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Tag: 2022

  • George Eustice – 2022 Statement on Delivering the Environment Act

    George Eustice – 2022 Statement on Delivering the Environment Act

    The statement made by George Eustice, the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, in the House of Commons on 16 March 2022.

    We are today launching our consultation on legally binding targets under the Environment Act to leave our environment in a better state than we found it. This includes a world-leading target to halt the decline of nature by 2030. This is our compass, spurring action of the scale required to address biodiversity loss. We are also proposing targets for air quality, water, trees, marine protected areas, biodiversity, and waste reduction and resource efficiency.

    This goes beyond the legal minimum required under the Act and will support the delivery of many of the Government’s priorities, including to reach net zero by 2050, build resilience against the impacts of a changing climate, and level up all corners of the country.

    In order to meet these targets, we must move the emphasis away from bureaucratic EU processes that have not done enough to moderate the pace of nature’s decline, and instead put in place the governance regime that can deliver nature’s recovery. That is why we are publishing a Green Paper today, setting out proposals to create a system which better reflects the latest science, has regard for our domestic species and habitats, and delivers nature recovery.

    We have always said we will take a cautious and evidence-led approach to any reform. This Green Paper is the next step in setting out our ideas and gathering views to inform our approach.

    Our protected sites and nutrient pollution

    As set out in our 25 year environment plan, England’s protected sites are a vitally important part of this Government’s ambitious commitments on the environment, including delivering the target to halt species decline by 2030. Nutrient pollution is a particular problem for our freshwater habitats and estuaries. Increased levels of nutrients—especially nitrogen and phosphorus—can ultimately damage protected sites and the wildlife that live there.

    Many of our most internationally important water bodies are designated as protected sites under the Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2017. Under the Habitats Regulations, competent authorities, such as local planning authorities and the Environment Agency, must assess the environmental impact of planning applications or local plans. As a result of these regulations and European case law, Natural England has advised that in areas where protected sites are in “unfavourable condition” due to nutrient pollution, Local planning authorities can only approve a project if they are certain it will have no negative effect on the protected site.

    Following further work to understand the sources of site deterioration, Natural England has today issued updated advice and support to the 32 local planning authorities currently affected by nutrient pollution, as well as 42 new local planning authorities. So far this approach has too often been complex, time-consuming and costly to apply, and Government is clear that action is needed to make sure that we both deliver the homes and communities need and address pollution at source.

    First, to help all local planning authorities affected to navigate this requirement, Natural England has published a “nutrient calculator” to enable development to take place in a sustainable way. The Government is offering £100,000 to each affected catchment to support cross-local authority work to meet Natural England requirements and enable development to continue.

    These solutions are pragmatic short-term steps but do not amount to a permanent solution that will improve water quality and allow sustainable development to proceed, and so we are going further. The Government already has highly ambitious plans to reduce nutrient pollution from both agriculture and sewage works and has further plans for the future. We have also secured a series of pledges from water companies to provide new funding for nature-based “strategic solutions” to tackle nutrient pollution. We welcome the new and proactive investment from Severn Trent Water, United Utilities, South West Water and Yorkshire Water in collectively investing an additional £24.5 million in reducing nutrient pollution affecting these sites, including nature-based solutions. We will work with the wider industry to deliver further action, as far as possible.

    Finally, we will explore legislation to further strengthen requirements to reduce nutrients at source enabling more sustainable development. This will provide greater certainty for local authorities.

  • Ben Wallace – 2022 Statement on International Military Services Limited

    Ben Wallace – 2022 Statement on International Military Services Limited

    The statement made by Ben Wallace, the Secretary of State for Defence, in the House of Commons on 16 March 2022.

    On Thursday 10 March 2022 I authorised the release of £393.8 million to discharge the debt owed by the Ministry of Defence-owned company, International Military Services Limited (IMS).

    The debt resulted from contracts which were signed between IMS Ltd. and the pre-revolution Iranian Government. Following the Iranian revolution, the contracts were not fulfilled, despite prepayments made by Iran to the UK. The UK courts and the International Court of Arbitration (ICC) subsequently confirmed that the debt was still owed to the Iranian Government.

    The payment of the debt reflects the UK Government’s determination to meet that international obligation, while seeking to ensure that such funds can only be used in accordance with applicable sanctions, and domestic counter-terrorism and anti-money laundering legislation, for example to purchase humanitarian goods.

    I have been a consistent campaigner on IMS settlement, including as Chairman of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Iran and securing a Westminster Hall debate in March 2014 in which I called to “honour the debt once and for all”.

  • Jim McMahon – 2022 Comments on Government’s Nature Recovery Green Paper

    Jim McMahon – 2022 Comments on Government’s Nature Recovery Green Paper

    The comments made by Jim McMahon, the Shadow Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, on 17 March 2022.

    The Government may have set out some flashy headline targets, but this green paper fails to map out a credible way to achieve those targets. It follows a similar pattern, from a government that is big on promises, but small on delivery.

    Meanwhile, we’re in a dirty water emergency, poor air quality continues to affect the health of millions and the catastrophic decline of nature, habitats and wildlife continues. The reality is that the Tories have a track record in failing to take our environment and nature seriously.

    Labour forced a vote to end sewage discharge into our rivers, lakes and seas and the Tories voted against it. Labour tabled constructive amendments to strengthen the Environment Bill and the Tories voted against it.

    Only Labour has a plan to establish a legal right for citizens to breathe clean air by establishing a Clean Air Act. Only Labour has a plan to tackle our climate crisis by investing £28 billion a year until 2030.

  • Volodymyr Zelenskyy – 2022 Statement on the Situation in Ukraine (11/03/2022)

    Volodymyr Zelenskyy – 2022 Statement on the Situation in Ukraine (11/03/2022)

    The statement made by Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the President of Ukraine, on 11 March 2022.

    Ukrainians!

    One of the main tasks for us today was the organization of humanitarian corridors.

    Sumy, Trostyanets, Krasnopillya, Irpin, Bucha, Hostomel, Izyum. Almost 40,000 people have already been evacuated this day. They were given safety at last. In Poltava, Kyiv, Cherkasy, Zaporizhzhia, Dnipro, Lviv.

    Humanitarian cargoes were also delivered. Hundreds of tons of food, medicine.

    We are doing everything to save our people in the cities that the enemy just wants to destroy. Taking into account the work of humanitarian corridors in the previous two days, we have already evacuated about one hundred thousand people.

    But…

    Mariupol and Volnovakha remain completely blocked.

    Although we did everything necessary to make the humanitarian corridor work, Russian troops did not cease fire.

    Despite this, I decided to send a convoy of trucks to Mariupol anyway. With food, water, medicine. I am grateful to the drivers – brave people who were ready to fulfill this mission. An extremely important mission.

    But the invaders started a tank attack exactly in the area where this corridor was supposed to be. Corridor of life. For the people of Mariupol.

    They did it consciously. They knew what they were disrupting. They have a clear order to hold Mariupol hostage, to torture it, to carry out constant bombardment.

    Today they destroyed the building of the main department of the State Emergency Service in the Donetsk region. Right next to this building was the place where Mariupol residents were to gather for evacuation.

    This is outright terror. Blatant terror.

    From experienced terrorists.

    The world needs to know that. It has to admit it. We are all dealing with a terrorist state.

    But no matter what, we will try! Constantly! We will continue to try to bring to Mariupol the aid that people so desperately need. Ukrainians need.

    The invaders are doing everything to deceive our people in the besieged cities.

    They block communication. Prevent the provision of Information. The state is doing everything to help our city.

    Everything to tell the people of Mariupol: we are fighting. And we will not give up this fight.

    Therefore, if you have the opportunity to talk to the people of Mariupol, to write to the people of Mariupol, spread the truth. Remind them that Ukraine is with them wholeheartedly and is doing everything to stop the torture of the city.

    Russian propagandists have substantially intensified their activity today. And they tried very hard.

    Probably in order to cover up the crimes of their army in Ukraine. Crimes against Mariupol. Against Donbas. Against Kharkiv. Against dozens of other cities.

    Cover them up with new accusations. New-old fakes.

    They accuse us… Again us! That we are allegedly developing biological weapons. Allegedly, we are preparing a chemical attack.

    This makes me really worried, because we’ve been repeatedly convinced: if you want to know Russia’s plans, look at what Russia accuses others of.

    Look, spreading such accusations in the Russian media shows that it is THEY who are capable of this. The Russian military, the Russian special services. It shows that they want it.

    They have already done such things in other countries. Similar! They themselves announced, they themselves organized, they themselves complained. And they will do so again.

    Again and again. If they are not stopped.

    They tore apart Moldova with Transnistria. They tore apart Georgia with Abkhazia. They tore apart Ukraine with Donbas and Crimea.

    But they blame us! Those who have become victims.

    Those who are forced to defend themselves. Fight for the right to live.

    They themselves come to us in tanks and with missiles.

    They take something that doesn’t belong to them. Capture.

    They are even ashamed to show their officers! They hide their generals. They conceal from their own people that they are sending conscripts to this war only to make the invasion forces larger.

    But we are to blame! We are accused of attacks on allegedly peaceful Russia.

    And now what? What are these allegations of preparing chemical attacks? Have you decided to carry out “de-chemicalization” of Ukraine? Using ammonia? Using phosphorus? What else have you prepared for us?

    Where will you strike with chemical weapons?

    At the maternity hospital in Mariupol? At the church in Kharkiv? At the Okhmatdyt Children’s Hospital?

    Or at laboratories, most of which have remained since Soviet times and are engaged in ordinary science. Ordinary!

    NOT military technology.

    We are adequate people. I am the President of an adequate country, an adequate nation. And the father of two children.

    And no chemical or any other weapons of mass destruction were developed on my land.

    The whole world knows that.

    YOU know that.

    And if YOU do something like that against US, you will get the most severe sanctions response.

    Ukrainians! Our defenders!

    I have signed several important decrees.

    About awarding the title of Hero of Ukraine to thirteen of our defenders:

    Lieutenant Colonel Litun Andriy Mykolayovych. Posthumously. He died covering our troops and heroically restraining the enemy’s offensive.

    Captain Korpan Oleksandr Bohdanovych. Posthumously. He saved our soldiers and civilian houses when he took the falling aircraft away from them.

    Junior Lieutenant Blokha Yuriy Ihorovych. Posthumously. In the battles in the Mykolaiv region he heroically protected brothers-in-arms, saving their lives.

    Senior Sergeant Ivashko Andriy Oleksandrovych. Posthumously. During the rocket fire, he personally provided information about the enemy’s actions at the cost of his own life.

    Junior Sergeant Volkov Yevhen Volodymyrovych. Posthumously. For courage and heroism during the evacuation of the wounded in the Donetsk region, for saving our military.

    Major General Nikoliuk Viktor Dmytrovych. He skillfully led the defense in the north-eastern direction and managed to prevent the capture of Chernihiv.

    Colonel Khoda Leonid Oleksiyovych. During the war, under his command, more than 50 enemy vehicles were destroyed.

    Lieutenant Colonel Ponomarenko Vyacheslav Anatoliyovych. Thanks to his actions, a significant number of enemy’s equipment and soldiers in the city of Hostomel were destroyed.

    Lieutenant Colonel Yakovenko Oleksandr Oleksiyovych. He withdrew his units from the enemy artillery fire, thanks to which he saved personnel and continued to successfully defend the Donetsk region.

    Major Bova Yevhen Petrovych. For the heroic defense of Mariupol and holding positions under constant enemy attacks.

    Captain Boyechko Vasyl Vasyliovych. For the extremely successful destruction of enemy equipment and manpower.

    Sergeant Moroz Oleh Romanovych. Thanks to his heroic deeds, the enemy’s offensive in the Luhansk region was stopped.

    Sailor Samofalov Valeriy Mykhailovych. In one battle, for the first time in the history of this war, he shot down three enemy helicopters.

    I also signed a decree awarding orders for personal courage to 39 national guardsmen, 31 policemen (9 posthumously), 14 border guards (4 posthumously) and 23 employees of the State Emergency Service.

    Today the rank of Brigadier General is awarded to:

    Nechayev Oleh Oleksandrovych. For the successful defense of the Kyiv region.

    Lishchynsky Vladyslav Vatslavovych. For extremely successful actions against the enemy in the Kherson region.

    Hutsol Volodymyr Volodymyrych. For the successful destruction of enemy airborne troops in Vasylkiv.

    Demyanchyk Hryhoriy Petrovych. For the successful organization of personnel training for our military units.

    And finally.

    Discussions on Ukraine’s future in the EU continue today and tomorrow in Europe.

    I believe that our people, our state, our army did everything for us to be welcome there. As equals. For us to be invited there.

    This is the final exam for Europe.

    Among the leaders of the states there are those who support us. And there are also those who support only themselves.

    But we see how the nations of all European countries treat us. And this is the main thing.

    Because I know for sure – if people decided on our membership in the EU, they would definitely choose the people of Ukraine.

    Today, when I see the support of the people of each country in the squares of European capitals, I know that the Ukrainian people are already in the European Union.

    And politicians… I’m sure they will adjust to that.

    Preferably faster.

    Glory to the nations of Europe!

    Glory to Ukraine!

    Glory to our military!

    Thank you!

  • Volodymyr Zelenskyy – 2022 Statement on the Situation in Ukraine (10/03/2022)

    Volodymyr Zelenskyy – 2022 Statement on the Situation in Ukraine (10/03/2022)

    The statement made by Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the President of Ukraine, on 10 March 2022.

    Ukrainians!

    Information about the victims of yesterday’s bombing of the maternity hospital and the children’s hospital in Mariupol appeared last night. We lost three people, including a child, a girl. The number of wounded is 17. These are children, women, medical workers.

    You know, this topic was mentioned on Russian television. It was on their talk show. But not a word of truth was said. The Russians were lied to that there had been no patients in the hospital and no women or children in the maternity hospital. The Russians were lied to that “nationalists” had allegedly taken up positions there. They lie confidently, as always.

    War crimes are impossible without the propagandists who cover them up. I want to tell them one thing: you will bear responsibility just as all those who give orders to bomb civilians. We will find all the property of the propagandists and their associates. We will do our best to confiscate it wherever it is. You love a rich life. Love prosperous countries. You will not have this anymore. And this is just the beginning.

    You will definitely be prosecuted for complicity in war crimes. And then, it will definitely happen, you will be hated by Russian citizens. Everyone whom you have been deceiving constantly, daily, for many years in a row. When they feel the consequences of your lies in their wallets, in their shrinking possibilities. In the stolen future of Russian children.

    War is never isolated. It always beats both the victim and the aggressor. The aggressor just realizes it later. But it always realizes and always suffers.

    Today, we are once again providing humanitarian corridors for our cities. The buses have already departed, the trucks are already on their way – with food, water, medicine.

    Mariupol, Volnovakha, Izyum, Sumy and the region. Cities and towns of the Kyiv region – Bucha, Borodyanka, Irpin, Hostomel… My heart is broken by what the invaders did to our cities, to our state! And by what they want to do to our people who need urgent help.

    Russian troops have already created a humanitarian catastrophe in Ukraine. But for them it is part of the plan. They want to humiliate our people. Make them take bread and water from the hands of the invaders standing on their knees. So that Ukrainians can save their lives just by going to the occupied territories or to Russia. That’s why they are blocking Mariupol, that’s why they are blocking Volnovakha, blocking other cities.

    The invaders specially organize this torture to give their propaganda channels new material. Just for that. Monsters.

    Despite everything, updated information was received every hour yesterday about people whom we managed to evacuate to the free territory of Ukraine. In total, more than 60,000 of our citizens were rescued yesterday plus those who did not have time until night and continued the evacuation in the morning.

    I spoke today, in particular about that, with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz. About the torture of our cities, our people. I spoke with French President Macron.

    I felt in a conversation with Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Boris Johnson that our anti-war coalition will soon become much stronger. Consequently, the pressure on Russia for peace will also be much stronger. For us, specifics in relations with world leaders, with European leaders are very important.

    We are really fighting for our independence! For freedom, for equality for all on the continent! That is why we want to see from partners the decisions based on reality, not on declarations or abstract considerations.

    These days, the EU leaders will convene to discuss Russia’s war against Ukraine. To discuss our application for EU membership. We are waiting for a concrete signal. We look forward to strong support. Because it will be fair, real, human, European.

    We know exactly the position of every leader. We know exactly who stands with us and who thinks that the European Union is just accounting, profits, expenses and nothing more. We will work, we will persuade. Life will convince them.

    Ukrainians! Our defenders!

    We all have been defending our state for the 15th day. We endured. The Ukrainian army is repelling attacks in key directions. Thanks to our military, National Guards, border guards, police, territorial defense and everyone who joined the defense of the state, we have not become slaves, and will never become!

    Because this is our spirit, this is our destiny. Pride for our Armed Forces of Ukraine is boundless!

    After the war, after our victory, we will rebuild everything that was destroyed.

    Very quickly and with a very high quality. A special state program for reconstruction will be created for each affected city. I have already instructed the government to start the elaboration.

    Chernihiv and Sumy, Okhtyrka and Zhytomyr, Izyum, Mariupol and all our beautiful cities to which evil has come will not see a single trace of the Russian invasion.

    The best architects, the best companies, the best projects. For every city! I want to say this on the example of Kharkiv. Our Kharkiv, which is now experiencing the worst suffering since World War II.

    Saltivka, Oleksiivka… Perhaps most Ukrainians know nothing about these names. But the people of Kharkiv will hear. Freedom Square will be such that everyone, all of us, all Europeans will be there! Poltava Way, Belgorod Highway, Myronosytska Street, Regional Children’s Hospital, Kharkiv Oncology Center, Karazin University, Labor Palace, Korolenko Library.

    We will rebuild everything! I promise you personally. Kharkiv residents will see that Ukraine stands with them. And it really does.

    Glory to Ukraine!

  • James Cleverly – 2022 Statement on Ukraine

    James Cleverly – 2022 Statement on Ukraine

    The statement made by James Cleverly, the Minister for Europe and North America, in the House of Commons on 15 March 2022.

    I beg to move,

    That this House has considered the situation in Ukraine.

    Seven days ago, President Zelensky inspired us with his address to Parliament. This weekend, he was visiting wounded soldiers in hospital, leading from the front. We owe it to President Zelensky and the people of Ukraine to do our utmost to help them in their brave fight; we owe it to ourselves to stand up for security and stability in Europe; and we owe it to the world to keep the flame of freedom burning and to show that aggression does not pay.

    In response to the unprovoked attack, the world has shown immense unity in standing up to Vladimir Putin, but we need to keep up the pressure. Our objective is clear: Putin must lose in Ukraine. We are doing this by cutting off the funding for his war machine, by providing weapons that the Ukrainians need to defend themselves and by isolating Putin on the world stage. The United Kingdom has been at the forefront of the international response, with a tough sanctions package and strong support, including defensive weapons and humanitarian aid. We will now enhance our work with allies to respond to Russia’s aggression.

    We need to be strong to get peace. That is why we are building on efforts to cut off the funding for Putin’s war machine through sanctions. Today, I can announce that we will go further than ever before by hitting more than 360 more people complicit with Putin’s regime. They range from former President Dmitry Medvedev and Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu to Putin’s propagandist Maria Zakharova. After today, we will have designated more than 1,000 individuals and entities under our Russian sanctions regime.

    We are using our new powers under the Economic Crime (Transparency and Enforcement) Act 2022 to maximise impact. That would not have been possible without the extraordinary efforts of colleagues across this Parliament to get the legislation through the House so quickly, which shows our collective determination to lead by example in punishing the Putin regime.

    Chris Bryant (Rhondda) (Lab)

    The Minister is right that we are sanctioning a lot of people, but actually we name the people who are sanctioned, and then other people do the sanctioning by not engaging with them on a financial basis, not buying or selling properties and all the rest of it. At the moment, it is phenomenally difficult to find out from the Foreign Office sanctions list who is and is not sanctioned. For instance, I gather that it was announced last week that Members of the Duma were sanctioned, but they are still not on the Foreign Office website list, as far as I can see. I wonder whether there is a way of making the information far more readily available to the wider population.

    We need to deal not just with the people who have £20 million houses, whom we have all heard of, but with the people who have £750,000 flats in London, bought with Russian dirty money—the many relatives of Abramovich and his ex-partners, for instance. Each one of them needs to be dealt with, and each one of those properties needs to be seized.

    James Cleverly

    The hon. Gentleman makes an important point about ensuring that we give due publicity to the people, institutions and entities who have been sanctioned. I will ensure that the Department listens to his suggestion.

    In December, we brought our G7 partners together in Liverpool to warn Putin that invading Ukraine would have massive consequences. We have followed through on that pledge. We have worked with our allies to cut off sectors of the Russian economy by targeting its defence companies, trade and transport sector, and by kicking banks out of the SWIFT financial system. We have led the way with our financial sanctions, targeting 10 Russian banks, and we have hit over £300 billion of Russian bank assets. All this amounts to the toughest sanctions package of any country. We will work with all our allies and encourage them to keep ratcheting up their efforts as well.

    We will continue to provide lethal military aid to Ukraine. We were the first European country to send defensive weapons; we have already donated more than 3,600 next generation light anti-tank weapons and are now supplying Javelin missiles.

    James Gray (North Wiltshire) (Con)

    Does my right hon. Friend agree that one of the lighter moments in an otherwise extremely bleak military picture in Ukraine was the destruction of Russian tanks, using—one has to presume—British NLAW missiles?

    James Cleverly

    My hon. and gallant Friend makes an important point. We have heard anecdotally that Ukrainians are shouting “God save the Queen!” as they fire those weapons at the tanks that have been sent to destroy them. I am very proud that we play an incredibly important part.

    Jamie Stone (Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross) (LD)

    I thank the Minister for giving way; it is very courteous of him. Is it not true that part of the reason we are where we are today is the historic long-term running down of our armed forces? The situation today sits very ill with the proposal to reduce the British Army by 10,000 men and women. Finally, we have all read in today’s Telegraph that inflation will reduce the size of the armed forces over the years ahead.

    James Cleverly

    The sad truth, I think, is that Vladimir Putin has been plotting this expansionist idea of his for quite some time. I do not agree that it is necessarily linked with domestic defence policy in the UK, but we can absolutely be proud that British military technology, assisted by British military training, is helping the Ukrainians in their time of need and in their ferocious defence of their homeland.

    Daniel Kawczynski (Shrewsbury and Atcham) (Con)

    My right hon. Friend has told us that the United Kingdom has taken the lead on our continent in freezing the assets of Russians. During his discussions with representatives of the European Union, have they been able to furnish him with an explanation of why they, as an entity, have failed to keep pace with Britain in that regard?

    James Cleverly

    I am often encouraged to do a “compare and contrast” between the United Kingdom and our international friends and partners, but the simple truth is that there has been greater, tighter and closer co-ordination in response to Putin’s aggression in Ukraine than I could ever have imagined, and we will continue to work together extremely closely. We are proud of the fact that the UK Government have had a dramatic and detrimental impact on Russia’s finances, choking off Putin’s ability to fund this aggression, but we intend to go further, and we will do so in close co-ordination with those international friends and partners.

    Clive Lewis (Norwich South) (Lab)

    As someone who lost his guts, or at least his lunch, quite a few times when helicopters were having to jig because of the threat of Singer missiles—given to our allies at the time, decades earlier—may I ask whether the Minister can assure us that the Government’s measures are sufficient to ensure that our weapons do not end up on the black market in the hands of the wrong people at a future date? Will he also confirm that our weapons—the NLAWs and other pieces of aggressive equipment—will not end up in the hands of far-right neo-Nazis, many of whom we know to be making their way to Ukraine now from around the world?

    James Cleverly

    Our priority, and the purpose of the defensive weapon support that we have provided, is to help the Ukrainians to defend themselves against the attacks of Russia. Obviously we hope that this conflict will come to a swift conclusion, but until then we will continue our support for the Ukrainians as they defend themselves. What happens at the end of this conflict, in terms of securing munitions, will be something on which we will work with the Ukraine Government and our national friends and partners, but at the moment our priority, quite rightly, is to help the Ukrainians to defend themselves against Putin’s attack.

    Dr Julian Lewis (New Forest East) (Con)

    May I ask my right hon. Friend about this distinction between defensive and offensive weaponry? The fact is that when a friendly nation finds itself under attack, all the weaponry with which we supply it is defensive. I should have thought that if we cannot intervene ourselves—and there are good reasons why we cannot—there is no reason at all why we cannot help the Ukrainians with their airspace problem by facilitating the necessary aircraft deliveries which they have requested.

    James Cleverly

    My right hon. Friend has made an important point about munitions systems being inherently defensive when a country is under attack. He has also made an important point about airspace management, and I will come to that later in my speech. I intend to make some progress now.

    Since 2014, we have worked to train more than 22,000 Ukrainian troops under Operation Orbital. As well as helping Ukraine to defend itself from attack on the ground, we must help it to defend itself against attack from the skies. That is why we will be sending more supplies, including Starstreak ground-based air defence anti-aircraft missiles. We and our allies need to do everything possible, within the UN charter on self-defence, to help Ukraine to defend itself, which is why I was with my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister this morning discussing with and working with our Nordic and Baltic allies to increase defensive support as part of the UK-led joint expeditionary force. We must be robust in supporting our NATO allies living under the shadow of Russian aggression, so the UK, as NATO’s biggest European contributor, is doubling the number of troops in Estonia and Poland.

    As Putin inflicts ever greater misery in Ukraine, we continue our humanitarian and economic support. We have pledged almost £400 million, which includes the supply of more than 700,000 medical items directly to Ukraine and more than 500 power generators to keep essential facilities such as hospitals running. We have also brought 21 critically ill Ukrainian children to the UK to receive life-saving cancer treatment. We are providing more humanitarian aid than any other European country. The British people have also risen to the moment by showing their own huge generosity of spirit. In the short time since our homes for Ukraine scheme was launched, more than 80,000 people have signed up for it.

    Alec Shelbrooke (Elmet and Rothwell) (Con)

    It may be helpful for my right hon. Friend to know that according to a Sky newsflash, the figure is now more than 100,000.

    James Cleverly

    That is lovely. It is not usually nice to be wrong at the Dispatch Box, but I am incredibly proud that the figure I quoted, which was accurate a few hours ago when this speech was written, has now been made obsolete by the enormous generosity of spirit of the British people. I think that that shows us at our best. The Disasters Emergency Committee’s appeal has now reached over £150 million, which we are supporting with our largest ever match-funding pledge of £25 million.

    Wera Hobhouse (Bath) (LD)

    I do not doubt the generosity of the people of this country, but I am still worried about the generosity of the Government. May I give the Minister an example? A young Ukrainian family, related to one of my constituents, have thankfully made it into Poland, but although their visa appointment was over a week ago, they are still waiting for the outcome. Meanwhile, their hotel bills are rising and they are even considering returning to Ukraine—to a war zone. How humane is that response from the Government? Can they not make these decisions much more quickly?

    James Cleverly

    The Prime Minister, the Foreign Secretary and other members of the Government have made it clear that our intention is to be generous and to welcome Ukrainians with open arms. We are trying to facilitate that as quickly as possible, and the Home Secretary has spoken at the Dispatch Box about measures that she has put in place for that purpose. If the hon. Lady will pass on the details of the people whom she has mentioned, we will see what we can do to help, but I assure her that the generosity of spirit of this country will be felt by the Ukrainians who are fleeing persecution and attack from Vladimir Putin.

    As well as supporting Ukraine directly, we are deploying our diplomatic efforts internationally. We are rallying the 141 countries that voted to condemn Russia’s actions at the United Nations to do even more. We have seen many of those countries support our sanctions worldwide, from Switzerland to Singapore, and we are working to draw more countries into the orbit of those that are prepared to stand up for the sovereignty of Ukraine. We are working with partners to reduce the economic dependency on Russia across the world, from the Indo-Pacific to Africa and the Gulf, through trade and British international investment. Everything we do will further isolate the Putin regime which has made Russia a global pariah.

    Ultimately, we will hold Putin accountable for his crimes. We will work with prosecutors at the International Criminal Court to help them to obtain the information that they need, and we will not relent in our mission to see that justice is done.

    Sir Bernard Jenkin (Harwich and North Essex) (Con)

    Has my right hon. Friend seen the recent reports that the Russian navy is now massing off Odesa in a typical Russian tactical manoeuvre to open a new front? Is this not in fact a new opportunity to demonstrate to the world the unacceptability of Putin’s disgusting war and to invite open and international condemnation of his actions?

    James Cleverly

    My hon. Friend is absolutely right. We need to continue working internationally to enhance the coalition of nations that have denounced Putin’s actions and to increase the pressure on him to bring this war to a conclusion rather than opening up another front and increasing the suffering of the people in Ukraine.

    We must be realistic that there will be a cost to the UK and to our allies of imposing these tough sanctions, but the cost of doing nothing is so much higher. We saw what happened in 2014 when the free world did not do enough to contain Putin’s aggression. He came back more aggressively, and that is why we cannot allow him to impose a settlement on Ukraine that vindicates his aggression. If we fail to stand up to Putin and fail to support Ukraine in its hour of need, we will live to regret it.

    Simon Hoare (North Dorset) (Con)

    We know what a successful sanctions regime will look like: withdrawal, peace restored, etc. Who will determine—and when—whether the sanctions policy has worked, and what is the next step thereafter?

    James Cleverly

    My hon. Friend is right to draw our attention to that. The simple truth is that the sanctions have to be successful and we have to keep applying the pressure until they are successful.

    Mr Jonathan Djanogly (Huntingdon) (Con)

    On that point, as we mount up the sanctions, we will be freezing more and more oligarchs’ and Russian assets, but we will not be selling them. We are not sequestrating them, so we are going to end up with a pile of assets. Are we at some point going to use those assets for the benefit of the Ukrainian people, or are we just going to wait until the war is over and hand them back, which I do not think would be as popular?

    James Cleverly

    Ultimately, what we are looking to do with these sanctions is choke off the supply of funds for Putin’s war machine. We have to be very focused on what the sanctions are for. This is about bringing this conflict to a conclusion.

    Mr Khalid Mahmood (Birmingham, Perry Barr) (Lab)

    Just a single point on sanctions: what action will we take when people break those sanctions on Russia and take supplies? I am thinking particularly of the crude oil being taken by India. What action should we take in those circumstances against people who are still supporting Putin, with his money flowing into the country?

    James Cleverly

    Ultimately, the enforcement of our sanctions regime is a task for Her Majesty’s Treasury. We will of course work across Government and internationally to ensure that the sanctions packages are robust and have the desired effect of ending this war in Ukraine. That is why the UK is working so hard and that is why, together with our allies and partners, we will ensure that Putin loses in Ukraine.

  • Robin Walker – 2022 Statement on Education

    Robin Walker – 2022 Statement on Education

    The statement made by Robin Walker, the Minister for School Standards, in the House of Commons on 14 March 2022.

    Today, I am providing an update to the House on three elements of this Government’s work to enable every child to fulfil their potential by ensuring that they receive the right support, in the right place, at the right time. This is in advance of the forthcoming Schools White Paper, which will demonstrate how our education system can deliver on the Government’s priorities of building back better after the pandemic and levelling up across the country.

    My update today addresses our work on tutoring, the Oak National Academy and with the Education Endowment Foundation.

    I can now confirm to the House that over one million courses have been started by children across the country through the National Tutoring Programme. Of these, around 532,000 were provided through the school-led tutoring route, which provides funding directly to schools giving them greater flexibility to source their own tutors, whether external or staff already working in the school.

    We are building on this success by transferring, this academic year, up to £65 million to school-led tutoring from the academic mentor and tuition partner pillars of the programme. This will give schools even greater autonomy to deliver high quality tutoring to as many children and young people as possible, reflecting the Department’s continued focus on following the evidence of what works.

    To support schools further and meet increasing demand, the eligibility criteria for recruiting academic mentors into schools has been updated, with minimum A level requirements replacing the requirement for a degree, along with increasing the rate of pay for all graduate mentors looking to enrol and support the programme.

    Alongside, we are giving schools working with tuition partners increased discretion to determine the size of groups receiving tutoring; our advice remains that three pupils per tuition group is optimal, but we are raising the maximum group size to six pupils to allow greater flexibility where needed, such as for phonics where pair work is required.

    This Government will continue to build on the success of the National Tutoring Programme this year, in particular the school-led route. Schools, tutors and other stakeholders have continued to provide feedback to the Department over the course of the year—in particular regarding the need for a programme that is as simple as possible—and we are exploring all options to make sure that feedback is reflected in the programme next year.

    Tutoring is vital for providing extra help to pupils. But the heart of their education will of course come from the outstanding teaching they receive in their classrooms.

    We want to empower teachers to focus on delivering the best possible lessons, and support schools by giving them access to resources and approaches that have proved their effectiveness.

    Oak National Academy has been one of the great achievements coming out of the education system’s response to the pandemic. Over 500 teachers from over 50 schools, trusts and partners worked together, delivering over 140 million lessons.

    Building on this success, we will now establish a new arm’s length curriculum body incorporating Oak, working independently of Government and collaboratively with the sector.

    Curriculum design is complex, and we want to share the very best practice so teachers can draw inspiration from examples of evidence-based, carefully sequenced curriculum design.

    Under the framework already provided by our excellent national curriculum, the curriculum body will lead the creation of curriculum maps and resources which will be freely available to all teachers, parents and children.

    Instead of each teacher reinventing the wheel, they will be able to access content, for free, that continuously evolves and improves through feedback from teachers across the country—reducing workload and of course improving lessons and curriculum expertise. The resources will be entirely optional and will not be mandated by Ofsted.

    At the heart of this body will be collaboration and partnership, with the sector and with providers of resources. The curriculum body will work closely with teachers to ensure it is meeting their needs, including those supporting children with additional needs. We are committed to building on the “by teachers, for teachers” approach that has been a key success factor for Oak National Academy.

    The body will continue work with the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) to ensure its resources are informed by the best available evidence and align with best practice.

    With the same motivation to use evidence where we can, we will permanently put evidence at the heart of the teaching profession by re-endowing the EEF. As independent evidence guardians in the system, the EEF will continue to generate and spread world-leading education evidence. This work will include leading an ongoing cycle of reviews of the underpinning frameworks for teacher development to make sure they are always based on “what works” to improve pupil outcomes. The EEF will keep these frameworks updated in line with the best available evidence from this country and abroad, giving an independent badge of assurance to our teacher development programmes.

    We will also continue to work with the EEF to scale up and spread effective teaching practice in literacy and numeracy to ensure pupils have the best chance of catching up following the pandemic.

    Further details on the endowment will be confirmed in due course.

  • Chris Philp – 2022 Statement on Online Safety and Cyberflashing Offences

    Chris Philp – 2022 Statement on Online Safety and Cyberflashing Offences

    The statement made by Chris Philp, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, in the House of Commons on 14 March 2022.

    I wish to inform the House that the Government are legislating through the Online Safety Bill to create an offence related to the behaviour known as cyberflashing.

    It is important that we effectively criminalise this behaviour, which usually involves a person sending an unsolicited photograph or film of genitals—be it their own or another person’s—to another person or persons. Photographs and films can be sent in a variety of ways, including on peer-to-peer platforms, on dating or meeting apps, and social media. The recipients of such unsolicited images can experience significant humiliation, alarm, or distress.

    The Government plan to implement the Law Commission’s recommendation for how this offence should be constructed as laid out in the Law Commission’s “Modernising Communications Offences” report, published in July 2021. This will involve inserting a new section 66A into the Sexual Offences Act 2003 to create a new criminal offence of intentionally sending or giving a photograph or film of any person’s genitals to another person with the intention that that person will see the genitals and be caused alarm, distress or humiliation, or for the purpose of obtaining sexual gratification and reckless as to whether the recipient will be caused alarm, distress or humiliation.

    We hope it will address increasing public concern expressed about behaviour of non-consensual sending of images of genitals, especially over electronic networks, and the harms associated.

    I would like to express my sincere thanks for all the work that the Commission has carried out as part of this review over the past four years.

  • Lisa Nandy – 2022 Speech on the Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme

    Lisa Nandy – 2022 Speech on the Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme

    The speech made by Lisa Nandy, the Labour MP for Wigan, in the House of Commons on 14 March 2022.

    We were so relieved to hear that the Secretary of State was going to announce a scheme to allow Ukrainian refugees a route to safety after weeks of delay, but a press release is not a plan, and we are really deeply concerned about the lack of urgency. Yesterday, he went on TV to claim that Ukrainians could be here by Sunday, but he has just told us that they will still need a visa under the current application process. These are 50-page forms that have to be completed online, asking people who have fled with nothing to find an internet café to upload documents they do not have—water bills and mortgage documents—to prove who they are. The Home Office has been incredibly slow in issuing these visas. As of this morning, only 4,000 have been issued. We are lagging way behind the generosity of other countries. We could simplify this process today. We could keep essential checks but drop the excessive bureaucracy. He knows it; why has it not been done?

    For weeks the British people have been coming forward in large numbers to offer help. It has been moving and heartwarming to see the decency and spirit on display in every corner of this country. But what exactly will the Government be doing, especially in relation to matching families to sponsors? On the Secretary of State’s tour of the TV studios, he suggested several times that people who are willing to sponsor a Ukrainian family need to come to the Government with the name of that family, and they will then rubber-stamp it. He cannot seriously be asking Ukrainian families who are fleeing Vladimir Putin, and who have left their homes with nothing, to get on to Instagram and advertise themselves in the hope that a British family might notice them. Is that genuinely the extent of this scheme? Surely there is a role for the Secretary of State in matching Ukrainian families to their sponsors, not just a DIY asylum scheme where all he does is take the credit. Will he please clarify what the Government’s role is going to be?

    There has been a lack of urgency in getting people here and there is still a lack of urgency in ensuring that we support them when they do get here. Earlier today, my right hon. Friend the Member for Normanton, Pontefract and Castleford (Yvette Cooper) and I spoke to council leaders, who stand ready and willing to help. Why has not anyone from the Secretary of State’s Department picked up the phone to them? Last week, I spoke to charities that he will ask to act as sponsors. They are acutely aware that the people who are coming will be quite unlike previous refugees.

    Two million people are on the march—children alone, mums with very young kids and older people. The brutal reality of what is happening in Ukraine is that working-age people have stayed behind to fight. Those leaving will have healthcare needs, and they will need school places, maternity care and social care. One council leader told me today that his city, which traditionally plays a major role in welcoming refugees, has only nine secondary school places available. Has it not occurred to the Secretary of State until this point to pick up the phone to leaders such as the one I spoke to before he went into the TV studios and promised the earth?

    These charities and council leaders are the same people who stepped up during covid. They spin gold out of thread every single day, and what is keeping them awake at night right now is how we do right by people and keep them safe. It was only a few months ago that the Home Office placed a child into a hotel in Sheffield that it had been told was unsafe without even bothering to tell the council, and he fell out of a window and died. Will the Secretary of State ensure that every council is contacted by close of play today? Will he work with them to do the vetting checks that are needed? They are experts in safeguarding children. Will he not only trust them, but support them?

    Will the Secretary of State put a safety net in place, in case a placement breaks down? His Department confirmed over the weekend that families left homeless in that situation will not be able to claim their housing costs under universal credit. Surely that cannot be true. Surely we are not going to ask people who have fled bombs and bullets to lie homeless on the streets of Britain.

    I suspect that the Secretary of State has felt as ashamed as I have to watch how this Government have closed the door to people who need our help. He shakes his head, but people have been turned back at Calais. They have been left freezing by the roadside with their children. We have had planes leaving neighbouring NATO countries packed to the rafters, except those to London, because this Government have turned people away. The British people who have come forward have shown that we are a far better country than our Government, but unless he gets a plan together—a real plan, not just a press release—all he is effectively announcing is plans to fail the people of Ukraine twice over. He said today that they have our total admiration, and they do, but they need more than that; they need our total support.

  • Michael Gove – 2022 Statement on the Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme

    Michael Gove – 2022 Statement on the Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme

    The statement made by Michael Gove, the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, in the House of Commons on 14 March 2022.

    With permission, Mr Speaker, I will make a statement on our Government’s response to help those fleeing the conflict in Ukraine.

    This Government and this House—indeed, everyone in the UK—continue to be in awe of the bravery of the people of Ukraine. They are victims of savage, indiscriminate, unprovoked aggression. Their courage under fire and determination to resist inspires our total admiration.

    The United Kingdom stands with the Ukrainian people. My right hon. Friend the Defence Secretary has been in the vanguard of those providing military assistance. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has been co-ordinating diplomatic support and, with my right hon. Friends the Chancellor and Business Secretary, implementing a new and tougher than ever sanctions regime. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and the Home Office have also been providing humanitarian support on the ground to Ukraine’s neighbours, helping them to cope with the displacement of hundreds of thousands of people—but more can, and must, be done.

    To that end, my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary has already expanded the family route. She has also confirmed that from tomorrow Ukrainians with passports will be able to apply for UK visas entirely online without having to visit visa application centres. As a result, the number of Ukrainians now arriving in this country is rapidly increasing and numbers will grow even faster from tomorrow.

    We also know, however, that the unfailingly compassionate British public want to help further. That is why today we are answering that call with the announcement of a new sponsorship scheme, Homes for Ukraine. I thank my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary and officials in the Home Office, in my own Department and across Government for their work over the course of the past days and weeks to ensure that we can stand up this scheme as quickly as possible. In particular, I thank my noble Friend Richard Harrington, now Lord Harrington of Watford, whose experience in ensuring that the Syrian refugee resettlement programme was a success will prove invaluable in ensuring that we do right by the people of Ukraine.

    The scheme that Lord Harrington has helped us to design draws on the enormous good will and generosity of the British public, and our proud history of supporting the vulnerable in their hour of greatest need. The scheme will allow Ukrainians with no family ties to the UK to be sponsored by individuals or organisations who can offer them a home. There will be no limit to the number of Ukrainians who can benefit from it.

    The scheme will be open to all Ukrainian nationals and residents, and they will be able to live and work in the United Kingdom for up to three years.[Official Report, 15 March 2022, Vol. 710, c. 9MC.] They will have full and unrestricted access to benefits, healthcare, employment and other support. Sponsors in the UK can be of any nationality, with any immigration status, provided they have at least six months’ leave to remain within the UK.

    Sponsors will have to provide accommodation for a minimum of six months. In recognition of their generosity, the Government will provide a monthly payment of £350 to sponsors for each family whom they look after. These payments will be tax-free. They will not affect benefit entitlement or council tax status. Ukrainians arriving in the United Kingdom will have access to the full range of public services—doctors, schools, and full local authority support. Of course we want to minimise bureaucracy and make the process as straightforward as possible while doing everything we can to ensure the safety of all involved. Sponsors will therefore be required to undergo necessary vetting checks, and we are also streamlining processes to security-assess the status of Ukrainians who will be arriving in the United Kingdom.

    From today, anyone who wishes to record their interest in sponsorship can do so on gov.uk; the webpage has gone live as I speak. We will then send any individual who registers further information setting out the next steps in this process. We will outline what is required of a sponsor and set out how sponsors can identify a named Ukrainian individual or family who can then take up each sponsorship offer. Because we want the scheme to be up and running as soon as possible, Homes for Ukraine will initially facilitate sponsorship between people with known connections, but we will rapidly expand the scheme in a phased way, with charities, churches and community groups, to ensure that many more prospective sponsors can be matched with Ukrainians who need help. We are of course also working closely with the devolved Administrations to make sure that their kind offers of help are mobilised. I know that all concerned want to play their part in supporting Ukrainians, who have been through so much, to ensure that they feel at home in the United Kingdom, and I am committed to working with everyone of good will to achieve this.

    Our country has a long and proud history of supporting the most vulnerable during their darkest hour. We took in refugees fleeing Hitler’s Germany, those fleeing repression in Idi Amin’s Uganda, and those who fled the atrocities of the Balkan wars. More recently, we have offered support to those fleeing persecution in Syria, Afghanistan and Hong Kong. We are doing so again with Homes for Ukraine. We are a proud democracy. All of us in this House wish to see us defend and uphold our values, stand shoulder to shoulder with our allies, and offer a safe haven to people who have been forced to flee war and persecution. The British people have already opened their hearts in so many ways. I am hopeful that many will also be ready to open their homes and help those fleeing persecution to find peace, healing and the prospect of a brighter future. That is why I commend this statement to the House.