Tag: 2023

PRESS RELEASE : British Armed Forces take part in largest military exercise between UK, Australia, and US [August 2023]

The press release issued by the Ministry of Defence on 4 August 2023.

The deployment demonstrates the UK’s commitment to the Indo-Pacific and working with partners in the region.

More than 150 UK personnel have joined troops from 13 other nations for Exercise Talisman Sabre, which took place across Australia and in adjacent waters, to advance a free and open Indo-Pacific.

Talisman Sabre, which began on 22 July and ends today, is the largest military exercise between Australian, UK and US Armed Forces and is designed to strengthen partnerships and interoperability among key allies. It tests joint capabilities across land, sea, air, space and digital domains.

More than 34,000 troops took part in this 10th iteration of Talisman Sabre, which involved forces from Australia, Canada, Fiji, France, Germany, Indonesia, Japan, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, the Republic of Korea, Tonga, the UK and United States.

This year marks the UK’s largest contribution to Talisman Sabre, with capabilities from across the Royal Navy, British Army and Royal Air Force (RAF).

Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said:

Security and stability throughout the Indo-Pacific is essential. Exercise Talisman Sabre demonstrates the UK’s commitment to the region and the strength of our ties with friends and allies.

As part of Talisman Sabre, the UK Royal Marines Commando Force embarked on HMAS Adelaide, Australia’s largest warship, and conducted ship to shore landings, a capability that is essential for high-readiness crisis response.

Major Aran Sandiford, Commanding Officer of the Commando Forces, said:

The opportunity for UK Commando Forces to integrate with like-minded, specialist reconnaissance and raiding forces, really is invaluable. As well as being a fantastic chance to develop shared tactics and practice operating alongside key partners, deploying Commandos into the Indo-Pacific is one of the best ways of demonstrating the Royal Navy’s continued commitment to the region.

During this training, the head of the British Army, General Sir Patrick Sanders, visited the troops aboard HMAS Adelaide. The UK Commando Force previously deployed to the Indo-Pacific in March for exercise Ssang Yong 2023 in South Korea. More recently, the Force worked with many of the same partners in Talisman Sabre to support evacuation efforts in Sudan.

In Western Australia, a team from the RAF Support Force based at RAF Wittering provided logistical support for Talisman Sabre. They worked with their Australian counterparts to prepare more than 40,000 meals for more than 600 personnel exercising at RAAF Curtin, supporting F-35A and F22 fighter jet operations.

Service Personnel from 4 Regiment Army Air Corps also supported aviation efforts, conducting forward arming and refuelling, whilst 14 Signals Regiment provided Electronic Warfare capability, both increasing UK interoperability with Australian hosts. Observers from 4th Battalion Ranger Regiment and UK Space Command also took part in the exercise, signalling all areas of UK defence are to integrating with regional partners.

Exercise Talisman Sabre is a complex and ambitious exercise which involves risks, as the tragic loss of an Australian helicopter at sea on 28 July has reminded us. UK personnel assisted in search and rescue efforts for the crew and the Chief of the Defence Staff Admiral Sir Tony Radakin sent his condolences to his Australian counterpart for the tragic loss of four Australian Army soldiers.

The UK remains committed to the Indo-Pacific and working with partners in the region, as set out in the recently published Integrated Review Refresh and Defence Command Paper Refresh (DCPR). The DCPR confirmed the continued deployment of the Royal Navy’s Offshore Patrol Vessels HMS Spey and HMS Tamar in the region. Minister for the Armed Forces James Heappey recently met the crews of both vessels in Australia during a visit to engage top defence officials in the Indo-Pacific. The UK’s persistent maritime presence is set to be increased with visits from Commando Force Littoral Response Group later this year, and the Carrier Strike Group which will return in 2025, building on its maiden voyage in 2021.

The increased engagement with Australia comes a few months after the Prime Minister visited Washington DC where, alongside the President of the United States and Prime Minister of Australia, he confirmed that a British-led design has been selected for the AUKUS submarine project. The first generation of AUKUS nuclear submarines will be built in the UK and Australia, based on the UK’s world-leading submarine design and will support thousands of jobs in the UK, with many based in the North-West of England.

August 6, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Appointment of Residentiary Canonry of the Cathedral Church of Christ Oxford [August 2023]

The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 4 August 2023.

The King has approved The Reverend Canon Peter Moger, Priest in Charge of St Peter, Stornoway and St Moluag, Eoropaidh, in the Diocese of Argyll and The Isles, be appointed to a Residentiary Canonry of the Cathedral Church of Christ, Oxford.

The King has approved The Reverend Canon Peter Moger, Priest in Charge of St Peter, Stornoway and St Moluag, Eoropaidh, in the Diocese of Argyll and The Isles, be appointed to a Residentiary Canonry of the Cathedral Church of Christ, Oxford, in succession to the Very Reverend Richard Peers, following his appointment as Dean of Llandaff Cathedral.

Background

Peter was educated at Merton College, Oxford, and St John’s College, Durham whilst training for ministry at Cranmer Hall, Durham. He served his title at Whitby, in the Diocese of York, and was ordained Priest in 1994. Peter was appointed Precentor, Sacrist and Minor Canon at Ely Cathedral in 1995 and Vicar of St Mary the Virgin, Godmanchester, in the Diocese of Ely, in 2001.

In 2005 he joined the Archbishop’s Council as National Worship Development Officer, a position he held until 2010 when he was appointed Residentiary Canon and Precentor at York Minster.

In 2019 Peter took on his current role as Priest in Charge at St Peter, Stornoway, and St Moluag, Eoropaidh, in the Diocese of Argyll and The Isles.

August 6, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Government welcomes report on electricity networks as critical to Britain’s energy security [August 2023]
The press release issued by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero on 4 August 2023.

Energy Security Secretary Grant Shapps welcomes report from Nick Winser, the UK’s Electricity Networks Commissioner, and will consider the recommendations before presenting an action plan.
- Electricity Networks Commissioner Nick Winser review will help UK take full advantage of its renewable energy success
- independent report outlines ‘vital and achievable’ plans to transform Britain’s electricity transmission system and get more wind and nuclear energy into people’s homes and businesses
- report comes as government proposes new powers to protect energy system from national security and cyber security risks
Today’s report by Electricity Networks Commissioner Nick Winser sets out plans to bolster the country’s energy security and ensure the UK is taking full advantage of its position as a world leader in renewables.

Since 2010, the UK has been hugely successful in increasing investment in renewable energy generation by 500%. To ensure the country is taking full advantage, remains equipped to harness the opportunities of renewable energy, and gets the additional supply of clean power to homes and businesses, the government asked Nick Winser to carry out his review.

Energy Security Secretary Grant Shapps welcomes the report and will consider the recommendations before presenting an action plan later this year to strengthen the UK’s energy security, drive down household bills and grow the economy.

Putin’s illegal invasion of Ukraine has had a devastating effect on global energy markets and accelerated the need for more home-grown energy sources, including renewables, nuclear and North Sea oil and gas.

Today’s report suggests that new power lines can be built in half the time and confirms that, while challenging, speeding up the delivery of strategic electricity transmission lines is “vital and achievable”. A set of recommendations has been put forward to reduce current timescales for delivering onshore transmission network infrastructure to 7 years to help deliver energy security and net zero more quickly. The government will respond to these proposals later this year.

Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero Grant Shapps, said:

The UK is leading the world on renewable energy and decarbonising faster than any other country in the G7. We must ensure we are taking full advantage of our success and getting the increased supply of homegrown, clean energy that we have at our fingertips to people’s homes and businesses for years to come.

That is why we asked Nick Winser to carry out this review – I welcome his report and am grateful for his work.

This is another important step as we continue to reform our energy system to drive down bills, grow the economy and ensure tyrants like Putin can never again use energy as a weapon of war.

Minister for Networks and Nuclear Andrew Bowie, said:

With renewable energy already making up around 40% of our total electricity supply, the UK has a world-class renewables sector. We are determined to match this with a world-class system for delivering this growing supply to where it is needed.

We will be considering Nick Winser’s recommendations closely as we work towards achieving an energy system led by renewables, nuclear and other clean, home-grown technologies.

Carl Trowell, President, UK Strategic Infrastructure at National Grid, said:

This report from the Electricity Networks Commissioner is both timely and welcome, following our recent launch of The Great Grid Upgrade, the largest overhaul of the electricity transmission grid in generations, with significant new infrastructure planned across England and Wales.

There is no time to waste, implementing the proposals and progressing the energy transition at pace is the surest route to more affordable bills, greater energy resilience and a more energy independent UK.

Rebecca Barnett, Ofgem’s Director of Networks said:

We need bold reforms to accelerate the delivery of electricity transmission infrastructure needed to end the reliance on fossil fuels for power by 2035.

Nick Winser sets out an ambitious, highly detailed programme to remove barriers to planning and delivering transmission network and plugging renewable generation into the grid.

This builds on Ofgem’s work to establish strategic national and regional planning; unlock and accelerate infrastructure investment; and end delays in grid connections to homes, businesses and public services.

Today’s report comes as the government publishes new proposals to grant Secretary of State for Energy Security powers to direct the Future System Operator (FSO) – the new public body that will be tasked with planning a decarbonised energy system – to take action to address risks to national security.

The new powers could be deployed if a company, contracting with the FSO, is found to threaten the resilience, safety or security of the UK’s energy system, such as through cyber-attacks and supply chain vulnerabilities.

These actions could include removing or preventing certain suppliers’ involvement or equipment in our energy supply chain, such as by directing FSO to not contract with third party suppliers to ensure the security of the system.

The new powers would be used as a last resort option and are in addition to the 2021 National Security and Investment Act, which gives the government the power to address investment and ownership risks to national security.

They also come on top of a new role for the FSO to use its expertise to plan for certain events that could harm the country’s energy resilience – such as extreme weather or flooding. The FSO will act as an expert adviser to the government on making the UK’s energy system as resilient as possible against such shocks.

In the coming months, the energy regulator Ofgem will consult on new FSO licence conditions with the eventual aim of including this in the FSO’s new licence conditions under the Energy Bill powers.
August 6, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Government boosts use of independent sector capacity to cut NHS waits [August 2023]
The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 4 August 2023.

Thirteen new community diagnostic centres are opening across the country to deliver more than 742,000 additional scans, tests and checks a year.
- The Elective Recovery Taskforce – formed last year to identify ways to cut waiting times – publishes plan to maximise independent sector capacity to treat NHS patients more quickly
- Measures include better use of data to help the NHS identify potential opportunities for the independent sector to support patient care, and expanding training opportunities for staff
Thirteen new community diagnostic centres (CDCs) – including 8 independently run CDCs – are being launched across the country as part of government plans to use the independent sector to cut NHS waiting lists, Health and Social Care Secretary Steve Barclay will announce today.

Five of these independent sector-led CDCs will operate in the South West of England, with permanent sites fully opening in 2024 in Redruth, Bristol, Torbay, Yeovil and Weston-super-Mare. Additional diagnostic testing capacity is already being rolled out in the region via the use of mobile diagnostic facilities, to provide additional diagnostic services while these sites are constructed.

Three others will open in Southend, Northampton and South Birmingham – with the former commencing activity from November and the latter 2 from December. These independently run CDCs will help to make it easier for patients to receive checks closer to home and will remain free at the point of use for patients. This adds to the 4 CDCs run by the independent sector that are already operational in Brighton, North Solihull, Oxford and Salford.

Five more NHS-run centres will also open across the country, delivering on our ambition to open up to 160 across the country by 2025, backed by £2.3 billion. These will be in Hornchurch, Skegness, Lincoln, Nottingham and Stoke-on-Trent.

Health and Social Care Secretary, Steve Barclay, said:

We must use every available resource to deliver life-saving checks to ease pressure on the NHS.

By making use of the available capacity in the independent sector, and enabling patients to access this diagnostic capacity free at the point of need, we can offer patients a wider choice of venues to receive treatment and in doing so diagnose major illnesses quicker and start treatments sooner.

The Elective Recovery Taskforce has identified additional diagnostic capacity that is available in the independent sector which we will now use more widely to enable patients to access the care they need quicker.

As well as being more convenient for patients, CDCs drive efficiency across the NHS by shielding elective diagnostic services from wider hospital pressures.

The government has also set out a range of new measures to unlock spare capacity within the independent healthcare sector. This comes following actions from the Elective Recovery Taskforce which was established last December. Chaired by Health Minister Will Quince and made up of academics and experts from the NHS and independent sector, the taskforce looked for ways to go further to bust the COVID-19 backlogs and reduce waiting times for patients.

The measures include a commitment to using data on independent sector providers to identify where they have capacity to take on more NHS patients to help clear the backlog and increasing the use of the independent sector in training junior NHS staff.

These 13 new CDCs will provide capacity for more than 742,000 extra tests a year once all are fully operational, bolstering access to care.

Independent sector led centres will function like NHS-run CDCs, but staff will be employed by the independent sector, which also owns the buildings. The South West network will be run by InHealth, a specialist provider of diagnostic tests which has worked with hospitals and commissioners across the health service for more than 30 years. By utilising independent sector staff, the NHS will be able to keep pace with rising demand in the region and deliver a high number of tests for patients.

There are currently 114 CDCs open across the country, which have delivered an additional 4.6 million tests, checks and scans since July 2021. Alongside this, significant progress has already been made to cut waiting lists, with 18-month and 2-year waits virtually eliminated.

Health Minister and Elective Recovery Taskforce Chair, Will Quince, said:

We have already made significant progress in bringing down waiting lists, with 18 month waits virtually eliminated.

I chaired the Elective Recovery Taskforce to turbocharge these efforts and help patients get the treatment they need.

These actions will bolster capacity across the country and give patients more choice over where and when they are treated.

The taskforce aims to form strong local relationships between NHS organisations and the independent sector. This will help to support improved training opportunities for junior doctors through first-hand experience of procedures. This follows the NHS Long Term Workforce Plan which will deliver the biggest training expansion in NHS history and recruit and retain hundreds of thousands more staff over the next 15 years.

The department has also published its response to a consultation on a new procurement system known as the Provider Selection Regime, which will give commissioners of healthcare services more flexibility when selecting NHS and independent sector healthcare providers. This is intended to remove unnecessary levels of competitive tendering and barriers to integrating care, which will help to promote collaboration across the NHS and wider healthcare system.

NHS England will evaluate the independent sector’s impact on healthcare capacity and has already begun publishing regular monthly data on independent sector use, showing its contribution to tackling the backlog.

NHS England National Clinical Director for Elective Care, Stella Vig, said:

Hardworking staff across the NHS have made significant progress towards recovering elective care, and it is testament to their efforts that widespread innovative measures are already being rolled out to transform our services and bring down the longest waits for patients.

Alongside this, we have increased our use of the independent sector by more than a third since April 2021 – carrying out 90,000 appointments and procedures every week, including more than 10,000 diagnostic tests – and independent providers will continue to play a key role as we work towards the next milestone in our recovery plan, as well as the additional one stop shops announced today as part of NHS England’s rollout of community diagnostic centres.

As this report details, we have already made significant progress in this area, including operating mutual aid systems across both the NHS and independent sector, and by expanding My Planned Care to make it easier for patients to choose where they receive care.

David Hare, Chief Executive of Independent Healthcare Providers Network, who sat on the taskforce, said:

The publication of this report is good news for patients. This is a real, significant step forward to unlocking more of the capital, capacity and capability of the independent sector.

Today’s report builds on the Prime Minister’s recent welcome announcements about how the government is committed to providing patients with better choice over who provides their NHS care, as well as positive changes in how services are procured, which can help add overall capacity and speed up waiting times for NHS patients.

The report’s commitment to open further independent sector-led community diagnostic centres is also good news for patients, deploying some of the private capital that is available to build new facilities and to help ensure that more NHS patients can get the tests and scans that they need.

Rachel Power, Chief Executive of the Patients Association, said:

We are advocates of patients having choice and welcome today’s announcement. In particular, the news that GPs will tell patients, at the point of referral, of options for treatment other than the local hospital or clinic.

Patients in England already have a right to choose where they are treated but not all patients are aware of this right or exercise it. Our expectation is that once GPs offer patients a choice of where to receive treatment, more and more patients will choose to travel further to receive treatment if that means shorter waits.

Justin Ash, CEO of Spire Healthcare, said:

The best way to cut waiting times for patients is for the independent sector to be fully integrated as part of the solution, and to offer patient choice. We welcome the Elective Recovery Taskforce’s recognition of this and are pleased that it has recommended some bold and far-reaching steps to encourage collaboration, promote patient choice and engage the independent sector to help deliver the NHS Long Term Workforce Plan.

The taskforce’s work will genuinely benefit patients, who’ll be able to choose where they can receive treatment most quickly, regardless of whether that’s at an NHS or an independent sector hospital.

This builds on previous work to give patients greater choice. At the point of referral (for example, at a GP appointment), patients will be actively offered a list of providers which are clinically appropriate for their condition. This will be a minimum of 5 providers where possible. And by October 2023, all patients waiting over 40 weeks who have not had a first outpatient appointment booked or where a decision to treat has been made but the patient does not have a date for their treatment will be able to initiate a request to transfer to another provider and receive treatment more quickly.

Last month, the Health and Social Care Secretary also convened ministers, clinical leaders and health experts for the NHS Recovery Summit to collaborate and drive forward ideas to help cut waiting lists and improve care for patients.
August 6, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Hundreds of thousands of heat network customers to benefit from fairer energy prices [August 2023]
The press release issued by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero on 4 August 2023.

New plans for heat network customers to receive fairer prices for cleaner heating.
New rules for heat network customers to receive fairer prices for cleaner heating

proposals will also better protect vulnerable customers

consultation launched to shape and improve the future of heat networks while bolstering our energy security

Hundreds of thousands of heat network customers could benefit from fairer energy prices under new plans unveiled by government today (4 August).

Under the proposals, homes and businesses supplied by heat networks would receive greater consumer protections currently only afforded to those on traditional gas and electricity contracts.

This would ensure fairer prices through their inclusion in a potential future price cap on energy bills, consistent standards for quality of service and supply of heat, backed up with regular and clear bills.

From 2025, Ofgem will be able to step in where homes and businesses have problems with disproportionate pricing, poor customer service and poor reliability.

Ofgem’s actions could also include fines for poor service and ensuring operators pay compensation to customers if there is a supply outage.

People in vulnerable circumstances, such as the elderly or those living with health conditions, would also be better protected, with heat network operators required to keep a register of these customers.

Lord Callanan, Minister for Energy Efficiency and Green Finance, said:

We’re investing millions to build new heat networks, reducing emissions and providing low-cost heating to communities across the country.

Heat networks allow people to heat their homes more cleanly, while cutting their costs and reducing carbon emissions. They are also an important tool in our push for greater energy security and independence.

As more homes and businesses are connected to these innovative systems, it’s only right we ensure consumers are properly protected, pay a fair price for their energy, and are given the best service possible.

Heat networks can supply heating and hot water by unlocking large scale renewable and recycled heat found underground or generated through manufacturing, providing low-cost energy to thousands of people.

The consultation will contribute to the target of 20% of the country’s heating being supplied by heat networks by 2050.

Views from consumer groups and industry will also be used to help shape the regulatory framework that Ofgem will use to monitor and enforce consumer protection regulations.

A regulated and trusted sector where standards are harmonised and where heat network developers can benefit from rights and powers to help them develop will also attract greater investment.

In May, the government announced £22 million of funding to develop the UK’s first system drawing heat from deep underground in Cornwall. The Langarth Deep Geothermal Heat Network will use geothermal energy from hot granite rocks beneath Cornwall to heat 3,800 local homes and public facilities in the region.

This was one of 7 ground-breaking heat network projects across England that received a share of £91 million through the Green Heat Network Fund.

The government has also launched the £32 million Heat Network Efficiency Scheme to make vital upgrades to old and inefficient heat networks, providing thousands of homes in England and Wales with cheaper, greener energy.

The Heat networks consumer protection consultation closes on 27 October 2023.

Stakeholder quotes

Caroline Bragg, Interim CEO of the Association for Decentralised Energy:

We commend the government’s decision to launch a consultation with Ofgem on consumer protections for heat networks — a milestone long awaited by our sector.

If the UK is to successfully deliver on net zero, zero carbon heat networks must indisputably take centre stage as the primary heating solution for buildings, and so it is critical that the millions of businesses and households that will benefit from them are properly supported.

A low carbon, resilient and affordable energy future hinges on our collective commitment to clearing the barriers that stand in the way of widespread heat network adoption and rapidly scaling up deployment across the UK – to enable that, what we need to see next is regulation and zoning coming together to propel the exponential growth of heat networks.

Tom Woodward, Association Secretary, The UK District Energy Association:

Whilst we know that many customers connected to heat networks have received a good quality service at a fair price, we welcome this consultation on behalf of our 160 members as the next step on the journey to the introduction of sector wide regulation, which will support those many customers who have not received this fair deal and quality of service they should expect from their heat network.

Stephen Knight, Director, Heat Trust

As the national consumer champion for heat networks, Heat Trust has long campaigned for the regulation of the sector and we therefore welcome this important consultation. Heat networks have a key role to play in the decarbonisation of heating in the UK, but customer experiences must improve if consumers are to gain confidence in district and communal heating systems.

Whilst many heat network customers get a reliable and value-for-money heating system, sadly, too many do not. Too often customers experience high prices, unreliable systems, and poor customer service.

It is therefore critically important that this consultation helps deliver regulations that achieve tangible improvements in terms of price protection, reliability and service quality and we urge all those with an interest in the sector to respond.
August 6, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Major boost for young people with plans to transform youth centres [August 2023]
The press release issued by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on 4 August 2023.

New youth centres will be built and old ones refurbished to give young people better access to positive out-of-school activities as part of the next phase of the Youth Investment Fund.
- 12,000 young people to benefit from the redevelopment of 44 youth centres
- Upgrades funded by £70 million investment from Government’s Youth Investment Fund
- Plans announced alongside boost to Million Hours Fund meaning youth clubs can provide an extra night a week of youth work provision until 2026
New youth centres will be built and old ones refurbished as part of government plans to give young people better access to positive out-of-school activities as the next phase of the Youth Investment Fund is confirmed.

This follows Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer setting out her vision for the youth sector, that every young person should have “someone to talk to, something to do, somewhere to go.”

The plans will see 44 youth centres share a slice of £70 million Government funding through its Youth Investment Fund.

The funding will help as many as 12,000 extra 11 to 18-year-olds across the country having access to regular, positive activities every year, on top of the thousands of young people who already enjoy these opportunities.

In another boost for young people, The National Lottery Community Fund, the largest community funder in the UK, has today confirmed it will match fund the initial Government commitment of £11 million for the Million Hours Fund bringing the total to £22 million.

Announced in March as part of the Prime Minister’s Anti Social Behaviour Action Plan, the move will mean hundreds of organisations in areas of high anti-social behaviour incidents can stay open for an extra night a week. The support is now guaranteed until March 2026.

Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer said:

I want every young person to have the opportunity to access the kinds of life-changing activities which expand their horizons and allow them to develop vital life skills.

These next 44 youth centres will give 12,000 more young people the opportunity to access these activities. Building on the first tranche of Youth Investment Fund investment that is seeing new projects like the Alt Valley Communiversity opening in Liverpool and support for Scouts and Girlguiding groups to reduce their waiting lists.

We will make sure every young person has someone to talk to, something to do, somewhere to go.

The plans for youth centres announced today will mean young people can take part in activities such as dance, theatre, sport, music and art sessions as well as vital skills and employment training.

The announcement comes after the Culture Secretary laid out her commitment to boost youth services in a speech at the Onward think tank last month.

The investment will target youth services in some country’s most underserved areas where need is high and existing provision is low. The new funding means more than £160 million will have been committed to 87 centres in England since 2021. As many as 300 projects are expected to be built or renovated over the next two years.

Earlier this week the Culture Secretary cut the ribbon to reopen The Alt Valley Communiversity in Liverpool, the first major project to be completed through the Youth Investment Fund. The site received £343,000 to build a new industrial kitchen and an outdoor performance space. It will create more opportunities for skills development and expand its reach to an additional 100 participants a week.

Nick Temple, CEO of Social Investment Business said:

The Youth Investment Fund is all about prioritising the needs of young people in England and creating a more equal society for future generations. It is wonderful to see how the fund is already transforming young people’s opportunities to experience the joy of local youth services designed for, and by, young people. Today’s announcement means another 12,000 young people can access quality, sustainable and accessible youth clubs.

It is so exciting to see the first Youth Investment Fund projects open their doors to young people, giving them every opportunity to make friends, have fun, discover their passions, and thrive. And it is just the start: thousands more young people will benefit from new or expanded local youth services, supporting their wellbeing and helping them gain vital skills for life and work.

David Knott, Chief Executive of The National Lottery Community Fund, said:

We’re delighted to be match funding the Million Hours Fund to bring much-needed additional youth provision and activities to young people across England. Supporting children and young people to thrive is a strategic priority for us as the UK’s largest community funder. We want to thank National Lottery players for making this important investment into improving young people’s prospects and lives possible.

Recipients of the Youth Investment Fund are across England. The full list of beneficiaries include:
- The 105th Sheffield (High Green) Scout Group has been awarded over £1.8 million, allowing them to demolish and rebuild their Scout Group building. The new site will be bigger and more sustainable, including a new kitchen and outdoor space allowing the Scouts to complete more badge work and learn new skills. This will allow the group to expand its reach from 69 to a potential 267 11-18 year olds.
- Funding of nearly £974,000 will transform Burnley Boys and Girls Club for generations to come, with the grant allowing them to reach an additional 225 young people a week. The grant will pay for a new roof for their dilapidated sports hall, new outdoor facilities, as well the construction of a new two-storey extension that will house a gymnasium, a chill-out room and three counselling rooms.
- A grant of over £420,000 will allow The Chichester Shed to renovate its site into a vibrant, safe space, with constant open access youth offer in the evenings and throughout the holidays. An additional 121 young people will be supported, with a custom built space including everything from a community garden to graffiti wall. During the day the site will be used to support young people not engaged in education, employment, or training, supporting their wellbeing, and helping them to gain vital life skills.
This package of measures comes as part of the Government’s ‘National Youth Guarantee’ that, by 2025, every young person in England will have access to regular clubs and activities, adventures away from home, and volunteering opportunities. It is backed by more than £500 million.

Since the launch of the National Youth Guarantee, more than 2,100 additional places have also been created in uniformed youth groups such as Scouts and Girlguiding. As part of the over £16 million of funding allocated for uniformed groups, we will continue to recruit more adult volunteers, to help reduce waiting lists alongside creating additional places for young people.

The Duke of Edinburgh’s award has also been supported, with more than 15,500 participant places being created. It comes after the Government announced it would offer the award to every mainstream secondary state school in England for the first time – supporting young people who may face barriers to taking part, such as not being able to afford kit for outdoor expeditions.

Additional quotes

Alma Mason, Chair of the Board of Trustees at the Alt Valley Communiversity said:

Young people are crying out for somewhere to go and thanks to the Youth Investment Fund we have been able to upgrade 6 of our centres, to provide state of the art youth facilities including theatre and dance studios, sports pitch and recording and podcasting studios. This will transform youth provision in our communities.

British Olympic Champion Boxer Natasha Jonas said:

I’m so proud to support this amazing campaign. Being a single mum of my beautiful daughter and giving her every opportunity is very important to me. Children from deprived areas need to know that they are allowed to be happy and have the right to enjoy activities that they have been denied through poverty.

This initiative will bring thousands of children the opportunities to grow and experience activities, teamwork and friendships to help them achieve a healthy, happy and fulfilling life.
August 6, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : “Russia’s gestures are inadequate. The Black Sea should be open.” – UK statement at the Security Council [August 2023]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 3 August 2023.

Statement by Ambassador Barbara Woodward at the UN Security Council meeting on famine.

Thank you, Madam President. Let me start by welcoming you and your team to the Security Council presidency and thank the US presidency for bringing the issue of food insecurity back to this Council following Security Council Resolution 2417.

I also want to thank Reena Ghelani, David Miliband and Navyn Salem, for bringing your expertise – and critically, your proposals for action to the Council since 2021.

As we’ve all heard, the number of people facing acute food insecurity has skyrocketed from 193 million to over a quarter of a billion today.

And as we’ve heard, conflict is the main driver. Last week, the Council met to discuss the UN’s warning on rapidly deteriorating food security in Haiti, DRC and Burkina Faso.

The message was clear: act now to prevent further deterioration.

So in that spirit, I want to join others in focusing on actions and propose three.

They overlap with those that have been proposed by others during the course of our debate, and in particular with those proposed by the United Nations Famine Prevention and Response Coordinator.

First, this Council should take concerted action to tackle the drivers of conflict and invest in inclusive, sustainable peace.

The Secretary-General’s New Agenda for Peace calls for renewed multilateral cooperation and putting women who are uniquely impacted by food insecurity at the centre of peace initiatives in Afghanistan.

If they cannot bear to watch their children die, some mothers face a harrowing choice sell their children or starve.

Congolese women in displacement camps are forced into sex work just to buy food.

Second, we call on parties to conflict to abide by international humanitarian law and to allow humanitarians rapid and unimpeded access to people in need in Sudan and Somalia.

Starving communities are surrounded by fighting and humanitarians cannot reach them with food.

International humanitarian law is our greatest defence against hunger in armed conflict, and those who violate it should be held to account.

Finally, we need to protect global food systems.

The Black Sea Grain Initiative got nearly 33 million tonnes of grain into world markets. Russia’s decision to end the initiative has raised food prices hitting the world’s hungriest people.

Russia’s offer to give 50,000 tonnes of grain to each of six countries will not bring grain prices back down, nor help those facing famine in other countries.

This inadequate gesture falls far short of solving the global problem that Russia has created.

And let’s be clear UK, US and EU sanctions do not target food and fertilizer. They target Russia’s war machine.

As South Africa’s President Ramaphosa said the Black Sea should be open.

We call on Russia to rejoin the BSGI immediately.

Madam President, we know what we need to do to stop these soaring levels of hunger.

Let’s now turn that into action. I thank you.

August 6, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : RAF completes NATO air policing mission in the Baltic after intercepting 50 Russian aircraft [August 2023]

The press release issued by the Ministry of Defence on 3 August 2023.

The UK has been leading NATO’s air policing mission in Estonia for the last four months, demonstrating the UK’s commitment to the Alliance and security in Europe.

Royal Air Force personnel have returned to the UK after leading NATO’s Baltic air policing mission in Estonia for four months, during which pilots intercepted 50 Russian aircraft and flew for a combined total of more than 500 hours.

Members of 140 Expeditionary Air Wing (140 EAW) have been deployed to Ämari Air Base since the start of March, along with a squadron of RAF Typhoon fighter jets, to conduct Quick Reaction Alert (QRA) intercepts of Russian aircraft transiting close to NATO airspace.

Typhoon jets and their pilots from IX(Bomber) and 1(Fighter) squadrons had deployed to Estonia from RAF Lossiemouth, where the majority of 140 EAW’s personnel have now returned.

The deployment, named Op Azotize, began with RAF pilots flying missions alongside the German Air Force – during which the first ever air joint air intercept between NATO allies took place, as British and German Typhoons shadowed a Russian air-to-air refuelling aircraft and transport aircraft.

Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said:

Hundreds of RAF pilots and personnel have spent months away from their families, working round-the-clock alongside our allies to keep Europe’s skies safe.

The UK’s successful leadership of NATO’s air policing mission in Estonia, resulting in the interception of dozens of Russian aircraft by the RAF, sends a strong message to Putin that we stand united with our allies against any threat to our borders.

Personnel from 140EAW were held at a moment’s notice to intercept Russian aircraft that do not liaise with NATO-controlled regional air traffic agencies and do not file flight plans, thus failing to adhere to international norms. This, in turn, creates a flight safety risk that must be investigated and monitored by NATO aircraft to ensure the safety of all air traffic in the region.

After taking full leadership of the air policing mission, RAF Typhoons flew QRA intercepts on a regular basis – including a 21-day period in which Russian fighters, long-range bombers, and reconnaissance aircraft were intercepted 21 times.

During the course of the deployment, operations were conducted in coordination with the Portuguese and Romanian Air Forces, which jointly led the NATO air policing mission in Lithuania.

Defence Minister Baroness Goldie DL said:

Following a successful deployment to Estonia from our strategic airbase at Lossiemouth, I pay tribute to the commitment and dedication of personnel from 140 Expeditionary Air Wing for their role in protecting NATO airspace over the last four months. The day to day, personal sacrifices made not only by the individuals but also their families in the name of duty are nothing short of commendable. It is reflective of the important contribution to our defence capability from all parts of the UK.

Our work with European partners and our NATO Allies continues to provide the backbone to European security, of which our pilots, aircrews and RAF personnel have all formed a central part. They should be proud of what they have achieved

While deployed to Estonia, the RAF has also taken part in a number of major exercises with NATO allies, including Exercise Air Defender, the largest NATO Air Deployment exercise since the end of the Cold War, with more than 250 aircraft and 10,000 personnel taking part from 25 nations. The RAF contribution to the exercise combined Typhoons from 140 EAW based in Estonia and 903 EAW based in Cyprus, and included F-35, Voyager and A-400M aircraft flying from the UK.

The RAF Typhoons of 140EAW conducted multiple exercises with NATO’s newest member Finland, including joint training in the Arctic Circle, as well as with future Alliance member Sweden. These exercises ensure the strength and unity of the alliance as well as deterring and defending against threats to NATO security

On Wednesday, the Commanding Officer of 140 EAW, Wing Commander Scott MacColl, formally handed over leadership of the air policing mission in Estonia to the Spanish Air Force.

Air & Space Commander, Air Marshal Harv Smyth, said:

The RAF is committed to its role within NATO of collective defence, to ensure the strength and unity of the alliance and to deter and defend against threats to NATO security. While in Estonia, 140 Expeditionary Air Wing has excelled, participating in 12 major NATO and Joint Expeditionary Force exercises in addition to the Air Policing role.

I am extremely proud of the whole force’s hard work and dedication. Now that they are back in the UK, their focus will be straight back to providing UK quick reaction alert where they will help ensure the safety and integrity of UK airspace, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

The NATO Baltic Air Policing mission was established at Amari base in Estonia and Siauliai Air Base in Lithuania in 2014 after Russia’s illegal annexation of Crimea. Allies who contribute to the mission deploy to the air bases in Eastern Europe on a four month rotational basis, providing protection and assurance to all NATO members as well as partner nations.

The UK’s defence commitment to Estonia will continue through Op Cabrit, with more than 1,000 soldiers from the British Army currently stationed at Tapa Army Base to form the UK’s contribution to NATO’s enhanced Forward Presence along its eastern border with Russia.

August 6, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : UK appoints new HM Trade Commissioner to lead UK-MEaP trade and investment relationship [August 2023]

The press release issued by the Department for Business and Trade on 3 August 2023.

Oliver Christian has today been appointed as His Majesty’s Trade Commissioner to the Middle East and Pakistan and His Majesty’s Consul General to Dubai.

The UK’s Department for Business and Trade has today (Thursday 3rd August) appointed Oliver Christian as His Majesty’s Trade Commissioner (HMTC) to the Middle East and Pakistan and His Majesty’s Consul General to Dubai. He will take up the role in September 2023, while the department undergoes the campaign for the permanent position.

HMTCs lead the UK’s overseas effort to promote UK trade, investment, trade policy and export finance.

As the new Trade Commissioner for the Middle East and Pakistan, Oliver Christian will generate business opportunities for the UK while contributing to the growth of sustainable, resilient, and productive economies across the MEaP region.

Prior to joining the UK’s Department for Business and Trade Oliver was the Head of the Prime Minister’s Business Unit at No10, having served four Prime Ministers from 2019 to 2023. He’s overseen over £78 billion of investment and export deals, establishing the UK Global Investment Summit and the creation of the Office of Investment during his time in No10. He also helped to establish the Department for International Trade as the Principal Private Secretary to the Secretary of State in 2016 to 2019.

August 6, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Every criminal court now connected to single data system for the first time [August 2023]
The press release issued by the Ministry of Justice on 3 August 2023.

All information on new criminal court cases in England and Wales now sits on a single digital platform as the government delivers its latest milestone to modernise the justice system.
Common Platform system now live in every criminal court in England and Wales

Platform links courts, Crown Prosecution Service, and police to improve information sharing

Moves a step closer to reducing burdensome admin and increasing efficiency

Every Crown and magistrates’ court now has access to the ‘Common Platform’ system, which will allow quicker and seamless sharing of information between all those involved in criminal justice cases.

Under Common Platform all relevant case materials will be available in one accessible place across all criminal courts – from arrest through to trial and, for those convicted, on to the prison and probation service.

This will help ensure that courts, police, prosecutors and legal professionals have access to one platform to track cases moving through the justice system, continuing the move away from time-consuming paper-based processes and separate IT systems.

It is a fundamental part of the government’s plan to modernise the criminal court system – bringing justice partners together in a way that has never been done before, improving collaboration and replacing outdated process.

The move will offer an improved flow of information between the courts to improve efficiency and help reduce outstanding caseloads to deliver speedier justice for victims and the public.

Justice Minister Mike Freer said:

Common Platform is improving how we work to deliver justice. It will allow instant and seamless information sharing that will reduce errors and ensure vital details about cases can be seen quickly by all those involved in a case.

Connecting every criminal court with partner agencies and professionals is helping make them fit for the future.

Each user will only be able to see the information that is relevant to them. The platform also allows for changes and updates to a case to be made instantly, helping to make the justice process faster and more efficient.

The rollout of Common Platform has been delivered as a central part of the HM Courts and Tribunals Service Reform Programme to improve courts and tribunals for people who use them and for those working in them.

New features will continue to be added to further improve information sharing and data accuracy across the justice system.

The programme is transforming how the public interact with the justice system. Digital services in the courts and tribunals across all jurisdictions have been used over 2.1 million times so far, making services easier to use and more efficient to run.
August 6, 2023