Tag: 2022

PRESS RELEASE : Labour Party Political Member appointed to the House of Lords Appointments Commission [September 2022]

The press release issued by the Cabinet Office on 23 September 2022.

Following Baroness Taylor of Bolton’s nomination by the Labour Party, her appointment was confirmed formally as the Labour Party Member of the House of Lords Appointments Commission (HOLAC). Baroness Taylor commenced her role on 11th September 2022, when Lord Clark of Windermere’s term came to an end.

Baroness Taylor of Bolton

Baroness Taylor of Bolton was the first woman to serve as Leader of the House of Commons and Lord President of the Privy Council in 1997. She went on to become the first woman to serve as Government Chief Whip (Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury). Baroness Taylor is the former MP for Bolton West (1974 – 1983) and Dewsbury (1987 – 2005) and was made a Life Peer in 2005. She currently sits on the Industry Regulators Committee, Procedure and Privileges Committee, and the Lord Speaker’s Committee on the Size of the House.

Minister of State at the Cabinet Office, Ed Argar, welcomed Baroness Taylor’s appointment, saying:

I would like to congratulate Baroness Taylor on her appointment to the Commission and I am grateful to Lord Clark for his service over the last five years. Baroness Taylor brings to the role a depth of experience and public service that will be of huge value to the Commission in its work.

September 23, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : Energy Markets Financing Scheme Update [September 2022]

The press release issued by the Treasury on 23 September 2022.

Together with the Bank of England, HMT is today providing further details of the £40 billion Energy Markets Financing Scheme, to address extraordinary liquidity requirements faced by energy firms from high and volatile energy prices.

The Energy Markets Financing Scheme will improve resilience in energy markets, and the economy. To deliver the scheme, there will be a 100% guarantee to commercial banks covering additional lending extended to firms. The scheme will open to applications on 17th October. The scheme will provide short term financial support and will be designed to be used as a last resort, with pricing and conditions reflecting this.

The scheme will ensure that energy firms can continue to operate and manage risk in a cost-effective way in the face of unprecedented volatility. This helps to reduce the eventual cost that businesses and consumers face.

The EMFS will only be available to firms who are able to meet eligibility requirements, for example that they are otherwise in sound financial health and make a material contribution to the liquidity of UK energy markets. Firms will need to undergo solvency checks.

HMT will convene an advisory committee as part of standing up a robust assessment process.

September 23, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : Nadhim Zahawi to chair first islands forum in Orkney [September 2022]
The press release issued by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, on 23 September 2022.
- First Islands Forum in Orkney will help to level up island communities and work together on shared opportunities and challenges
- Representatives from island communities in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland and the devolved governments will attend
- Opportunities around net zero a key focus for the first meeting
The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for Intergovernmental Relations, Nadhim Zahawi, will chair the first Islands Forum in Orkney on 28 September 2022.

The Forum, which will take place at Orkney Research & Innovation Campus, will ensure island communities are able to discuss solutions to common challenges, with a significant focus for the first meeting on opportunities around net zero.

Council leaders and chief executives representing all eligible island communities across the UK will take part, as well as ministers from the Scottish and Welsh governments and representatives from Northern Ireland.

The programme will also include a session with the regulator, Ofgem. This will allow island representatives to share their views on regulatory barriers to net zero ambitions and explore next steps to address them.

Participants will also undertake a tour in Orkney focussing on renewable energy, hosted by Orkney Islands Council and European Marine Energy Centre.

Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, The Rt Hon Nadhim Zahawi MP, said:

As the new Minister for Intergovernmental Relations, I am delighted to be chairing the first Islands Forum in Orkney next week with the purpose of giving our islands a stronger voice.

It is often said that people make a place, and this is certainly true of the UK’s island communities, who contribute a huge amount to our country but often face common challenges.

I look forward to hearing directly from island communities and working closely with the devolved governments on the issues that matter most to local people, making good on our promise to deliver for the whole United Kingdom.
September 23, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : HRC 51 – Statement for the Interactive Dialogue with the Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine (oral update) [September 2022]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 23 September 2022.

The UK Permanent Representative to the UK in Geneva, Ambassador Simon Manley, delivered a statement on the initial findings of the Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine.

Thank you Mr President,

Given that this interactive dialogue is fundamentally about respect for international law, allow me to make an observation. And that is that however many bombastic statements you make, however many sham referendums or implausible plebiscites you hold, you can’t change the international borders of a sovereign state by force of arms. That was true in 2014. And it’s true in 2022.

Commissioners,

Since April, we have – like others in this room – followed with horror the reports of the heinous butchery and wanton destruction that Russia has sought to cover up with mass graves and propaganda. But it is sobering this morning to hear your account of the scope and scale of those atrocities, and their lasting impact on the lives of tens – if not hundreds – of thousands of innocent civilians, including children.

Commissioner, your findings support the claims that serious violations and abuses of human rights and violations of international humanitarian law, including war crimes, have been committed. This Council – and indeed the wider international community – has a responsibility to ensure that those responsible are held to account. And we will.

As we celebrate Ukraine’s liberation of settlements in eastern Ukraine, we cannot help but fear what further Russian atrocities will be uncovered. What plans do the Commission have to collect evidence in these regions?

September 23, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : Partners in the Blue Pacific (PBP) [September 2022]
The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 23 September 2022.

On September 22, 2022, Ministers and representatives of Partners in the Blue Pacific members and observers and Pacific Ministers met to discuss progress in implementing Partners in the Blue Pacific. This follows a briefing by Partners in the Blue Pacific with Members of the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) at a senior officials’ level.

Australia, Japan, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States welcomed Germany and Canada’s increased focus and commitment to genuine partnership with the Pacific and their announcement of intent to join the Partners in the Blue Pacific. Partners reinforced that this inclusive, informal mechanism will be guided by the PIF’s 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent and existing Pacific regional architecture. This included ongoing engagement and consultation with the PIF and respect for the concept of Pacific regionalism and related regional mechanisms, sovereignty, transparency, accountability, and we are committed to being led and guided by the Pacific islands.

Partners noted that the Partners in the Blue Pacific aims to support the Pacific region and its priorities more effectively and efficiently. Together and individually, our countries will enhance our existing efforts to support Pacific priorities. Working together with the PIF and in response to the upcoming implementation plan for the 2050 Strategy, we will map existing projects and plan future ones, seeking to drive resources, remove duplication, and close gaps, which will avoid greater burdens and lost opportunities for Pacific governments and Pacific peoples. In parallel, each of our governments will continue to increase the ambition of our individual efforts in the region and in alignment with national and regional goals and priorities.

Six prospective Lines of Effort and initial projects for PBP were discussed, aligned with the thematic areas of the Forum’s 2050 Strategy. Participants agreed to further dialogue ahead of finalizing the Lines of Effort. The Lines of Effort discussed were:
- Climate Change Resilience, Adaptation, and Disasters
- Secure and Resilient Technology and Connectivity
- Protection of the Ocean and Environment
- People Centered Development
- Resources and Economic Development
- Political Leadership and Regionalism
Participants discussed some prospective initiatives that could be considered initially under the informal, inclusive Partners in the Blue Pacific. These included: Pacific humanitarian warehousing to preposition humanitarian and emergency supplies as agreed by PIF Ministers at the inaugural Pacific Disaster Risk Reduction Ministers Meeting in Nadi; an annual Pacific cyber capacity conference; further support to the Pacific Climate Change Centre in Samoa; and support to access climate finance. Participants agreed to further discussion of prospective initiatives in 2022 based on preferred timeframes of the Pacific Islands.

Next Steps

Partners further committed to working with the region to consider additional prospective initiatives for Pacific consultation and consideration, including in areas such as education and scholarships, infrastructure, gender, and countering Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing.

Partners committed to regular and ongoing engagement with Pacific Island governments, the PIF and other Council of Regional Organisations in the Pacific (CROP) agencies, and to periodic engagement to review and guide implementation in partnership with the Pacific in alignment with the views of the Pacific Islands.

Partners committed to regular, enduring engagement and consultation with Forum members on Partners in the Blue Pacific to ensure it meets Pacific priorities. Partners reinforced their long-term commitment to the Pacific and to ensuring that this informal, inclusive mechanism delivers practical, tangible results aligned with existing regional architecture and guided by the Pacific at every stage.

Attendees included representatives from Australia, Fiji, French Polynesia, Japan, Kiribati, Nauru, New Zealand, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Republic of Marshall Islands, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, the United Kingdom, the United States, and Vanuatu, as well as Canada, France, Germany, India, Republic of Korea, the Pacific Islands Forum, and the European Union in their observing capacity.
September 23, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : Nearly £50 million boost for Britain’s industrial future [September 2022]
The press release issued by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, on 23 September 2022.
- £49.4 million government funding to help British industry end their reliance on fossil fuels and reduce energy costs
- funding will back the development of fuel switching technology, helping to drive growth by attracting private investment and creating new jobs across the country
- part of the government’s plan to support British industry as we transition to a low-carbon economy
Nearly £50 million in government funding is being made available today (23 September 2022) to support the future of British industry.

£49.4 million will be awarded to pioneering projects across the country, helping drive economic growth through the development of fuel switching technology which will see a wide range of industries, including steel, ceramics, pharmaceuticals and food production, reduce their reliance on fossil fuels and slash energy costs.

Business and Energy Minister Lord Callanan said:

We’re investing nearly £50 million to back British industry, making sure they’re fit for the future and helping end their dependency on expensive fossil fuels.

Developing fuel switching technology will make this possible, accelerating the transition to cleaner fuels across our economy, and driving down costs for businesses.

Industrial fuel switching shifts industrial energy use from high carbon to low carbon fuels, with the aim of decarbonising industry in line with the UK’s target of reaching Net Zero by 2050 while boosting economic growth, jobs and prosperity.

Fossil fuels (including coal, gas and oil) made up around 55% of industrial energy consumption in 2019. As set out in the Industrial Decarbonisation Strategy, to decarbonise industry in line with net zero, it is expected that industrial emissions need to fall by around 2 thirds by 2035 and at least 90% by 2050.

Investing in this technology will make it easier and more cost-effective for industry to be powered by cleaner fuels like hydrogen and renewable electricity, instead of fossil fuels. The funding announced today, available through Phase 2 of the £55 million Industrial Fuel Switching competition, will support the development of new fuel switching technology in the UK, helping to attract private investment into the country and supporting new green jobs.

Supporting British industry to end their dependency on fossil fuels is a vital part of the government’s plans to boost domestic energy resilience, alongside accelerating renewables and scaling up nuclear.

Under Phase 2 of the Industrial Fuel Switching competition, fuel switching projects can apply for a share of £49.4 million government funding. This follows Phase 1 of the competition, which saw £5.6 million awarded in May 2022 to 21 projects for early-stage feasibility studies into their project designs.

Previous winners under Phase 1 included:
- projects helping the ceramics, food production and steel sectors become powered by hydrogen instead of natural gas
- technology to develop heat pumps for food and pharmaceutical businesses
- studies exploring switching glass making facilities from natural gas to gasified waste and biomass
September 23, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : Government announces closure of Office of Tax Simplification [September 2022]

The press release issued by the Treasury on 23 September 2022.

The Chancellor announced on 23 September as part of the fiscal event that the Office of Tax Simplification will be closed.

The Chancellor’s statement is part of The Growth Plan 2022. As the Office of Tax Simplification is a statutory body, this closure will take effect when the next Finance Bill receives Royal Assent.

The Office expects to publish its report on the taxation of Property Income in October. The Office will continue to gather evidence on its Hybrid and distance working review.

September 23, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : Statement for the Interactive Dialogue with the Commission of Inquiry on Burundi [September 2022]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 23 September 2022.

Thank you, Mr President.

The United Kingdom thanks the Special Rapporteur for the first full report since his appointment. We welcome the government of Burundi’s stated commitment to improving the human rights situation. However, we are concerned by the Special Rapporteur’s assessment that the human rights situation in Burundi has not changed substantively.
We also regret that many of the recommendations Burundi accepted at its third Universal Periodic Review in 2018, particularly establishing an independent judiciary, are yet to be implemented fully. We call on the Government to make progress urgently in this regard ahead of Burundi’s fourth Review next year.

Mr President,

The findings of this report make clear that ongoing scrutiny by this Council remains absolutely necessary. We respectfully urge the Government to reconsider its stance of not engaging with the mandates established by the Council or allowing the Office of High Commissioner for Human Rights to operate in Burundi. Accepting scrutiny and taking advantage of the opportunities this re-engagement would offer can help Burundi deliver on its commitment to ensure its people benefit from the full enjoyment of all human rights.
Mr Zongo,

We would welcome your advice on how the international community can best make clear the benefits of a decision by the Burundian Government to re-engage with this Council.

Thank you

September 23, 2022
James Cleverly – 2022 Speech to UN Security Council Meeting on Ukraine

The speech made by James Cleverly, the Foreign Secretary, in New York on 22 September 2022.

Madame President, Mr Secretary General, Mr Khan, Thank you.

Seventy seven years ago, UN members agreed solemn principles in the UN Charter, vital for international peace and security. They undertook to refrain from the threat or the use of force against the territorial integrity, or political independence, of any state.

Yet 7 months ago, President Putin invaded Ukraine illegally and without justification he ignored the resounding pleas for peace that I heard in this Council on 17 February.

Since then, Ukrainians’ spirit of defiance, in defence of the protection of their country, continues to inspire free peoples and nations.

Every day, the devastating consequences of Russia’s invasion become more clear. UN agencies have confirmed more than 14,000 civilian casualties so far – and the actual total likely to be much higher more than 17 million Ukrainians in humanitarian need; 7 million displaced within Ukraine and more than 7 million Ukrainian refugees in Europe.

We see the mounting evidence of Russian atrocities against civilians. Including indiscriminate shelling and targeted attacks on over 200 medical facilities, and 40 educational institutions and horrific acts of sexual violence.

We see from the reports of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights that in parts of Ukraine currently under Russian control civilians are subjected to torture, arbitrary detention, and forced deportation to Russia. And we have seen more grisly discoveries in Izyum.

It is not just Ukrainians who are the victims. President Putin’s war has spread hardship and food insecurity across the globe plunging millions of the world’s most vulnerable into hunger and famine.

And once again, as we’ve seen here today, Russia has sought to deny responsibility. It has tried to lay the blame on those who have rightly imposed sanctions on President Putin’s regime in response to his illegal actions.

To be clear we are not sanctioning food. It is Russia’s actions that are preventing food and fertiliser getting to developing countries. It is Russia’s tactics and bombs that are to blame for destroying Ukraine’s farms, infrastructure, and delaying its exports.

I sat here in February, listening to the Russian representative assuring this Council that Russia had no intention of invading its neighbour. We now know that was a lie.

And today I have listened to further instalments of Russia’s catalogues of distortions, dishonesty, and disinformation. He has left the Chamber. I am not surprised, I don’t think Mr Lavrov wants to hear the collective condemnation of this Council but we saw through him then and we saw through him today.

We have information which means that we know that Russia is about to hold sham referenda on sovereign Ukrainian territory with no basis in law, under the threat of violence, after mass displacements of people in areas that voted overwhelmingly for Ukrainian independence. We know what Vladimir Putin is doing. He is planning to fabricate the outcome of those referenda. He is planning to use that to annex sovereign Ukrainian territory. And he is planning to use it as a further pretext to escalate his aggression. That is what he plans to do.

And we call on all countries to reject this charade and refuse to recognise any results. We are used to seeing Russia’s lies and distortions.

But let us listen to the testimony of Ukrainians who tell us about the reality of President Putin’s war.

Dr Olena Yuzvak, her husband Oleh and their 22-year-old son Dmytro, were abducted by Russian forces from their home in Gostomel, near Bucha, in March. The soldiers shot Oleh twice in the legs, before they were all blindfolded and bundled into an armoured personnel carrier.

I want you to hear Olena’s story in her own words:

First, they took us to a bombed-out house. The Russian soldiers kept saying they were going to kill us. My husband was left for hours lying on the floor in a pool of blood. I don’t know why. We’d done nothing wrong. Then they took my son away from us. I don’t know where. I don’t know if we’ll ever see him again. I just want my boy back.

Olena’s story, and those of many others, tell us the truth, the real truth.

This is a war of annexation. A war of conquest. To which President Putin now wants to send even more of Russia’s young men and women, making peace even less likely.

Mr Putin must understand the world the world is watching and we will not give up.

As members of the Security Council, we must unequivocally reject Russia’s attempts to annex Ukraine’s territory. We must make clear to President Putin that his attack on the Ukrainian people must stop, that there can be no impunity for those perpetrating atrocities and that he must withdraw from Ukraine and restore regional and global stability.

If he chose to, he could stop this war, a war which has done untold damage to the Ukrainian and the Russian peoples. His war is an assault on Ukraine, an assault on the UN Charter, and an assault on the international norms that protect us all.

So we stand with our Ukrainian friends for as long as it takes. Because Ukraine’s fight for freedom, is the world’s fight for freedom. It is our fight for freedom. And if Ukraine’s sovereignty and territory are not respected, then no country is truly secure.

These are the reasons why Ukraine can, and must win.

Thank you.

September 23, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : UK-EU Specialised Committee on Participation in Union Programmes consultations meeting [September 2022]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 22 September 2022.

Following the UK government’s request for consultations, the second meeting of the Specialised Committee was co-chaired in Brussels by the UK government and European Commission.

UK statement following the UK-EU Specialised Committee on Participation in Union Programmes consultations meeting on 22 September 2022:

The second meeting of the Specialised Committee on Participation in Union Programmes was held today in Brussels, co-chaired by officials from the UK Government and European Commission. Representatives from the devolved administrations and EU member states also attended.

The meeting followed the UK’s formal request for consultations on 16 August 2022. Consultations are a mechanism in the UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA) to resolve issues between the UK and the EU.

The UK is seeking to implement the mutually beneficial TCA agreement to participate in EU programmes (Horizon Europe, Euratom Research and Training, Copernicus, and access to services from the Space Surveillance and Tracking programme) to the benefit of researchers and businesses across the UK and the EU.

At today’s meeting, the UK once again requested that the EU fulfil its obligation to finalise the UK’s association to EU Programmes after 16 months of delays. It is regrettable that the EU continues to decline this request.

The UK has been clear that our preference remains association to EU programmes and that the EU’s persistent delays to finalising UK association amount to a breach of the TCA. We have set out that delays are causing considerable uncertainty for our research and business community and undermining scientific cooperation in both the UK and EU member states.

The UK government is now urgently considering next steps. Our priority is to support the UK’s world leading R&D sector and we have already outlined potential options for doing so.

September 23, 2022