. Children benefit most from cooperative parenting following a separation and a positive relationship with both parents.

    But from speaking to people who work in family justice, as well as those who go through it, I know that people feel there is no single source of authoritative, accessible information or advice on what they can do to resolve their disputes. Our own new research set out in the Varying Paths to Justice report tells us that people have a strong preference for avoiding court, which they see as daunting, particularly in relation to child arrangements. They are not aware of the options available to resolve their problems themselves and feel there is no clear ‘route’ for those who want to avoid litigation.

    This cannot continue. I want to build a family justice system around the needs of its users with a particular focus on the most vulnerable – whether these are children, vulnerable adults or victims of domestic violence. We want to support people during the most stressful periods of their lives.

    I want to support and incentivise separating and separated couples to make their own arrangements for their children and finances, wherever possible.

    There should be clear alternatives to court that help separating couples work together to make arrangements that are appropriate to their circumstances. Where there are children involved, parents should have the tools to help them make arrangements that are sustainable and can be reconsidered in light of the changing needs of their children, in a way that a court order cannot. Where couples are making arrangements about their finances, they should have a clearer understanding of what is fair.

    I want to foster a cultural change to enable people to solve their own disputes in a less acrimonious way and not look to government to do it for them – with the right tools and information, most separating couples shouldn’t need to take their disputes to court.

    That means mothers and fathers stepping up and taking responsibility for their own separation – where that’s possible – and together working through the practicalities, always remembering to put children first. And it requires a system that enables parents to do just that.

    I am a strong supporter of family mediation in the private law process. Mediation enables parties to take ownership of their dispute and helps them to reach an agreement rather than be subjected to a court order which one party – or both parties – may not want.

    However, I accept that there are other ways in which parties can be helped to make their own arrangements, for example the Separated Parents Information Programme (SPIP), or the website and call centre service offered by DWP to enable parents to resolve disputes over child maintenance.

    That is why I would like to see a responsive system which is not one-size-fits all. I want to introduce an end to end, user-focused range of services. I want to see a system which minimises the impact of separation on parents and their children. Our Varying Paths to Justice report shows that people feel they would benefit from improved access to clear and timely information around the options available to them to help them resolve their problems – especially online. We’ll be looking at that as we consider how best to help those experiencing separation.

    Let me be clear about something, however: reform of the system will not be about excluding lawyers. Some people will still choose to hire a lawyer to help them through the process. But they shouldn’t need to if they don’t want to. Some people, of course, will always need to go to court. Any change to the system must involve effective protection for vulnerable people so that their disputes are resolved quickly, in a way that minimises impact on themselves and their family. And the sad truth is that the courts will still need to play a role in cases where parents are not working productively together to agree arrangements that are in the best interests of their children. The law is clear that in most cases this will mean children continuing to have an ongoing relationship with each parent. We will be reforming our courts system to transform it into a service that is built around the needs of all the people who use it and which will fundamentally improve access to justice for citizens.

    That is what my colleagues and I at MOJ will be working on. I will tell you more about it as our work develops. We will certainly take on board the advice and experience of those working in family justice and the many experts and academics across the voluntary and other sectors who have important experience in this field.

    Thank you.

  • Robert Goodwill – 2015 Speech at British Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association

    robertgoodwill

    Below is the text of the speech made by Robert Goodwill, a Minister of State at the Department of Transport, to the British Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association in the Strangers Dining Room of the Houses of Parliament on 16 December 2015.

    Thank you for inviting me to say a few words this afternoon.

    It’s good to be here.

    I am very grateful to the BVRLA for organising the discussions which have culminated in this evening’s reception.

    There really is no substitute for getting the experts around a table and thrashing out some good ideas.

    And I must say that I am impressed that such a broad range of organisations including BT, Barclays, Diageo, John Lewis, KPMG, and Royal Mail have reached agreement on so many fundamental issues.

    Of course, my job is to look at all the different ideas and attempt to plot the best possible course.

    That means it’s rarely possible to please everyone.

    But such a clear set of recommendations certainly helps.

    Autonomous emergency braking

    First, I was interested to see your strong support for autonomous emergency braking.

    I agree that this technology has great potential for increasing road safety.

    The good news is that progress is already happening.

    The European Union has made autonomous emergency braking mandatory for heavy vehicles such as lorries.

    And I have been encouraged by what has happened in the US where, in September, 10 of the top car manufacturers voluntarily agreed to install the braking technology in all future car models sold in America.

    It’s a classic example of technology moving quicker than the need for regulation.

    The market, helped along by demands from buyers, and perhaps some gentle encouragement from government, is getting us to near-universal adoption of autonomous emergency braking technology far quicker than we could draft, propose, debate and pass new laws.

    I am also grateful for your recommendation that the government adopts a requirement that its own vehicles should have a 5-star rating from the European New Car Assessment Programme.

    We are currently looking at this very question – of how to best include NCAP ratings into the official government buying standards and your recommendation is a very welcome contribution to that process.

    Intelligent mobility

    Turning to your recommendations about intelligent mobility, I agree that a common set of standards would be a huge help in the development of this new technology.

    Not just for the industry and for consumers.

    But also to give Britain the best chance of leading the field in new designs.

    So we have asked the Centre for Connected and Autonomous Vehicles – funded by the government to work with the British Standards Institute, the Intellectual Property Office and the Government Office for Science.

    To map the existing standards landscape and identify what more should be done.

    Air quality

    Finally, I am really glad you picked up on the issue of air quality.

    Poor air quality results in thousands of early deaths each year across the UK, and the main source of air pollution is road transport.

    So there can hardly be a more important issue for the government or for industry.

    I am pleased you have called for the continuation of the plug-in vehicle grants.

    They have been a real success in moving the industry forwards.

    But we need to do more, so we will shortly be publishing a new National Air Quality Plan.

    It will show how the UK will meet European air quality standards in as short a time as possible.

    Many of the points you have made will need to be taken account of in that plan.

    Conclusion

    But in the meantime, I agree that the government has an opportunity to lead the way in many of its purchasing decisions.

    As you recognise in your recommendations, governments can make a difference not just through passing new laws or imposing new taxes, but by setting an example and raising awareness – whether of air quality or new car technology.

    And as we look at how far the vehicle manufacturing industry has come in the last few decades, we must also recognise that pioneering fleet managers in the private sector have been great agents of change.

    That you have got together with the BVRLA and made these recommendations shows that the spirit of enterprise and innovation is still strong.

    So we will continue to reflect on your recommendations.

    In some cases, we are already taking action, and I will be pleased to circulate your recommendations among my colleagues in government.

    Thank you.

  • Sam Gyimah – 2015 Speech on Support for Families

    samgyimah

    Below is the text of the speech made by Sam Gyimah, the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Childcare and Education, at 61, Whitehall, London, on 4 December 2015.

    Good morning, it’s a pleasure to be here today at the Family and Childcare Trust, whose aim is to make the UK a better place for families, campaigning for affordable and accessible, high-quality childcare.

    As Childcare Minister, I am pleased to say that government shares these objectives. Support for families is at the heart of our agenda. We want to give children from all backgrounds the best start in life and deliver high-quality childcare that parents can access and afford, and that works best for them.

    And last week’s Spending Review showed how committed we are to supporting parents and families. Over the course of this Parliament we will invest more in childcare than any government before. By 2019 to 2020 we will be spending over £6 billion to support parents with childcare, £1 billion more per year, covering the free entitlements for 2-, 3- and 4-year-olds, Tax-Free Childcare, and the childcare element of the Universal Credit, which will provide support of up to 85% of childcare costs.

    The average market price paid for 25 hours of nursery provision for children aged 2 and over has risen by 69% in the last 10 years. It’s no surprise that working families struggle to find high-quality, affordable childcare. That’s why we are putting parents at the heart of our childcare offer and why we pledged to increase the free entitlement for 3- and 4-year-olds from 15 hours to 30 hours for working parents.

    What does this mean in practice? Working parents will continue to get 15 hours a week of free childcare. In addition to this, from September 2017, working parents of 3- and 4-year-olds will be able to get 30 hours a week of free childcare, worth up to £5,000 per child a year.

    Early implementation pilots will mean this will happen earlier – in 2016 – in some parts of the country. This will be an important opportunity to test what works and what doesn’t in delivering the extended entitlement before we roll out the additional 15 hours nationally.

    The reforms mean that along with the introduction of Tax-Free Childcare, which will provide support worth up to £2,000 per child per year, working families with 2 children could have claimed support with childcare costs worth up to £40,000 by the time both children go to school.

    We’re making this investment because of the benefits for children – with development and school readiness – but also to give families greater choice to work or work without being put off by childcare costs.

    30 hours eligibility

    There is a lot of speculation over eligibility. Every 3- and 4-year-old child will still get 15 hours free – the existing universal entitlement for 3- and 4-year-olds – which has very high take-up of 96%.

    Studies like the ‘Effective pre-school, primary and secondary education’ (EPPSE) study – carried out by academics at the Institute of Education, University of Oxford, and Birkbeck, University of London, has shown how successful the 15 hours is for educational attainment and that’s why it’s so important.

    Parents will be able to access the additional 15 hours if they each work at least the equivalent of 16 hours per week at the national minimum wage or living wage, including those who are self-employed, and the same threshold will apply in the case of lone-parent households. On current minimum wage levels, anyone earning more than around £107 a week will be eligible.

    We are setting an income cap set at £100,000, whereby parents earning more than that won’t be able to access the additional entitlement, although we’re not talking about a combined income here, but rather if one parent’s salary exceeds £100,000. This cap puts the extended entitlement in line with the tax system and means support is targeted at those who need it most.

    We also recognise that families have different circumstances which need to be taken into account.

    Parents working on zero-hours contracts will be eligible so long as they meet the criteria I just mentioned. Where one parent is employed, but the other has substantial caring responsibilities or one parent is disabled, the family will be eligible. Where both parents are employed, but one or both parents are temporarily away from the workplace, for example on maternity or adoption leave, the additional free hours will still be available, which will support continuity for families.

    Quality

    Quality is at the heart of what we are offering parents through the entitlements. Because we know it is quality of provision that delivers the best outcomes for young people, helping to prepare them for school and with their development more broadly.

    At August 2015, 85% of providers on the early years register were rated good or outstanding for overall effectiveness. Ratings for providers in the most deprived areas have improved from 59% good or outstanding in 2010 to 79% good or outstanding in 2015. Congratulations to all the providers in the sector for delivering this high-quality provision.

    We have confirmed that we will not adjust statutory staff-to-child ratios to deliver our pledge to offer more free childcare; and I will reiterate today that ratios won’t change. As the costs of childcare review we carried out shows, there are large benefits to operating at the statutory ratio of 1:8 and high-quality provision is delivered by providers who make the most of the flexibility offered by the current regulatory requirements.

    And we’re making sure we have the best-quality staff.

    The qualification level of the early years workforce has been rising – in group daycare settings 87% of the workforce have a relevant level 3 qualification and many members of the workforce have qualifications beyond this. We know this is important because leading international educational experts have found that staff qualifications are “one of the strongest predictors of the quality of early childhood education and care”.

    We have provided specialist training for some of our highest-quality graduates through early years initial teacher training; we have set clear qualification requirements for staff working in childcare settings so that they have a solid grounding in supporting children’s learning; and we have provided funding to help deliver on-the-job training and development for childcare staff.

    But I want to do more to make sure young people consider the early years as a career of choice and a sector in which they can pursue a long-term career full of potential. And I want those already working in the sector to have the opportunity to enhance their skills and to pursue qualifications that enable them to progress.

    I want us to do all we can to improve career progression routes. So through a workforce strategy I will explore how we can develop a career structure for all staff, as well as put in place a clear career path for apprentices in the sector.

    This is a key priority for me going forward.

    Funding places

    As well as being high-quality, we want to ensure that a free place for parents is exactly that, a free place.

    Through the investment we announced at the Spending Review we are setting a level of funding that will enable childcare providers to deliver high-quality care for children and parents, while at the same time providing value for money to the taxpayer. The overall increase in funding for childcare includes £300 million a year from 2017 to 2018 to increase the national average hourly funding rate paid to providers for the free entitlements. The new average hourly rate is £4.88 for 3- and 4-year-olds and £5.39 for 2-year-olds, and the equivalent rate per carer for 3- and 4-year-olds is £39. We based this funding on a comprehensive review of childcare costs, including careful assessment of 2,000 replies we had to the funding review, with input from all the leading sector organisations.

    We were the only party at the general election to commit to raise the average funding rate paid to providers and we have now delivered that.

    And we will make sure as much money as possible gets to the front line. I understand the way the local authority top slice works and how that leads to variation in rates across local areas, and that funding differs depending on types of provider. As the Chancellor announced at the Spending Review, we are committed to ensuring that funding is allocated in the fairest way and we will consult on an early years national funding formula next year. This will also consider funding for disadvantaged children and special educational needs.

    We are reducing bureaucracy – by simplifying and limiting the conditions that LAs can place on providers. And we are also looking at what else we can do to increase consistency across the country. We will consider whether we can support local authorities in drawing up agreements with providers and whether when providers form a statutory relationship with one local authority, they could then use this when setting up provision in other authorities.

    Availability

    We know that parents like a mix of provision, combining school nurseries – because they support school readiness – with childminding, day nurseries and other provision. We understand this and want to make sure enough places are created in the sector to support these choices.

    So as part of our spending commitments we are also supporting the sector with capital spending, and will allocate at least £50 million to support the creation of early years places. In addition, we will create at least 4,000 places through nursery provision as part of new free schools. And we will also consider why some providers on the early years register do not offer the free entitlement to see if we can make changes to encourage them to do so.

    All of this means that more childcare places will be created, giving parents better access to the childcare they need. And I want to make sure this works for all parents.

    We are opening up new sources of funding in disadvantaged areas through social investment. In March we launched the Childcare Investment Readiness Fund and we will announce the winning applicants shortly.

    This will help to generate a new culture of social investment in the early years market, supporting providers to grow. Groups such as LEYF in London have already effectively leveraged social investment and we want these success stories to be more widespread.

    I am clear that the free entitlement should be accessible by all eligible children, including special educational needs and disability (SEND) children. That’s why as part of early implementation of the 30-hours entitlement next September, we will be encouraging innovative approaches to providing high-quality, affordable and flexible childcare for working parents whose children are disabled or have special educational needs.

    We want to hear more about existing good practice, such as the Solent Teaching Alliance, which is delivering support for private, voluntary and independent nurseries – PVIs – with a focus on children with SEND, and Tor View School, a specialist learning community in East Lancashire helping PVIs in disadvantaged areas improve their support for children with SEND.

    We want to support parents with quality and availability of flexible places and help them to make informed choices. That’s why we have worked with childcare.co.uk to develop a digital app which allows parents to search for 2-, 3- and 4-year-old free childcare based on where and when they need it.

    Through the Childcare Bill we have introduced a requirement on local authorities to publish information and advice for parents on childcare in their area which will further support them with the information they need – from hours offered to cost and suitability for disabled children.

    Flexibility

    We know from the Facebook consultation we did over the summer – with nearly 20,000 members of the public – why flexibility and choice are so important to working parents. And, as a working parent myself, I know how important it is to find childcare that you are happy for your child to attend and which accommodates all your needs – from the parent who needs one child picking up from school at 3pm and the other from nursery so needs to combine childminding with traditional PVI provision to make drop-off and pick-up work. To the shift worker who works non-traditional hours.

    We want to support parents to make the choices that suit them in a high-quality way and this is what we will be looking at during early implementation.

    We have already taken steps to build flexibility within the existing 15-hour entitlement. For example, by encouraging local authorities to fund providers to allow parents to access early education hours between 7am and 7pm so that children can be dropped off earlier in the day or collected later. We will continue to encourage this flexibility because we want childcare to fit with parents’ working hours.

    We know that that this kind of flexibility is possible because we already see it in places such as Swindon, where at the Swindon 2 to 19 Academy the free offer for disadvantaged 2-year-olds is being offered over the weekend to support parents’ working patterns. In this case delivery works through a partnership between the school and a private provider, and I want to see more of these types of partnership.

    Supporting the type of childcare that parents need applies to all age groups, not just those under 5. That’s why we’re making sure that from September 2016 parents in schools will have a right to request wraparound childcare – before and after school, and during the school holidays.

    Simplicity

    A key message from parents during consultation was that a simpler system would help them – I’m sure that’s the message from providers too.

    With a range of childcare support from government it therefore makes sense that 30 hours matches up with Tax-Free childcare and that as well as the same terms of eligibility, because many parents will be eligible to use both the extended entitlement and Tax-Free Childcare, a joint application is being developed by HMRC which will mean that parents will be able to apply for both schemes through a joint online application.

    The Childcare Implementation Taskforce which joins up work on childcare across government will continue to work towards delivering a childcare system which is simpler for parents and providers alike.

    Conclusion

    Over the course of this Parliament we will invest more in childcare than any government before. We have made a strategic choice to invest in the sector at a time of austerity because we are on the side of working parents.

    We will build on existing successes – such as the 96% take up of the existing 3- and 4-year-old offer – to continue developing a childcare system which delivers for families. The decisions taken at the Spending Review and the Childcare Bill currently going through Parliament demonstrate our clear commitment to getting on and doing this.

    We will support children to have the best start in life, support families to work and, as a result, allow our country to prosper. But I know more than anyone that this requires an understanding of the childcare sector and working closely with providers, and I look forward to continued engagement with you as we do so.

  • Baroness Anelay – 2015 Speech in Geneva

    baronessanelay

    Below is the text of the speech made by Baroness Anelay, the Minister of State at the Foreign & Commonwealth Office and the Prime Minister’s Special Representative on Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict, in Geneva on 10 December 2015.

    Thank you, Mr Chair.

    I would like to begin by paying tribute to the courage and dedication of all those in the Red Cross and Red Crescent movement.

    The British Government is extremely grateful for the extraordinary contribution they make – under the most difficult of circumstances – in alleviating the suffering of the most vulnerable, particularly in armed conflict.

    Their vital work complements that of states, as we work to build and maintain peace around the world.

    We in the United Kingdom are clear that International Humanitarian Law remains the most effective framework for regulating armed conflicts.

    That is even more the case as the nature of war changes, as we see new tactics emerge, and new groups take part.

    Tragically, the laws of war are being increasingly ignored – by state and non-state groups alike. Therefore, the need for an effective system to minimise the damage of war is greater today than it has ever been.

    Mr Chair, my message today is that we already have that effective system. What we need is – not new laws – but better implementation of, and better compliance with, the existing framework.

    If everyone complied, International Humanitarian Law would prevent harm to civilians, just as it was designed to do.

    That is the immediate challenge.

    However, it is also remarkable that unlike other bodies of law, there are no dedicated fora where states can discuss International Humanitarian Law. Where they can meet and take stock of its developments and challenges.

    While the Human Rights Council has a wealth of expertise to discuss matters of Human Rights Law, it sometimes lacks expertise on International Humanitarian Law. This has led to confusion and conflation of the two – undermining their integrity and implementation.

    That is why the United Kingdom has actively participated in the four-year consultation process to establish a new meeting of states, dedicated to International Humanitarian Law.

    The UK strongly believes that this new forum should become the primary focus for all future discussions of International Humanitarian Law amongst States. This is essential to ensure these two important areas of international law remain valid and relevant.

    Conclusion

    To conclude, we remain convinced that International Humanitarian Law [IHL] remains the most effective way to protect innocent civilians from the devastating impact of armed conflict.

    Whilst during the course of the negotiations at this Conference over resolution 2 on IHL compliance there were divergent views about how best to address the problem of non-compliance with International Humanitarian Law, we were reassured that every delegation agreed that compliance with International Humanitarian Law is a matter of the utmost importance.

    We hope that, despite the divergent views expressed during this Conference, States can continue discussions on this important matter to ensure a new meeting of states can be established along acceptable lines. The UK remains fully committed to International Humanitarian Law, to ensure it is enforced and its principles are protected.