Tag: 2023

PRESS RELEASE : Access to vital legal support extended to millions of vulnerable people [May 2023]
The press release issued by the Ministry of Justice on 25 May 2023.

Over 6 million more people now eligible for legal aid advice and representation.
- domestic abuse victims will face fewer barriers to funded assistance in the courts
- proposals deliver on recommendations to support victims in family courts
Domestic abuse victims and children are among millions more people who will have access to legal aid under major government investment to support those who need it most.

The move will see over 6 million more vulnerable people and families able to access funded legal support as the government pledges £25 million to boost the legal aid system every year.

It means domestic abuse victims on universal credit and seeking a protective order for themselves or their children against their attackers can access legal aid funding more easily without facing a means test.

Those who share a house with their abuser will also benefit from changes to disputed or inaccessible assets – which will no longer be considered when assessing someone’s financial eligibility for aid.

Taken together, these measures also go further to support victims of coercive control by making them eligible for legal help without needing to access funds from joint assets.

It comes as the government publishes a progress report following recommendations made by an expert ‘Harm Panel’ to improve responses to domestic abuse and safeguarding across the family justice system.

The report shows positive progress is being made across the family courts such as the launch of a new investigative approach pilot in three family courts and a review of the presumption of parental involvement.

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

Widening access to legal aid secures justice and strengthens the rule of law.

These changes mean more vulnerable people like domestic abuse victims will be able to access the protection of the courts.

Other measures which will come into force over the next 2 years include:
- Free legal representation will be available to anyone under the age of 18, as well as for parents challenging traumatic and difficult medical decisions such as withdrawal of their child’s life support – removing one more burden for families
- Making everyone eligible for legal aid to defend themselves in the Crown Court, ensuring fair trials and ending the so called ‘innocence tax’ where people were forced to pay for a legal defence even if they were then found not guilty
- Increasing the amount of income someone can receive before having to contribute to legal aid fees by over £3,000 for civil cases and over £12,000 for criminal cases in the magistrates’ court
Justice Minister Lord Bellamy said:

We have made huge strides since the Harm Panel published its report and delivered cultural changes across the family justice system to ensure domestic abuse victims feel supported and protected.

Our changes to the legal aid means test will also make the justice system fairer for those who need it most.

The changes to legal aid access for domestic abuse victims were part of a package of recommendations made by the ‘Harm Panel’ to better safeguard vulnerable people against domestic abuse in family courts.

Its report found serious failings in the family courts with concerns that lengthy courtroom battles were re-traumatising victims, and that allegations of domestic abuse were not taken seriously.

The progress report published today shows the government has delivered a number of changes to better protect children and parents including:
- a ban on perpetrators cross-examining their victims in court
- automatic special measures for victims such as protective screens and giving evidence via video link
- clarifying the law on ‘barring orders’, to prevent perpetrators from bringing their ex-partners back to court, which can be used as a form of continuing domestic abuse.
Legal aid provides support for people who are unable to afford legal representation or need financial help in taking issues to court.

Expanding the eligibility criteria helps more people access the justice system to get the support they need.
June 2, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Rishi Sunak meeting with leading CEOs in AI [May 2023]

The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 24 May 2023.

A joint statement between the PM and leading CEOs in Artificial Intelligence (AI) following a meeting to discuss the development of safe and responsible  AI.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak met the CEOs of OpenAI, Google DeepMind, and Anthropic today to discuss joint action to ensure the development of safe and responsible Artificial Intelligence and how to establish the right approach to governance for the next technological frontier. The Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, Chloe Smith, also joined the meeting.

The PM made clear that AI is the defining technology of our time, with the potential to positively transform humanity.

But the success of this technology is founded on having the right guardrails in place, so that the public can have confidence that AI is used in a safe and responsible way. The PM set out how the approach to AI regulation will need to keep pace with the fast-moving advances in this technology. That is why the UK Government has deliberately adopted an agile response to unlock the opportunities whilst mitigating the risks of the technology, as outlined in our AI White Paper.

The potential impacts of AI transcend borders and have implications for the world economy. He outlined that AI safety will increasingly be an international endeavour – as agreed at the G7 – with the UK well placed to lead the international discussion regarding the measures and guardrails that are needed. This work would build on the UK’s engagement already underway through other international forums.

The PM and CEOs discussed the risks of the technology, ranging from disinformation and national security, to existential threats. They discussed safety measures, voluntary actions that labs are considering to manage the risks, and the possible avenues for international collaboration on AI safety and regulation. The lab leaders agreed to work with the UK Government to ensure our approach responds to the speed of innovations in this technology both in the UK and around the globe.

The PM spoke about the UK Government’s ambitions to advance capability in AI and harness AI’s potential to deliver better outcomes for the British public, with emerging opportunities in a range of areas to improve public services. The CEOs agreed to work closely with the Foundation Model Taskforce, which is backed by an initial £100m of start-up funding, to deliver this. The Taskforce will advance approaches to AI safety which will inform international approaches.

AI will improve life dramatically, from transforming industries to delivering scientific breakthroughs. The PM and CEOs committed to work together to ensure society benefits from such transformation.

June 2, 2023
Robert Halfon – 2023 Speech to the UCAS Admissions Conference

The speech made by Robert Halfon, the Minister for Skills, Apprenticeships and Higher Education, at the Midland Hotel in Manchester on 24 May 2023.

Hello everyone. I’m very sorry that I can’t be with you today as planned – because I think UCAS is brilliant. It’s one of our great institutions, alongside all the other great institutions it serves. It helps young people to bridge the gap between school and the great unknown, supporting them to navigate all their options for further study. Like myself, it’s passionate about providing applicants with the path that’s right for them.

As offers season draws to a close, teenagers across the country are now lining-up their post-school options as they finish revision before exams. I know your role can sometimes be almost pastoral – particularly on results day – advising young people on what’s available to build the best education foundation for their future. I’d like to thank everyone here for the work you do to facilitate this progression, by guiding thousands of young lives each year.

I also want to thank you for your support of students and applicants during the pandemic. This episode of unprecedented disruption is now, thank goodness, behind us, but I know its effects will be felt for some time. This is reflected in your student-centred approach to admissions, and in how we’re returning to pre-pandemic grading this summer. Where national performance is lower than prior to the pandemic, senior examiners will make allowances in grade boundaries to acknowledge the last 3 years’ disruption. This means a UCAS applicant should be just as likely to achieve a particular grade this year, as they would have been in 2019.

As you know, I believe higher education should serve society with high quality degrees, that lead to jobs, skills and social justice.

UCAS is helping this government to propel the skills revolution, righting the balance between academic and vocational qualifications. Young people need to leave education with skills the jobs market is demanding, which will in turn power economic growth. In 2023, higher education is a considerable investment. For those who choose to give it their time and future earnings, a good job must be the pay-off.

And universities should do all they can to welcome those who need good jobs the most – applicants with great capability but the least advantages in life. And certainly not the family connections to show them the sectors where they could thrive.

Higher education should perpetuate social justice – not reinforce the status quo, passing privilege hand-to-hand down the generations. It should extend its intake wherever it can, and leverage its prestige to acknowledge the high career value of high-quality technical education.

This is where degree-level apprenticeships come in. No one should be surprised to hear me championing these prestigious courses, which offer superb vocational and academic education at some of our best universities. They hold particular value for less well-off students, preparing them for a successful career, whilst allowing them to earn while they learn without tuition fees.

There are now almost 160 apprenticeship standards at Levels 6 and 7, for occupations including nursing, aerospace engineering and journalism. Word is spreading. Degree-level apprenticeships make up 16% of all starts so far this year [August 2022 -Feb 2023], with numbers up 11% compared to the same period last year. This follows year-on-year growth, with a total of over 185,000 starts since their introduction in 2014.

There is much more to do to meet rising demand – and to spread the word to build that demand still further. We’re working with higher education institutions to increase supply of both employer vacancies, and applications from young people. Over the next 2 years we are providing an additional £40 million to support providers to expand degree apprenticeships, and help more applicants access these opportunities. Building on our £8 million investment last year, this funding could transform the uptake of degree apprenticeships. More people, from more diverse backgrounds, entering professions that might have been closed to them without a traditional, expensive, undergraduate degree. That would be real social justice in action.

As with Levels 6-7, technical education for sixteen-year-olds has long been seen as the poor relation of academic courses. In 2020, we brought in T Levels to change that. These offer a credible alternative to A levels, drawing on the best of Level 3 technical education from around the world.

We know universities may take time to get to grips the performance standards of T Level grades, particularly in comparison to other vocational qualifications. T Levels were designed to ensure rigour and quality, and their performance standards are more aligned with A levels to reflect that.

I appreciate T Levels represent a significant change, which means recalibrating offers to recognise the difference between their grades and existing vocational qualifications. I’d ask you to recognise just how stretching these qualifications are in your admissions policies, particularly when considering which students to accept onto courses this year.

Last summer many universities embraced T Levels’ value, and the achievements of the pioneering students who’d studied for them. For those yet to do so, I would urge every institution to do justice to these young people’s efforts, and provide a clear online statement of relevant courses and entry requirements for T Levels.

Although it’s primarily known for university admissions, UCAS shares our vision to demystify and promote all the options available to 18-year-olds. Their next step could be higher education. But it doesn’t have to be, particularly for someone who thrives in the workplace rather than the library, and enjoys putting their tuition to immediate use. We want to raise young people’s awareness of the many routes up the Ladder of Opportunity, to good jobs and higher wages.

With a million young people expected to be able to apply to UCAS by the end of the decade, we need high quality provision of all kinds to await them. My ambition is that UCAS will eventually stand for the Universities, Colleges, Apprenticeships and Skills service.

The UCAS Hub already does a brilliant job of engaging users with many of the choices relevant to their career aspirations, including links on where to go next. From this autumn, apprenticeships will sit alongside degree courses on the Hub, with subject searches displaying all relevant routes. Apprenticeships from Level 2 through to degree level will be displayed, giving them new visibility on the platform and functional parity with traditional degrees. Search results will also show affordability, duration of training or study required, and likely career outcomes. Presenting all this information in one place will better inform applicants’ decisions on the right course for them.

And from next year, young people will be able to apply for apprenticeships via the UCAS Hub, creating a comprehensive gateway for post-16 options. This forms part of our broader vision to integrate skills into the formal systems that direct people through education towards the labour market. We want to eventually create a one-stop-shop, where citizens can explore their career and training options at any point in their lives.

At the start of that journey, school pupils will be fully appraised of all their post-16 choices and where these could lead. We’ve recently formed a partnership with UCAS to raise 18 year-olds’ awareness of apprenticeships, in order to increase starts in this age group. Students will be better supported to apply for apprenticeships, and employers given access to promote vacancies to local schools and colleges. This will create a talent pipeline for businesses, enabling them to fill skills gaps and offer further apprenticeships. It will result in improved opportunities for under-represented groups, and a virtuous circle of apprenticeships demand and supply.

None of these big ambitions would be possible without your collaboration. I know everyone here is united in supporting the ambitions of the young (and not so young) people who apply through UCAS each year. I believe these ambitions are intrinsically linked; our plans could make a seismic difference to the prosperity of future generations, our society and the economy.

I want to thank you again for your remarkable work with government in the past, present, and future.

I hope you enjoy the rest of today’s events, building bridges to bright futures for upcoming generations.

June 2, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Giving NHS patients more control over their own care [May 2023]
The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 24 May 2023.

New features in the NHS App improve patient experience and support elective care recovery, as well as helping reduce ongoing pressure on the health service.

A big leap forward in providing NHS patients with more direct control over their care – including allowing them to manage their hospital appointments – is being rolled out in participating trusts across England.

Finding ways to reduce pressures on the NHS took on more urgency as elective care capacity was reduced during the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. As trusts worked to support unprecedented demand on emergency and non-elective care, elective care waiting lists rose.

The Accelerated Capability Environment (ACE) has been a strategic partner in one of the newer and more innovative ways to help tackle this – developing new features for hospital appointments in the NHS App, which is fast becoming the digital ‘front door’ to the NHS.

The new features include the ability to see all appointments and referrals in one place in the NHS App, as well as book, change and cancel hospital appointments. Currently, these are live in the 28 acute trusts across the seven English NHS regions which have this functionality. Many more are expected to join them over the coming months.

ACE has been working with suppliers from ACE’s Vivace community of industry expertise, as well as NHS England and the Department of Health and Social Care, since January 2022. A proof-of-concept application programming interface (API) aggregator was built quickly, then developed into a beta in April 2022 due to the need to use live patient data in testing.

ACE has been key to:
- surfacing data from multiple hospital patient admission systems and Patient Engagement Portals (PEPs)
- developing a sophisticated system of APIs to gather and aggregate this data
- accelerating delivery speed by working as an integrated part of the NHS team
- developing an app style in keeping with the wider NHS App ecosystem, so that patients have confidence in the service, and that it is part of a joined-up system.
An added value was the speed at which ACE could bring suppliers on board, including individual PEP providers, which enable digital interaction with NHS services.

Providing better access to information and services is designed to improve patient experience, as well as enable conditions to be managed more effectively. Minimising the number of missed appointments, meanwhile, will free up appointments for those who need them, reducing waiting times and making more efficient use of clinicians’ time.

The next phase of the programme will see further features launched in the NHS App for patients in participating trusts. These will include receiving notifications and messages, the ability to complete pre-consultation questionnaires and being able to access documents relating to their appointments.
June 2, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : The situation in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories continues to deteriorate – UK statement at the Security Council [May 2023]

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

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

President, the security situation in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories has deteriorated further to the detriment of both Israelis and Palestinians.

In Gaza, Palestinian Islamic Jihad and other militant factions fired 1,748 rockets at Israel. Indiscriminate rockets from Gaza caused the needless deaths of an Israeli and 4 Gazans. The UK condemns unequivocally the indiscriminate fire of rockets against civilians and all forms of terrorism. The UK Foreign Secretary welcomed the announcement of a ceasefire between Israel and militant factions in Gaza, and is grateful for the support of Egypt, Qatar and the US. We urge all parties to honour the ceasefire and prevent further loss of life.

President, the UK supports Israel’s right to self-defence. But Israeli conduct must always be in line with international humanitarian law, including the principles of distinction, humanity, proportionality and military necessity. We were concerned by the reports of at least 12 civilian deaths, including 6 children, in Israeli strikes in Gaza.

This month, we have also seen further deaths in the West Bank, where Israeli security forces have killed 110 Palestinians this year, including militants and civilians. If killing continues at this rate, 2023 will be the deadliest year for Palestinians in the West Bank since UN records began in 2004. Israeli security forces must show restraint in their use of force and investigate civilian casualties. 19 Israelis, residents and tourists including Lucy, Maia and Rina Dee, have already been killed in terrorist attacks in 2023. The Palestinian Authority must also re-assert control over Area A and take steps to tackle terrorism.

President, a solution to this conflict won’t be found until both Israel and the Palestinians tackle inflammatory rhetoric and incitement, as they agreed in Sharm El Sheikh on 19 March. Yet only last week, we heard from President Abbas and Israeli participants in the Flag March in Jerusalem racist slogans and slurs. Such rhetoric and incitement, including by both Israeli and Palestinian political leaders undermines the cause of peace.

Israel must also tackle increasing settler violence and coercion which on Monday resulted in the forcible transfer of the Palestinian population from Ein Samiya and desist from settler expansion which is illegal under international law.

Finally President, the United Kingdom also strongly supports the historic Status Quo governing Jerusalem’s holy sites and values the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan’s important role as custodian.

The UK remains firm in its belief that a negotiated two state solution, based on 1967 lines with Jerusalem as a shared capital, is the only way to ensure a lasting peace, security and prosperity between the two parties.

At the General Assembly committee meeting on voluntary contributions to UNRWA in June, it is vital that the international community puts the agency onto a sustainable footing to protect the delivery of critical services to millions of Palestinian refugees. UNRWA is crucial to stability throughout the region.

As the Foreign Secretary stated on 14 May, the UK will support all efforts to promote dialogue and create a pathway towards a just and sustainable peace. The first step on that pathway is clear: both sides must honour the commitments they made in good faith in Aqaba and Sharm El Sheikh.

June 2, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Asbestos conman ordered to pay back thousands [May 2023]

The press release issued by the Environment Agency on 24 May 2023.

Man’s 40 destinations of deception read like an A-Z, including several locations in the South East.

A builder who hid asbestos near a school after lying to customers about his qualifications to remove it is to hand over money he earned from dozens of jobs.

Kent, south-east London, Surrey and Oxfordshire were among the places Lee Charles targeted with false paperwork to win high-value contracts.

The Lincolnshire man was last year given 12 months in prison, suspended for 2 years. Now, a court has decided 40-year-old Charles must pay up £82,100 in a proceeds of crime order.

He used the company name Lincs Demolition Ltd for 2 years, claiming he was registered to remove asbestos in places including Abingdon, Caterham, Dorking, Gravesend, Luton and Sidcup. But Charles had no legal permit from the Environment Agency to do the work.

He zig-zagged England to act out his crimes:

Abingdon, Barton-upon-Humber, Boston, Burntwood, Cambridge, Caterham, Doncaster, Dorking, Erdington, Birmingham; Grantham, Gravesend, Great Yarmouth, Huntingdon, Ipswich, Kettering, Kings Lynn, Leicester, Lincoln, Loughborough, Luton, Mansfield, Market Rasen, Melton Mowbray…

… Newark, Norwich, Nottingham, Oakham, Peterborough, Scunthorpe, Sidcup, London; Sleaford, Spalding, St Ives, Cambridgeshire; Stockport, Wythenshawe, Greater Manchester; Stourbridge, Walsall, Warsop, Wellingborough and Worksop.

Charles told customers he was legitimate. He wasn’t and got a suspended prison sentence and an order to pay back tens of thousands of pounds gained from his illegal work.

Having duped customers, Charles stashed the waste asbestos in hired storage containers at Welbourn, in Lincolnshire, 200m from a school and close to a Girl Guide centre.

Charles told the owners of the storage space he wanted to keep tools there. When he failed to pay the rent on the containers, the owners forced the locks and were confronted with the dangerous contents.

Asbestos is a hazardous substance when disturbed and carcinogenic. The UK banned its use in 1999.

Once exposed, Charles abandoned the storage containers, moving to an unpermitted waste site 16 miles away near Sleaford, where he continued to store asbestos unsafely, posing a risk to public health.

Paul Salter, an environmental waste crime officer for the Environment Agency, said:

“Lee Charles’ crimes were not just illegal, but dangerous. He has been ordered to pay back money, and this sends out a clear message to others who flout the law that waste crime doesn’t pay.

“Not only do we use environmental law to prosecute offenders, but use proceeds of crime orders to ensure that criminals are deprived of the benefits of their illegal activity.

“The Environment Agency supports legitimate business by disrupting and stopping the criminal element, backed up by the threat of tough enforcement, as in this case.

“We continue to use intelligence-led approaches to target the most serious crimes and evaluate which interventions are most effective.

“If you see or suspect waste crime is being committed, we urge you to report it immediately to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.”

In 2015, illegal waste activity was estimated to cost more than £600 million in England alone, with the figure for the UK likely to be much higher.

The Environment Agency’s permitting system enables businesses to carry out their operations, while robust regulation is in place to prevent them being undercut by irresponsible or illegal operators.

In March last year, Charles, of Caldicot Gardens, in Grantham, was convicted by Lincoln crown court after pleading guilty to 2 counts of operating a waste operation without a permit between 2017 and 2019, contrary to regulations 12, 38(1)(a) and 41(1)(a) of the Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2016.

He also admitted 2 counts of keeping or disposing of controlled waste in a manner likely to cause pollution or harm, contrary to sections 33(1)(c), 33(6) and 157(1) of the Environmental Protection Act 1990.

On 22 May, Lincoln crown court ordered Charles to pay £82,100 under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 following an Environment Agency investigation into the costs he avoided while working illegally.

June 2, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : New legislation to protect against Oak Processionary Moth impacts [May 2023]

The press release issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 24 May 2023.

New legislation to allow the movement of large oak trees and trade within the operational zones and boundaries in place to help manage Oak Processionary Moth (OPM) is being introduced today (24 May).

OPM is a tree pest first identified in London in 2006 which has spread to some surrounding counties in the South-East of England. Its caterpillars feed on the leaves of several species of oak trees, causing them to lose their leaves, negatively impacting their growth, and making them more vulnerable to other stresses, such as drought. When touched by members of the public, they can cause itchy rashes, eye, and throat irritations. The period between June and August provides the greatest risk to health as this is when the caterpillars emerge.

The Forestry Commission has in place operational zones and boundaries aimed at managing OPM. In March, in response to government surveillance, the Established Area in which OPM is established and the Buffer Zone in which an annual programme of OPM management takes place, was expanded.

From today, a new demarcated area will be established around the Buffer Zone and Established Area, enabling large oak trees (girth at 1.2m above the root collar of 8cm or more) to be moved within this boundary, provided that the trees are moved by professional operators and that biosecurity requirements are met along with movement restrictions.

Professor Nicola Spence, UK Chief Plant Health Officer, said:

Healthy oak trees are a vital component of a biodiverse and thriving environmental landscape. They are Great Britain’s most important tree for species biodiversity, supporting over 2000 species of bird, mammal, fungi, invertebrate, bryophyte and lichen.

This is why it is essential that to protect the health of our oak trees, we have regulations in place for the movement of large oak trees within the zones and boundaries designed to manage Oak Processionary Moth.

Andrew Hoppit, Oak Processionary Moth Project Manager, said:

Oak Processionary Moth is a tree pest which can have a negative impact on tree health, and which can cause itchy rashes, eye, and throat irritations, when in physical contact with humans and pets.

While we understand the importance of professional operators being able to move large oak trees, it is vital that we have in place stringent biosecurity requirements to ensure a risk-based approach for moving these trees.

Large oak trees will be able to be moved within the established area, or into the established area from the buffer zone, providing the following biosecurity requirements are met:

Biosecurity competence – Professional operators must demonstrate that they meet the Plant Health Management Standard evidenced through membership of the Plant Healthy Certification Scheme or provision of a Ready to Plant approval from Fera Science Ltd for each consignment to be moved. They must also demonstrate evidence of ongoing on-site monitoring for OPM and inspection of OPM prior to movement.

Official inspections – Professional operators must keep accurate records of the of the contact details of those receiving large oak trees, including the delivery address and contact details. They must store this information for a minimum of three years to ensure traceability of movements. This information can be recorded using the Post planting Inspections form .

Large oak trees will be able to be moved within the buffer zone if they meet two additional biosecurity requirements:

Phytosanitary treatments – Professional operators must have a robust control regime in place with appropriate phytosanitary treatments. These treatments must be applied in line with Defra Guidance on application of phytosanitary treatments for the control of Oak Processionary Moth (Thaumetopoea processionea) 2023 and records of all treatment applications must be kept for a minimum of three years.

Post-planting inspections – Professional operators must disclose the potential for post-planting inspection as part of the new legislation to buyers at the time of purchase. A proportion of high-risk large oak movements within the buffer zone will be subject to post-planting inspections by the plant health inspectors.

To protect the area free from the pest it will not be permitted to:

Move large oak trees with OPM
Move large oak trees from the Established Area or Buffer Zone into the Area Free from the Pest
Move large oak trees from the established area into the buffer zone
Move large oak trees from the established area or buffer zone into the 10km exclusion zone at the outer edge of the buffer zone boundary
A Government programme to manage OPM has been in place since 2012. Over the last five years, £10 million has been invested into oak health, including the management of oak processionary moth, as well as research to develop novel control techniques and new policy responses.

Professional operators who are growing or moving large oak trees, and who are impacted by the new movement restrictions, should consult with their local Plant Health inspector or the Plant Health and Seeds Inspectorate for further advice. For further information on the new movement restrictions, please view our digital guide and video explaining these changes. Please also view our interactive map showing the locations of recent confirmed reports of OPM and the national management zones to see how the changes affect you.

This announcement follows Plant Health Week 2023 which raises awareness of the impacts of invasive non-native species and the simple things that everyone can do to help protect the environment. By identifying threats such as pests and diseases, we protect the benefits plants provide to the public, to wildlife, the environment and our economy. More information can be found on the Plant Health Action.org website.

June 2, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Government sets out further support for tenant farmers [May 2023]

The press release issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 24 May 2023.

Plans are announced in response to independent Rock Review to support tenant farmers at the heart of the rural economy.

Tenant farmers will be at the heart of the government’s work to grow and support the rural economy thanks to new measures announced today (24 May) to support the long-term sustainability of the tenant farming sector.

The measures, announced in response to the independent Rock Review, agree with the review’s key recommendations and include a new Farm Tenancy Forum which will work to consider the unique challenges facing the sector, facilitate more collaborative relationships between landlords and tenants, and help to shape farming policy. This will be co-chaired by Julian Sayers and will provide regular feedback to government, strengthening Defra’s relationship with the sector.

The government will also launch a Call for Evidence this summer on the proposal for a Tenant Farming Commissioner in England, considering the benefits this could bring and how it might work in practice.

This builds on the actions we have already taken to help tenant farmers benefit from our Environmental Land Management schemes (ELMs) and a consultation launched at Budget on potential inheritance tax reforms, in line with the Review recommendations.

Farming Minister Mark Spencer said:

I’d like to thank Baroness Rock and her team for their work on the review which underlined the vital importance of the tenant farming sector and the action needed to help it thrive.

At the centre of her review was a call for tenant voices to be heard by government and that we remove barriers to accessing our farming scheme.

That’s what we’re delivering – both through the measures announced today and in the progress that we have made over recent months, and I look forward to working with the tenanted sector to help make sure we’re delivering on their priorities into the future.

Baroness Kate Rock said:

I welcome the government’s commitment to the agricultural tenanted sector and its willingness to focus on how the objectives of the Rock Review can be delivered.

I would, however, have liked the response to fully recognise all the findings of the Review, in particular regarding the increase in new clauses being inserted into Farm Business Tenancies, and on tenants engaging in diversified activities. Whilst I welcome the new Farm Tenancy Forum, this must be focused on implementing the findings of the Review to be successful.

I would like to thank the Secretary of State, the Farming Minister and Defra for their proactive engagement throughout the Rock Review and their commitment to work together for a thriving agricultural tenanted sector.

The Rock Review was published in October 2022, led by Baroness Rock and the Tenancy Working Group, with input from all parts of the tenanted sector including tenants, landlords and agents.

Outside the EU and free from the bureaucratic Common Agricultural Policy, the government is determined to design a fairer system which works in the best interests of British farmers, including the tenant farming sector. The measures announced today build on significant progress in delivering the Environmental Land Management schemes since the review’s publication, with tenants benefitting from more flexible options and schemes.

The Sustainable Farming Incentive scheme, for instance, has been designed to be as accessible as possible for tenants, who can apply without landlord consent and sign up to shorter, three-year agreements which can be ended without penalty.

Meanwhile, around half of the 22 successful projects in the first round of the Landscape Recovery Scheme involve tenants working with other farmers and land managers, and work is continuing on how Countryside Stewardship can be simplified and made more flexible to make it work better for tenants.

A consultation and Call for Evidence are also running to explore potential tax changes, including changes to inheritance tax relief that could help encourage tenants to enter environmental land management schemes.

Today’s announcement comes alongside the government’s ongoing support for tenant farmers and the agricultural sector. This includes more than £168 million in grants being made available to farmers this year to drive innovation, support food production, improve animal health and welfare and protect the environment, as well as accelerating the roll out of the Sustainable Farming Incentive.

More recently, the second round of Landscape Recovery was launched last week to support up to 25 more projects to protect and restore thousands of acres of the English landscape.

June 2, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Attorney confirms progress to implement Calvert-Smith review recommendations [May 2023]

The press release issued by the Attorney General’s Office on 24 May 2023.

The Attorney General has updated Parliament that significant action has been taken across all 11 of Sir David’s recommendations.

The Attorney General Victoria Prentis KC MP said:

Last November I updated Parliament confirming that the SFO had made significant progress in delivering nine of Sir David Calvert-Smith’s recommendations following his independent enquiry into the Court of Appeal’s judgment in the Unaoil case.

Today I am pleased to announce that significant action has been taken across all 11 of Sir David’s recommendations, with further activity planned.

HMCPSI have verified that positive progress has been made and the Chief Inspector has kindly agreed to consider my invitation to carry out a further inspection to assess whether the SFO’s actions have been effective.

The Director of the SFO and her team are now focused on embedding the changes that have been made and monitoring their effectiveness.

Delivering what has been promised remains one of my key priorities, ensuring the SFO can continue to carry out their important mission of tackling the scourge of serious financial crime.

The Attorney General laid a Written Ministerial Statement to Parliament today and the AGO has also published a detailed progress update.

The SFO has also published an update on its progress to date against the recommendations set out in Brian Altman KC’s independent review of R. v Woods & Marshall.

June 2, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Ukraine will win. Russia is denying the reality of its horrific war of choice – UK statement to the OSCE [May 2023]

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

UK military advisor, Ian Stubbs, says Russia repeatedly underestimates the strength of the Ukrainian people and our unwavering resolve to support them in defending their homeland.

Thank you, Madam Chair.

Despite our Russian colleagues’ futile attempts to portray it otherwise, the simple truth is that Russia is responsible for this horrific war, which is in breach of the UN Charter, and for the needless deaths of thousands of innocent men, women and children. To characterise such a situation as anything other than a human tragedy for both sides denies the reality.

However, that is what the Kremlin does – it denies the reality to itself and to the Russian people. Here in Vienna, we have watched our Russian colleagues use this Forum as a mouthpiece to try to justify the unjustifiable. They have perpetuated a campaign of lies, threats and propaganda which has no solid foundation whatsoever. They have complained of confrontation and professed to seek dialogue. Yet, it is our Russian colleagues who have become increasingly contemptuous of this Forum, belligerent towards the Chair, and threatening towards fellow delegates.

Let us step back and remind ourselves of Russia’s approach to dialogue and diplomacy:

Russia repeatedly lied in this and other multilateral fora over the true purpose of its extraordinary military build-up on Ukraine’s borders and in illegally annexed Crimea.

Russia not only ignored its commitments under the Vienna Document, but weaponised this Confidence and Security Building measure to support its disinformation campaign.

Russia rejected calls for dialogue and de-escalation and instead pursued a path of confrontation.

Russia said there would be no war.

Russia said it had no intentions of invading Ukraine.

Russia conducted an unprovoked, premeditated and barbaric attack against a sovereign democratic State to conquer it by force and failed.

Madam Chair, whilst Russia persists in launching large-scale missile and drone strikes on towns and cities across Ukraine, we are thankful that most continue to be successfully intercepted by Ukraine’s air defences, including with those systems gifted by Ukraine’s international partners.

Russia also continues to struggle to achieve air superiority. Last week, we reported that four Russian military aircraft lost over Russia’s Bryansk region indicated that Russia’s ability to operate safely in its own airspace was now compromised. This increased air threat over Russia’s border region will be of exceptional concern to the Russian Air Force because it uses the area to launch air power in support of its illegal war. Ukraine’s repeated success in shooting down the Kinzhal hypersonic ballistic missile, once lauded by Putin as “undefeatable”, will add to Russia’s concern.

Madam Chair, Russia has repeatedly underestimated the strength and determination of the courageous Ukrainian people to defend their homeland. In addition, Russia has severely underestimated our unwavering resolve to support Ukraine, alongside our friends and partners, for however long it takes.

Russia has also clearly underestimated NATO’s resolve. Russia’s own aggressive actions have directly resulted in NATO growing stronger: welcoming new members; strengthening its forward presence; transforming the NATO Response Force; and boosting its ability to defend every inch of Allied territory.

Madam Chair, Russia could end this all now. It could end the pain and suffering of so many. It could end the terrible impact on the Russian people – needless deaths; grieving families; discontent; and isolation. It could end all this if it stopped its brutal and barbaric invasion of its sovereign neighbour and withdrew its forces from Ukraine.

Ukraine has regained territory and liberated thousands of Ukrainian people thanks to the awe-inspiring bravery of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, the resilience of the Ukrainian people and the overwhelming international support. Together, the UK and partners are ensuring that Ukraine will win. Our united approach of providing Ukraine with the support it needs to defend itself and push Russia out of Ukraine’s sovereign territory is the swiftest, and only, path to a just and lasting peace. Thank you.

June 2, 2023