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Tag: 2020

  • Oliver Dowden – 2020 Comments on Extra Bank Holiday in 2022

    Oliver Dowden – 2020 Comments on Extra Bank Holiday in 2022

    The comments made by Oliver Dowden, the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, on 12 November 2020.

    Her Majesty’s Platinum Jubilee will be a truly historic moment – and one that deserves a celebration to remember.

    We can all look forward to a special, four-day Jubilee weekend, when we will put on a spectacular, once-in-a-generation show that mixes the best of British ceremonial splendour with cutting edge art and technology. It will bring the entire nation and the Commonwealth together in a fitting tribute to Her Majesty’s reign.

  • Therese Coffey – 2020 Comments on the Kickstart Scheme

    Therese Coffey – 2020 Comments on the Kickstart Scheme

    The comments made by Therese Coffey, the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, on 12 November 2020.

    Every job created by the Kickstart Scheme is a potentially life-changing opportunity for a young person, and the heartening response of employers shows they recognise the huge value in giving youth a chance.

    The pandemic has hit young people hard, but we are doing everything in our power to give them hope and the chance to find their place in the world of work.

    Employers from all corners of the country have signed up, creating thousands of new and interesting jobs and helping us to level up as we build back better.

  • Rishi Sunak – 2020 Comments on the Kickstart Scheme

    Rishi Sunak – 2020 Comments on the Kickstart Scheme

    The comments made by Rishi Sunak, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, on 12 November 2020.

    Our country’s future will be built by the next generation, so it’s vital that we harness the talent of young people as we rebuild from the pandemic. But this isn’t just about kickstarting our economy, we’re giving opportunity and hope to thousands of young people, kickstarting their careers and offering them a brighter future.

  • Jesse Norman – 2020 Comments on Annual Investment Allowance

    Jesse Norman – 2020 Comments on Annual Investment Allowance

    The comments made by Jesse Norman, the Financial Secretary to the Treasury, on 12 November 2020.

    It is vital that we support business through the difficult months ahead.

    Extending the Annual Investment Allowance’s £1 million cap will give businesses the confidence they need to invest into next year, helping them to grow whilst benefitting the wider economy too.

  • Kemi Badenoch – 2020 Comments on Pre-eclampsia

    Kemi Badenoch – 2020 Comments on Pre-eclampsia

    The comments made by Kemi Badenoch, the Minister for Equalities, on 12 November 2020.

    This year I returned from maternity leave after having my third child, so this is a topic that is very close to my heart.

    The UK is one of the safest places in the world to give birth and clinicians manage pre-eclampsia well. Seeking care before and throughout pregnancy is important and we want all women to have the access and confidence in this care the NHS provides. Particularly in a pandemic.

    Although maternal deaths are fortunately very rare, behind these tragic statistics, there are devastating consequences for families and children, so it is vital that we tackle this complex and concerning issue.

  • Dominic Raab – 2020 Comments of Breach of Sino-British Joint Declaration

    Dominic Raab – 2020 Comments of Breach of Sino-British Joint Declaration

    The comments made by Dominic Raab, the Foreign Secretary, on 12 November 2020.

    Beijing’s imposition of new rules to disqualify elected legislators in Hong Kong constitutes a clear breach of the legally binding Sino-British Joint Declaration.

    China has once again broken its promises and undermined Hong Kong’s high degree of autonomy. The UK will stand up for the people of Hong Kong, and call out violations of their rights and freedoms. With our international partners, we will hold China to the obligations it freely assumed under international law.

  • Kwasi Kwarteng – 2020 Comments on Green Jobs

    Kwasi Kwarteng – 2020 Comments on Green Jobs

    The comments made by Kwasi Kwarteng, the Business and Energy Minister, on 12 November 2020.

    This government has promised to do all it can to provide good quality, secure work as we build back better and greener from coronavirus.

    The Green Jobs Taskforce will oversee the UK taking strides towards long-term economic prosperity, as well as transitioning to the new low-carbon green industries of the future.

  • Alok Sharma – 2020 Comments on Climate Change

    Alok Sharma – 2020 Comments on Climate Change

    The comments made by Alok Sharma, the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, on 12 November 2020.

    Good afternoon, it’s a pleasure to speak to you today.

    Governments and businesses around the world are continuing to respond to the immediate and acute challenges posed by the covid pandemic.

    But we know that the climate crisis has not taken any time off.

    We must ensure that the global recovery delivers a greener, more inclusive and more resilient future for all our peoples.

    One that delivers on the commitments of the Paris Agreement and meets the Sustainable Development Goals.

    I would like to congratulate President Macron and Secretary-General Guterres for their leadership in holding this event.

    The first ever global summit of public development banks.

    Finance has a pivotal role in tackling climate change.

    The IPCC estimate that limiting temperature rises to 1.5 degrees would require global energy investments of around $3.5 trillion a year until 2050.

    And public finance has a crucial role to play in stimulating private investment.

    Last year, Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced a plan to double UK climate finance to £11.6bn over the period 2021-2025.

    And we call on others to match that ambition.

    The OECD has estimated that climate finance from developed countries reached 79 billion dollars in 2018, up 10 percent from the year before.

    And that bilateral and multilateral public finance has increased by 64 percent since 2013.

    This shows progress, but there is much further to go.

    Donors must meet and surpass the goal of mobilising $100 billion a year.

    And our COP26 Presidency will focus on working with others to mobilise funds and improve access for adaptation and resilience.

    Before COP26, we need to see all public development banks coming forward with clear plans.

    Including target dates by which their operations will be fully aligned with the Paris Agreement.

    The Finance in Common Summit Declaration will point the way forward for our work.

    Focusing on the green recovery and accelerating progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals.

    And on 12 December, the UK, the UN and France will co-host a Climate Ambition Summit, in partnership with Chile and Italy. And I invite leaders to use this as an opportunity to announce new commitments under the three pillars of the Paris Agreement; mitigation, adaptation and support.

    Working together, we can deliver the greener, more inclusive, more resilient future that we all want to see.

    Thank you.

  • Matt Hancock – 2020 Speech to NHS Clinical Commissioners Conference

    Matt Hancock – 2020 Speech to NHS Clinical Commissioners Conference

    The speech made by Matt Hancock, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, on 12 November 2020.

    A wise man once said that “the NHS is the best gift a nation ever gave itself”. And throughout this incredibly tough year, at this national time of need, the NHS has been there – as it always is – standing tall to protect us.

    But, we all know that this battle against coronavirus is not over yet. And you know better than anybody that the number of hospitalisations are on the rise and we must get this virus under control. And we have seen the very real risk of the NHS being overwhelmed, and so we have acted quickly to make sure that we put in place our new national measures. Because we cannot do this without you, without the NHS. People understand, people feel very deeply, the need to do what they must do to make sure the NHS can be there for us all.

    And while we are rightly focused at this moment on the demands of the pandemic and we have thrown everything we have got at making sure that the NHS has what it needs this winter:

    – with the extra funding and the Nightingale hospital standing ready once again if needed
    – with the increase in the number of doctors and nurses and other staff
    – the returners which come back to our wards
    – and the upgrades to almost every emergency department in the country

    We all know what a huge task is going on right now. But I also today want to cast our eyes forward, to look ahead beyond this critical day-to-day work that we are doing in response to coronavirus and ahead of this winter. I want to ask some crucial questions about the long term, about how we can use the lessons that we have learnt during this crisis to build a better health service for us all.

    I have seen so many examples this year of systems working together for the benefit of patients, because that is what system working is all about. I have seen it where hospitals are under pressure with numbers of coronavirus patients. And making sure that the whole NHS comes together to ensure care can be provided.

    I have seen healthcare teams working side by side with charities and community groups to offer clinics for hard-to-reach patients. I have seen the phenomenal effort to look after rough sleepers – working together across the system, with local authorities and the NHS side by side. From housing to the NHS, to public health. All to protect the most vulnerable.

    I think, in fact I know, that the system works best when it is empowered to work together, when the relationships are strong. And crucially when we remove barriers to our cooperation wherever we find them. To support a better, less fragmented set of decision-making. And to allow the well-rounded care which is vital in a world of complex interrelated conditions.

    So, while we work on the day-to-day, so we must learn from how the day-to-day works well and drive this agenda forward, building on the NHS Long Term Plan and working towards a system as the default approach by next year. A systems approach can best serve the interests both of patients and of course of those who are giving the care within the NHS. Because it can give leaders the backing they need to empower them to solve problems in their area. So, whether it is, for instance, breaking down the barriers between community and hospital care, whether it is the joining up health and social care, making sure that prevention and public health agenda are tied together with treatment.

    Integration of course is not a ‘silver bullet’ for all problems in healthcare, not by any means. But if we bring to bear the whole wealth and diversity of experience that exists in a local community and learn from where things go well, then we will have a much better chance of helping people live healthier and happier lives for longer. That, after all, is what it is all about.

    But building a better NHS is not just about the structures and the systems. I know from talking to so many of you that it is about the culture too. Now of course the culture is underpinned by the legislation in which we operate and by the financial structures that are put in place. But there is an unspoken ethos that drives any organisation. And we must ensure that the culture of how we work together embraces innovation and new ideas and embraces collaboration rather than a silo approach.

    During the demands of the pandemic, we have seen how people do their best work because they were trusted to do their job. And here too I want to take forward the lessons that together we have learnt by:

    – shedding unnecessary bureaucracy that gets in the way of doing your job
    – intensifying our use of the most transformative technologies so that people and clinicians can do their best work and spend more time with patients
    – and making it easier to bring the right qualified people to the front line, like of course those returnees
    – and like the way we are allowing more people with more clinical qualifications to be trained in order to participate in the vaccination programme

    So this is what is behind our People Plan. For the first time ever we have a Chief People Officer in the NHS and Prerana Issar is absolutely brilliant. She has put together a People Plan which is not a single document, it is a whole series of interventions all about showing how we will improve the support we offer to colleagues across the NHS. From practical support like better rest facilities which are so important to people, to the emotional support that is so vital. Every single person working in the NHS has contributed to the unprecedented national effort to beat back this virus and save lives.

    And I will do my utmost to protect and support you through this pandemic and beyond. And through our People Plan we will constantly strive to make the NHS a brilliant place to work, that is central to delivering on the promise that the NHS holds out for the people of this country and the patients who we look after and the citizens who we serve.

    Now of course coronavirus has also shone a light on some of the inequalities of our health system and the disparities you can find in your health and healthcare depending on your background, where you live, what job you do. We all need to keep working to level up health and care provision. In the same way that as a government we want to level up in education, and housing and so many other areas of our society. And one of the ways that we can do this is by strengthening our public health systems. Not just the standing capacity to respond to future threats to public health through the new National Institute for Health Protection. But also the vital health improvement work. Improving people’s health, which of course improves quality of life and making sure that we support people to get the very best that they can out of life, by making sure we support people to improve their own health.

    Now central to this is tackling obesity. And in fact, the coronavirus epidemic and the link from obesity to morbidity has shown yet again how important this agenda is. Our new obesity strategy, which builds upon work of the past, is full of measures to help people make healthier choices.

    But there is so much more to do across the whole spectrum of health improvement. We want to embed health improvement more deeply all across the board. And I see this as a critical moment to ensure that we don’t parcel out health improvement and see it as something separate. But see how health improvement is and must be embedded in the work of the NHS, local authorities and so many government departments.

    We know that we can help more people to stay out of hospital in the first place. Just as we know that they will get the very best possible medical care when they do come into the NHS. And we all have to lean into the health improvement agenda, especially in primary care. When done right, health improvement has always been at the core of its responsibilities.

    Now I know that this has not been an easy year for the NHS. But I also know that when people look back on this tough time in our history, they will be awed by the outstanding contribution that has been made by so many people. And so many people that are taking part in this conference today. You have been there for us, just as you always are. So, I would like to thank you once more, for your incredible efforts and for the efforts that are still to come. You show the country at its best and all of us are in your debt. Thank you.

  • Alok Sharma – 2020 Statement on Covid-19

    Alok Sharma – 2020 Statement on Covid-19

    The statement made by Alok Sharma, the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, on 12 November 2020.

    Good afternoon. I am joined today by Professor Stephen Powis, National Medical Director of NHS England

    The average number of new cases each day is now 22,524, compared to 22,398 a week ago.

    There are now 14,196 COVID-19 patients in hospital across the UK, compared to 12,406 a week ago.

    1,219 patients are now in mechanical ventilation beds, compared to 1,142 a week ago.

    And, sadly, another 595 deaths within 28 days of a positive test were reported yesterday.

    The 7 day average daily number of deaths each day in the UK within 28 days of positive test by date reported is now 375, up from 295 a week ago.

    Our thoughts are very much with the families and loved ones of those who’ve lost their lives.

    Which is a reminder to us, as to why we are taking the action we are, to stop the spread of this virus and ultimately save lives.

    Today, we are also reminded about the vital importance of fighting this virus to protect our economy.

    Whilst the economy grew by 15% in the third quarter, it slowed in September and remains 8.2% below where we were in February.

    We in government understand acutely the human impact this statistic represents.

    It’s jobs, livelihoods, and families affected.

    So we will continue to support businesses now, and as they recover.

    The government has provided unprecedented levels of support for businesses over the past 8 months.

    To date, that represents over £200 billion in support.

    This is one of the most generous and comprehensive packages of financial support provided in the world, which the International Monetary Fund has praised.

    Just this month we have announced an extension of the self-employed grant scheme to March next year.

    An extension of the furlough scheme, at 80% until the spring.

    Cash grants of up to £3,000 per month for businesses in England, which are required to be closed due to this month’s national restrictions.

    These will benefit 600,000 business premises.

    And I can confirm today that we will be distributing £2.2 billion to local authorities tomorrow, to allow them to make these vital grant payments to businesses which have been affected.

    All of these measures are designed to preserve jobs and help businesses stay afloat.

    Today, we have also announced that more than 19,000 jobs have been created so far through our Kickstart Scheme.

    These jobs are spread across the country and in a variety of sectors.

    I know how hard this job market is, particularly for young job seekers, hoping to enter the workplace for the first time.

    The Kickstart Scheme is a ray of hope for young people, and I want to thank all the businesses which have stepped up to participate in this scheme.

    I speak to businesses everyday, and I can see, that despite the tough times, they are determined to soldier through this.

    Through sheer hard work, innovation, resilience and invoking a real community spirit across the United Kingdom.

    For example, in Aberdeenshire, Brewdog has made hand sanitiser to protect our front-line NHS staff.

    In Belfast, Axial3D has helped to develop thousands of new ventilators.

    In Surrey, Carousel Lights have adapted their manufacturing process to produce ‘sneeze screens’ for GP surgeries, pharmacies, and care homes.

    In Caerphilly, Transcend Packaging has converted production lines to create PPE, almost doubling their workforce in just four months.

    Because, despite the government’s support, and when it comes down to it, it is you who are keeping this country going.

    You who are powering our economic recovery.

    Just as our brilliant scientists and researchers are powering ahead in the race to discover a safe and effective vaccine.

    A little over 6 months ago, I stood here and announced the creation of the Vaccines Taskforce.

    A team of industry experts, scientists and civil servants, with one mission: to secure a vaccine to beat down this virus.

    Since then, they have secured access to 350 million doses, through agreements on 6 of the leading candidates in the world.

    The Taskforce has demonstrated how we can work together at pace.

    Business and science, the NHS and local communities, together forging a path out of this predicament.

    But, although this week’s announcement on the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine is potentially very good news, we still have a lot of hurdles to overcome before we can be certain of its safety and efficacy.

    And so we must ensure that we continue to follow the guidance.

    To protect our loved ones, our families, our friends, our communities.

    Because the virus is still here. It is still a danger.

    So we must not lose our resolve now.

    We must keep focused.

    To protect the health of the nation and the health of the economy.

    Working together, supporting each other, we will get through this.

    We will come out the other side stronger, more resilient and more united.

    Thank you.