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Tag: 2022

  • PRESS RELEASE : Nothing can replace the scope or scale of the cross border humanitarian operation in Syria [November 2022]

    PRESS RELEASE : Nothing can replace the scope or scale of the cross border humanitarian operation in Syria [November 2022]

    The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 29 November 2022.

    Statement by Ambassador Barbara Woodward at the Security Council briefing on Syria.

    Thank you President.

    And thank you Special Envoy Pedersen and Under Secretary General Griffiths, for your clear briefings and your commitment to Syria.

    The key to ending this conflict is through the full implementation of Security Council Resolution 2254. We welcome your untiring efforts, Special Envoy Pederson, to facilitate a sustainable resolution to the conflict and the clear steps you’ve set out this morning. Reconvening the Constitutional Committee in Geneva is the step we particularly need to see. And Russia has stopped standing in the way of this. Political progress desperately needed.

    While the conflict drags on, we continue to receive reports of torture and killings in detention centres across Syria, in particular at Sednaya prison. UN Member States have been clear in condemning these systematic violations of human rights, adopting a resolution on human rights in Syria this month. We condemn these violations, and again call for the release of detainees.

    In this context, the humanitarian situation continues to deteriorate. This is clearly not about sanctions, which are strictly enforced against entities involved in repressing the civilian population, and which include specific humanitarian provisions and exemptions. So let’s be clear about the facts.

    14.6 million Syrians are in desperate need of humanitarian aid. A huge increase since three other border crossings were unnecessarily closed in 2020.

    The UN has repeatedly told us that the cross-border mechanism is a lifeline for 4.1 million people. On average 20 trucks of food, lifesaving medicines passing through Bab-al Hawa reach people in need every day.

    Nothing can replace the scope or scale of this cross border humanitarian operation, and it must continue. The ‘fate’ of this mandate is the ‘fate’ of 4.1 million people who rely on its assistance. And those who are concerned with the humanitarian situation will not delay or compromise their lifeline.

    The current cholera outbreak highlights the importance of an effective and predictable UN response, including in early recovery. 30% of UK funding to Syria in 2022 will go to such projects, most of which are focused on water and healthcare. We also welcome progress on crossline efforts. But this is slowed by the Syrian regime’s insistence on new approvals for each convoy, and ongoing fighting. It is simply impossible to replicate with crossline assistance, what is being delivered through the cross-border operation.

    President,

    As winter approaches, this Council should do everything it can to respond to the needs of the Syrian people.

    I thank you.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Countries agree concrete change to end sexual violence in conflict [November 2022]

    PRESS RELEASE : Countries agree concrete change to end sexual violence in conflict [November 2022]

    The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 29 November 2022.

    More than 50 countries and the UN agreed urgent action to end sexual violence in conflict at the UK-hosted PSVI Conference this week.

    • More than 50 countries have signed a UK-led declaration to end the scourge of sexual violence in conflict.
    • Around 40 countries, including the UK, have also made national commitments outlining the steps they will take to tackle sexual violence in conflict.
    • On the first day of the UK’s Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict conference (Monday 29 November) the First Lady of Ukraine, Olena Zelenska, said sexual violence is being used “systematically and openly”.

    More than 50 countries and the UN have agreed urgent action to end sexual violence in conflict, by signing up to a new declaration at a UK-hosted summit this week.

    The countries agreed to take action to address triggers such as gender inequality, remove the stigma faced by victims, and make sure national laws are in place to prosecute perpetrators.

    Around 40 countries, including Colombia, Bosnia & Herzegovina and Japan have also gone further, and set out national commitments on the practical steps they will take to tackle these crimes and make a difference on the ground.

    For example, Nigeria has committed to champion the Murad Code, a UK-backed code of conduct to ensure that the experiences of survivors of sexual violence in conflict are documented ethically and effectively.

    The USA has committed $10 million over two years to support civil society organisations to document sexual violence in conflict in line with the Murad Code.

    President Biden has also issued a memorandum setting out the USA’s intention to promote accountability for conflict-related sexual violence, including through economic sanctions, visa restrictions, and additional measures and authorities.

    After Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, reports of sexual violence committed by Russian soldiers against civilians escalated. In addition, assessments conducted in Moldova, Poland, and Romania revealed high risks of organised trafficking and sexual exploitation and abuse of women and children.

    Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said:

    Rape in war violates international values as severely as the use of chemical weapons. We must hold perpetrators to account and deliver justice for those affected.

    By signing this declaration, we are clear that sexual violence in conflict is a line that should never be crossed. Now is the time to take real action globally to end this horrific crime.

    When opening the conference, the Foreign Secretary announced a three-year strategy to tackle sexual violence in conflict which will be backed by up to £12.5 million of new funding.

    Minister of State at the Foreign Commonwealth & Development Office and the Prime Minister’s Special Representative on Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict, Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon said:

    In the last 10 years, we have come a long way, but we know that much more must be done, both to help survivors and to prevent others from suffering such violence. Rape, torture, sexual violence is real, it is happening today. It is a shocking reality of our world in 2022.

    Our aim is to make a long-lasting, tangible change in the lives of survivors, while preventing others from going through similar horrific ordeals in the future. We owe it to the courageous survivors who are an inspiration to us all.

    Representatives from around 40 countries attended the two-day conference in London, which brought the international community together to take action to end these horrific crimes.

    The conference heard from survivors whose moving testimony demonstrated how sexual violence in war and conflict can shatter lives.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Serious Fraud Office on track to implement Calvert-Smith review recommendations [November 2022]

    PRESS RELEASE : Serious Fraud Office on track to implement Calvert-Smith review recommendations [November 2022]

    The press release issued by the Attorney General on 29 November 2022.

    The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) has made significant progress towards better record keeping, case assurance and resourcing, following recommendations made by Sir David Calvert-Smith, the Attorney General’s Office (AGO) has announced today.

    Following the Court of Appeal’s judgment in the Unaoil case (R. v Akle & Anor) in December 2021, the then Attorney General, the Rt Hon. Suella Braverman KC MP, commissioned Sir David Calvert-Smith to conduct an independent review into the SFO’s handling of the case.

    Sir David’s review, and a response to his 11 recommendations, were published on 21 July 2022. Following the commitment made when the review was published, the Attorney General, the Rt Hon. Victoria Prentis MP today updated parliament on the progress that has been made in delivering Sir David’s recommendations. The AGO has also published a detailed progress update.

    At the same time, the SFO has also today published an update on its progress to date against the recommendations set out in Brian Altman KC’s independent review of R. v Woods & Marshall, which was also published on 21 July 2022.

    Commenting on the updates, the Solicitor General, Michael Tomlinson MP said:

    The Attorney General and I are pleased to see real progress being made in line with Sir David’s review. The Serious Fraud Office has put measures in place for nine of his 11 recommendations and in the longer term, work has begun on the remaining two to make sure these important changes are completed to a high standard.

    We also welcome the SFO’s further improvement work, highlighted today, in bringing forward and implementing the recommendations set out in Brian Altman’s KC’s review of R. v Woods & Marshall.

    Continued work to deliver and embed the recommendations of both reviews will remain a key priority for both the Law Officers and the Director of the SFO.

    Commenting on the updates, Director of the Serious Fraud Office, Lisa Osofsky said:

    We haven’t stopped fighting serious economic crime, as shown by the recent sentencing of Glencore Energy UK Ltd for seven counts of bribery and a record-breaking penalty, which the company paid in full last week.

    “Thanks to the dedication and persistence of my team, we are on track to embed the organisational improvements that will ensure our continued success.”

     

  • PRESS RELEASE : Mobile and broadband firms meet with ministers to look at further support to help people facing cost of living difficulties [November 2022]

    PRESS RELEASE : Mobile and broadband firms meet with ministers to look at further support to help people facing cost of living difficulties [November 2022]

    The press release issued by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport on 29 November 2022.

    The UK’s biggest broadband and mobile operators have today met with the government to follow up on commitments agreed in the summer to support customers with the cost of living.

    • Summit comes as the government launches a public awareness campaign to raise awareness of cut-price social tariffs
    • Attendees identified the barriers for those not currently taking up social tariffs starting at £10
    • Minister urged telecoms companies to consider the impact price rises may have on struggling households

    The UK’s biggest broadband and mobile operators have today met with the government to follow up on commitments agreed in the summer to support customers with the cost of living.

    Digital minister Julia Lopez called together leaders from the telecoms sector – including BT, Virgin Media, O2, Sky, Vodafone, TalkTalk, Three Mobile, Hyperoptic and Ofcom – at the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) for an update on work to boost awareness of social tariffs.

    Minister Lopez urged the sector to commit to raising awareness of these affordable deals available for people in receipt of Universal Credit, which could save them up to £180 per year when compared to the average tariff.

    An Ofcom report in September found that only 31 per cent of eligible groups were aware that social tariffs were available, despite them being available in 99 per cent of the UK to reach those who need the support most.

    The meeting took place on the day the government launched a UK-wide public awareness campaign as part of its Help for Households programme. The campaign aims to help people through the cost of living this winter and will help increase awareness and uptake of the cut-price broadband and mobile deals available to help those struggling with bills.

    As well as agreeing to make vital steps to make sure eligible customers know about social tariffs starting from as little as £10, the industry agreed to share insight into the barriers beyond consumer awareness that are preventing households from taking up social tariffs.

    The Minister also reminded broadband and mobile companies to be mindful of the impact price rises have on households struggling with the global rise in the cost of living.

    In a move welcomed by the government, attendee Hyperoptic also marked the occasion by announcing that they will be dropping the price of their fastest speed social tariff from £25 to just £20.

    Digital Infrastructure Minister Julia Lopez, said:

    Helping families manage the cost of living is a priority for this winter and beyond. It is vital to find out what more we and the telecoms industry can do to support families worried about their bills.

    Everyone should have access to affordable mobile and broadband services. Today we agreed that more has to be done to raise awareness of social tariffs and stressed the impact price increases have on people and families up and down the country.

    Minister for Social Mobility, Youth and Progression Mims Davies said:

    We have already made it easier for vulnerable families receiving certain benefits to access cheaper broadband rates through our automatic verification system. I do welcome today’s discussion which further shows our commitment to working innovatively with industry to keep low-income families connected and able to progress as a result of this support.

    Social tariffs are just one of the ways we are assisting households at this challenging time, with millions already receiving £1,200 in direct payments and more on the way next year. I encourage anyone who thinks they might be entitled to further support to check their eligibility via our online benefits calculator.

    The move follows a roundtable in June where the Government and operators agreed a raft of new commitments to support people with rising costs, including more manageable payments and switching to a cheaper deal free-of-charge.

    Following this, the Department for Work and Pensions also launched a new service to verify – with customers’ permission – whether they are in receipt of a relevant benefit and therefore eligible for extra financial support such as a social tariff. The new system will simplify the process by removing the need for customers to prove their entitlement to broadband providers as regularly as every month.

  • Diane Abbott – 2022 Speech on Manston

    Diane Abbott – 2022 Speech on Manston

    The speech made by Diane Abbott, the Labour MP for Hackney North and Stoke Newington, in the House of Commons on 28 November 2022.

    Ms Diane Abbott (Hackney North and Stoke Newington) (Lab)

    I am grateful to the Minister for coming before the House with his statement, but does he not agree that it should not have taken a death to make Ministers focus properly on issues relating to infectious diseases at Manston? It is not as if the possibilities relating to infectious disease have not been raised and written about. Does he not agree that it is quite wrong that it took a death for him to come before us and talk about new guidance: new guidance that nobody presenting with symptoms will be progressed on; new guidance about ensuring that asylum accommodation providers get the very latest public health advice; and new guidance about co-operating with the French about infectious disease in northern France? It took a death for the Minister to come before us with that new guidance.

    The Minister has also said that there is no risk to the wider population and the House is grateful to hear that. However, does he not accept that, whether these people are deemed to be legal or illegal, we have a basic responsibility for their health? It should not have taken Ministers so long to focus on the well-reported dangers of infectious disease.

    Robert Jenrick

    I respect the right hon. Lady’s point of view and experience, but it has not taken a death for the Home Office to focus on this issue. This individual’s death is deeply regrettable, but we have been working on, and alive to, this issue for many months—indeed, for years. The Home Office has had in place procedures to deal with covid since the start of the pandemic. The hotels I mentioned earlier, which we will use to transfer people with diphtheria symptoms, were the locations the Home Office used for those who tested positive for covid.

    The UKHSA has been publishing guidance on the treatment and support of asylum seekers and refugees for many months—it may even be years. The latest guidance on this issue was published by Dame Jenny Harries and her colleagues two weeks ago, prior to the sad death of this individual. I am afraid that the connection that the right hon. Lady seeks to draw is not correct. We do not take this issue lightly, and we will continue to follow it and to put in place whatever measures we need to.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Green Party reaction to government go ahead for Sizewell C nuclear power plant [November 2022]

    PRESS RELEASE : Green Party reaction to government go ahead for Sizewell C nuclear power plant [November 2022]

    The press release issued by the Green Party on 29 November 2022.

    Responding to the government’s decision to give the go ahead to the Sizewell C nuclear power plant in Suffolk [1], Green Party co-leader Adrian Ramsay said:

    “This is an ideological decision driven by a misguided energy policy. It is clear there are cleaner, quicker and much less expensive options to meet our electricity needs. Investment in renewable energy and insulation at scale are what is needed to tackle both the climate emergency and cost of living crisis with the urgency needed.

    “The design of Sizewell C will follow the much criticised Hinkley Point C scheme in Somerset which has been delayed by years and beset by technical difficulties and mushrooming costs. It is clear that large nuclear reactors are far too slow to help solve our climate crisis and way too expensive to address sky-high energy bills.”

    Notes

    1.  https://www.theguardian.com/business/2022/nov/29/sizewell-c-nuclear-plant-confirmed-edf-suffolk-jobs-uk

  • PRESS RELEASE : Greens call for winter rent freeze and ban on evictions [November 2022]

    PRESS RELEASE : Greens call for winter rent freeze and ban on evictions [November 2022]

    The press release issued by the Green Party on 24 November 2022.

    The Green Party of England and Wales is calling for the government to urgently bring forward its promised Renters Reform Bill in time to stave off a winter of evictions and homelessness.

    The call came as new figures showed so-called no fault evictions leaping 76 per cent [1}

    Carla Denyer, co-leader of the Green Party of England and Wales, said the Bill must include:

    “An immediate cap on rent increases until at least the end of March 2023, as well as a ban on no-fault evictions over the same period to prevent landlords evicting tenants in order to raise rents.”

    In Scotland, where the Scottish Greens are in government with the SNP, similar measures have already become law [2].

    Average rental prices outside London have hit a high of £1,162 a month, jumping 11% in the past year [3].

    The UK government produced a White Paper in June [4] and Housing Minister Andrew Stephenson told Parliament in October the legislation was still a “priority.” [5]

    Carla Denyer added:

    “Knowing that you have a secure home over winter is vital for both physical and mental health. Households already face soaring energy and food costs; the last thing they need, on top of everything else they have to contend with, is unaffordable rent rises and the fear of being evicted.

    “Rising private rents and increasing evictions have also been cited as major causes of a dramatic increase in homelessness in London and other cities. The number of people sleeping rough on the capital’s streets has jumped by a shocking 24% in the past year [6]

    “We are calling on the government to introduce an immediate freeze on rent rises and a ban on evictions by landlords who simply want to increase rents between tenancies. The Scottish government has introduced legislation to safeguard tenants this winter. We want to see the Housing Minister introduce similar measures in England, and for the Senedd to use its devolved powers to do so in Wales [6].”

    Notes

    [1] https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-63719126

    [2] Cost of living: rent and eviction – gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

    [3] Average rent climbs to £1,162, according to Rightmove, up 11% in a year – as charities warn tenants are struggling to make ends meet (msn.com)

    [4] A fairer private rented sector

    [5] Housing Minister Andrew Stephenson

    [6] Number of people sleeping rough in London up 24% in a year | Homelessness | The Guardian

    [7] Rent freeze call by Plaid Cymru voted down by Labour – BBC News

  • PRESS RELEASE : UK Attorney General signs statement of international unity in securing justice for war crimes in Ukraine [November 2022]

    PRESS RELEASE : UK Attorney General signs statement of international unity in securing justice for war crimes in Ukraine [November 2022]

    The press release issued by the Attorney General on 29 November 2022.

    Justice Ministers from across G7 nations signed a pledge of unwavering solidarity to the war-torn country.

    The UK commitment to securing justice for the atrocities being committed in Ukraine was reaffirmed today as Justice Ministers from across G7 nations signed a pledge of unwavering solidarity to the war-torn country.

    The Attorney General, Victoria Prentis MP, led the UK justice response in Berlin as signatory to a renewed commitment to international co-operation.

    The Berlin Declaration seeks to strengthen cross-border responses to Russian war crimes at an international level to increase effectiveness and communication between investigative authorities.

    The Attorney General, Victoria Prentis MP, said:

    The conflict in Ukraine has had a devastating impact on the lives of innocent people. Like many UK families, we have invited a Ukrainian citizen into our home and heard first-hand how lives have been ruined and futures compromised by Russia’s illegal invasion.

    The UK is proud of the support it has given harnessing the breadth of our legal capabilities and expertise to seek justice, but the growing importance of G7 unity is clear if we are to see accountability for the atrocities being committed. Our individual efforts must be coordinated at an international level.

    Proposals in the declaration include the nomination of national contact points for coordination of the prosecution of international crimes to complement the work of existing well-established mechanisms, including Eurojust and the Genocide Network.

    The declaration also recognises the vital role of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in supporting survivors at the scene of war crimes and helping to document offences and the accounts of local people. It commits to further improving networking among criminal prosecution authorities and NGOs to streamline information flow and, in some cases, improve standards in collecting evidence and avoiding the retraumatisation of witnesses.

    Deputy Prime Minister, Lord Chancellor and Justice Secretary Dominic Raab said:

    War criminals should know they cannot act with impunity and we are united with international partners to ensure those responsible are held to account.

    The UK has been at the forefront of the global response in assisting the International Criminal Court’s investigations, providing extra funding and expertise, and we will continue to work with likeminded countries until justice is served.

    The UK has already committed a strong package of support to aid justice in Ukraine, providing £1 million and offering specialist legal and police assistance to the International Criminal Court’s investigations.

  • Pope Francis – 2022 Comments on Russian Invasion of Ukraine

    Pope Francis – 2022 Comments on Russian Invasion of Ukraine

    The comments made by Pope Francis in an interview published in America Magazine on 28 November 2022.

    When I speak about Ukraine, I speak of a people who are martyred. If you have a martyred people, you have someone who martyrs them. When I speak about Ukraine, I speak about the cruelty because I have much information about the cruelty of the troops that come in. Generally, the cruelest are perhaps those who are of Russia but are not of the Russian tradition, such as the Chechens, the Buryati and so on. Certainly, the one who invades is the Russian state. This is very clear. Sometimes I try not to specify so as not to offend and rather condemn in general, although it is well known whom I am condemning. It is not necessary that I put a name and surname.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Historic loss and damage agreement at COP27 must now be honoured by rich countries, Greens warn [November 2022]

    PRESS RELEASE : Historic loss and damage agreement at COP27 must now be honoured by rich countries, Greens warn [November 2022]

    The press release issued by the Green Party on 20 November 2022.

    Responding to the final Sharm el-Sheikh Implementation Plan [1] from the COP27 climate negotiations in Egypt, Green Party co-leader Adrian Ramsay said:

    “The agreement to set up a fund for loss and damage is a significant and historic step towards climate justice for the poorest and most vulnerable countries, those least responsible for the climate crisis.

    “However, the fund is currently empty and we now need rich countries like the UK to step up, honour their commitment to this fund and pay for the harm they have inflicted through historical emissions.

    “But the real failure at Sharm el-Sheikh was that no significant progress has been made in commitments on fossil fuels, which is unsurprising given the hundreds of fossil fuel lobbyists who were active inside the negotiation. In terms of the commitment to eliminating fossil fuels from the global economy, COP27 represents a backward step.

    “Future COPs must keep out the oil and gas giants and open the door wider to those with real solutions to offer as well as to a much greater proportion of women, who are bearing a disproportionate burden from climate breakdown yet made up only a third of the negotiating delegates [2].

    “There has been a failure of international leadership from the world’s most powerful leaders. That includes the British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak who had to be dragged kicking and screaming to Egypt, before rushing home to back his chancellor as he announced a continuation of business as usual – new licences for North Sea oil and gas, windfall tax loopholes for the fossil fuel giants [3] and billions on new roads.

    “This COP was billed as an implementation summit where countries were supposed to come with detailed action plans showing how they would create the credible path that the UN says is missing to keep global heating to below 1.5C. Yet there is scant reference to the 1.5C target, let alone a credible path to get us there.

    “We needed to make giant strides toward achieving net zero and holding down global heating below 1.5C. Instead global leaders have, at best, taken a few tiny, teetering steps back from catastrophe.”

    Notes

    1. Sharm el-Sheikh Implementation Plan. Revised draft decision -/CP.27 | UNFCCC

    2. COP27: Lack of women at negotiations raises concern – BBC News

    3. Loopholes mean oil and gas giants will avoid more than half of govt’s updated windfall tax – New Economics Foundation