Tag: 2023

PRESS RELEASE : UK’s specialist radar workforce receives £270 million boost [June 2023]
The press release issued by the Ministry of Defence on 9 June 2023.

Critical radars that protect the Royal Navy’s warships against hostile airborne and seaborne attacks will be upgraded and maintained under a £270 million deal.
£270 million contract awarded to BAE Systems to support, upgrade, and maintain critical radars.

Contract secures 400 jobs across the UK and boosts investment in the UK supply chain of SME and high-tech suppliers.

Radars are a key defensive capability to the Royal Navy used to identify and track potential airborne and seaborne threats.

Critical radars that protect the Royal Navy’s fleet of warships against hostile airborne and seaborne attacks will be upgraded and maintained under a deal worth £270 million.

The 10-year contract, which has been awarded to BAE Systems to run until 2032, will support Artisan, Sampson and Long-Range Radars which are found on warships including Type 23 and Type 26 frigates, Type 45 destroyers, and the Queen Elizabeth Class Aircraft Carriers.

As well as securing 400 highly skilled jobs in Cowes, Portsmouth, Essex and in Hillend near Edinburgh, the contract, which includes upgrading existing radars as well as maintenance and other in-service support, ensures the UK retains the highly-specialist skills required for a sovereign option in future radar development.

Minister for Defence Procurement, James Cartlidge said:

Equipping our Armed Forces with the latest technology to counter emerging threats is critical to ensuring the safety and effectiveness of our fleet and personnel.

Securing hundreds of jobs across the country, this contract is a boost for the UK Supply Chain and lets our adversaries know we are equipped, prepared and ready.

Supporting the Prime Minister’s priority to grow the economy this contract secures hundreds of jobs and provides a boost to the wider UK supply chain by allowing BAE Systems to create new support roles in engineering and project management including further investment in the UK supply chain of SME and high-tech suppliers.

Cdre Steve McCarthy, Director Ships Support at DE&S, said:

This is an excellent outcome for Defence and our industry partners, supporting vital highly skilled UK jobs to underwrite the future of state-of-the-art British naval radar technology. These systems give the Royal Navy the battle-winning edge it needs to protect and defend our nation.

The radars provide a key defensive capability to the Royal Navy at sea and are used to identify and track potential airborne and seaborne threats.

Rear Admiral James Parkin CBE, Director Develop at Navy HQ said:

By combining the support of our existing maritime complex radars, the Royal Navy will be better able to adapt to technological change and our ships will be able to respond faster to developing operational threats. This system of systems approach being taken by BAE Systems aligns with our own approach to sensor development and will maintain our status as one of the world’s leading maritime forces.

Scott Jamieson, Managing Director of BAE Systems’ Maritime Services business, said:

This is a pivotal moment for UK radar technology development. This contract secures a decade of investment into a critical capability for the UK armed forces. It also allows us to evolve future radar technology with the MOD to sustain maritime air dominance and vital radar development skills and experience in the UK.
June 14, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Wrightbus secures £50 million UKEF financing to turbocharge green exports [June 2023]
The press release issued by UK Export Finance on 9 June 2023.

UK Export Finance announces support for the world’s first hydrogen-powered bus company.
- Wrightbus receives £50 million to boost exports of electric and hydrogen-powered buses supported by a loan guarantee from the UK’s export credit agency.
- The company plans to double its workforce in the next three years, creating 1,000 new local green jobs.
- Government backing will enable Wrightbus to sell its electric and hydrogen-powered, zero-emission buses to new markets in Europe and North America.
A guarantee from UK Export Finance (UKEF) has provided Northern Ireland-based bus manufacturer Wrightbus with £50 million in financing to support its ambitious exporting strategy. This Export Development Guarantee sees the UK’s export credit agency guarantee 80 percent of the loan from Barclays Bank.

This financing builds on previous government support announced last year, helping deliver on the Prime Minister’s priority of keeping the economy growing. The development gives Wrightbus critical working capital support as well as a more flexible way to deploy the funds to support its business needs.

This will enable Wrightbus to deliver orders to new markets, such as Germany and North America, as well as additional orders in existing markets like Singapore and Hong Kong.

The announcement comes a week after Minister for Investment Lord Johnson visited Wrightbus’ site in Ballymena, County Antrim as part of a wider visit to Northern Ireland. There, he met investors and leading businesses ahead of the Northern Ireland Investment Summit taking place later in the year.

Minister for Investment Lord Johnson said:

Wrightbus is a fantastic example of a British business seizing the vast exporting opportunities around the world and embracing clean growth. UK Export Finance support for Wrightbus will be a great boost to its exporting journey, helping the company to create more local growth and jobs.

This is the type of success we will build on at this autumn’s Northern Ireland Investment Summit, which will be a catalyst for securing more investment, creating more jobs and empowering more businesses to seize exporting opportunities.

The company generated 27% of its revenues from exports in 2022 and seeks to grow this by nearly a fifth by the end of 2023 thanks in part to the UK government’s support. To facilitate this growth, Wrightbus plans to double its workforce by 2026, creating 1,000 new green jobs with most of the roles based at the company’s Ballymena hub.

The company’s hydrogen-powered, zero-carbon buses are in strong demand globally with over 600 buses of all types expected to be delivered by the end of 2023, up from 450 last year. Wrightbus now has the largest hydrogen fleet in the UK, with 100 buses in operation.

Jean-Marc Gales, Wrightbus CEO, said:

UKEF and Barclays’ support has been fundamental to the development of Wrightbus. The flexible products suit the needs of our business, which is growing exponentially and requires financial headroom.

We are excited about our next phase and working within the Ballymena and wider Northern Ireland community to deliver innovative British technology to the global market.

James Binns, Global Head of Trade and Working Capital, Barclays said:

Barclays are proud to work alongside UKEF to enable British companies to get the competitive edge when it comes to exporting.

This new funding builds on our previous support to Wrightbus, providing crucial flexibility which will enable further growth in exports and domestically, continuing the vital pivot towards zero-emission sales.

Based in County Antrim, Northern Ireland, Wrightbus introduced the world’s first hydrogen-powered double-decker bus in 2020, and also produces and exports electric-powered single and double-decker buses. The business is aiming to manufacture 3,000 zero-emissions buses by 2024, comprising 10% of the UK’s total fleet. Wrightbus last month received a further £12 million in joint government and industry-backed funding.
June 14, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : New oil and gas tax changes set to protect energy security and British jobs [June 2023]
The press release issued by HM Treasury on 9 June 2023.

The Energy Profits Levy, which puts a marginal tax rate of 75% on North Sea oil and gas production, will remain in place for the next five years while oil and gas prices remain higher than historic norms – but this will fall back to 40% when prices consistently return to normal levels for a sustained period.
- The Energy Profits Levy will remain in place until March 2028, and the Government will introduce a new Energy Security Investment Mechanism to protect domestic energy supply and help safeguard some of the tens of thousands of jobs reliant on the sector.
- This forms part of the Government’s strategy to support households with energy bills whilst providing certainty to investors to secure the long-term future of domestic energy production.
- The Energy Profits Levy has raised around £2.8 billion to date, helping the Government pay just under half the typical household energy bill last winter.
Put in place to tax extraordinary profits made by industry following record high prices of oil and gas driven by Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, the levy has raised around £2.8 billion to date and is expected to raise almost £26 billion by March 2028 – helping to fund the measures to help with the cost of living, such as the Energy Price Guarantee.

While the levy included an investment allowance to encourage firms to continue to invest in oil and gas extraction in the UK, industry has warned that companies are cutting back on investment. This puts the long-term future of the UK’s domestic supply at risk, meaning we would be forced to import more from abroad at a time when reliable and affordable energy is a focus for families and businesses.

In response to this, the Government has today announced an Energy Security Investment Mechanism to give the oil and gas sector certainty to raise capital and invest in new and existing projects, securing affordable and reliable domestic energy supply and protecting some of the 215,000 British jobs the sector supports. It will mean that if prices fall to historically normal levels for a sustained period the tax rate for oil and gas companies will return to 40%, the rate before the Energy Profits Levy was introduced. Based on the independent Office for Budget Responsibility’s forecast the Energy Security Investment Mechanism won’t be triggered until before the tax’s planned end date in March 2028.

In light of Putin’s weaponisation of energy, the UK government is taking concrete steps to accelerate home-grown sources of energy to reduce the UK’s reliance on foreign imports. In October 2022, the industry regulator the North Sea Transition Authority (NSTA) opened applications for oil and gas licences to explore and potentially develop 898 blocks and part-blocks in the North Sea which may lead to over 100 licences being awarded from later this year.

Gareth Davies MP, Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury, said:

“It is right that we recover excess profits resulting from Putin’s war and use the money to help people with their energy bills. Thanks to the revenue raised from windfall taxes on energy profits, we will have helped save the typical household £1,500 on their energy bill by July.

“While we stepped into help, never again can our energy supplies be at the whim of petrostate despots like Putin. That’s why it’s so important that we secure investment in our own domestic supply, protecting the tens of thousands of British jobs that come with it.

“It would be beyond irresponsible to turn off the North Sea taps overnight. Without oil and gas from British waters, we would be forced to import even more from overseas, putting our security of supply at risk.”

This ‘windfall tax’ takes the total revenues from taxes on oil and gas companies to £50 billion over the next five years. These taxes will have helped the Government save the typical household over £1,500 to July. It also helped cut the energy bills of businesses from pubs to leisure centres, with just under £40 billion paid out across businesses and households to date.

The tax rate for oil and gas companies will only return to 40% if both average oil and gas prices fall to, or below, $71.40 per barrel for oil and £0.54 per therm for gas, for two consecutive quarters. This level is based on 20-year historical averages. The Energy Security Investment Mechanism is not expected to impact receipts from the Energy Profits Levy, based on current market forecasts.

Today the Government has also published the terms of reference for the oil and gas fiscal regime review that was announced at the Autumn Statement. The review will focus on how the tax regime can support the country’s energy security and our net-zero commitments, while ensuring the country retains a fair return in exchange for the use of its resources when responding to any future price shocks.

Further information:
- Offshore Energies UK estimate that 215,000 UK jobs are reliant on the upstream oil and gas sector and have warned that nine out of ten oil and gas companies operating in the North Sea are cutting back investment. If there was no investment in new fields, production could be a third lower than otherwise by 2035, putting the UK’s energy security, jobs, and economy at risk.
- Projections by the North Sea Transition Authority suggest that stopping investment in new North Sea oil and gas fields would mean that by 2035 the proportion of UK oil and gas demand met by net imports could increase by around 10%, adding significantly to the trade deficit.
- The Energy Security Investment Mechanism level is calculated from 20-year historic averages based on World Bank data for oil, and Independent Commodity Intelligence Services for gas. The last time monthly average prices were at or below this level was in March 2021 for gas and August 2021 for oil.
- Based on the independent OBR’s forecast the Energy Security Investment Mechanism won’t be triggered until before the tax’s planned end date in March 2028.
June 14, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : 4 million checks, tests and scans carried out by CDCs [June 2023]
The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 9 June 2023.

The one-stop shops have delivered over 4 million additional checks for a range of conditions from cancer to heart or lung disease.
- Across the country, community diagnostic centres (CDCs) have delivered over 4 million additional checks for a range of conditions from cancer to heart or lung disease – helping to cut waiting lists
- Eight new CDCs to open, in addition to the 108 already delivering lifesaving checks
- The one-stop shops support quicker access to care and offer patients a wide range of tests closer to home
CDCs have delivered over 4 million checks, tests and scans for patients across the country since July 2021, cutting waiting lists and giving patients quicker access to care.

The government is showing progress on its promise to open 160 of the facilities by March 2025, with a further 8 due to open before the end of the year, the Health and Social Care Secretary has today confirmed. These will provide capacity for more than 742,000 extra tests a year once fully operational, bolstering access to care.

The government is investing £2.3 billion to transform diagnostic services, with 108 CDCs already up and running and a further 41 due to open. They have opened in a range of settings since the programme started in July 2021, including shopping centres and university campuses.

GPs can refer patients to a centre so they can access life-saving checks closer to home and be diagnosed for a range of conditions, rather than travelling to hospital. The centres are not only more convenient for patients but are also more efficient for staff and free up clinicians’ time to help further cut the waiting lists.

Health and Social Care Secretary Steve Barclay said:

These new centres will benefit tens of thousands of patients, cutting out unnecessary hospital visits and delivering closer, more convenient care.

Patients will be able to access a range of life-saving tests, including MRI scans, X-rays, and respiratory checks – speeding up the diagnosis of illnesses like cancer and heart disease.

We have already made significant progress in bringing down waiting lists – one of the government’s top 5 priorities – and community diagnostic centres are a key part of this, with over 4 million vital checks delivered so far.

These include:
- Scarborough Gateway CDC: this will open in the town centre near Scarborough train station in December 2023 and offer 91,000 additional checks a year once fully operational
- Scarborough CDC (Ripon) will open at Ripon Community Hospital in the same month, and will have capacity for 27,000 checks a year once up and running
- Oldham CDC (South East Manchester) will open at the Crown Point Retail Park in Denton, Greater Manchester in December 2023, and offer 129,000 extra tests a year when all services are live
- Manchester and Trafford CDC (North Manchester) – this will open in Harpurhey in December 2023 and offer 41,000 tests when fully operational
- Clacton CDC (Bluebird Lodge) – this will open at the Bluebird Lodge community hospital in Ipswich in December 2023 and carry out 24,000 extra tests once up and running
- Plymouth CDC – this will open in the town in September 2023 and offer the capacity for 89,000 tests when services are live
- North Lincolnshire CDC (Grimsby) – this facility will open in Grimsby in December 2023 and have the capacity to deliver 142,000 tests
- Hull and East Riding CDC – this will open in the city in December 2023 and have the capacity to deliver 199,000 tests
NHS national director of elective recovery, Sir James Mackey, said:

These ‘one-stop shops’ play a key role in the NHS’s elective recovery plan, and the new CDCs are a welcome addition to more than 100 existing community diagnostic centres, which have already delivered more than 4 million tests and checks.

Our elective recovery plan set out how the NHS will deliver 9 million more tests and checks per year by 2025, and the work of these diagnostic centres – some in convenient spots including shopping centres – are excellent examples of the innovative work being done across the health service to ensure patients get the tests and checks they need as quickly as possible.

Other steps are being taken to bust the backlogs and boost patient choice. Last month, the government announced that patients will be empowered to choose where they receive hospital care. Currently just 1 in 10 patients exercise their right to choose but research shows that giving patients choice can cut up to 3 months off their waiting time by selecting a different hospital in the same region.

The NHS successfully met the first target in its elective recovery plan to virtually eliminate waits of over 2 years and has cut 18 month waits by over 91% from the peak in September 2021.

There are already record numbers of people working in the NHS overall, and the NHS will shortly publish a long term workforce plan setting out plans to recruit and retain more staff. All of this is backed by up to £14.1 billion for health and social care over the next 2 years, on top of record funding.
June 14, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Rishi Sunak and President Biden of the USA meeting [June 2023]

The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 8 June 2023.

The Prime Minister met US President Biden at the White House today.

The leaders welcomed the agreement of the Atlantic Declaration, a new approach to the economic relationship between our countries. This plan will see us embark on the deepest level of economic cooperation either of our two countries have ever had with another country.

The Prime Minister and President Biden both agreed that, as likeminded countries with deeply interconnected advanced economies, the UK and US are perfectly placed to take on the challenges of the future.

The first agreements under the Atlantic Declaration include new commitments on supporting one another’s critical supply chains, developing new, clean technologies and removing barriers to the uninterrupted exchange of goods and services between our economies.

The leaders agreed that accelerating international cooperation on safe and responsible AI development is one of the pressing issues of our age. As frontier nations, the UK and US will be a crucial part of these efforts alongside international partners.

The Prime Minister and President Biden agreed that our economic cooperation forms a fundamental part of the UK-US relationship, complementing our incredibly strong defence and security alliance.

The leaders welcomed ongoing progress on AUKUS, as well as UK and US leadership in NATO.

They agreed that the UK and US continue to have an important role to play in bringing stability in regions throughout the world, and countering state and non-state hostile activity. This includes supporting Ukraine in their fight against Putin’s illegal invasion.

The leaders looked forward to seeing one another again at next month’s NATO Summit in Vilnius.

June 14, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Government introduces amendments to NI Troubles legacy legislation [June 2023]
The press release issued by the Northern Ireland Office on 8 June 2023.

The UK Government has today formally tabled significant amendments to legislation seeking to address the legacy of the Troubles in Northern Ireland.

The move comes ahead of the Report Stage of the Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Bill, scheduled to proceed in the House of Lords later this month.

The legislation aims to deliver better outcomes for all those most affected by the Troubles, while helping society to look forward.

The latest amendments seek to address a number of key concerns raised since the Bill’s introduction, including by victims and survivors.

They include:
- Allowing ongoing criminal investigations, inquests, the consideration of prosecution decisions, and the publication of reports, to continue until May 2024, ensuring a smooth transition between the ending of the current mechanisms and the Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information Recovery (ICRIR) taking on full responsibility for dealing with legacy cases.
- Placing the ICRIR under a new duty to offer victims and their families the opportunity to submit personal impact statements. These statements must be published if the person making the statement so wishes, subject to limited exceptions.
- Placing the ICRIR under a new duty requiring it to take reasonable steps to secure information relevant to the assessment of the truth of a person’s account as part of their application for immunity.
- The revocation of immunity if an individual is subsequently convicted of terrorism offences or offences connected to terrorism committed after immunity was granted .
- Expressly confirming that the Commissioner for Investigations, when exercising operational control over the conduct of reviews, must comply with obligations imposed by the Human Rights Act 1998.
- Placing a new duty on the ICRIR to publish a statement explaining how each review was conducted as part of its final report, thus enhancing the transparency of its work.
- Placing a duty on the ICRIR to produce guidance which is related to determining a request for immunity. This will replace a power which currently sits with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.
Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Chris Heaton-Harris MP, said:

“The Government has consistently stated that it would continue constructive dialogue in order to alleviate concerns and strengthen the Bill. That is why we have published a number of significant amendments that directly address a number of key concerns raised by interested parties.

“This includes amendments on the conduct of reviews, compliance with Convention Rights, the independence of the Commission, conditional immunity, and ongoing legal processes.

“We remain absolutely committed to making legislative progress so that the Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information Recovery (ICRIR) can be established, and begin delivering better outcomes for those most affected by the Troubles, as swiftly as possible.”
June 14, 2023
Rishi Sunak – 2023 Opening Remarks at the White House

The opening remarks made by Rishi Sunak, the Prime Minister, in the United States on 8 June 2023.

Thank you, Mr President –

Before I begin my remarks – a word if I may on what happened in France this morning.

All our thoughts are with those affected by this unfathomable attack, including a British child and with their families.

I’ve been in touch with President Macron.

And we stand ready to offer any assistance that we can.

Mr President, Joe, it’s an honour to be here at the White House and thank you for your warm welcome.

Not for decades has the relationship between our two nations been so important.

The values we share – our belief in freedom, democracy, and the rule of law – have never changed.

They never will.

But what has changed, are the challenges we face.

And standing here together, as our predecessors have done for generations…

…I feel confident that through the strength of our relationship…

…we can shape the world once again in our pursuit of liberty, prosperity, and the possibilities of a new age.

That begins with our highest priority – national security.

Last time I was here in the US, we signed AUKUS – the most significant defence partnership in generations.

Because we recognise that the security of the Atlantic and Pacific regions are indivisible. And just a fortnight ago, in Hiroshima, President Biden and I stood with President Zelenskyy and our G7 allies in a powerful display of unity.

The UK is proud of our contribution – including providing tanks, long-range weapons, and training Ukrainian soldiers.

But let no one doubt: US leadership and resources are the decisive contribution allowing the forces of democracy and freedom to prevail.

As I said in Congress, and I say again now to President Biden – and to the American people – thank you.

And just as we collaborate to protect our national security – so we must increasingly do the same to protect our economic security, on which our prosperity depends.

Countries like China and Russia are willing to manipulate and exploit our openness…

…steal our intellectual property, use technology for authoritarian ends, or withdraw crucial resources, like energy.

They will not succeed.

Today we have agreed the Atlantic Declaration – a new economic partnership for a new age, of a kind that has never been agreed before.

Yes, a partnership that protects our citizens.

But more than that, …a test case for the kind of reimagined alliances President has spoken so eloquently about.

That means new investment.

This week alone, £14bn of new American investment has been committed into the UK, creating thousands of jobs.

It means stronger supply chains, with a new action plan on clean energy.

And it means reducing trade barriers in the technologies of the future.

With a new, secure UK-US Data Bridge – helping tens of thousands of small businesses.

An agreement to work towards mutual recognition of more professional qualifications in areas like engineering…

And we’re launching negotiations on a new Critical Minerals Agreement.

Once concluded, this will give UK companies stronger access to the US market.

And we’re building on our extraordinary, shared strengths in cutting edge future technologies…

…with joint research collaborations in areas like quantum, semiconductors, and AI.

And our job as leaders is to ensure that this technological revolution makes us more secure and not less.

Last week, the pioneers of Artificial Intelligence warned us about the scale of the challenge, as well as the opportunity.

The US and the UK are the world’s foremost democratic AI powers.

So today, President Biden and I have agreed to work together on AI safety, including multilaterally.

The UK looks forward to hosting the first global summit on AI safety, later this year.

So that we can seize the extraordinary possibilities of this new technological age – and do so, with confidence.

And we are well placed to do so.

I know some people have wondered what kind of partner Britain would be after we left the EU.

I’d say: judge us by our actions.

We’re as committed to our values as ever, as reliable an ally as ever, as attractive an investment destination as ever.

But we’re changing, too.

We’re strengthening our relationships not just with old friends like America and in Europe…

…but with new friends in the Indo-Pacific, too.

And we now have the freedom to regulate the new technologies that will shape our economic future – like AI – more quickly and flexibly.

That is the future we are creating in Britain – confident, proud, and free.
Let me close, with a personal reflection.

As Joe mentioned, he and I have seen quite a lot of each other in recent months. I gather our wives have even started to take spin classes together.

We were talking earlier about our hometowns.

Joe is very rightly proud of Scranton.

And I was telling him a bit about Southampton in England, where I’m from.

Not everyone knows this, but it was in a church in Southampton where…

…in the days before he set sail for these shores…

…that John Winthrop first spoke about his dream of building a city on a hill.

And that reminds us that the relationship between our two nations is unlike any other.

Our alliance is so strong because it is not abstract – it is rooted in our people.

And it’s never been about our history alone, but our ability to grasp the future.

We share the same beliefs, pursue the same purpose, and act according to the same ideals.

And that’s why today, as we meet the challenges of our time, we can depend upon each other with absolute conviction.

When the United States and the United Kingdom stand together, the world is a safer, better, and more prosperous place.

That’s why ours is the indispensable alliance.

Thank you.

June 14, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : UK and US reach commitment in principle over ‘data bridge’ [June 2023]
The press release issued by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology on 8 June 2023.

The UK and US have reached a commitment to establish the UK Extension to the Data Privacy Framework, that will create a ‘data bridge’ between the 2 countries.
- The UK and US have committed in principle to facilitate the free flow of personal data between the UK and the United States through a new ‘data bridge’
- in 2021, the UK exported more than £79 million of data-enabled services to the US. A data bridge would speed up processes for businesses, reduce costs, and increase opportunity by making it easier for British business to operate and trade internationally
- the announcement coincides with the Prime Minister’s visit to the United States, where wider discussions on partnering on an inclusive and responsible digital transformation package were announced
The UK and the United States have reached a commitment in principle to establish the UK Extension to the Data Privacy Framework, which would see the creation of a new ‘data bridge’ between the 2 countries. US companies who are approved to join the framework, would be able to receive UK personal data under the new data bridge.

International data transfers are central to modern day business transactions, and the United States is one of the UK’s leading trading partners in data-enabled exports. In 2021, 93% of the UK’s services exports were data-enabled, and the UK exported more than £79 billion of these services (about 30% of the UK’s total data-enabled services exports) to the US. Despite this relationship, burdensome red tape is an inescapable part of the current arrangements. Most UK businesses who want to send personal data to a service provider or company in the United States must have costly contract clauses in place to ensure protection and privacy standards are maintained. A data bridge would remove that burden, speeding up processes for businesses, reducing costs, and increasing opportunity by making it easier for British businesses to operate and trade internationally.

The result of 2 years of technical discussions between the UK and the United States, this data bridge (if finalised) would see both sides of the Atlantic realising the increased benefits of data-enabled trade, stimulating economic growth across the 2 regions, and encouraging more businesses to operate on a global scale.

Secretary of State for Science, Innovation, and Technology, Chloe Smith, said:

This commitment in principle is the result of 2 years of positive and productive discussions with the United States. Data bridges not only offer simpler avenues for the safe transfer of personal data between countries, but also remove red tape for businesses of all sizes and allow them to access new markets.

International collaboration is key to our science and technology superpower ambitions, and working with global partners like the United States ensures we can open new opportunities to grow our innovation economy.

The establishment of a ‘data bridge’ would also help drive trans-Atlantic research and innovation by providing greater certainty for organisations wishing to collaborate and share data with trans-Atlantic partners, enabling us to share crucial information which can enhance life-saving research and encourage science and innovation across borders.

Strengthening the rights and safeguards of UK individuals, ensuring robust and reliable data flows, and reducing burdens on business are the key pillars underpinning the commitment in principle.

The UK already has a similar arrangement in place with several other key partner countries, including the Republic of Korea, with which UK businesses are now able to share personal data securely without restrictions. The Republic of Korea decision marked the UK’s first independent data bridge since leaving the European Union.

Further technical work will now be completed in the coming months before a decision on whether to establish the data bridge is made.
June 14, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : UK and US launch first-of-its kind economic partnership [June 2023]
The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 8 June 2023.
‘Atlantic Declaration’ agreed by the PM and President at the White House today lays out a new action plan for cooperation on biggest economic challenges of our time

Declaration recognises the close UK-US relationship and establishes a new approach which will allow both countries to move faster and co-operate more deeply

New action plan will see the UK and US strengthen our supply chains, develop the technologies of the future and invest in one another’s industries

The Prime Minister and President Biden have agreed an innovative economic partnership today (Thursday), which will see our countries work together more closely than ever before across the full spectrum of our economic, technological, commercial and trade relations.

The ‘Atlantic Declaration’ heralds a new era for the thriving economic relationship between the UK and US, and builds on decades of very close cooperation on defence and security. It applies the same principle – that the UK and US will work together in the face of new challenges – to our economic partnership as we long have to our defence alliance.

This unprecedented bilateral partnership takes a different approach to our economic relationship than we have taken before, recognising that our economies must move with speed and agility to address the challenges we face.

Following their meeting at the White House today, the Prime Minister and President Biden have announced new measures under the Atlantic Declaration – an action plan for the future of our partnership. This includes:

Working together to reduce our vulnerabilities across critical technology supply chains, including by sharing analysis, developing and deepening our channels for coordination and timely consultation during crises. To support the critical clean energy industry, our net zero ambitions and to keep Russia out of the global civil nuclear power market, the UK and US will launch a new civil nuclear partnership.

An innovative approach targeting specific areas for economic advancement. This includes a commitment in principle to a new UK-US Data Bridge which would make it easier for around 55,000 UK businesses to transfer data freely to certified US organisations without cumbersome red tape – translating into an estimated £92.4m in direct savings per year. It also includes the immediate launch of negotiations on a Critical Minerals Agreement.

Stepping up international efforts to ensure the safe and responsible development of AI, starting with an international summit on AI safety which will be hosted in the UK later this year, welcomed by the US.

Enhancing cooperation on measures to stop our adversaries from developing and acquiring sensitive technologies that can be used to do us harm.

Research collaboration to entrench UK and US leadership in the most important future technologies – AI, future telecoms (5G & 6G), quantum, semiconductors and engineering biology.

New opportunities for increased investment in one another’s economies. President Biden plans to ask the US Congress to designate the UK as a ‘domestic source’ within the meaning of Title III of the the Defense Production Act – meaning British companies can benefit from US Government investment on the same basis as American firms. The act has previously been used to speed up the development of hypersonic weapons.

Our economies are going through the greatest change since the industrial revolution, with emerging technologies like biotechnology and AI transforming the way we live and work. But while those new technologies offer huge potential to save lives, grow our economies and tackle climate change, in the hands of our adversaries they could be used as tools to undermine our national security.

With our highly interconnected economies, our leadership in areas like emerging technology and our deeply entrenched shared values, the UK and US are natural partners to approach these issues together.

This new approach to our economic partnership, which puts the strength of our relationship front and centre in addressing the biggest challenges we face, will both deliver for our people and support an open international order.

The Prime Minister said:

The UK and US have always pushed the boundaries of what two countries can achieve together. Over generations we have fought alongside one another, shared intelligence we don’t share with anyone else, and built the strongest investment relationship in world history.

So it’s natural that, when faced with the greatest transformation in our economies since the industrial revolution, we would look to each other to build a stronger economic future together.

The Atlantic Declaration sets a new standard for economic cooperation, propelling our economies into the future so we can protect our people, create jobs and grow our economies together.

Negotiations will begin immediately on many aspects of the partnership, including on a Critical Minerals Agreement. An agreement would give buyers of vehicles made using critical minerals processed or mined by UK companies access to tax credits in line with the US Inflation Reduction Act. The Inflation Reduction Act provides a $3,750 incentive for each vehicle, on conditions including that the critical minerals used in its production – principally used in the battery – are sourced from the US or a country with whom the US has a critical minerals agreement.

The UK is already a net exporter of raw materials for EV batteries to the US and this agreement will help UK-based firms involved in the mining, recycling and refining of critical minerals who are suppling US electric vehicle and battery manufacturers – benefitting this growing industry. This is a a sector with companies all over the UK, including nickel production in Wales and lithium processing in Teesside.

With a trading relationship worth £279 billion a year, and shared investment totalling over £1 trillion, the US is already our most important trading partner. Earlier this week the Prime Minister announced £14 billion of new US investment into the UK, demonstrating the importance of this relationship to UK growth and jobs.

Teams from the White House and Downing Street will meet regularly to drive action under the Atlantic Declaration, ensuring it continues to meet the high objectives the Prime Minister and President Biden have set today.
June 14, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Transport Secretary confirms £18 million to protect vital services in Greater Manchester [June 2023]
The press release issued by the Department for Transport on 8 June 2023.

Extraordinary funding settlement will enable the city’s transport network to recover from the impact of the pandemic.
- government steps in to provide £18 million for Greater Manchester transport services
- additional funding settlement builds on over £400 million government funding already being provided to Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic
- funding is conditional on TfGM reaching financial sustainability and will maintain transport services in Greater Manchester while sector recovers from the pandemic
Local transport services in Greater Manchester are being better protected thanks to an extraordinary funding settlement of £18 million announced by the Transport Secretary today (8 June 2023) to ensure the stability and reliability of the transport network.

The new funding for Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) will enable the city’s transport network to operate and recover from the impact of the pandemic while considering value for money for all taxpayers. The funding will support Greater Manchester’s extensive public transport network in particular.

Set to last until the end of March 2024, the additional funding follows more than £400 million provided for Greater Manchester’s local transport network through numerous transport schemes since March 2020. This is in addition to £1.07 billion through City Region Sustainable Transport Settlements (CRSTS), £39.7 million for active travel schemes and £19.87 million through Levelling Up Funds for transport.

Transport Secretary Mark Harper said:

Since the start of the pandemic, the government has repeatedly stepped up to support Greater Manchester and the Bee Network, providing over £400 million to protect and improve services.

We’re determined to see a thriving local transport network in this great city and, while our support package must be fair to taxpayers, I am confident this additional extraordinary settlement will help operators to recover from the pandemic while Transport for Greater Manchester follows through on its promise to reach financial sustainability.

The funding is being provided on the condition that TfGM outlines a pathway to financial sustainability as committed to in the Trailblazer Devolution Deal, which strengthened the Mayor’s powers on transport in Greater Manchester.

TfGM currently faces a very distinct set of circumstances driven principally by the way that Metrolink funding is structured and the city region’s unique local funding commitment to the Greater Manchester Transport Fund (GMTF).

Despite financial constraints impacting the country, this latest funding reaffirms the government’s commitment to supporting the network as it continues to combat declining bus and tram usage levels, inflation costs, historic debts and additional revenue risks from bus franchising, and continues to work towards long-term financial sustainability.

Breakdown of funding provided to TfGM since the start of the pandemic

Over £400 million government funding already being provided to TfGM since the start of the pandemic, including:
- following the announcement of 17 May 2023, Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) will receive a fixed sum of £13 million of Bus Service Operators Grant plus (BSOG+) funding to continue supporting services. This will be calculated based on mileage and BSOG claims for operators in GMCA in 22/23. It will amount to a total of £6.5 million for each of 2023/24 and 2024/25
- over £13 million of funding to Greater Manchester for the Bus Service Operators Grant (BSOG) each year, with Greater Manchester being the first authority in the country to receive this funding directly
- £95 million in Bus Service Improvement Plan funding
- £260 million since the start of the pandemic to support Greater Manchester’s bus and tram network, including bespoke arrangements over the Bus Recovery Grant funding during the scheme, giving Greater Manchester full control over the use of this funding
- £35.7 million through the Zero Emission Bus Regional Areas scheme to support the introduction of a green bus fleet
This funding is in addition to:
- Greater Manchester has been allocated £1.07 billion through CRSTS, part of a 5-year £5.7 billion government investment to improve the transport networks of 8 city regions across England from 2022/23 to 2026/27
- at Spring Budget, a further £8.8 billion was announced for a second round of CRSTS 2 for 5 years from 2027. Core funding for Greater Manchester will be included in its Single Mayoral Settlement. The process to confirm individual allocations for city regions will be confirmed at the next Spending Review
- £39.7 million for active travel schemes since the start of the pandemic, including £23,719,500 million in the most recent round of Active Travel Fund 4 allocations, alongside £2,876,601 in Capability Funding 2022 and £13,145,172 active travel fund allocations 2021/22
June 14, 2023