Tag: 2023

PRESS RELEASE : Russia is diminished in the eyes of the international community through its own actions – UK statement to the OSCE [December 2023]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 6 December 2023.

UK military advisor, Nicholas Aucott, says Russia’s casualty figures are now over 300,000 in its illegal war, which is an egregious violation of international law and the UN Charter.

As Russian Forces continue to attack around Avdiivka, they do so at an enormous cost, sustaining upwards of one thousand casualties a day. In this ill-judged act of strategic folly, Russia has invited this huge loss of life upon itself and with it, a diminishment in the eyes of a large part of the international community. Conservative estimates now assess Russia’s casualty figures at over 300,000 killed and wounded. The terrible tragedy of this illegal invasion is a damning indictment of Russia’s poorly-trained, poorly-equipped and poorly-led military. But the real tragedy is that the Ukrainian people have had to endure untold misery and heartache in a conflict imposed upon them.

In Russia, the devastation of the Russian military is being increasingly felt by the civil population. Recently, the Russian Field polling agency reported that the proportion of those who want the government to enter peace talks with Ukraine exceeds the proportion of those who want the war to continue. This is consistent with a number of polls in Russia which have shown the same sentiment over the last year. In spite of the repressive conditions in Russia against public protest, Russian soldiers’ wives recently gathered in Moscow’s Teatralnya Square demanding a rotation of their partners away from the frontline. The protest was broken up within minutes by police. On 27 November, one prominent online group for soldiers’ wives published a manifesto against ‘indefinite mobilisation’; the group was subsequently pinned with a ‘fake’ warning label. Kremlin efforts are now underway to either pay them off or discredit them.

Ukraine has achieved significant military successes in the Black Sea by denying Russia control of the western Black sea, pushed back elements of the Russian Navy over 300 km from Sevastopol and destroyed 13-14% of Russia’s Black Sea combatant fleet. This has enabled Ukraine to establish a maritime corridor for its exports, used by increasing flows of shipping, which will boost its economy and global food security. Russia has failed in its attempts to prevent Ukraine exporting its goods.

But, faced with all this, Russia has only escalated its attacks on the Ukrainian people – with terrible effects for civilian areas and critical national infrastructure across the country. Russia has launched waves of Iranian-designed one-way-attack uncrewed aerial vehicles as part of a concerted winter campaign of strikes against Ukraine’s energy infrastructure. Russia has comprehensively ruined the town of Marinka with a pre-war population of 9,000 inhabitants, and all the while this conflict has triggered serious safety concerns at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant which, last week, was disconnected from the national electricity grid for the eighth time.

Madam Chair, Russia’s assault on Ukraine was an unprovoked, premeditated and barbaric attack against a sovereign democratic State. Week after week, the Russian delegation expounds narratives that sow disinformation about the culpability of ‘the West’ for Russia’s illegal invasion. But the truth is that no one forced Russia to attack another sovereign State; Russia did this of its own volition. This Forum went to every effort to prevent Russia’s invasion, but on the eve of war Russia categorically denied to this Forum that Russia would invade Ukraine. On 23 February 2022, the Russian delegation are on record as stating, “The idea of there being plans for a “Russian invasion” of Ukraine was hatched inside the US Department of State, and that is where it also died on 16 February. We can see that US intelligence got its facts mixed up”. In this context, it is fitting that the side event on ‘Information Integrity in the Military Space’ was held two weeks ago in spite of Russia’s obstruction.

During the Russian delegation’s ‘Right-of-Reply’ when this Forum last convened, it accused ‘the West’ of “tearing Ukraine away from Russia”. Russia has also used similar language recently concerning other members of this Forum. This is indicative of Russia’s continued contempt for international law. Ukraine is a sovereign independent State, recognised in international law by Russia as such on 2 December 1991, so there is nothing to ‘tear away’. The Ukrainian people have the right to self-determination and the Russian government’s reprehensible actions are an egregious violation of international law and the UN Charter.

Madam Chair, in the face of Russia’s illegal actions, the United Kingdom will continue to stand in support of Ukraine. The UK’s total military, humanitarian and economic package for Ukraine now amounts to £9.3 billion. As stated by the Foreign Secretary during his recent visit to Kyiv, we will continue our support, “not just this year and next year but for as long as it takes”. Already, we see what the brave men and women of Ukraine’s Armed Forces are capable of, pushing Russian troops away from the Dnipro River area. The Russian Ministry of Defence has referred to this as “relocating to more favourable positions”. Russia should recognise its grave strategic error and move to the most favourable position of all: out of Ukraine’s internationally-recognised sovereign territory. Thank you.

December 9, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Russia has not broken the spirit of the Ukrainian people nor our determination to support them – UK statement at the UN Security Council [December 2023]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 6 December 2023.

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

Thank you President and I thank ASG Jenča and Director Rajasingham for their briefings today and for the work of your teams. President, it’s now nearly two years since Russia invaded Ukraine, illegally and brutally. Russia has killed Ukrainian men, women and children, and denied their future. Russia has injured men, women and children, and destroyed the hospitals where they might seek care.

Russia has destroyed civilian infrastructure: hospitals, schools, homes, playgrounds, theaters, roads and railways. And, as winter approaches, Russia is now targeting Ukraine’s energy infrastructure. But Russia has not broken the spirit and resolve of the Ukrainian people. Nor our determination to support them.

So first, we commend the work of the Ukrainian organisations and volunteer networks who are providing life-saving humanitarian support. My Foreign Secretary met with some of these organisations during his recent visit to Ukraine and was struck by their courage and bravery. We will continue to support their work and we urge the UN and other colleagues to do the same.

Second, over 17 million Ukrainians need humanitarian assistance as we’ve heard. But Russia continues to deny and block humanitarian access to millions of Ukrainians living in the territories temporarily under Russia’s control leaving those people severely short of food, fuel and water as winter sets in. So we call on Russia to comply fully with its obligations under international humanitarian law and allow humanitarians to operate safely in these territories, and to deliver aid to millions of people who desperately need it.

Third, like others, we welcome the establishment of a maritime corridor in the Black Sea, which has now enabled Ukraine to supply five million tonnes of grain to global markets. Russia’s attempts to prevent Ukraine from exporting its grain by attacking its ports, holding the world’s food to ransom, have failed.

We will continue to work with Ukraine and other partners to ensure the security of the corridor and to protect global food security.

President, Russia has caused humanitarian suffering through its invasion of Ukraine. So we again urge Russia to end its war now by withdrawing from Ukraine’s internationally recognised territory.

I thank you.

December 9, 2023
Stuart Andrew – 2023 Speech to the GambleAware Annual Conference

The speech made by Stuart Andrew, the Gambling Minister, in London on 6 December 2023.

Good afternoon, everyone. I am absolutely delighted to join you here today.

It really is inspiring to look out at the room and see such a variety of voices come together to think about our shared ambition to prevent gambling-related harm, and to build a society which provides the right level of support when and where it is needed most. I would like to specifically acknowledge the role GambleAware has played in pushing forward this objective.

I know many of you in the room have paid very close attention to the plans for a white paper since the launch of our Call for Evidence back in 2020. I know it has been a long road for all of us but I am very pleased that we were finally able to publish a substantial set of proposals. Those clearly outlined the government’s vision for the sector and a commitment to strengthening protections against gambling-related harms.

Central to that ambition is of course the decision to introduce a statutory levy, which will transform how research, prevention and treatment is funded. It will mandate for the first time how gambling companies contribute their fair share towards battling the impact of gambling harms.

We are working quickly to get the levy, and all the other protections outlined in the white paper, in place as soon as we can, through a range of mechanisms.

For example, we have recently included a provision in the Criminal Justice Bill – going through Parliament at the moment – to give the Commission greater powers to tackle the black market. This is just one example, but we will continue to pursue whatever route delivers the protections quickest or the most effectively.

As you all know, earlier this year we published our gambling white paper, the most comprehensive review of gambling laws in 15 years. With multiple consultations already completed or in progress we remain very much on track to deliver the main measures of our review by the summer of next year, including the statutory levy.

I know all of you are particularly invested in the levy consultation, and ensuring that we introduce a system that builds an holistic approach to investment in tackling gambling harms. It represents a generational change to funding arrangements for research, prevention and treatment; and will ensure that we have an effective, integrated system between public and third sector to tackle gambling harms.

That is why we are consulting. We have always taken an evidence-led approach and will continue to ensure that the government considers the best available information. It is important to me that your views inform our approach to implementing this landmark reform in an effective, evidence-led and proportionate way.

We have welcomed the financial contributions that industry has made to research, education and treatment since the introduction of the Gambling Act.

But funding is not the only requirement, and this alone will not achieve our objective for a system which is equitable, ensures a high degree of long-term funding certainty, and guarantees independence.

For the first time, the levy will ensure trusted and sustainable funding to not just pay for treatment, but to further understand and tackle the sources of gambling harm through vital investment in research and prevention.

It will help to better protect people and ensure that the necessary funding is being delivered effectively and directed where it is needed most.

The levy will be paid by gambling operators and collected by the Gambling Commission, with spending decisions approved by DCMS and the Treasury, putting the flow and independence of funding beyond doubt.

I am confident in the way forward and the meaningful opportunities the levy presents. But getting the transition right and ensuring all parties are working closely together is my immediate priority.

To me this means two things:

Firstly: Keeping funding flowing. We have to guarantee that funding remains secure and accessible through the existing system to deliver the important work that many of you are directly involved in on the frontline. It is absolutely crucial for me that there is no disruption to services in the interim.

Secondly: Getting the timing right. We need to manage the introduction of the levy and the build-up to full funding so that there is sufficient time to get the right infrastructure, processes and relationships in place.

Together, this will support a smooth transition to the new system.

Since the launch of the consultation, I have been engaging widely with stakeholders across the sector on these issues and will continue to do so – my message to you is that my door will always be open. I want to make clear today that I have received a commitment from industry to maintain funding until the levy is in force. My department and I are working at pace to see that commitment communicated in no uncertain terms to the sector.

On the broader point around transition, it is vital that we walk before we can run. We need to take the time to get it right.

This will then mean moving quickly to introduce the levy in Parliament so that the statutory foundations are there. But then I want a clear roadmap in place to ensure that your great work has the time and resources to flourish, while we look to improve and expand our collective efforts to prevent gambling-related harms.

I would now like to turn to prevention.

Too often we see and hear about the devastating impacts of harmful gambling. The Commission’s important work through the Gambling Survey for Great Britain recently presented a higher quality picture of gambling participation and harm than has existed previously.

While the Survey is still in development and the statistics are experimental, the indication is that 2.5% of adults are gambling with negative consequences, with even greater numbers at risk. This makes clear that while the majority of people gamble safely, there is still more to do to tackle gambling related harm.

Our white paper outlines a host of new measures we and the Gambling Commission are implementing to protect those most at risk.

But prevention is also about creating a society which has a clear awareness of gambling-related harms, the right support available for those in need, and trust in the services themselves.

Stigma is perhaps the biggest barrier preventing people from seeking help, and I want to specifically mention GambleAware’s vital campaign, which is helping to raise awareness of the issue and helping people take that all important first step to getting the support they need.

An effective prevention plan seeks to identify the right mix of interventions at both the population and individual level. Done well this helps to build an educated, supported and protected society when it comes to gambling-related harm.

For the first time, the levy will provide sustainable funding for the government to develop a coordinated prevention approach, at the local, regional and national level, providing investment for organisations across Great Britain.

This will facilitate more upstream interventions where intervention is most critical and most effective.

This is why I felt it was important to take a broad approach to our consultation in relation to prevention. I want us to closely consider the full range of perspectives and options available so that we can design an effective system to deliver the targeted prevention we require.

I hope the consultation made our ambitions in this space clear. I want to see a levy system which prevents and reduces harm much earlier, while ensuring the right services are available for those who need them across our country.

For that, we need the best available evidence, especially from those with lived experience, to create the right structures for the funding, commissioning and evaluation of prevention activity.

I want to be absolutely clear that fulfilling this ambition is, and will be, impossible without the third sector.

The essential work that GambleAware and many of you in the room have taken forward over the years has provided support and education for so many people; many of whom may have otherwise been left confused, facing closed doors or experiencing further harm. I want to thank you sincerely for that.

I am not just saying this as someone who has worked in the third sector. Charities and local organisations are often closer to the populations they are trying to help, support and treat. I am fully aware of that and it is a priority for me that we do not lose expertise in the system.

Effective and innovative collaboration between public bodies and the third sector is absolutely vital.

We want a system which has no ‘wrong door’ for people seeking help, where the referral pathways are right and where learning is constantly being shared. I hope you will agree that this is an important objective for the future of an effective system of research, prevention and treatment of gambling-related harms.

Thank you once again for inviting me to speak today. It is really heartening to see this group come together to discuss and collaborate on such an important range of issues.

I know that Andrew Rhodes, who is up next, will agree with me on the importance of collaboration, and I thank him for the work the Commission is taking forward at considerable speed to help us deliver on the white paper.

I hope that you will all engage with our consultation on the levy which closes next week, and that the rest of today’s discussions are productive and I look forward to continuing working with you all.

December 9, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Baroness Neville-Rolfe’s speech to the London Chamber of Commerce [December 2023]

The press release issued by the Cabinet Office on 5 December 2023.

Baroness Neville-Rolfe, Minister of State, delivered a speech to the London Chamber of Commerce on new border policies and innovations.

Ladies and gentlemen, it’s a pleasure to be here with you all today.

I feel very fortunate to be at the London Chamber of Commerce, discussing our plans for borders, in the very heart of historic London.

The City of London is, arguably, the very first border that existed on this island…

…a border which acted as the perimeter of a thriving Roman market.

Antiquity bequeathed these borders to the Middle Ages…

…and the gates throughout the City – Cripplegate, Bishopsgate, Moorgate and so on – checked which goods could enter and leave this market.

Today, this square mile is home to one of the world’s finest financial and professional service sectors…

…and SMEs make up ninety-eight per cent of the businesses here in the City…

…a number that increases to over ninety-nine percent when you look London-wide.

Many of these cross-London SMEs export and import goods – whether that’s the City of London gin or fashion, metal goods or gifts of all kinds.

Today I want to outline how the changes we’re making to our borders will benefit those – and, indeed, all – businesses.

These plans are the result of two changes coming together…

…namely Brexit and – importantly – a digital revolution that gives us the chance to improve how we trade.

I have been clear that we want the UK to have the most effective border in the world…

…and leaving the European Union presented us with an opportunity to scrutinise our entire trading system…

…not just the trade deals we have been able to negotiate, but the practicalities of that trading.

That potential was obvious when I visited the Thames Freeport at Tilbury – the very gateway to London these days…

…connecting over one-hundred-and-thirty ports and sixty-five countries.

We have great aspirations for our border, one that is as minimally burdensome as possible…

…without compromising our security…

…and embracing the very latest technology to make trade smoother.

This vision is a crucial part of the Government’s 2025 Border Strategy…

…and our new Border Target Operating Model.

It will use technology to reduce paperwork for UK importers, saving businesses over five-hundred-million pounds a year…

…and it will bring practical changes to the way trade is managed through our borders.

The new Model will introduce a new global risk-based system of controls.

Some of you may remember the earlier versions of the operating model…

…which subjected most products to costly, rigorous controls…

…out of proportion to their actual risk.

Well, we’ve thrown that out – and replaced it with a new global system which is proportionate.

It focuses on which food and plant goods currently constitute a risk, whether that’s a function of the type of product or where it is from…

…and then assigns them a risk category that will determine what border controls are appropriate.

For instance, low risk goods – like tinned salmon – will not need to have health certificates or routine border checks.

For high and medium risk goods – like fresh meat and plants for planting – we will need the assurance that certificates provide along with proportionate checks on arrival.

We are also using the opportunity to harness technology and new ways of working to streamline trade.

We have partnered with industry to test the border process…

…to see how we can use technology to cut costs and save time.

The main breakthrough is the new UK Single Trade Window now being developed by HMRC…

…in collaboration with Deloitte and IBM and with support from many of you.

It underpins everything that we are working on.

When fully operational, it will provide one digital gateway for users…

…one where they can provide all the data needed to trade, as well as apply for licences and authorisations for trusted trader schemes.

The benefits from Single Trade Window are considerable…

…because it will make an enormous number of transactions that bit easier.

Our estimations show it could reduce total burdens of business by around a billion pounds in the first three years of operation.

And we are by no means ruling out introducing further innovations…

…in fact, we’re continuing to partner with industry to make this happen.

As part of the delivery of the Border Strategy, we have carried out six Ecosystem of Trust pilot projects…

…which found new ways that tech and data can be used to minimise trade friction.

They were a collaboration between central government departments including the Cabinet Office, Defra and the Home Office…

…and different industries including ports, logistics companies, and software providers and businesses like those you represent.

The first phase ran last year.

In a spirit of transparency, we have now published a full evaluation of these pilots.

The projects tested data and technologies that could provide thorough assurance to government.

We trialled Smart Seals, which can detect any unauthorised access to freight…

…and we trialled Smart Containers, which transmit real-time data on freight.

These show if the temperature of the cargo changed, as this would indicate that the goods might be spoiled…

…which means a low risk cargo might become high-risk

We also tested new ways of sharing data between government and industry…

…giving our frontline border staff better and earlier information about the goods that they saw coming in.

We found that this could cut the time that they spent determining which goods to check by up to a fifth.

It’s a promising start, but there’s still work to be done.

Today, I’m also happy to detail the next phase of the Ecosystem of Trust project.

We are delivering a series of what are called ‘Border Trade Demonstrators’…

…which are specific projects focused on overcoming the problems we have identified together, such as the complexity and time taken when integrating industry and government systems.

They will be data-focused, allowing for simple exchanges of information between border agents and industry…

…leading to an easier, quicker and safer experience at the border.

Let me give you one example.

In June this year we saw a three-hundred-million-pound increase in exports of machinery…

…partially thanks to a large increase in these goods heading to Turkey…

…but what was in those shipping containers that travelled over the Mediterranean?

When these goods are shipped, the company sending them has to fill out paperwork explaining what’s in the crate…

…there’s a lot of information required, relating to the goods themselves, their value, and the route by which they will be transported…

…Some traders are scrupulous in their description. And some are vague.

But in all likelihood, a trader could have described a shipment of steel nuts as, simply, ‘nuts’.

Now, put yourself in the shoes of someone working at the UK border…

…does that description mean nuts and bolts, or cashew nuts?

Whatever your record, that opaque description means that the crate is going to get searched…

…and that one vague text box means an unnecessary delay.

Multiplied thousands of times a year…

…this will hit business efficiency and growth…

…and put undue pressure on our Border personnel.

One of the examples we’re trialling is a new piece of software…

…which will allow border agents to receive accurate information from the supply chain earlier in the process…

…including commodity codes which tell you what is actually inside a container.

It’s a simple change…

…one so simple that it’s amazing it hasn’t been thought of before…

…but one which could have huge benefits.

These Demonstrators will start being trialled early next year at specific parts of the border.

We will look to test this new approach at different locations, with different modes and moving different commodities…

…and, assuming they are successful, they will be spread throughout the country.

In the meantime, we in Cabinet Office are fixing existing issues where we think we can make the border work better.

When businesses told us that a new ferry link was necessary between the Spanish Vigo and Cheshire’s Ellesmere Port, we made sure that the Government did its job so that this route could open on time.

This ferry link directly underpins this government’s support for the UK-first Green Automotive Hub…

…and will take an estimated 14,700 HGV movements off the roads, with a thirty percent reduction in CO2 emissions as a result.

And, possibly of interest to traders here today – we will also streamline processes for goods travelling through Heathrow.

We’re running a pilot with DHL, testing a simplified airfreight export customs process at Heathrow…

…because we were told by businesses that the current rules, for historic reasons, require freight to be driven unnecessarily all around Heathrow.

We have found a good potential way to put a stop to this…

…instead of items being driven to multiple different cargo sites before they leave the airport…

…we are now trialling one single point that cargo is stored and delivered from.

I wanted to finish by saying something about timing.

There have been stops and starts, but we are now pressing on and you do need to be ready.

Starting at the end of January…

…with the introduction of health certification on imports of medium risk animal products from the EU…

…so we will check whether a vet from the exporting country has certified that the products meet the necessary food standards…

…with similar certification for medium risk plants, plant products…

…and high-risk food and feed of non-animal origin from the European Union.

At the end of April, we will be setting up new Border Control Posts…

…so that we can actually check high and medium risk food and plant products when they arrive…

…as controls on low and medium risk products from the rest of the world are removed or reduced in line with the new model.

So, we will have a consistent approach to goods from the EU and to goods from other trusted trading partners elsewhere in the world.

Finally, by the end of October, we will require safety and security declarations for imports from the EU.

This will give us more information to identify security threats to the UK

We have designed a safety and security declaration which keeps the burden on business to a minimum…

…and businesses will be able to submit them through the Single Trade Window.

We are working with trading partners and issuing guidance to ensure businesses are ready for these changes…

…today is a good example.

Ladies and gentlemen, our borders may be historic…

…but they are also modern demonstrations of how the Government is promoting trade.

Once we have put our plans in place…

…we will be bringing innovations to our borders which will be unmatched by the rest of the world.

We will continue to work with industry leaders like yourselves…

…and – by harnessing our Brexit freedoms and utilising technical advances – we will ensure our trading infrastructure supports you all…

…and enables you to trade in a safer and more strategic way.

Thank you very much.

December 9, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Government announces preferred candidate for BBC Chair [December 2023]

The press release issued by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on 6 December 2023.

Dr Samir Shah CBE is the Government’s preferred candidate for the BBC Chair, the Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer announced today.

Dr Samir Shah, CBE, has worked in broadcasting for over forty years. He is the CEO and owner of Juniper, an independent television and radio production company. Before Juniper, Samir was head of current affairs and political programmes at the BBC. In 2022, the RTS (Royal Television Society) awarded him its top honour: Outstanding Contribution (AKA Lifetime Achievement award) to journalism. Samir was a Non-Executive Director of the BBC (2007-2010), Chair of the Museum of the Home (2014-2022), and was a trustee then Deputy Chair of the V&A (2004-2014). He was Chair of the Runnymede Trust (1999-2009). He is currently Chair of One World Media. Samir sits on the Arts and Media Honours Committee.

Samir was appointed a CBE for services to Television and Heritage in the 2019 Queen’s Birthday Honours. He was previously made an OBE in the 2000 New Year’s Honours List. Samir was elected a Fellow of the Royal Television Society in 2002. Samir was appointed Visiting Professor of Creative Media at Oxford University in 2019 and the University of Nottingham appointed him to a Special Professorship in the Department of Post Conflict Studies.

Samir was born in India and came to England in 1960. He is married to Belkis with one son, Cimran.

Dr Shah will now appear before MPs on the Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee for pre-appointment scrutiny.

Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer said:

With a career spanning more than 40 years in TV production and journalism, Dr Shah has a wealth of experience to bring to the position of BBC Chair. He has a clear ambition to see the BBC succeed in a rapidly changing media landscape, and I have no doubt he will provide the support and scrutiny that the BBC needs to meet the challenges and opportunities of the future.

His knowledge of the BBC and his belief in its role as a national broadcaster alongside his extensive work to promote diversity in broadcasting will be invaluable in helping to ensure that the BBC reflects, represents and serves communities across the whole of the UK.

I would also like to express my thanks to Dame Elan Closs Stephens for her diligence and dedication in leading the Board as Acting Chair in the interim period.

Dr Samir Shah CBE said:

I am delighted to be named the preferred candidate for Chair of the BBC and I look forward to the upcoming pre-appointment hearing with the Select Committee. The BBC is, without doubt, one of the greatest contributions we have made to global culture and one of our strongest calling cards on soft power.

If I am able to put what skills, experience, and understanding of public service broadcasting I have built up during my career to help this brilliant organisation meet the complex and diverse challenges it faces over the coming years, it would be an honour.

The BBC has a great place in British life and a unique duty to reach a wide audience right across the country and I will do all I can to ensure it fulfils this in an increasingly competitive market.

The current process for appointing the Chair is set in the BBC’s 2017 Royal Charter, requiring an appointment to be made by ‘Order in Council’ following a fair and open competition. Convention has been that the Secretary of State recommends the appointment to the Lord President of the Council and the Prime Minister recommends the appointment to His Majesty The King. No recommendation can be made to His Majesty in Council, until a pre-appointment hearing has been held and a report published by the CMS Select Committee.

Ministers were assisted in their decision-making by an Advisory Assessment Panel which included a departmental official and a senior independent panel member approved by the Commissioner for Public Appointments.

December 9, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : World Trade Organization – Hong Kong, China’s Trade Policy Review [December 2023]
The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 6 December 2023.

The UK’s Permanent Representative to the WTO and UN in Geneva, Simon Manley, gave a statement during Hong Kong, China’s WTO Trade Policy Review (TPR).
1. Chair, let me join others in welcoming the delegation from Hong Kong, China, led by Director-General of Trade and Industry, Ms. Wong. Let me also express my gratitude to the wider delegation, ably led in Geneva by Permanent Representative Miss So, and to colleagues from the WTO Secretariat for their respective reports; to the Chair, as ever; and to our Discussant for his comments.
2. Chair, the UK and Hong Kong, China enjoy people-to-people, cultural, and trade ties. UK companies continue to operate in Hong Kong, China, valuing its historic reputation for strong institutions and respect for the rule of law, its open and predictable business environment, and its status as a global financial centre.
3. Hong Kong, China is the UK’s 13th largest trading partner. Our total trade in goods and services has reached almost £30 billion in 2023. It is our second largest market for goods in Asia-Pacific, after mainland China. And it was the destination for almost £80 billion of UK Foreign Direct Investment in 2021.
4. However, despite Hong Kong, China’s commitment to free trade, there remain untapped opportunities, such as the 100% ad valorem excise tax that it places on beverage alcohol products, which are over 30% alcohol by volume. Not only has this tax led to significant price disparities between wine and spirits, but its ad valorem nature effectively penalises higher-value and higher-quality spirits.
5. Besides making British businesses very happy, a reduction in spirit taxation would help to support the recovery of Hong Kong, China’s hospitality and tourism industry. It would also enhance the restaurant scene that makes Hong Kong, China one of the world’s gastronomic gems, allowing diners to responsibly enjoy the best of UK gin, Scotch whisky, or any other of the countless high-quality UK spirits.
6. And yet, Chair, despite the myriad of global trade challenges we face, the current trading relationship between Hong Kong, China and the UK remains strong. One of the most significant reasons for this is our shared commitment to free and open trade, which is underpinned by our historical ties. As promised in 1997, Hong Kong, China remains a separate customs territory, retains its free port status, and does not levy tariffs on the import of goods.
7. Chair, Hong Kong, China is a valued member of the WTO. Its strength rests on the reputation and integrity of its institutions, its independent regulators, and the independence of its Common Law Legal system, which offers effective dispute resolution systems in commercial cases to high standards. They are a fundamental part of why UK businesses continue to choose to operate in Hong Kong, China.
8. The UK’s strong interest in seeing Hong Kong, China prosper is evidenced in the promises we made, together with China, in the Sino-British Joint Declaration of 1984. The Joint Declaration guarantees the continuation of Hong Kong, China’s high degree of autonomy, social and economic systems, lifestyle, and rights and freedoms for 50 years from 1997. The UK remains committed to ensuring that these promises, made by both countries, are upheld.
9. However, China is now in an ongoing state of non-compliance with the Joint Declaration. Hong Kong, China’s capitalist economic, monetary and financial systems remain distinct and robust, but actions taken by China, such as the imposition of the National Security Law, as well as the actions taken by the authorities of Hong Kong, China, continue to erode many of the civil and political rights guaranteed in the Joint Declaration and Hong Kong, China’s Basic Law.
10. This, in turn, puts at risk confidence in the effective governance, fair judiciary, and independent regulation, which makes Hong Kong, China such a great place to do business. Given Hong Kong, China’s significant role as a regional trade and economic hub, these actions also risk harming China’s own economic development in the long term.
11. The UK therefore maintains that unwavering commitment to upholding the promises made in the Sino-British Joint Declaration is not only the best way to support our own trading relationship, but also the best way to safeguard its long-term prosperity and ensure that Hong Kong, China continues to be a crucial part of the world economy.
12. Chair, I would like to conclude by welcoming the role that Hong Kong, China plays in supporting the world economy through its full and active engagement within the WTO. The UK welcomes Hong Kong, China’s participation in a range of Joint Initiatives, and most notably its recent efforts to help conclude substantive negotiations on Investment Facilitation for Development, as well as its ratification of the fisheries subsidies agreement. But like others, we were disappointed in the role that Hong Kong, China played in blocking consensus on selecting the Chair of the Government Procurement Committee. I hope that Hong Kong, China will continue to use its influence in the WTO to advance free trade; promote important reforms; and work together with other Members to conclude an ambitious fisheries agreement heading into Ministerial Conference 13.
13. Finally, as one of the three co-chairs of the Informal Working Group on Trade and Gender, let me also welcome Hong Kong, China’s initiatives to promote women’s empowerment, such as the Women Empowerment Fund, and thank them for providing further information on the role of the Women’s Commission in their answers to our Advanced Written Questions.
14. Thank you, Chair, and Discussant for facilitating this Trade Policy Review, and to the delegation of Hong Kong, China for its full cooperation with this important exercise in transparency.
December 9, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : High streets levelled up with £7 million funding boost [December 2023]
The press release issued by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities on 6 December 2023.

Government launches new High Street Accelerators pilot to help communities and councils join up on long-term regeneration

Ten struggling high streets will take part in a new government pilot – the High Street Accelerators programme – to create partnerships that empower residents and community organisations to work together on long-term regeneration plans.

The funding will help communities partner with local authorities and businesses to address some of the biggest challenges facing their high streets – building on wider action to tackle empty shops, anti-social behaviour and a lack of visitors.

These 10 areas to be called High Street Accelerators will receive an initial £2.37 million to kickstart their partnerships – a total of £237,000 each. They can also apply for a share of up to £5 million to improve their high streets’ green spaces and create more pleasant environments for residents to meet and socialise.

This £7 million will be spent over the next two years and the impact will be evaluated to inform future government policy and support for left-behind high streets, building on larger interventions like the £1.1 billion Long-Term Plan for Towns.

Minister for Levelling Up Jacob Young said:

It has been a tough few years for our high streets following the pandemic and the changes we’ve seen in consumer behaviour.

We know that local people know what’s best for their area, and we’re keen to understand the benefits that High Street Accelerators could bring working with local businesses and their communities.

These Accelerators will complement other interventions like High Street Rental Auctions, empowering local people to tackle vacancy and other issues on their high streets.

The High Street Accelerators Pilot Programme was announced in March 2023 as part of the Anti-Social Behaviour Action Plan. It will complement other interventions designed to revive England’s high streets such as the High Streets Task Force which is helping local leaders to regenerate their areas, and changing planning rules so councils have greater certainty.

New regulations to be introduced next year will also give local authorities more powers to work with landlords to rent out vacant properties on high streets. The High Street Rental Auctions regulations will allow councils to sell off the rental rights for empty properties to willing tenants, such as businesses and community groups.

Along with High Street Accelerators, this will incentivise and empower local people to tackle vacant buildings, enabling local communities to reinvent their high streets for the future.

Areas receiving funding as part of the High Street Accelerators programme:
- Abingdon Street and Queen Street in Blackpool
- Stoke Town Centre in Stoke-on-Trent
- Queen Street with Blackburn Road and Church Street in Great Harwood Town Centre in Hyndburn
- Scunthorpe High Street in North Lincolnshire
- Union Street and Yorkshire Street in Oldham Town Centre
- The Stepney area of Beverley Road in Hull
- King William Street in Blackburn Town Centre in Blackburn with Darwen
- Grimsby Town Centre in North East Lincolnshire
- Dovercourt Town Centre in Tendring
- Hyde Town Centre in Tameside
December 9, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Transport Secretary announces £70 million boost for more rapid electric vehicle chargers at COP28 [December 2023]
The press release issued by the Department for Transport on 6 December 2023.

EV chargepoint pilot scheme at motorway service areas to support government’s vision of transition to electric vehicles.
- trials will boost the number of ultra-rapid chargepoints at motorway services and spark private investment
- pilot launched at COP28’s Transport Day, along with US and UK green shipping pledge
- first global zero emissions vehicles transition roadmap launched to strengthen support for emerging markets and developing economy countries
A £70 million pilot scheme launched today (6 December 2023) will power up motorway service areas to pave the way for ultra-rapid electric vehicle (EV) chargepoints.

Speaking on COP28 Transport Day in Dubai, Transport Secretary, Mark Harper, laid out plans for up to 10 trial sites in England with boosted electrical network capacity – ensuring electricity network capacity is future-proofed for at least 10 years, to 2035.

COP28 marks a pivotal moment in addressing climate change, with the UK having decarbonised faster than any other major economy and committed to the fastest reduction in emissions between 1990 and 2030 on current pledges.

Today’s rapid chargepoint announcement, part of the government’s ambitious rapid charging fund (RCF), will cover a portion of the costs of upgrading the electricity grid at successful motorway service areas, ensuring that the private sector can continue to expand the charging network and providing consumers more confidence to choose EVs.

Transport Secretary, Mark Harper, said:

This government is on the side of drivers and working with the private sector to provide robust chargepoint infrastructure is part of our Plan for Drivers, with today’s announcement paving the way for more ultra-rapid chargepoints.

This £70 million pilot scheme is the starting point and sends a message to consumers and industry that we are investing wisely and rapidly to grow the future of transport in the UK.

Technology and Decarbonisation Minister, Anthony Browne, said:

This is an important next step in our journey to net zero and demonstrates the government’s commitment to help the private sector expand our charging network.

The scheme follows our world-leading zero emission vehicle mandate, meaning we are truly supporting drivers and industry in making the switch to electric.

Motorway service areas are strategically important as regularly spaced stopping points along the motorway. Investment here addresses the need for a highly visible and dependable longer-distance charging network to support drivers and accelerate future EV purchases. The pilot, which is being delivered by National Highways, will help gather evidence to inform the design of a full fund.

Today also sees the launch of a 10-week rapid charging fund consultation seeking views from a range of stakeholders, including chargepoint operators, motorway service area operators and electricity suppliers, on where chargers are needed most and how best to design the RCF.

Alongside the pilot launch, the UK and the US are teaming up to announce a competition to develop green shipping corridors between both countries. The US is the UK’s second-largest direct partner when it comes to international maritime trade – with over 40 million tonnes of maritime trade carried out last year. Launching next year, the initiative builds upon the UK’s successful partnerships with the likes of Norway, Denmark and the Netherlands, solidifying the journey towards zero-emission shipping.

When the UK hosted COP26 in 2021, it announced the Clydebank Declaration for green shipping corridors, where signatories declared ambitions to implement zero-emission shipping routes. Today, it was announced that new shipping corridors will be forged between the Republic of Korea, Lithuania and the United Arab Emirates, taking its membership to 27.

UK Chamber of Shipping CEO, Sarah Treseder, said:

Green shipping corridors will play an important part in decarbonising shipping, especially on major routes such as the UK and US.

To be successful, they require dedicated infrastructure across the corridor to ensure that vessels can access low and zero emission fuels, as well as facilities such as shoreside power. We look forward to working with the UK and US governments, as well as those involved in the competition, to turn this project into a blueprint for how to create a successful green corridor.

Yesterday (5 December 2023) also saw the launch of the world-first global zero emission vehicle (ZEV) transition roadmap, designed to improve understanding and accessibility around the international push to decarbonise road travel and to more clearly lay out the financing available to developing economies and new markets. It commits to an annual update at future COP events, helping to map the transition to cleaner travel on a global scale and ensure no country is left behind.

It comes in the same week that the House of Commons agreed (4 December 2023) the percentage of new zero emission cars and vans that manufacturers will be required to produce each year up to 2030. By safeguarding investments made by the car industry in the UK and protecting skilled British jobs, this complements the Prime Minister’s proportionate and pragmatic decision to delay the ban on new petrol cars from 2030 to 2035 to support families making the switch.

This has also been backed by over £2 billion government investment and rapidly expanding charging infrastructure, which has already grown 42% on last year – a rate that puts us well on the way to 300,000 by 2030.

COP28 UAE takes place from 30 November to 12 December 2023 at Expo City, Dubai in the United Arab Emirates. The United Nations climate change conferences are yearly conferences and serve as the formal meeting to negotiate and agree action on how to tackle climate change, limit emissions and halt global warming.

Thursday’s Transport Day comes just a week after the first-ever transatlantic 100% sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) flight from London to New York. The Transport Secretary has a full schedule for the day, attending Pavilion events and other engagements discussing the ZEV mandate, zero emission shipping, sustainable aviation and climate-resilient transport.

At this year’s COP, the UK is focusing efforts on:
- tackling deforestation: supporting countries to tackle deforestation through Forest Country Packages and £576 million new International Climate Finance (ICF) programming, £465 million of which is new and additional funding since Glasgow, aimed at supporting companies, communities, smallholders and governments to tackle forest loss and protect nature
- green finance: endorsing the new Global Climate Finance Framework to champion reform of international financial institutions to make them bigger, better and fairer, and pledging up to £60 million for loss and damage, including up to £40 million for a new fund to ensure that finance can flow to the poorest and most vulnerable to climate change
December 9, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Appointment of Lord-Lieutenant of Nottinghamshire [December 2023]

The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 6 December 2023.

The King has been pleased to appoint Professor Veronica Pickering, DL, as His Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant for the County of Nottinghamshire.

Veronica Moraa Pickering is a social entrepreneur, a former UK Social Worker and Children’s Guardian and was an International Child Protection Consultant for the UN and many NGOs across Africa, supporting vulnerable people and their families. In 2022 she was awarded the Moran of the Order of the Burning Spear (M.B.S.) for service to Kenya by the President.

She now works as an Executive Coach and partnership specialist with a number of companies and organisations across the UK. A strong supporter of the arts and wildlife conservation charities, she is a Trustee of the RSPB and Nottinghamshire YMCA (Robin Hood Group) and Ambassador for The Woodland Trust and UK RAF Museums. She is also visiting Professor to Lincoln International Business School. She is the first black woman to be appointed the Royal Air Force (RAF) Honorary Air Commodore.

Veronica is the current High Sheriff of Nottinghamshire and is married to the Nottinghamshire-born artist Roy Pickering. They have two adult children and live near Nottingham.

December 9, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Member appointed to the Independent Advisory Panel on Deaths in Custody [December 2023]

The press release issued by the Ministry of Justice on 6 December 2023.

The Lord Chancellor has approved the appointment of Professor Seena Fazel as a member of the Independent Advisory Panel on Deaths in Custody for three years from 1 October 2023.

Established in 2009, the Independent Advisory Panel on Deaths in Custody (IAPDC) forms part of the Ministerial Council on Deaths in Custody in England and Wales. The IAPDC provides expert advice and challenge to Ministers, departments, and agencies with the central aim of preventing deaths in custody.

This appointment is made by the Secretary of State for Justice in consultation with the Department of Health and Social Care and the Home Office, who co-sponsor and co-fund the IAPDC.

Appointments are regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments and recruitment processes comply with the Governance Code on Public Appointments.

Biography

Professor Fazel is a serving member of the IAPDC, having begun his first term in 2018 and his second in 2021. Professor Fazel is the Professor of Forensic Psychiatry and Director of the Centre for Suicide Research, at the University of Oxford. Since 2007, he has also been an Honorary Consultant Forensic Psychiatrist for Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust.

December 9, 2023