Tag: 2023

PRESS RELEASE : Rishi Sunak announces new plans so society’s most depraved killers will face life behind bars [August 2023]

The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 26 August 2023.

Society’s most depraved killers will face life behind bars with no chance of being released, under tough plans announced by the Prime Minister.

Making sure that life means life, judges will be required to hand down mandatory whole life orders to the monsters who commit the most horrific types of murder.

In the latest move to protect the public from the most dangerous offenders, this will place a legal expectation on judges to hand down whole life orders, except in extremely limited circumstances.

By putting this on a legal footing, judges will have greater confidence to hand out whole life orders without a risk of challenge in the Courts of Appeal.

This will mean the depraved killers who carry out vile crimes will be in no doubt that they will be in prison for the rest of their lives.

For the first time, whole life orders will also be the default sentence for any sexually motivated murders. This could have been applied in the recent tragic cases of Zara Aleena and Sabina Nessa, putting their horrific killers in prison for their whole lives.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said:

I have shared the public’s horror at the cruelty of crimes we have seen recently. People rightly expect that in the most serious cases, there should be a guarantee that life will mean life. They expect honesty in sentencing.

By bringing in mandatory whole life orders for the heinous criminals who commit the most horrific types of murder, we will make sure they never walk free.

Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice, Alex Chalk KC, said:

A whole life order will now be the expectation for murderers where the killing involves sexual or sadistic conduct.

This important law change will ensure that the worst of the worst can now expect to spend the rest of their lives in prison.

Today’s announcement builds on the Government’s work to cut crime and build stronger communities, with violent crime down by 46 percent since 2010 and neighbourhood crime by 51 percent.

Since 2019, over 20,000 new police officers have been recruited and 100,000 knives taken off our streets. The Government has also launched a new Anti-Social Behaviour Plan to clamp down on crimes that can terrorise communities for good.

The Government is also making sure the worst offenders face the toughest possible punishment for their crimes.

Serious violent and sexual offenders now serve at least two-thirds of their sentence behind bars, ending halfway release, and the average custodial sentence length is longer across the board meaning that criminals are spending more time in prison.

The Government has also ended the automatic early release of terrorists through the Terrorist Offenders Act 2020 and introduced a 14-year minimum jail term for the most dangerous terrorist offenders through the Counter Terrorism and Sentencing Act 2021.

The Government is also committed to looking at changing the law to make sure that people who commit the most horrific crimes face their victims in court and hear first-hand the impact that their crimes have had on them and their families and loved ones.

The Government will legislate for the changes announced today in due course.

August 29, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Thousands of hectares of peatlands set to be restored to help tackle climate change [August 2023]
The press release issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 26 August 2023.

Twelve new projects receive £16 million to restore peatlands across England.

Thousands of hectares of peatlands – from the Great North Bog to the Norfolk Broads – are set to be restored with twelve new projects awarded funding today (26 August) to help tackle climate change and recover biodiversity.

The Government is investing over £50 million in peat restoration, building on its pledge to restore approximately 35,000 hectares of peatland in England by the end of this Parliament, and leave the environment in a better state for future generations.

Peatlands are an iconic feature of England’s landscape – often referred to as ‘our national rainforest’. They contain over half of the country’s terrestrial carbon stores and provide a haven for wildlife, as well as supporting better water quality and natural flood management.

However, 87% of England’s peatlands, including lowland peatlands are degraded, damaged and dried out, emitting tonnes of carbon dioxide each year. The funding from government will help restore these environments, in turn helping protect wildlife and restore their critical ability to manage water quality and reduce the risk of flooding.

The projects being awarded funding stretch from Somerset to County Durham and will see iconic peatland habitat, such as the Great North Bog, Dorset Heaths and the Lincolnshire Fens restored.

Environment Minister Rebecca Pow said:

Our peatlands hold over half of our terrestrial store of carbon, but with just 1% in a near natural state and soils drying out we must take urgent action to prevent further carbon from being emitted into the atmosphere.

Backed by over £16 million of government funding these new landscape-scale projects will drive collaboration and supercharge peatland restoration across the country to tackle climate change and fight biodiversity loss.

Tony Juniper, Chair of Natural England said:

Peatlands bring multiple benefits for society and the economy. They are huge carbon stores and also massive water filters that enable rivers to run clear. They comprise vital natural flood defences because of how they store water and on top of that support, they support many iconic wildlife species such as the Curlew. Wild peatlands also contribute to public health and wellbeing through providing wonderful opportunities for outdoor recreation.

Restoring peatland landscapes to a healthy ecological state will ensure these benefits are protected, enhanced and handed on to future generations. I’m delighted these grants will bring more peatlands into the Nature Recovery Network that is so important for delivering our ambition for improving the natural environment in England”.

Government has also recently launched the new £2 million Lowland Agricultural Peat Water Discovery Pilot, to be managed by the Environment Agency, which supports government’s Net Zero and sustainable farming ambitions. Many of our lowland peatlands have historically been drained of water to create drier soils suitable for agricultural use and food production.

The Pilot will fund investigations into more sustainable management of lowland agricultural peat, facilitating local collaboration and enabling the creation of costed water management plans for lowland peat areas in England. Successful projects will drive advancements in our understanding of the lowland peat water challenge to transform the way we use water in England’s lowland regions.

Philip Duffy, Chief Executive of the Environment Agency said:

Peat and peat soils are a great national asset, and better management can achieve so much to tackle climate change, boost biodiversity and support sustainable agriculture. Our discovery pilot is the chance for farmers and land managers to understand how changing the water levels in their lowland peat soils could create new opportunities for long-term sustainable agriculture. I urge anyone working with lowland peat who is interested to get in touch and apply.

In June, Government announced a package of measures and investment to reduce carbon emissions across lowland peat and a commitment to take forward action on the 14 recommendations for sustainable peatland management as put forward by Robert Caudwell, Chair of the Lowland Agricultural Peat Task Force.

The measures government is taking will also improve resilience to drought and safeguard productive farming on some of our most valuable agricultural land, supporting our rural economy and food producers.

ENDS

Notes to editors:

Restoration grants:

Full list of projects:
1. Norfolk – The Buttle Marshes Restoration project led by the Broads Authority will restore 26 hectares of peatland which has been historically drained for arable cultivation.
2. Dorset – The Dorset Peat Partnership will restore 170 hectares of mire and fen habitat under restoration across 16 sites within the Dorset Heaths. The sites are popular with walkers, families and community groups and the project will use engagement opportunities to promote sustainable recreation and conservation.
3. Durham – This project led by Durham County Council and the North Pennines AONB (Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty) partnership will extend previous restoration and discovery projects supporting the Great North Bog. Restoration is now planned across an additional 1,127 hectares of degraded blanket bog to support biodiversity in Yorkshire and the North Pennines. The project will also engage sources of private finance to support the long-term success of peatland restoration in the area.
4. Somerset – This project will support the restoration and rewetting of 35 hectares of lowland fen peat at RSPB’s Greylake Reserve, building on findings from the Somerset Peat Partnership-led discovery grant. This project will join an adjacent paludiculture fund trial, creating a mosaic of functioning peatland habitat within the Somerset Wetland ‘super’ National Nature Reserve, which supports rare plants such as the Round-leaved Sundew.
5. North Yorkshire – The ‘Moor to Restore’ project create partnerships in the local area and will see over 1,100 hectares of upland bog restored in the North York Moors National Park.
6. Peak District – The Peak District National Authority will work with the ‘Moors for Climate’ partnership restoring peatlands across three sites in the Peak District National Park. The partnership will engage volunteers who will plant species such as sphagnum moss to improve water quality, and community groups will also learn about moorland fire prevention.
7. Peak District – based at Park Hall and Kinder Scout, this project will see the National Trust, funded in part by private finance from United Utilities, restore over 420 hectares of degraded blanket bog.
8. Lincolnshire – The Fens East Peat Partnership will restore over 1,300 hectares of peatland in the Fens East, which includes agricultural peatlands and landscapes already being restored. The partnership will share knowledge and expertise with practitioners facing similar challenges across peatland landscapes.
9. Lincolnshire – Project in the Humberhead Levels area will see the Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust restore relic raised bogs which have historically been drained for agriculture or for fuel. Restoration activities will see action to control scrub and improve water level management to improve the landscape. Community events and training days will also be delivered to engage local landowners in peat restoration.
10. Lancashire – The Red Rose Project will restore over 400 hectares of degraded lowland and upland peatlands within the Lancashire area, building on the Peatland Discovery Grants which enabled restoration plans to be developed as a baseline for data collection and landowner engagement.
11. Lancashire – The Holcombe Moor project will restore 135 hectares of peatland using innovative techniques to raise the water levels on blanket bog which has degraded due to industrial pollution, overgrazing and wildfire. The location of the site near to the industrial heartlands of Greater Manchester and Lancashire will provide opportunities for local people to take part in guided walks and connect with nature on their doorsteps.
12. Cumbria – Partnership between the National Trust, Cumbria Wildlife Trust and the Forest of Bowland Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty will restore over 1370 hectares of peatlands across the uplands of Cumbria and the Forest of Bowland.
August 29, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : The DPRK’s failed launch of a military reconnaissance satellite on 24 August is yet another grave violation of UN Security Council resolutions – UK statement at the Security Council [August 2023]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 25 August 2023.

Statement by Ambassador James Kariuki at the UN Security Council meeting on North Korea.

I thank Assistant Secretary-General Khiari for his briefing. I welcome the participation of the representatives of the Republic of Korea, and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, at this meeting.

The DPRK made yet another failed launch of a military reconnaissance satellite. It triggered Japan’s local alert system in Okinawa.

This was yet another grave violation of UN Security Council resolutions, and a brazen effort to further expand the DPRK’s military programme. The DPRK have said they will try again.

Claims that so-called ‘provocations’, or rather, legitimate and transparently-declared military exercises, caused these launches, are baseless. The DPRK is not reacting: this is part of a long-established, clearly-defined plan that has required extensive scientific and technological investment.

Kim Jong Un said it himself in January this year: the National Aerospace Development Administration will launch the first military satellite at the earliest date possible by pushing ahead with the full preparation for a reconnaissance satellite and its vehicle, a major task to boost the political, ideological, military and technical strength of his army.

Colleagues, the Council must take action.

All of us here have signed, ratified and support the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.

All of us should be committed to the full implementation of UN Security Council resolutions. We have a responsibility to uphold these obligations.

Our words and deeds matter. They are the message we convey to the world about our commitment to preventing nuclear non-proliferation globally. We noted the presence of permanent members, including the defence minister, at a DPRK weapons exhibition, with intercontinental ballistic missiles on display. Interactions such as these signal support for UN-sanctioned WMD programmes.

The United Kingdom urges the DPRK to cease these launches, to return to dialogue and to take credible steps towards denuclearisation and peace on the Korean Peninsula. We hope their presence at this meeting is a step forward in this regard.

The biggest victims of the DPRK’s military programme are the North Korean people, as resources are diverted away from their basic economic needs. DPRK should reopen its borders and engage the UN.

I also remind all UN Member States of their obligation to fully implement UN Security Council resolutions, including sanctions on the DPRK.

I call on all members of this Council to reiterate their condemnation of the DPRK’s illegal nuclear and ballistic missile programmes, in line with their responsibilities as UN Member States and signatories to the NPT.

August 29, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : The UN and international coordination is key to countering terrorism – UK statement at the Security Council [August 2023]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 25 August 2023.

Statement by Ambassador James Kariuki at the UN Security Council meeting on threats to international peace and security caused by terrorist acts.

Thank you, President.

I thank Under Secretary General Voronkov and Executive Director Gherman for their briefings and for the work of the monitoring team in producing the report.

I thank Ms Khalaf for her briefing today. Her harrowing account of the atrocities Daesh committed serves as a reminder of the lifelong impact of these crimes, and the poisonous ideology we are fighting. All survivors of gender-based violence and conflict-related sexual violence, including Yezidis and other communities in Iraq, deserve to see justice delivered.

We support UNITAD and Iraq in pursuing accountability for Daesh perpetrators, and we look forward to renewing UNITAD’s mandate next month to continue this important work.

Daesh continues to suffer blows to their campaign, including the death of leader Abu Husaini al-Qurashi in April. However, the threat is becoming less predictable, harder to detect, and harder to investigate. We must therefore keep up the pressure. A resurgent Daesh core in Syria and Iraq remains a real risk. IDP [Internally Displaced People] camps provide a fertile ground for radicalisation in which Daesh can recruit and operate. In Al-Hawl camp the UK is focusing our efforts on improving the situation through humanitarian assistance, by responding to gender-based violence and providing child protection.

As we heard today, ISKP [Islamic State – Khorasan Province] continues to show it has the capacity to carry out high-profile attacks on civilian and international targets inside Afghanistan and encourage attacks abroad. Earlier this year, the United Kingdom convened the inaugural ISKP Diplomatic Grouping that saw 19 countries come together and agree to intensify and coordinate our response to counter the threat from ISKP.

Last month the UK published a refresh of our Counter Terrorism Strategy – CONTEST – to ensure we remain agile in the face of an evolving threat and aligned with our international allies.

In Africa, Daesh is expanding fast and we urge the international community to step up our efforts.

We must address the root causes that are driving conflict in the region and enabling the expansion of Violent Extremist Organisations.

In the Sahel, the UK provides financial support to the UN’s regional stabilisation facility for the Lake Chad basin, an initiative that will support local communities.

Finally, President, the UN plays a key role in the fight against terrorism and the UK welcomed the adoption of the 8th Global Counter Terrorism Strategy.

International coordination, with a meaningful role for civil society, remains essential for our work.

August 29, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Ban and tagging for directors who abused Bounce Back Loan scheme [August 2023]
The press release issued by HM Treasury on 25 August 2023.

Three businessmen from southeast England each claimed the maximum £50k Bounce Back Loan and one dissolved his company to avoid repayment.

Ivan Hristov Fratev, 57 and Bradley Malone, 57, both from London, and Ryan William Moir, 34, from East Sussex, have been banned from running businesses for a total of 26 years, after each separately claimed £50,000 for their companies in breach of the loan scheme’s rules.

Fratev was also given a 2-year suspended sentence with 4 months’ electronically tagged curfew, at Snaresbrook Crown Court on 23 June 2023, in addition to a 6-year ban, for dissolving his business after taking out the loan. The judge also included 15 days rehabilitation activity requirement (RAR) as part of his suspended sentence.

Fratev was the sole director of Chingford-based BI&F Ltd, which traded as a construction, security and extermination business from premises in Alpha Road. In May 2020 he applied for the maximum £50,000 Bounce Back Loan, designed to help businesses keep afloat through the pandemic.

But within two weeks of the money arriving in the company bank account, Fratev applied to dissolve BI&F Ltd, without informing the bank that had loaned him the money. Failure to notify creditors of plans to strike off a company is a criminal offence.

He was caught through powers granted to the Insolvency Service in December 2021, which allow it to investigate directors of dissolved companies who are suspected of closing their business to avoid repaying Covid-19 support loans.

Peter Fulham, Chief Investigator of the Criminal Investigation Team at the Insolvency Service said:

Covid-19 financial support schemes were funded from the public purse to support genuine businesses during the pandemic. Directors who abused the scheme have exploited taxpayers.

This two-year suspended prison sentence, along with a curfew order and a 6-year disqualification, reflects the thoroughly dishonest conduct of Ivan Fratev and should serve as a warning to others who engaged in such behaviour.

“The Insolvency Service will act to remove directors who abused Bounce Back Loans from the business arena.”

In another case in London, Bradley Malone, the sole director of ONENETPRINT Ltd, a print business trading from Palmers Road in East London, applied for the maximum £50,000 Bounce Back Loan in June 2020, stating that his company’s previous year’s turnover was £200,000.

The Bounce Back Loan scheme allowed a business to borrow between £2,000 and up to 25% of the company turnover in calendar year 2019, with a maximum loan of £50,000.

The company went into liquidation in February 2022 owing the full amount of the loan, which triggered an investigation by the Insolvency Service.

Malone told investigators that, during the application process, he had merely clicked ‘next’ on his phone, and the money arrived within the hour. But investigators discovered that Malone had in fact overstated the company’s turnover for 2019 in the application, to claim the maximum £50,000 loan.

They found that the company’s actual turnover for that year had been around £90,200, meaning ONENETPRINT Ltd had received around £27,400 more than it was entitled to, under the rules of the scheme.

In a third case, Ryan Moir, sole director of East Sussex-based Croxton Group Ltd, which traded as a builder from Green Street industrial estate in Eastbourne, applied for the maximum £50,000 Bounce Back Loan on behalf of his company in May 2020. He stated on the application that Croxton Group Ltd’s turnover the previous year had been £250,000.

When the company went into liquidation in May 2022, it owed around £184,500, including more than £49,400 towards the Bounce Back Loan. An investigation by the Insolvency Service showed that the company’s 2019 turnover had in fact been less than £21,000, meaning that Croxton Group Ltd had received almost 10 times more than it had been entitled to under the rules of the scheme.

The company’s liquidators are taking action to recover the money.

Malone and Moir were both banned from being company directors for 10 years, after the Secretary of State for Business and Trade accepted disqualification undertakings from each director. Malone’s ban began on 17 July 2023, and Moir’s began on 19 July 2023. Fratev’s court-ordered 6-year disqualification started on 23 June 2023.

The bans prevent the former directors from becoming involved in the promotion, formation or management of a company, without the permission of the court. In addition to his ban and two-year suspended sentence, Fratev is also subject to 4 months’ electronically monitored curfew between 7pm and 7am, and was ordered to pay court costs of £500.

Background
- Ivan Hristov Fratev is of London. His date of birth is September 1965.
- BI&F UK Limited (Company number 12150010) Incorporated in August 2019.
- Ryan William Moir is of Heathfield. His date of birth is May 1989.
- Croxton Group Ltd (Company number 10775998) Incorporated in May 2017.
- Bradley Malone is of London. His date of birth is March 1966.
- ONENETPRINT Ltd (Company number 07987005) Incorporated in March 2012.
- Bounce Back Loans were a government scheme in which active businesses impacted by the pandemic could take out interest-free, taxpayer-backed loans of up to £50,000. Loans were for the economic support of the business.
August 29, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : GRECO publish second UK 5th Round Compliance Report [August 2023]

The press release issued by the Ministry of Justice on 25 August 2023.

GRECO (Group of States Against Corruption) publishes second 5th round compliance report for the UK.

GRECO, The Council of Europe’s Anti-Corruption Body, has published its second 5th Round Compliance Report on the UK. The report was adopted by GRECO Plenary in June 2023.

The report assesses implementation of the recommendations issued in GRECO’s 2017 Evaluation of the United Kingdom GRECO: UK 5th round evaluation report published – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk), focused on prevention of corruption amongst Top Executive Functions of Government and Law Enforcement Agencies in the UK. Within Law Enforcement, the evaluation focused on the Metropolitan Police and National Crime Agency.

The report concludes that the UK has satisfactorily implemented 7 of GRECO’s 12 recommendations and partly implemented four recommendations.

The UK now has until 30 June 2024 to show progress in respect of the remaining recommendations.

HM Government is committed to fighting against corruption and supporting the work of GRECO; we will provide an update to GRECO ahead of its June 2024 deadline.

August 29, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Two new members appointed to the Board of the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service [August 2023]

The press release issued by the Ministry of Justice on 25 August 2023.

The Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice has approved the appointments of Dalwardin Babu OBE and Steven Cox as members of the Cafcass Board for 4 years from 1 September 2023.

The Rt Hon Alex Chalk MP – Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice – has appointed Dalwardin Babu OBE and Steven Cox as members of the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass) Board for terms of 4 years from 1 September 2023.

Cafcass is the statutory body that safeguards and promotes the welfare of children in Family Court proceedings. Board appointments are made by the Secretary of State under The Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service Regulations 2005. Appointments are regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments and recruitment processes comply with the Cabinet Office Governance Code on Public Appointments.

Biographies

Dalwardin Babu OBE is a member of the Parole Board, a Non Executive Director for the NHS and a community development officer for St Francis de Sales Federation of schools in Tottenham, and Designated Safeguarding Lead for Middlesex County Cricket Club. He is an adviser to the Mayor of London on Equality and Diversity. When a police superintendent he was Deputy Chair of the Children’s Safeguarding Board in Tower Hamlets. He is a regular contributor on BBC Radio 4/5 and BBC/ITV News on a wide range of policing and community issues.

Dalwardin has not declared any political activity.

Steven Cox is an independent consultant, working with clients on their corporate strategies, including how they can embed a strategic approach to equity, workplace inclusion and workforce diversity, as well as leadership development and executive coaching.

The majority of Steven’s career has been in the private sector enabling organisational improvement through the delivery of mission critical transformational technology services to Central Government Departments, non-Departmental bodies, Agencies and other public sector bodies. Steven has held several other advisory roles to private and third-sector organisations.

Steven has not declared any political activity.

August 29, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Government suicide prevention fund for charity sector to be boosted [August 2023]
The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 25 August 2023.

Multi-million-pound fund for charity sector to carry out crucial work – alongside the NHS – to save lives and tackle tragedy of suicide.
- Government calls on charities across England to apply for funding to continue supporting tens of thousands of people experiencing suicidal thoughts
- Comes alongside expected £13.6 billion this year to transform the country’s mental health services so millions of people can quickly access NHS support
Tens of thousands of people experiencing suicidal thoughts or approaching a mental health crisis will receive vital support, as the government relaunches a £10 million fund so charities can work with the NHS to provide life-saving suicide prevention services.

Charities in communities across England can now apply for the latest round of funding from the Suicide Prevention Grant Fund which will ensure as many people as possible can access the support and prevention services they need, when they need it. Funding will also help prevent people reaching crisis point and reduce future demand for these services across both the charity sector and the NHS.

A previous fund of £5.4 million in 2021 to 2022 supported over 100 organisations within the voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) sector. The results of the fund were overwhelmingly positive, with virtually every single successful bidder saying it helped meet increased demand after the pandemic, improved access to services for people in need and helped identify those experiencing suicidal thoughts quicker.

Previous grant recipients included:
- James’ Place charity, which used £283,968 to provide innovative and free suicide prevention therapy to men over the age of 18 in Merseyside and London
- the Caribbean and African Health Network in Manchester, which was awarded £41,599 for work to tackle taboos around suicide in black communities
- Papyrus, which was awarded £151,815 to provide confidential support and advice specifically to young people and anyone worried about a young person through their HOPELINE247
The funding comes alongside a projected £13.6 billion investment by the NHS this year to continue to provide, expand and transform mental health services in England including NHS talking therapies, children and young people’s mental health services and eating disorder services.

Health and Social Care Secretary Steve Barclay said:

Too many lives are sadly lost to suicide and my sympathy goes out to those affected by its truly devastating impacts.

We’re already urgently investing record sums of money to transform and expand NHS mental health services, but the voluntary suicide prevention sector is such an important part of the support on offer and this multi-million pound fund recognises the work it carries out alongside the NHS.

I encourage charities to apply for this funding so they can continue to save lives, tackle taboos and make a real difference to so many people.

Papyrus Prevention of Young Suicide Chief Executive, Ged Flynn, said:

Funding is vital if we are to continue giving hope to children and young people who are struggling with life, and we welcome the government’s contribution which will go some way to help.

The services we offer are underpinned by voluntary income; kind donations, fundraising and public support. That generosity funds our confidential HOPELINE247 service which allows our professional suicide prevention advisers to keep young people safe.

We also rely on voluntary income to help us engage with local communities on suicide prevention initiatives across the UK, offer training to groups and individual and support a network of volunteers who have lived experience of suicide.

Suicide is sadly the biggest cause of death in both men and women under the age of 35 in the UK, and there has been a noticeable increase in the last decade in the number of tragic suicides among women under the age of 25.

NHS crisis lines receive 200,000 calls per month and Samaritans reports receiving over 10,000 calls per day on average.

This latest round of government funding, however, could be used by the VCSE sector to boost capacity in crisis helplines – both for those struggling and for those who are concerned about a loved one – provide signposting to services, launch campaigns targeted at specific at-risk groups like young men, and also support families who have experienced the tragedy of losing a loved one by suicide.

Minister for Mental Health Maria Caulfield said:

Every single suicide is a tragedy – one which still affects too many people in England. Heartbreakingly, it is still the biggest killer of men under 35.

But we’re taking action. This £10 million fund for the voluntary and charity sector will help people nationwide receive crucial mental health support and builds on the success of previous funds, which supported tens of thousands of people approaching a crisis.

We’re already investing £57 million into suicide prevention schemes through the NHS Long Term Plan, and all local areas now have suicide prevention plans to address the specific needs of their populations.

While this funding will help fund a range of preventative and innovative activity up and down the country, the government is committed to doing all it can to prevent deaths by suicide. Later this year, it will publish a new national suicide prevention strategy that will set out further actions and commitments to deliver this.

Professor Sir Louis Appleby, national adviser on the suicide prevention strategy, said:

Charities play a critical role in preventing suicide and today’s launch of the grant fund will support their vital work. Given the pressures facing the sector, I hope all eligible organisations will consider bidding for funding.

The government is investing at least £2.3 billion of additional funding a year by March 2024 to expand and transform NHS mental health services, so an extra 2 million people can get the mental health support they need.

Over £400 million is also going into improving mental health facilities, including by giving patients the privacy of their own bedroom and eradicating shared dorms.

The mental health workforce is also growing. In December 2022, we saw almost 9,000 more mental health staff working than the previous year. The NHS Long Term Workforce Plan sets out ambitions to grow the mental health workforce further.

Professor Subodh Dave, Dean of the Royal College of Psychiatrists, said:

We welcome this funding for suicide prevention. We strongly back the roll out of evidence-based programmes to support those at risk of suicide, most of whom are not in contact with mental health services.
August 29, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Wales Office Minister visits Gwynedd sites sharing in £19 million Levelling Up funding [August 2023]
The press release issued by the Welsh Office on 24 August 2023.

Minister James Davies visited the National Slate Museum and Parc Padarn in Llanberis and the Ty’n Llan pub in Llandwrog.

An £18.8m investment from the UK Government’s Levelling Up Fund aims to transform communities in Gwynedd’s World Heritage slate landscape, while a pub in the county has this week received £500,000 extra UK Government funding to develop it for the community.

The multi-million pound grant for the Slate Landscape was awarded in January 2023 as part of Round 2 of the Levelling Fund which saw £208 million allocated to 11 projects across Wales, aiming to create jobs and drive economic growth in historically overlooked areas.

Wales Office Minister James Davies this week (24 August) visited the National Slate Museum and Parc Padarn in Llanberis to hear about how part of the £18.8m funding will be invested in redeveloping buildings at the museum and improving the surrounding park environment. He also visited the Ty’n Llan pub in Llandwrog which this week learned it had been granted £500,000 from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund to help develop it as a community hub.

At the Slate Museum, Dr Davies was introduced to the craftspeople whose skills and artistry working the slate has been passed on down the generations, as part of a guided tour of the museum and Parc Padarn.

As well as redeveloping the National Slate Museum and surrounding area, the £18.8m Levelling Up funding for Gwynedd has also been allocated to:
- Develop a new heritage centre in Bethesda
- Make improvements to Bethesda concert hall Neuadd Ogwen
- Create a new walking and cycling path linking Bethesda with Chwarel Penrhyn quarry
- Make major improvements to Blaenau Ffestiniog town centre
- Construct a new walking and cycling path linking Blaenau Ffestiniog with Chwarel Llechwedd quarry
Wales Office Minister Dr James Davies said:

The £19m in levelling up money allocated to separate projects in Gwynedd is a hugely significant investment in our communities.

It was fantastic to see first-hand the extremely exciting plans for the Slate Museum and its surroundings, building on the World Heritage status the area has deservedly been awarded, and also learn about the development of the Ty’n Llan pub as a hub for the local community.

The UK Government is working to grow the Welsh economy and level up all parts of the country. These investments in Gwynedd will regenerate local communities and bring jobs, growth and opportunity for the people who live there.

Councillor Nia Jeffreys, Cyngor Gwynedd Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for the Economy and Communities, said:

As a Council, we are delighted that the Cyngor Gwynedd-led “Llewyrch o’r Llechi” scheme has secured financial support from the UK Government’s Levelling Up Fund. The slate producing communities are of great historical, cultural and industrial significance and we look forward to see the various plans we have within this scheme flourish.

Many local families will have ancestors who worked either in the quarries of Eryri or connected industries and we are proud that their Welsh-speaking, working class legacy will be protected, promoted and celebrated thanks to the UNESCO World Heritage Status and that we are able to use this designation as a springboard to attract funding such as the Levelling Up fund.

Lord Dafydd Wigley, Chair of the Wales Slate Partnership Steering Group, said:

It was an honour to welcome the Minister to Llanberis and to show him how we are using our history to start a new journey that will leave a lasting economic and cultural legacy for today’s Gwynedd and for future generations.

We are determined to celebrate and harness our industrial past to create exciting new opportunities for the benefit of present-day communities and businesses in Gwynedd.

Phil Bushby, Director of Corporate Resources, Amgueddfa Cymru added:

Amgueddfa Cymru – Museum Wales is extremely excited by the fantastic opportunities that the Levelling Up Funding will create in developing areas within the unique World Heritage Site. This funding will support the National Slate Museum to conserve and renovate our Grade 1 listed buildings and become a designated hub for the interpretation of the slate landscape of Northwest Wales.

The new development will enable us to better connect and engage with local communities and our visitors through the telling of inspiring stories about the slate industry, its people and the environment, both in physical form and through digital channels. The investment will also create opportunities for development of traditional craft skills, learning, volunteering, creativity and wellbeing.

The two rounds of the UK Government’s Levelling Up Fund in 2021 have so far seen £3.8 billion allocated to projects across the UK with Wales receiving more than £329m.

The UK Government has also confirmed there will be a further round of the Levelling Up Fund, providing more opportunity to level up places across the UK.

Also on Thursday, Minister Davies visited the Ty’n Llan pub in Llandwrog, Gwynedd, which was previouslyawarded £250,000 from the UK Government’s Community Ownership Fund to help the local community refurbish the pub and keep it open.

The pub, which is housed in a Grade II-listed building,closed in 2017 but is now owned and managed by volunteers from the community.

This week, campaigners learned that Ty’n Llan had been granted £500,000 from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund to build and install a professional kitchen at the pub and to create five new rooms on the first floor of the pub, further developing it as a community facility.
August 29, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : On Ukraine Independence Day, the UK calls on Russia to respect Ukrainian independence, return its children and end this war – UK statement at the Security Council [August 2023]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 24 August 2023.

Statement by Ambassador James Kariuki at the UN Security Council meeting on Ukraine.

President, let me begin by wishing a happy Independence Day to all Ukrainians. In 1991, Ukraine declared independence from the former USSR, with 92% of the country voting in favour in a national referendum.

Ukraine’s existence as a sovereign country was recognised by the United Nations, including the Russian Federation.

If Russia’s illegal invasion last year had succeeded there would be one fewer independent UN State today.

Ukrainians’ heroic resistance in the face of Russian aggression not only protects their freedom, but defends the United Nations Charter, with its basic principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity.

If Russia wins this war, it would give the green-light to a new era of international aggression where big countries can rewrite borders by force. None of us wants that.

We are deeply indebted to the Ukrainian people for their immense sacrifice. And we are proud to stand with them.

As we mark Ukraine’s independence, we reflect on Russia’s deliberate efforts to target Ukraine’s future – its children.

The United Nations has reported Russia is committing grave violations against children in its war of aggression – the first time a permanent Council member has ever been listed for doing so.

As well as killing children directly, and destroying their homes, their schools, their hospitals; the Ukrainian authorities report that Russia has, to date, forcibly transferred or deported over 19,000 children since 2022. President Putin, and his Children’s Rights Commissioner, are the subject of arrest warrants issued by the International Criminal Court for their alleged role.

For Ukrainian families, these forced transfers and deportations have devastating and life changing consequences that will be felt for generations. Russia uses fear of this tactic to suppress dissent among Ukrainians living under temporary Russian control. It is also a deliberate attempt to erase Ukrainian culture, identity and statehood.

Russia has not attempted to preserve the identities of the children it has forcibly deported, as required by international humanitarian law. Rather, there is growing evidence that Russia has seriously violated this right, forcing children to assimilate with the culture of the state that is seeking to destroy their own country.

President, Russia also has a clear legal obligation under the fourth Geneva Convention to facilitate communication and reunification between children and their relatives or legal guardians.

Russia has failed to provide reliable information about the children it has transferred to its territory, particularly to those children placed with Russian foster families.

As OHCHR reported, children themselves have often been forced to trace and find parents or family members. This is an unacceptable burden to place on children, especially those dealing with the trauma of Russia’s illegal invasion.

Just 386 children have so far been returned. We thank representatives from Save Ukraine for their vital work on these returns.

We call on Russia to respect Ukrainian independence, return its children, withdraw its troops and end this war.

August 28, 2023