Tag: 2023

PRESS RELEASE : UN HRC53 – Human rights situation in the Central African Republic [July 2023]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 12 July 2023.

Interactive Dialogue on the oral update of the Independent Expert on the situation of human rights in the Central African Republic. As delivered by the UK.

Thank you, Mr Vice President.

The United Kingdom remains concerned by the increasing disregard for human rights in CAR by all actors, including state actors, which MINUSCA’s most recent reporting suggests are responsible for violations including arbitrary arrests and detentions. We are particularly concerned by the ongoing presence of the Wagner Group and call for their immediate withdrawal from CAR. We reiterate our call for the Government to ensure that all State-aligned security actors comply with international humanitarian and human rights law and that all perpetrators of violations or abuses are held to account.

We are also concerned by President Touadera’s plans to overhaul CAR’s constitution, which risks undoing recent democratic gains. The referendum serves as a distraction from the main issues facing CAR, including the dire humanitarian, security and economic situation.

Mr Vice President, ensuring transparent democratic processes is crucial to CAR’s future stability. Local elections, which have been postponed in favour of the constitutional referendum, would have been an opportunity to bring democracy closer to communities and citizens, and would have formed part of the democratic restructuring that is integral to securing lasting peace in CAR. We hope that free, fair and peaceful local elections will be held as soon as possible.

Mr Agbetse,

Thank you for your update. Given the situation in CAR continues to deteriorate, how can the international community help ensure the long-term viability of the Peace Agreement and the effectiveness of existing accountability mechanisms in CAR?

Thank you.

July 17, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : 193 organisations awarded for their support towards the Armed Forces community [July 2023]

The press release issued by the Ministry of Defence on 12 July 2023.

Nearly 200 organisations have been recognised in this year’s Defence Employer Recognition Scheme Gold Awards, the highest number since it launched in 2013.

Nearly 200 organisations have been recognised by the UK Government for supporting the Armed Forces community, a record high since the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme launched in 2013.

The Defence Employer Recognition Scheme Gold Award, the highest badge of honour, recognises the positive role that employers play in supporting the Armed Forces community.

This year, organisations across a range of sectors including transportation, education, finance, and healthcare have been recognised in the awards. Of the Gold Award winners, 28% are either micro or small sized organisations, while 47% are large organisations with over 500 employees. This not only demonstrates the importance of the Covenant, but the skills and benefits that ex-service personnel can bring businesses.

Minister for Defence People, Veterans and Service Families, Dr Andrew Murrison said:

I would like to thank all the organisations that have been recognised in this year’s awards. I’m delighted that we have seen so many organisations recognised with a gold award. Their continued support demonstrates the unique benefits and strengths that our Armed Forces community can bring to the workplace.

The Defence Employer Recognition Scheme, delivered by Defence Relationship Management has a current total of 641 holders. Organisations must reapply every five years to retain their Gold Award status.

To win a Gold award from the Ministry of Defence, organisations must provide 10 extra paid days leave for reservists, and have supportive HR policies in place for reservists, veterans, Cadet Force adult volunteers and the spouses and partners of those serving in the Armed Forces.

They must also advocate the benefits of supporting those within the Armed Forces community, by encouraging other organisations to sign the Armed Forces Covenant and engage with the Employer Recognition Scheme.

This year, Marks & Spencer Plc, Motorola Solutions UK Ltd, Hilton and Toyota Manufacturing UK are among the household names that have been recognised, alongside many small organisations including the Herefordshire & Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce.

Director of Corporate Affairs and Forces Community Network Sponsor at M&S, Victoria McKenzie-Gould said:

One of the things I’m most proud of as a colleague at M&S is our history of supporting our Forces. I’m proud that spirit lives on, led by our amazing Forces Community Network, who have helped steer us in just a few years from Bronze to now Gold accreditation in the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme. From working actively to recruit Forces leavers to giving reservists time off to play their part serving our country, it’s fantastic to see this recognised by the Ministry of Defence. Thank you to them and more importantly to our fantastic Armed Forces community.

CEO at Herefordshire & Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce, Sharon Smith said:

As a Gold Award holder, we will continue to promote our advocacy via support and collaboration with members, through our events and via regular engagement with businesses across the two counties. We will also ensure that HR policies are updated, so that Armed Forces community are not disadvantaged; to include a comprehensive Reserve Forces Training Mobilisation policy.

Full list of Employer Recognition Scheme Award holders can be seen here.

July 17, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : UK sanctions businesses funding Sudan war [July 2023]
The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 12 July 2023.

New sanctions have been announced which will target the businesses associated with the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces.
- UK government sanctions imposed on businesses associated with leaders of the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces, the military groups behind the ongoing conflict in Sudan
- strict measures will cut funding sources and pressure the warring parties to engage in the peace process, allow access for humanitarian aid and end atrocities against the Sudanese people
- the sanctions are part of the UK’s response to ongoing hostilities since fighting broke out in April and a growing humanitarian crisis
The UK has today (12 July) imposed new sanctions on businesses which are fuelling the devastating conflict in Sudan by providing funding and arms to the warring militias. These sanctions will ensure that any assets held in the UK by these conglomerates and companies will be frozen.

These strict measures on companies controlled by the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) will limit their financial freedom by preventing UK citizens, companies and banks from dealing with them and put pressure on the parties to engage in the peace process.

Almost 3 months of violence in Sudan has resulted in 25 million people in need of humanitarian assistance, over 2.2 million internally displaced and 682,000 people estimated to have fled to neighbouring countries. In Darfur, there are also reports of increasing ethnic violence.

The war has been exacerbated and prolonged by the vast financial empires supporting the SAF and RSF. The multi-billion-dollar conglomerates and companies associated with both parties have provided them with a steady source of funds and weapons, enabling the continuation of fighting which has seen atrocities committed against civilians.

The UK has designated 6 commercial entities in total, with each of the 2 warring parties having 3 associated businesses targeted. These sanctions will send a strong message to those providing funding and supplies to the SAF and RSF that the ongoing conflict is unacceptable and the violence must stop.

Foreign Secretary James Cleverly says:

These sanctions are directly targeting those whose actions have destroyed the lives of millions. Both sides have committed multiple ceasefire violations in a war, which is completely unjustified.

Innocent civilians continue to face the devastating effects of the hostilities, and we simply cannot afford to sit-by and watch as money from these companies, all funding the RSF or SAF, is spent on a senseless conflict. Working with international partners, we will continue to do all we can to support a meaningful peace process, stop the violence and secure free humanitarian access.

These new measures are aimed at pressing the parties driving the conflict to engage in a sustained and meaningful peace process, stop blocking life-saving humanitarian aid into Sudan, and end the violence and atrocities.

Minister for Development and Africa Andrew Mitchell said:

The SAF and RSF have dragged Sudan into a wholly unjustified war, with utter disregard for the Sudanese people, and must be held accountable. These sanctions are designed to pressure the parties to engage in a meaningful and lasting peace process.

These sanctions will not impact vital aid to the region and include a humanitarian exemption, ensuring that aid can continue to be delivered by the UN and other eligible organisations.

The UK continues to pursue all diplomatic avenues to end the violence, de-escalate tensions and secure safe humanitarian access, including engaging with the UN Security Council, African Union and other partners to achieve this.

The businesses sanctions announced today are:

Companies associated with the RSF:
- Al-Junaid, a large Rapid Support Forces owned conglomerate set up by Rapid Support Forces leader Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo ‘Hemedti’. This company has provided at least tens of millions in financial backing for the militia, enabling it to continue the conflict
- GSK Advance Company Ltd, a key front company owned by the Rapid Support Forces, providing some funding to the militia to support the purchase of materiel
- Tradive General Trading co, a company associated with the Rapid Support Forces, supplying it with funds and materiel such as vehicles retrofitted with machine guns for the RSF to patrol the streets
Companies associated with the SAF:
- Defense Industries Systems (DIS), a large Sudan Armed Forces-owned conglomerate, which provides some of the finances for General Abdel Fattah al Burhan to continue fighting, Defensive Industries System has over 200 companies and makes a profit of $2 billion per annum
- Sudan Master Technology, a Sudanese company involved in the sale of arms with close commercial ties to Defense Industries System, the economic and manufacturing arm of the Sudan Armed Forces which supplies it with funds and equipment
- Zadna International Company for Investment Limited, a subsidiary of DIS, owned by the Sudan Armed Forces, and reported to be one of its top 3 ‘major earners’
July 17, 2023
Andrew Mitchell – 2023 Speech at the Towards the Global Refugee Forum

The speech made by Andrew Mitchell, the Minister for Development and Africa, on 12 July 2023.

Good morning.

I am sorry not to be able to join you at Wilton Park, where I trust there have been lots of lively discussions over the last few days. However, I do want to thank you all for coming to be a part of this important conversation. I extend particular thanks to our friends at the World Bank for their support for this event. Also to UNHCR (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees), and to those who have travelled considerable distances to join us.

It is fitting that this, the year of the second UN Global Refugee Forum (GRF), also marks the halfway moment of the Sustainable Development Goals – a moment when we are all thinking more than ever about what it truly means to ‘leave no one behind’. It is this spirit which animates so much of the global effort to support those who have been forced to flee their homes.

This support to refugees would not be possible without the work of our partners at UNHCR, or the generosity and dedication of those countries hosting large refugee populations. We are very pleased to have some of these states represented at this conference, and I commend them for their efforts.

However, we are all too aware that the challenge of meeting even basic needs for forcibly displaced people is getting harder. The trends are against us, with total displacement climbing in 2022 to over 108 million people, including nearly 40 million refugees. These are truly sobering figures, but there are things we can do.

First, we can work together across sectors and geographies to tackle the root causes of displacement.

From Sudan to Ukraine, we’ve seen in the last year alone the extent to which armed conflict and violence drive displacement. Alongside other members of the international community, the UK has been proud to provide emergency humanitarian assistance in these contexts and around the world. But we must all redouble our efforts to support and sustain peace, in order to enable the safe return of refugees to their homes.

I am also aware that I am speaking when climate migration and displacement is no longer a hypothetical, but a reality. We cannot afford to ignore accelerating climate impacts such as drought and environmental degradation. And as the threat of climate change increases globally, the number having to leave their homes will continue to grow.

And yet, there are reasons for hope. From the Bridgetown agenda to COP (Conference of the Parties), the world is coming together to address this existential threat and protect the most vulnerable from its impacts.

It is all of our responsibility to make sure that forcibly displaced people are included in this conversation. This includes using all the possibilities afforded by international fora, such as COP28, to ensure that we are not working in silos.

The UK is acting to mobilise climate funding that will address the underlying climate-related drivers of humanitarian crises. This will increase the supply of, and access to, the climate finance that vulnerable countries need. We are, in fact, very pleased to be hosting an event at Wilton Park, on the subject next week.

Secondly, we can put those who bear the brunt of displacement at the centre of our approach to solutions. The UK is proud to champion the rights of women and girls around the world.

A core principle of this is ensuring access to 12 years of quality education. Education for displaced girls in emergencies or conflict settings is a powerful tool. It is one of the best mechanisms for protecting them from gender-based violence and it gives them the tools to rebuild their home communities when they are able to return. It can maximise the potential of educated populations for addressing the climate crisis, and for promoting peace and tolerance.

But this is about hosting countries, as well as refugees. We know that delivering this education through national systems will also benefit host community children, as investment in their education systems makes these systems more resilient, and more sustainable. This will ensure that strong education provision is left behind when refugees can return home. As a proud champion of girls’ education, the UK is excited to be driving forwards an education multi-stakeholder pledge at this year’s GRF.

Thirdly, we can help refugees contribute to their host communities. By supporting refugees’ freedom of movement and right to work, we enable their agency. And, in the words of the Global Compact on Refugees, we enhance their self-reliance.

These mutually reinforcing benefits cannot be realised without both the right policy environment, and a strong enabling environment made possible through development. Including refugees in national systems and national planning is central to this.

We all recognise the potential of the GRF to be a moment that galvanises meaningful change. That transforms the lives of both forcibly displaced people and their host communities. To fulfil these ambitions, how we use the next 6 months is vitally important.

In my recent speech at Chatham House, I launched the UK’s new development platform, UKDev, which at its heart is about partnerships: partnerships with donor countries, partnerships with recipient countries, and partnerships across the sector. We must harness a wide range of actors to engage in the GRF. We must be clear in our intent, consistent in our approach, and strategic about our priorities. Above all, we must work together.

I look forward to hearing the results of your discussions and to working together over the coming months to realise our common ambitions for the GRF.

Thank you very much.

July 17, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Historic security framework for Ukraine set to be agreed in major step toward ending the war [July 2023]
The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 12 July 2023.

A significant international framework for Ukraine’s long-term security arrangements is expected to be agreed by G7 partners in the margins of the NATO Summit today (Wednesday).
- UK and G7 allies are expected to agree a new framework for guaranteeing Ukraine’s long-term security today, delivering on an ambition the PM set out at the beginning of this year
- At the first meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Council, the PM will strongly support simplifying the path to Ukraine’s NATO membership
- Comes as the Prime Minister announces a major new tranche of support for Ukraine, including thousands of additional rounds of Challenger 2 ammunition, more than 70 combat and logistics vehicles and a £50m support package for equipment repair, as well as establishing a new military rehabilitation centre
A significant international framework for Ukraine’s long-term security arrangements is expected to be agreed by G7 partners in the margins of the NATO Summit today (Wednesday).

The joint declaration, expected to be signed by all members of the G7, will set out how allies will support Ukraine over the coming years to end the war and deter and respond to any future attack. It is the first time that this many countries have agreed a comprehensive long-term security arrangement of this kind with another country.

Joint Declaration signatories will provide long-term, bilateral security commitments for Ukraine, with the aim of building a Ukraine that can defend its territorial sovereignty both today and in the future.

At the Munich Security Conference in February, the Prime Minister set out the obligation the international community had to ensure Ukraine was never again left vulnerable to the kind of brutality inflicted on it by Russia, and in turn, put the country in the best possible position for any future negotiations.

Since that speech, the UK and allies have delivered on this obligation through the continued provision of security assistance and modern military equipment across land, sea and air – prioritising air defence, artillery, long-range capabilities, and armoured vehicles.

The UK was the first G7 country to provide Ukraine with main battle tanks and the first country to provide long-range missiles. We have also been instrumental in establishing the new international coalition to provide Ukraine with combat air capability.

In the past six months, the UK has also expanded its military training programme for Ukrainian recruits. This programme has trained more than 19,000 soldiers to date and training for Ukrainian pilots in the UK will begin this summer.

Following today’s Joint Declaration, partners will provide more defence equipment, increase and accelerate intelligence sharing, bolster support for cyber and hybrid threat defences, expand training programmes and military exercises, and develop Ukraine’s industrial base.

Signatories will set out the detail of their long-term commitments to Ukraine under the framework announced today in due course.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said:

As Ukraine makes strategic progress in their counteroffensive, and the degradation of Russian forces begins to infect Putin’s front line, we are stepping up our formal arrangements to protect Ukraine for the long term.

We can never see a repeat of what has happened in Ukraine and this declaration reaffirms our commitment to ensure it is never left vulnerable to the kind of brutality Russia has inflicted on it again.

Supporting their progress on the pathway to NATO membership, coupled with formal, multilateral, and bilateral agreements and the overwhelming support of NATO members will send a strong signal to President Putin and return peace to Europe.

The Prime Minister will also praise Allies in the inaugural NATO-Ukraine Council today for agreeing the Alliance’s decision to simplify Ukraine’s path to joining NATO and recognise their impressive progress on adapting to alliance standards.

He will say Ukraine’s extensive strides towards NATO interoperability and its willingness to reform has already helped them make progress toward the moment when they will be ready to take their rightful place in the Alliance, adding that they have made Ukraine’s need for a formal Membership Action Plan (MAP) redundant.

Removing the need for a formal MAP would ensure Ukraine’s accession to NATO is quicker when the war is over.

In addition to the work on a long-term bilateral security pact, the UK will deliver more than 70 combat and logistics vehicles to Ukraine, including CVRT vehicles. The British Army vehicles will be gifted to Ukraine to ensure front line forces have the means to carry vital ammunition and equipment, evacuate injured soldiers and recover damaged vehicles, making them crucial to Ukraine’s counteroffensive.

Thousands of additional rounds of Challenger 2 ammunition will also be immediately delivered to Ukraine as part of the package, while a new £50m equipment support contract will sustain the battle-winning platforms the UK has already provided to Ukraine including spare parts, technical support, and maintenance training.

As demonstrated by the UK’s hosting of the Ukraine Recovery Conference last month, the Prime Minister is focussed on ensuring Ukraine can recover and rebuild in the long term, including supporting members of the military injured on the front lines.

That’s why today, the UK will launch a project through NATO to establish a medical rehabilitation centre to support the recovery and return of soldiers to Ukraine’s lines of defence after being injured in combat. The centre will be twinned with the UK’s world leading facility Stanford Hall, drawing on remote UK expertise and support to accelerate recovery and reduce the long-term impacts of war.

The programme will be funded through NATO’s Comprehensive Assistance Package for Ukraine and supported by rehabilitation specialists from across the Alliance.

The centre will treat the most severely injured, helping them to adapt to prothesis, relearn to walk and regain confidence and ambition for the future. For those less severely injured, the centre will accelerate their recovery, helping them to return to the Armed Forces to defend Ukraine.

The announcement comes after several visits of the Ukrainian Surgeon General to the UK, to see first-hand how veterans have been supported to overcome and adapt to major physical challenges inflicted in conflict.
July 17, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Joint Statement by the Defence Ministers of the United Kingdom and Estonia [July 2023]

The press release issued by the Ministry of Defence on 12 July 2023.

Defence Secretary Ben Wallace and Estonian Minister of Defence Hanno Pevkur signed a joint statement, deepening defence cooperation.

Over the last 12 months, the UK and Estonia have worked in exceptionally close cooperation to implement the commitments pledged at the 2022 NATO Summit in Madrid. Our collaboration has delivered a more capable UK presence, better able to deter aggression and to defend Estonia in crisis and conflict. The enhanced eFP contributes to our shared objective of protecting our populations and defending every inch of Allied territory at all times.

Following Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine, and to support NATO’s new era of collective defence, Estonia and the UK continue to work together to strengthen NATO’s deterrence and forward defences in Estonia. This is underpinned by a credible forward defence posture in Estonia which includes the Estonian Defence Forces and the UK-led eFP Battlegroup which will be further reinforced, when required, by a sovereign allocated UK Brigade, held in high readiness in the UK. The UK will regularly exercise the projection of forces up to Brigade level for the reinforcement of Estonia in accordance with NATO’s regional defence plans, while Estonia will provide suitable facilities to support the UK’s permanent presence and surge capacity. Estonia and the UK commit to holding their respective forces at the appropriate readiness required by NATO’s regional defence plans and will work together to explore options for future prepositioning of equipment and ammunition forward, as required, to enable this.

In accordance with our joint objectives, since signing the Roadmap in November 2022, the UK has allocated an Armoured Brigade at high readiness for the rapid reinforcement of Estonia and uplifted the command of its eFP Headquarters to Brigadier level, enhancing the ability to receive Brigade level reinforcements at a time of need. In recognition of its enduring commitment to Estonia, the UK has also converted a number of staff officer positions to permanent posts. By maintaining Divisional level enablers in Estonia, such as the SHORAD and MLRS, the UK-led eFP Battlegroup continues to ensure a combat-ready presence in-country that offers opportunities for exercising these elements under the command of the Estonian Division HQ. As agreed, the UK has further reinforced these by deploying multiple surges of additional aviation capabilities into Estonia since January 2023.

To fulfil a NATO military requirement, Estonia established the Estonian Division in December 2022. The UK has deployed a Divisional Advisory Team to Estonia on an enduring basis to support the establishment of the Division and will embed staff officers into it in the future to further enhance the UK’s integration with the Division. Estonia will continue the development of the Estonian Division, including by acquiring additional high-end, Divisional level capabilities and commit to the Divisional HQ becoming a NATO Military Body with International Military Headquarters status within the NATO Force Structure. The UK will provide staff officers from the allocated Brigade to support the Estonian Division during the War Fighter Program in February 2024, after which the UK and Estonia will continue to look for further joint opportunities for developing the Estonian Division.

The UK and Estonia are committed to enhancing our integration and interoperability in the years to come. We will work together to develop an executable plan to enable the UK to consistently exercise reinforcement with the allocated Brigade, and other relevant units of choice, in accordance with defence plans. In 2024 the UK will exercise its Very High Readiness Air Assault Brigade Combat Team during Exercise SPRING STORM, and will exercise the allocated Armoured Brigade in 2025. This will be underpinned by a programme of Staff and Command integration activity, with a regular drumbeat of command visits from the allocated Brigade commencing in autumn 2023. The UK and Estonia will continue to work closely together to ensure the UK is fully integrated with the Estonian Defence Force’s Command and Control, with the UK Brigade aligned to the Estonian Division and fully integrated into Estonia’s National Defence Plan.

July 17, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : UK businesses to get free government tool to tackle economic abuse [July 2023]
The press release issued by HM Treasury on 12 July 2023.

UK businesses and charities are set to benefit from a free interactive guide to help their staff spot and tackle economic abuse when speaking to customers over the phone, Financial Secretary to the Treasury Victoria Atkins announced today.
Interactive guide expected to help staff spot and tackle economic abuse

95% of women who experience domestic abuse report experiencing economic abuse

Treasury minister calls for experts to provide feedback on the guide

The interactive guide, which will be available widely later this year, is being released to 30,000 HMRC staff today to help them spot the signs and create an appropriate environment for victims to disclose their experiences. It builds on the government’s Economic Abuse Toolkit, released earlier this year.

Minister Atkins met with staff and survivors at Advance charity’s West London Women’s Centre today to mark the announcement and was joined by former Love Island contestant and domestic abuse campaigner Malin Andersson.

The minister ran through an early demo of the tool with attendees at the visit to drum up momentum as she called on experts to work with HMRC to get the online tool right, before they distribute it freely online later this year.

By increasing the awareness of staff in government, business and charities of economic abuse, the government hopes the new interactive tool will play its part in stopping violence against women and girls, to build stronger communities for future generations.

Financial Secretary to the Treasury Victoria Atkins said:

The government passed the landmark Domestic Abuse Act and I am determined to build on that commitment to help victims.

Economic and financial abuse can be less understood than other forms of domestic abuse, which is why it is vital organisations share best practice with one another whenever they can.

That is why I’ve asked HMRC to work with charities and experts over the summer to produce a publicly available interactive guide which staff from any organisation which speaks to customers will be able use.

Economic abuse, which domestic violence charity Refuge estimates 16% of adults in the UK have experienced, is when an individual’s ability to acquire, use and maintain economic resources are taken away by someone else in a coercive or controlling way.

Internal guidance has been distributed to 30,000 HMRC staff today to help front line staff spot victims of economic abuse when speaking to them over the phone. It will help them understand the different types of economic abuse, as well as what signs and characteristics to look out for.

The aim is for this guidance, with support from industry, charities and experts over the summer, to be turned into a free interactive tool to support businesses and organisations whose employees also speak to customers daily.

Malin Andersson said:

We need everyone to work together if we’re going to be able to stamp out domestic abuse once and for all, so it’s fantastic to see an initiative which will make a difference by training so many people, from businesses and charities, to recognise economic abuse.

Minister Atkins will also introduce the early demo of the interactive guidance to representatives from the financial services sector and charities at a roundtable later today, where she will hear more about what the sector is doing to tackle economic abuse and what more can be done.

By working with stakeholders to develop and tailor it, the government wants the interactive guidance to reflect the real-world experiences of victims.

Niki Scordi, Advance’s CEO said:

Understanding the behaviours of domestic abusers and their continuous attempts to intimidate and control survivors, mainly women and children, long after they leave the abusive home is vital. This includes control through economic and financial means, such as child support, school fees, bank accounts, loans and access to employment.

Supporting survivors with specialist Domestic Abuse Advocates in the community and charities like Advance is essential to help change, and sometimes save, the lives of those devasted by domestic and economic abuse.

The internal guidance distributed by HMRC to its staff today comes hot off the heels of the Economic Abuse Toolkit released in January 2023, which aims to help public sector organisations train staff to identify economic abuse.

Specialist charity Surviving Economic Abuse (SEA), which was one of the organisations which contributed to the Toolkit, has seen a 150% increase in its website user numbers over the past two years (April 2021 5200 users. April 2023 13,000 users).

SEA research also found seven in ten front-line professionals reported the number of victims of economic abuse coming to their organisation for help had increased since the start of the pandemic. By the end of the first lockdown, SEA found one in five women were planning to seek help around welfare benefits.

Tackling domestic abuse is a government priority and improving the response to economic abuse is integral to this. For the first time in history, economic abuse is now recognised in law as part of the statutory definition of domestic abuse included in the Domestic Abuse Act 2021. This is in recognition of the devastating impact it can have on victims’ lives.

Dr Nicola Sharp-Jeffs OBE, CEO and founder of Surviving Economic Abuse said:

Economic abuse is an insidious and often invisible form of control, one which can trap a victim-survivor in a relationship with an abuser and leave them feeling like there is no escape. This form of abuse can create dependency on an abuser by restricting their access to economic resources, or instability if the survivor is forced to cover all household costs. It causes long lasting harm including debt and bad credit, so that even when someone manages to leave, these effects can follow them around for the rest of their lives, often preventing them from moving on safely.

We know that victim-survivors are more likely to disclose economic abuse to their bank than they are to the police.

It is crucial that frontline employees – whether they work in the public or private sector – are trained to understand economic abuse and how abusers might use their service to continue to control a victim. It is vital they are given the knowledge and the tools to spot the signs of economic abuse, develop specialist responses and feel confident signposting a survivor to broader support. The right response can be life changing.

We’re delighted to see the Treasury take this important step to ensure victim-survivors of economic abuse get a good response whoever they speak to. We look forward to working together to ensure this new interactive guide helps organisations effectively respond to economic abuse.

Further information

The Economic Toolkit was collaboratively developed and published by the Government Debt Management Function and the debt advice sector.

Members of the Fairness Group have worked together to produce the Vulnerability and the Economic Abuse Toolkit. The Fairness group comprises of members from central and local governments and debt charities (including Surviving Economic Abuse – SEA). The Debt Management area within HMRC is a member of the Fairness group and contributed to developing the toolkits.

Stakeholders should contact hmrcguidanceteam@hmrc.gov.uk to register an interest in supporting with interactive tool development.

95% of women who experience domestic abuse report experiencing economic abuse. Reference for this: SEA-EJP-Evaluation-Framework_112020-2-2.pdf (survivingeconomicabuse.org)
July 17, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : ‘Polluters must pay’ says Environment Secretary, as unlimited penalties unveiled [July 2023]

The press release issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 12 July 2023.

New laws will scrap the cap on civil penalties and significantly broaden their scope to target a much wider range of environmental offences.

Those that pollute the environment will face unlimited penalties under new legislation announced today by the government (Wednesday 12 July).

The current limit of £250,000 on variable monetary penalties that the Environment Agency and Natural England can impose directly on operators will be lifted, following a government consultation which received widespread public support.

This will offer regulators a quicker method of enforcement than lengthy and costly criminal prosecutions – although the most serious cases will continue to be taken through criminal proceedings.

New powers will also enable these higher penalties to be levied as a civil sanction for offences under the Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2016, the regime under which the majority of Environment Agency investigations take place. This will ensure regulators have the right tools to drive compliance across a range of sectors, strengthening enforcement and holding all who hold environmental permits – from energy and water companies to waste operators and incinerators – to greater account.

Environment Secretary Thérèse Coffey said:

“Polluters must always pay. We are scrapping the cap on civil penalties and significantly broadening their scope to target a much wider range of offences – from breaches of storm overflow permits to the reckless disposal of hazardous waste.

“It builds on action being taken right across government to stand up for our environment – tackling pollution, protecting delicate ecosystems and enhancing nature.”

Minister for Environmental Quality and Resilience Rebecca Pow said:

“By lifting the cap on these sanctions, we are simultaneously toughening our enforcement tools and expanding where regulators can use them. This will deliver a proportionate punishment for operators that breach their permits and harm our rivers, seas and precious habitats.

“This was one of the measures set out in our Plan for Water earlier this year. I am proud to say this government has acted swiftly so that this will now be enshrined in law, further strengthening the power of regulators to hold polluters to account.”

Environment Agency Chair Alan Lovell said:

“We regularly prosecute companies and individuals through criminal proceedings, but these new powers will allow us to deliver penalties that are quicker and easier to enforce, even though the most serious cases will continue to go to court.

“That should be an important deterrent – boosting compliance across a range of sectors, driving down pollution and safeguarding the ecology and prosperity of our natural world.”

There are clear provisions in the Sentencing Council guidelines that will ensure the level of penalties levied are proportionate to the degree of environmental harm and culpability. These include safeguards to ensure the operator’s ability to pay, the size of the operator, and the degree of responsibility and harm, amongst others – all of which are taken into account when imposing a penalty.

The amendments to legislation will be approved by both Houses of Parliament in due course before coming into force.

As set out in the government’s Plan for Water, future environmental fines and penalties from water companies will be re-invested into the government’s new Water Restoration Fund. This fund will deliver on-the-ground improvements to water quality, and support local groups and community-led schemes which help to protect our waterways. River catchment groups – bringing together local NGOs, councils, government agencies and farmers and working together in catchments across the country – will benefit from this funding.

July 17, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : The sabotage of the Nord Stream pipelines should be treated with utmost seriousness – UK statement at the Security Council [July 2023]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 11 July 2023.

Statement by Ambassador James Kariuki at the UN Security Council meeting on the Nord Stream gas pipeline.

Colleagues, the UK condemns acts of sabotage on critical national infrastructure. We should treat the sabotage of the Nord Stream pipelines with utmost seriousness.

The international community is concerned about this act, and wants clear answers about what happened and who was responsible. As we have said before, the best way to get those answers is to support the impartial investigations of Denmark, Sweden, and Germany and to respect those processes.

We do not believe it is a good use of our time for the Security Council to start to prejudge the outcome of these investigations, dictate how they are conducted, or otherwise undermine them.

We welcome the latest update sent by Germany on behalf of Denmark and Sweden, and their commitment to updating the Security Council. Their letter underlines the complexity of ongoing investigations and underscores that this process will take time. We are confident that when these investigations conclude, their findings will be authoritative.

We, and fellow Council members, should continue to offer full support to these investigations so that we can establish who was responsible for these acts of sabotage.

Finally, we must note Russia’s inconsistent attitude towards civilian infrastructure. They claim outrage here, but are pursuing a systematic campaign to target civilian infrastructure in their war of aggression against Ukraine, killing thousands of civilians in the process. Such hypocrisy should not surprise us, but it makes it hard to take anything the Russians say on this subject at face value.

July 17, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : UN HRC53 – Explanation of vote on countering religious hatred [July 2023]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 11 July 2023.

UK statement during urgent debate on countering religious hatred constituting incitement to discrimination, hostility or violence, at UN Human Rights Council.

Thank you.

Let me say once more. We reject intolerance. We deplore discrimination. And we denounce hatred on the basis of religion or belief. We recognise the deep hurt felt by Muslims around the world caused by the burning of the Quran. Attempts to sow discord and division are contemptible. We will defend freedom of religion or belief for all, and promote mutual respect.

In combatting religious intolerance, there is a difficult balance to strike and in different societies, this balance is struck in different ways. It can be hard to determine at what point freedom of expression becomes unacceptable, and when unacceptable speech or action should be legally prohibited. We are sensitive to these complexities. These are live issues in the UK, as elsewhere.

However, international human rights law provides us with narrowly defined parameters in which freedom of expression can be limited. And we do not accept that, by definition, attacks on religion, including on religious texts or symbols, constitute advocacy for hatred.

Whilst we completely reject acts seeking to incite discrimination, hostility or violence, wherever they are carried out, we need to recognise that the primary function of the international human rights framework – forged out of the bitter experience of centuries past – is to protect individuals from the State. Tragically, there are all too many examples in the world right now and in recent years where believers – religious or not – have been ruthlessly oppressed by those who are meant to guarantee their rights.

So, while we thank OIC colleagues for their engagement on the resolution in recent days, today we have had to vote against on this resolution. Given our commitment to freedom of religion or belief, and to the consensus this Council has maintained since resolution 16/18 was agreed, this is not a decision we have taken lightly. Despite today’s vote, our hope is that we can again find a path that enables us to fight religious intolerance and stigmatisation together, as one Council.

July 17, 2023