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Tag: 2021

  • Preet Gill – 2021 Comments on Foreign Aid

    Preet Gill – 2021 Comments on Foreign Aid

    The comments made by Preet Gill, the Shadow Secretary of State for International Development, on 26 April 2021.

    Last week the Foreign Secretary exposed his fear of scrutiny by trying to sneak out a written statement on his callous aid cuts

    Today, having been forced to come to face up to his decisions by the right honourable member for Sutton Coldfield, he has once again evaded scrutiny and hidden behind one of his ministers instead.

    Make no mistake, slashing humanitarian support in the middle of a global pandemic is callous and incredibly short-sighted.

    People will lose their lives as a result of the cuts and we will all be less safe.

    As the only G7 nation to cut aid, it is a retreat from our moral duty and will weaken our position on the world stage.

    The statement last week was light on detail so can the minster tell us whether ambassadors have been informed of their allocated budgets and the date when all FCDO country office budgets for 2021 will be made public?

    Can he tell us whether impact assessments for each country will be conducted and when they will be forthcoming?

    Can he explain the Foreign Secretary’s comments that “no one is going hungry because we haven’t signed cheques” given that 16-million Yemenis and 12 million Syrian people are on the brink of famine and how he thinks the respective 60 per cent and 30 per cent cuts in aid will impact on people in those countries?

    The impact of the cuts on his government’s own stated priorities are stark:

    From education which has been cut by 40 per cent.

    To health programmes like the IRC’s ‘Saving Lives in Sierra Leone’ which has helped over three million people and now been cut by 60 per cent.

    In a year when Britain will be hosting the G7 and COP26 this is a shameful act and part of a pattern of retreat from the world stage by this Conservative government

    So, rather than continuing to treat parliament with contempt, will he commit to putting these cuts to a vote at the earliest opportunity?

  • Rachel Reeves – 2021 Comments on the Independent Advisor on Ministerial Standards Becoming Independent

    Rachel Reeves – 2021 Comments on the Independent Advisor on Ministerial Standards Becoming Independent

    The comments made by Rachel Reeves, the Shadow Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, on 26 April 2021.

    “There must be no bullying and no harassment, no leaking, no misuse of taxpayer money, and no actual or perceived conflicts of interest.”

    These words are from the Prime Minister’s foreword to the Ministerial Code.

    I don’t know if he believed them then, but he is trampling on them today.

    The Prime Minister is now corrupting the standards of public life expected in high office.

    As he tries to cover up payments for the luxury refurbishment of his Downing Street flat, possibly breaking the law through undeclared loans.

    As for leaks, we are now seeing the pipes burst with the sewage of allegations.

    The fish rots from the head down.

    There is a reason why there is no Independent Advisor on Ministerial Standards.

    There is a reason why the Government won’t publish the long overdue list of Ministerial Interests.

    The Prime Minister hasn’t wanted them.

    This is a Prime Minister who would rather “let the bodies pile high” than act on scientific advice.

    They are not bodies. They are people and loved ones, and they are missed.

    When will the Government publish the Register of Minsters’ Financial Interests?

    Who paid the invoices for the Prime Minister’s flat refurbishment in the first place, and when were those funds repaid?

    When will the vacancy for the Independent Advisor on Ministerial Standards be filled and will they be given powers to trigger independent investigations?

    And, finally, will the minister apologise for the stomach churning comments that have come out today, and urgently announce a public inquiry into the Government’s handling of the pandemic?

    This is all about conduct, character and decency.

    Our country deserves so much better than this.

  • Matt Warman – 2021 Statement on the Extension of 5G

    Matt Warman – 2021 Statement on the Extension of 5G

    The statement made by Matt Warman, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, in the House of Commons on 20 April 2021.

    Now, more than ever, people need access to dependable and consistent mobile coverage where they live, work and travel.

    We have committed to extend mobile geographical coverage across the UK with uninterrupted mobile signal on all major roads, and to be a global leader in 5G. That is why the Government have agreed a £1 billion shared rural network deal with the UK’s mobile network operators to extend 4G mobile geographical coverage to 95% of the UK by 2025. The Government are also investing £200 million in a programme of 5G testbeds and trials to encourage investment in 5G so that communities and businesses can benefit from this new technology.

    It is essential that the planning system can effectively support the delivery of the mobile infrastructure that we need. That is why in 2019 the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport and the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government published an in-principle consultation on proposed reforms to the permitted development rights governing deployment of mobile network infrastructure. We concluded that the proposed reforms would have a positive impact on the Government’s ambitions for the deployment of 5G and extending mobile coverage, particularly in rural areas, where mobile coverage tends to lag behind more urban areas.

    In July 2020 we announced that we would take forward the reforms, subject to a technical consultation on the detail of changes and including the appropriate environmental protections and other safeguards.

    The Government have now published a technical consultation, https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/ changes-to-permitted-development-rights-for-electronic-communications-infrastructure-technical-consultation, seeking views on proposals to:

    Enable the deployment of small radio equipment cabinets without the requirement for prior approval in article 2(3) land (which includes national parks, areas of outstanding natural beauty and conservation areas), and allow greater flexibility for installing equipment cabinets in compounds;

    Allow for the strengthening of existing masts by permitting greater increases in the width and height of existing masts outside of article 2(3) land, and the width of existing masts in article 2(3) land, without prior approval; and further increases with prior approval;

    Enable building-based masts to be deployed closer to the highway on unprotected land; and permit smaller masts and poles to be installed on buildings without prior approval outside of article 2(3) land; and,

    Enable taller new ground-based masts to be deployed on all land subject to prior approval, with greater permitted heights outside of article 2(3) land; and permit the deployment of monopole masts up to a height of 15 metres without prior approval outside of article 2(3) land.

    The proposed changes will not apply to land on or within sites of special scientific interest, to listed buildings and their curtilage, or sites that are or contain scheduled monuments.

    The consultation will run for eight weeks, closing 14 June 2021.

    These changes will support wider and enhanced coverage that will ensure all communities benefit, and will give greater certainty and speed over deployment of infra-structure, increasing investor confidence. They also aim to encourage the use of existing infrastructure and promote site sharing to reduce the impacts of new deployment.

    We believe these proposals achieve an appropriate balance between supporting the Government’s ambitions for 5G and mobile coverage, and ensuring that the appropriate environmental protections and safeguards are in place, particularly for protected landscapes.

    Alongside the technical consultation, we will work with industry representatives, Ofcom, local authorities and rural stakeholders to develop a new code of practice on mobile network development in England, to ensure the impact of new and upgraded mobile infrastructure is minimised and that appropriate engagement takes place with local communities.

    As planning law is a devolved matter, any future legislative changes will apply to England only, but we will continue to work closely with the devolved Administrations to ensure that the planning regime continues to support the deployment of mobile infra-structure across the United Kingdom.

  • John Whittingdale – 2021 Statement on the Regulation of Football Index

    John Whittingdale – 2021 Statement on the Regulation of Football Index

    The statement made by John Whittingdale, the Minister for Media and Data, in the House of Commons on 20 April 2021.

    I am announcing today that DCMS will appoint an independent expert to conduct a review of the regulation of the Football Index gambling product, up to the point where its operator’s licence was suspended in March, and to make recommendations to the Government and the regulators.

    Football Index’s operator, BetIndex Ltd, was granted a licence to provide online betting by the Gambling Commission in September 2015. The Commission began a formal review of this licence in May 2020 and suspended it in March 2021. The company is currently in administration. At the time of suspension, the product allowed customers (called traders) to place bets (shares) on the future performance of footballers. These bets lasted for three years, with payments called dividends being made according to a player’s performance. The product evolved to let customers buy and sell bets with prices fluctuating according to demand.

    The Government are taking the situation regarding Football Index and the concerns of those affected by it very seriously. It is reported that many thousands of customers are affected by the product’s collapse, with some having lost very large sums. This review will aim to establish both how this situation came about and what lessons we can learn from it.

    A principal purpose of the review will be to take an objective look at the decisions and actions of the Gambling Commission and any other relevant regulators, to provide a clear account of how the company’s activities were regulated and identify if there are potential areas for improvement in how complex products are treated.

    Its findings will form part of the evidence informing the Government’s review of the Gambling Act 2005, which was announced in December 2020. The review is considering whether changes are needed to the regulatory framework around gambling, including the Commission’s powers and resources and how it uses them. It is also looking at how novel and complex products should be licensed and regulated.

    The Commission’s regulatory investigation into BetIndex Ltd is continuing. This independent review is separate to that investigation and will be carried out and report in a way which will not compromise it. It will also be without prejudice to the ongoing administration proceedings, which among other things are looking at assets and liabilities of the company and recompense to customers.

    Further details of the independent reviewer and terms of reference will be announced in due course. It is intended that the review will report publicly in the summer and will inform the wider Gambling Act Review. The Government aim to produce a White Paper setting out their findings from the review of the Gambling Act 2005 by the end of the year.

  • Kwasi Kwarteng – 2021 Statement on Baglan Operations Limited and Baglan Group Companies

    Kwasi Kwarteng – 2021 Statement on Baglan Operations Limited and Baglan Group Companies

    The statement made by Kwasi Kwarteng, the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, in the House of Commons on 20 April 2021.

    I am tabling this statement for the benefit of hon. and right hon. Members to bring their attention to the details of a contingent liability following the provision of an indemnity from the Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy to the Official Receiver acting in the insolvency of Baglan Operations Limited (BOL) and the wider Baglan Group companies.

    It is normal practice when a Government Department proposes to undertake a contingent liability of £300,000 and above, for which there is no specific statutory authority, for the Department concerned to present Parliament with a minute, giving details of the liability created and explaining the circumstances.

    BOL entered liquidation on 24 March 2021 and owns a site hosting a gas generation plant—now closed—and operates a private wire which provides electricity to the Baglan Energy Park in Port Talbot. The energy park accommodates various businesses—primarily a paper product manufacturer, Intertissue—public sector buildings —local authority offices and a NHS medical centre—and a water pumping station.

    The departmental minute I lay today is to notify Parliament retrospectively of the provision of an indemnity to the OR.

    Departmental officials and I are aware of the presence of several chemical substances at the site that will require safe disposal. There is also a gas plant and 12 km of pipeline that will require decommissioning. BOL supplies the electricity through a private electricity wire, which is exempt from being licensed. As it is licence-exempt, BOL is not capable of being covered by the energy regulator Ofgem’s supplier of last resort arrangements or any energy special administration regime.

    My Department has been monitoring this fast-moving situation since December 2020, working closely with the Welsh Government, Wales Office, the Insolvency Service, UK Government Investments (UKGI) and HM Treasury.

    My Department has provided the OR with an indemnity in respect of:

    carrying out the proper performance of the OR’s duties as liquidator of the Baglan Group companies;

    seeking the appointment of, engaging and instructing the special managers in respect of the Baglan Group companies; and

    maintaining, securing and funding the ongoing operation of the Baglan Group companies undertakings, and distributing the assets of the companies in the ordinary course of the OR’s duties as liquidator of the Baglan Group companies.

    HM Treasury has approved the proposal and I will be laying a departmental minute today containing a description of the liability undertaken.

  • Boris Johnson – 2021 Speech at Leaders Summit on Climate

    Boris Johnson – 2021 Speech at Leaders Summit on Climate

    The speech made by Boris Johnson, the Prime Minister, on 22 April 2021.

    I’d like to begin by thanking President Biden very much for bringing us together today in the way that he has and for setting out the problem in the eloquent way that he did at the beginning, and of course for returning the United States to the front rank of the fight against climate change.

    I’m really thrilled by the game-changing announcement that Joe Biden has just made. And I’m proud that the UK is doing the same.

    We were first country to pass legislation for net zero. We have the biggest offshore wind capacity of any country in the world, the Saudi Arabia of wind as I never tire of saying. We’re halfway to net zero.

    We have carbon emissions lower than at any point since the 19th century, we’re ending support for fossil fuels overseas and doubling our international climate finance.

    We’re actually speeding up because we see the obligations for developed countries to do more, we’re legislating to deliver 78% of the reductions needed to reach that goal by 2035.

    As host of COP26, we want to see similar ambitions around the world and we’re working with everybody, from the smallest nations to the biggest emitters to secure commitments that will keep change to within 1.5 degrees.

    And I think we can do it. And to do it we need the scientists and all of our countries to work together to produce the technological solutions that humanity is going to need. Whether it’s carbon capture and storage or solving the problems of cheap hydrogen delivery or getting to jet zero flying, getting to net zero flying, making sure that we can roll out EVs properly, making sure that our homes stop emitting such prodigious quantities of CO2, moving to sustainable domestic living.

    We can do this together across the world. It’s going to mean the richest nations coming together and exceeding the $100 billion commitment that they already made in 2009 and I stress how important that is.

    Plus, I think what President Xi had to say about the harmony with nature was absolutely vital. If we’re going to tackle climate change sustainably, we have to deal with the disaster of habitat loss and species loss across our planet and we want to see even more examples of government and private industry working hand in hand as with the newly launched LEAF Coalition to reduce deforestation and the multi-trillion dollar Glasgow Financial Alliance for Net Zero.

    To do these things we’ve got to be constantly original and optimistic about new technology and new solutions whether that’s crops that are super-resistant to drought or more accurate weather forecasts like those we hope to see from the UK’s new Met Office 1.2bn supercomputer that we’re investing in.

    I’m not saying any of this is going to be easy. There is obviously going to be a political challenge. It’s important to go back to the original words of President Biden, it’s vital for all of us to show that this is not all about some expensive politically correct green act of ‘bunny hugging’ or however you want to put it. Nothing wrong with ‘bunny hugging’ but you know what I’m driving at.

    This is about growth and jobs and the President was absolutely right to stress that. I want to leave you with the thought that we can build back better from this pandemic by building back greener.

    Don’t forget that the UK has been able to cut our own CO2 emissions by about 42% on 1990 levels and we’ve seen our economy grow by 73%, you can do both at once. Cake have eat is my message to you.

    Let’s work together on this. Let’s go to Kunming in October and Glasgow in November armed with ambitious targets and the plans required to reach them.

    And let’s use this extraordinary moment and the incredible technology that we’re working on to make this decade the moment of decisive change in the fight against climate change and let’s do it together.

  • Alok Sharma – 2021 Speech at Leaders Summit on Climate

    Alok Sharma – 2021 Speech at Leaders Summit on Climate

    The speech made by Alok Sharma, the COP26 President, on 22 April 2021.

    Your Excellencies, Ladies, Gentlemen, Friends.

    Before a baby born today has even finished primary education, the future will be set.

    We all know that the next decade will be make, or break, for planet earth.

    And the warning lights are flashing bright red.

    And that is why the decisions world leaders are taking today, and, indeed, on the road to COP26, are going to be absolutely critical.

    So I want to thank President Biden for bringing us together, and for the US’s own ambitious new nationally determined contribution.

    And, indeed, I am grateful to everyone who has made announcements.

    And moved us closer to our clean, green future. To creating jobs and prosperity without harming the planet.

    And with today’s announcements from the US, Canada and Japan, every G7 country now has an NDC that puts them on a path to net zero by 2050.

    This is a significant step towards keeping 1.5 degrees within reach, from a group of countries who have a responsibility to lead.

    As you’ve heard, Net zero commitments now cover 70 percent of the global economy.

    And this is real progress. But we have much further to go.

    Because, as I said at the Climate Ambition Summit in December, the key question is:

    Have we collectively as a world community done enough to put the world on track to limit warming to 1.5 degrees.

    To protecting ourselves from climate change.

    And making the Paris Agreement a reality.

    Friends, the answer to that question is still: no, not yet.

    Between now and COP26 there will be more opportunities for countries to raise their ambition. And so we must.

    Because if we are serious about 1.5 degrees, we must be serious about NDCs. And we must be serious about acting now to reduce emissions. And we must be serious about supporting developing countries.

    The next IPCC report will show us again the urgency of our situation.

    And the world is looking expectantly to its leaders to respond.

    And we must prove that we are up to the challenge. And we must make COP26 the turning point where we get on track to make the goals of the Paris Agreement a reality.

    And that means, firstly, putting the world on a path to net zero through long term targets and aligned NDCs.

    And taking immediate action to meet those targets – by, for example, phasing out coal.

    So, I welcome South Korea’s commitment to end overseas coal financing.

    Second, we must boost adaptation.

    Third, we need finance, as we have heard about in this section. And we must all see ourselves as champions of developing countries. Whose calls for action we have heard loud and clear today.

    Climate change, we all know, does not respect borders. And tackling it is absolutely a global effort.

    So, developed countries must mobilise the promised $100billion a year.

    And I very much welcome the US return to the fold following today’s initial climate finance commitment. And we will continue to work with all donors to increase ambition towards our collective goal.

    Finally, we must work together to deliver a low carbon world, and make the negotiations in Glasgow a success.

    Friends, today, we have made progress on our goals.

    But we need a further step change.

    We need world leaders to mount a global response that matches the scale and the urgency of the crisis we face.

    This is the defining issue of our political age.

    The one against which future generations will judge us above all others.

    But I do believe we can and we must rise to the occasion.

  • Nigel Huddleston – 2021 Comments on a Fan Led Review of Football

    Nigel Huddleston – 2021 Comments on a Fan Led Review of Football

    The comments made by Nigel Huddleston, the Sports Minister, on 22 April 2021.

    Football begins and ends with fans and we have seen that passionately displayed this week. It must be a watershed moment in our national game. We must capitalise on this momentum. Clubs are the beating heart of their local communities and this important review will help put football on a surer footing for the future where supporters voices are heard.

  • Oliver Dowden – 2021 Comments on the Global Screen Fund

    Oliver Dowden – 2021 Comments on the Global Screen Fund

    The comments made by Oliver Dowden, the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, on 23 April 2021.

    The United Kingdom has an independent screen industry to be proud of. World renowned, our film, TV, video game and animation industries create jobs and growth the length and breadth of the UK.

    The UK Global Screen Fund will export the extraordinary talent and creativity of the UK to audiences across the globe, supporting our talented filmmakers and screen businesses to compete and grow.

  • Liz Truss – 2021 Comments on the UK/Australian Trade Deal

    Liz Truss – 2021 Comments on the UK/Australian Trade Deal

    The comments made by Liz Truss, the Secretary of State for International Trade, on 23 April 2021.

    We have made major breakthroughs over the past few days and an agreement is now in sight. I want to thank Dan personally for the contribution he has made and for his desire to get this deal done.

    This is a deal that will deliver for Britain and all parts of our economy. It is a win-win for both nations. It is a fundamentally liberalising agreement that will support jobs across the country and help us emerge stronger from the pandemic, strengthening ties between two democracies who share a fierce belief in freedom, enterprise and fair play.

    We will spend the next few weeks ironing out details and resolving outstanding issues, with a view to reaching a deal by June.