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Tag: 2023

  • PRESS RELEASE : Review of British Tourist Authority underway [May 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : Review of British Tourist Authority underway [May 2023]

    The press release issued by the Department of Culture, Media and Sport on 18 May 2023.

    Operator of VisitEngland and VisitBritain is being independently reviewed to ensure the organisation is effectively supporting tourism across Great Britain.

    • Part of cross-government review of public bodies to ensure taxpayer money spent on them delivers the best possible outcomes
    • Emir Feisal, Non-Executive Director at the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency, appointed to lead the review

    The British Tourist Authority (BTA) is undergoing an independent review to ensure the organisation is efficiently and effectively supporting the development of Great Britain’s tourism industry.

    The review is looking at how the operator of national tourist boards VisitEngland and VisitBritain support places across Great Britain to develop and market high-quality tourist offerings, create jobs in the sector and boost the economy.

    The review is part of a larger, annual cross-government assessment programme launched by the Cabinet Office in 2022 to continuously evaluate if public organisations are meeting their objectives and effectively delivering results for taxpayers.

    Emir Feisal, Non-Executive Director at the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency, and Chair of Audit & Risk Committee, has been selected to act as the independent Lead Reviewer. He is supported by officials from the Department for Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS).

    The review team is engaging with a broad range of stakeholders in the tourism sector, operating across the UK.

    Tourism Minister John Whittingdale said:

    Tourism showcases the best that Britain has to offer, our rich culture, heritage and natural beauty. It accounts for over four million jobs across the UK and remains a strong driver of growth, contributing hundreds of billions of pounds to the economy every year.

    As tourism continues to recover after the pandemic, it is only right that there is an independent health check of the British Tourist Authority to recognise areas of success and where we can improve to realise the industry’s full potential.

    Recommendations outlined in the final report will be published once the review is complete.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Environment Agency warns of threat of Prussian carp and other non-native species in UK waters [May 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : Environment Agency warns of threat of Prussian carp and other non-native species in UK waters [May 2023]

    The press release issued by the Environment Agency on 18 May 2023.

    Environment Agency’s National Fisheries Laboratory carries out crucial work to curb threats from Prussian carp in UK waters.

    As part of Invasive Species week, the Environment Agency has today warned of the threat posed by Prussian carp and other non-native species as it urges anglers and the wider public to report suspected sightings to its National Fisheries Laboratory for investigation.

    Over 2,000 non-native plants and animals have been introduced into the UK from all over the world. Most are harmless, but almost 15% become invasive, non-native species which spread and have a harmful impact on the environment. This includes fish that can: predate upon native fish and other wildlife; compete with them for food; change our aquatic ecosystems, and carry novel parasites and diseases.

    The Environment Agency’s expert team at the National Fisheries Laboratory continues to lead the way on the identification of non-native species and are international leaders in the development of tools and techniques to contain, control and eradicate those that are high risk.

    This includes work on Prussian carp – a species native to Asia, central and Eastern Europe that has recently been detected in UK waters. Once introduced, Prussian carp can rapidly expand their population size, leading to negative impacts on native species and ecosystems. They can out compete native fish species for food and habitat, and also interbreed with other species, which threatens our own populations.

    The EA’s Fisheries Laboratory is investigating all suspected cases in the UK and, as part of a national containment programme, fish movement controls have been placed on all waters with confirmed Prussian carp. Work is also underway to establish how they have entered the UK and assess their distribution across England.

    The latest investigations from the EA’s specialist Fisheries Laboratory team has also detected for the first time ever two additional, similar-looking non-native fish species known commonly as ‘ginbuna’ and ‘nigorobuna’.

    Also known as silver crucian carp, ‘ginbuna’ are native to Asia but have been recorded in Europe and North America; whereas ‘nigorobuna’ are native to Japan. Impacts resulting from introductions of ginbuna and nigorobuna are unclear but given their similarity to Prussian carp, the EA believes they are likely to carry similar environmental risks and are working at pace to understand these.

    Dr Graeme Storey, Environment Agency Fisheries Manager said:

    Our National Fisheries Laboratory is a vital asset that carries out incredibly important work to improve our understanding of the distribution and management of potentially harmful invasive, non-native species. But it’s crucial that anglers and members of the public report suspected sightings so we can investigate.

    Funded directly by rod licence income, our work helps to protect the wider environment, restore river health, and generally make angling a more enjoyable experience for all.

    Dr Gareth D Davies, Technical Specialist at the Environment Agency’s National Fisheries Laboratory said:

    The Environment Agency is remaining vigilant and our lab is working hard to ensure robust detection and mitigation measures are in place to determine the risk posed by Prussian carp, ginbuna or nigorobuna to our native stocks and the wider environment.

    We encourage fishery owners, managers and anglers to report any suspected cases of Prussian Carp, ginbuna, nigorobuna and other non-native species to us as soon as possible.

    This allows us to respond promptly to reports, limiting the harm to native fish species and helping our specialists research invasive species to prevent further spread.

    All suspected cases should be reported to the Environment Agency at non-natives@environment-agency.gov.uk or to the 24 hour incident hotline on 0800 80 70 60.

    It is illegal to import any of these fish into the UK due to the risk they pose to native fish populations and fisheries. These species have been introduced to many countries, either intentionally or inadvertently, due to their similarities with crucians, brown goldfish and carp hybrids which makes identifying them extremely difficult.

    Prussian carp, ginbuna and nigorobuna look very similar to brown goldfish and some carp hybrids. However, a number of features can be used to raise suspicion of these fish for a more detailed examination:

    • Prussian carp, ginbuna and nigorobuna are all deep-bodied, usually no more than 35 cm in length with relatively large scales.
    • They are often silvery in colour, but larger specimens can darken to a golden brown.
    • They lack barbules, which distinguishes them from carp (Cyprinus carpio). The image below highlights some of the features that can be used to help distinguish Prussian carp from other similar fish.
  • Lucy Frazer – 2023 Speech to the Enders Media & Telecoms Conference

    Lucy Frazer – 2023 Speech to the Enders Media & Telecoms Conference

    The speech made by Lucy Frazer, the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, in London on 18 May 2023.

    Good morning,

    Today I want to set out my reflections on three key parts of my portfolio as Culture Secretary.

    They are Potential. Opportunity. And Freedom.

    That is:

    Unlocking the potential that exists in the industries my department represents, including the creative industries

    Ensuring DCMS and Government as a whole support and create opportunities for young people.

    And highlighting the challenges to press freedom and identifying the principles by which we need to resolve those challenges

    Before I turn to these thoughts I want to talk about delivery

    As you will know we have a Prime Minister who is laser-focussed on delivery.

    And he appointed me 100 days ago to deliver

    On a number of projects that affect our communities

    And I have taken that challenge to deliver very seriously.

    And in that time I have brought to fruition a number of previous commitments

    These include:

    A draft media bill with reforms to level the playing field for our public service broadcasters

    A Football White Paper to protect our beautiful game

    A Gambling White Paper that delivers for the smartphone age

    Millions of pounds to support Youth facilities across the country

    100m to support our charities and 60m to upgrade our swimming pools

    An international summit setting out our opposition to Russian and Belarusian participation in international sporting events

    As well as working with my department, the Royal Family and the BBC to deliver the coronation and the events surrounding it as well as Eurovision, where we worked closely with Liverpool

    And now that I’ve delivered on these commitments , I want to lay out a clear agenda for the months ahead.

    One centred around potential, opportunity and freedom.

    And I wanted to start by telling you a story about a brilliant woman called Yetta who understood the importance of freedom, opportunity and potential.

    Her parents were Russian, and came to our free country as refugees fleeing persecution.

    And despite a number of potential drawbacks of that age – being Jewish, the child of immigrants and a woman.

    She succeeded.

    Yetta ignored obstacles.

    And focussed instead on the opportunity she had been given to be brought up here in the UK and in her very own extensive potential.

    My grandmother, Yetta Frazer, became the first female barrister in Leicester and practised at the bar until she was 80.

    And on every visit I made to see her, she reminded me of a line in a poem by Robert Browning.

    ‘A man’s reach should exceed his grasp, Or what’s a heaven for.’

    It’s a line about believing in your ability to succeed and taking advantage of the opportunity to realise your potential.

    It totally summed up her life

    and it is my guiding principle in this role.

    I think my Department – gets to represent some of the very best of Britain.

    Musicians and songwriters like Adele and Ed Sheeran. World-class footballers.

    Budding young writers and producers, video game creators and fashion designers.

    To my mind, DCMS is the Department for talent and opportunity.

    And our industries are truly world-class.

    I represent so many companies that have understood their potential and done everything possible to maximise it.

    Taking just 2 examples from companies here in this room.

    Sky who launched in 1989 in a prefab structure in an industrial park on the fringes of west London.

    Today Sky is among our leading entertainment companies, with 23 million subscribers.

    Or Netflix who were founded as a mail order rental firm in the 90s and have evolved into a business that has spent £4.8bn in the UK since 2020 making TV shows and films here and kickstarting long-term studio leases at Shepperton, Longcross, and a new London HQ opening last year.

    Indeed our creative industries are world class. They generated £108 billion in 2021 and employ over two million people across the country.

    And to put things in perspective they are worth more than our life sciences, automotive manufacturing, aerospace and the oil and gas sectors combined.

    We are in the global age of the silver screen.

    We rival any country in the world at sound and visual effects, and are on track to double UK film stage space by 2025.

    And the world over, there is demand for high-end British productions not just because of our fantastic actors and our great locations, but because of our tech know-how and production skills.

    The imagination of our designers, our producers, our content creators, our writers and artists is spearheading growth right across our economy.

    But it’s also owed, in-part, to how the Government and industry have worked together to back talent in this country and make Britain one of the best places in the world to be creative.

    And I am here to continue to maximise that growing potential.

    This Conservative Government has shown what can be achieved when we work with and listen to all of you working in industry.

    It is that same model of public-private partnership that gave us:

    A world-class vaccine development programme and rollout across the country.

    A £1.5bn covid relief package during Covid that helped protect our cultural and creative industries.

    A highly successful Film and TV Production Restart Scheme that ensured the industry was able to keep making great new content despite the lack of commercial insurance to cover Covid risk

    And tax reliefs that have been a huge catalyst for growth for our creative industries.

    I have no doubt that we in Government can do more to support our creatives.

    But we cannot simply rely on the formula for that past success.

    We face increasing global competition and we cannot afford to be complacent.

    By turbocharging growth and investment in sectors like video games, visual effects, music, fashion, film and television and more, we can retain our status as a creative industries superpower for decades to come.

    In order to do that we need to maximise potential. So I am committing to:

    Growing the creative industries by an extra £50bn by 2030.

    Creating a million extra jobs – all over the country – by 2030.

    And delivering a Creative careers promise that builds a pipeline of talent into our creative industries. And I want to work with you to deliver it.

    And I know we can. Because we are fortunate to have a PM and Chancellor who have identified this sector as one of 5 priority sectors for Government.

    And who have shown their commitment by taking action to support the industry.

    At the Budget the Chancellor backed our theatres, museums, galleries, orchestras, film, High-end TV and video games sectors by extending and reforming tax reliefs that create jobs, drive growth and support talent.

    Over the next few months we will be identifying how we can go further.

    First – growing these sectors by promoting skills from primary school children to those returning to the workforce.

    Whether that is in music at school or extracurricular activities, and working with the creative sector on maximising the opportunities of bootcamps and apprenticeships.

    Secondly we want to harness talent in clusters across the UK and support cannot be at the expense of London or detract from those places that are already thriving.

    It needs to build on what we have already seen across the country. Whether that’s video games in Dundee and Leamington Spa, or TV in Birmingham and Leeds.

    And thirdly, targeting specific support at different sub sectors, to unlock growth across the UK.

    And now I would like to turn to opportunity. Particularly for young people.

    Because we need inspired, empowered and creative young people to drive these industries forward in the future

    And I want to ensure that young people, wherever they are, and whatever their backgrounds are, have the opportunity to realise their potential, to fulfil their dreams, and reach, like Yetta did for something better than the probable destiny of their background.

    Before taking up this role in DCMS I was responsible for youth justice and met many young people who had, unfortunately, gone down the wrong path.

    None of them intending or really wanting to.

    I remember meeting John, who had struggled at school, then dropped out of school, and then been sent to a young offenders institution.

    He said to me ‘I don’t understand why no-one realised I was struggling and needed help, why no-one noticed me’.

    Through a mentoring support scheme, after he came out of prison he got back on track.

    And he himself became a mentor for other young children.

    We already have the National Youth Guarantee but I plan to expand that offer and make youth central to how we do things, as a Department.

    We need to offer all young children inspiration, aspiration, fulfilling education, hope and support.

    And finally freedom.

    As the descendant of someone who had to flee persecution for freedom, I appreciate what it means to live in a free society, and how dangerous it is when those freedoms are threatened.

    Organisations in this room today play a vital role in protecting both our democracy and our freedoms.

    We often talk about freedom of the press, but the reality is that it’s you, the media, who are helping protect the freedom of others.

    You who live up to the words of George Orwell, inscribed by his statue outside BBC Broadcasting House that ‘If liberty means anything at all, it means the right to tell people what they do not want to hear.’

    I recognise this basic right is under threat across the world.

    The New York Times chairman told Unesco earlier this month that ‘All over the world, independent journalists and press freedoms are under attack.’

    And he was right.

    You only need to look at the Russian arrest of a Wall Street Journal journalist to see that.

    I know that the challenges to free, fair and truthful reporting are coming from so many quarters: from the potential misuse of AI to mis and disinformation.

    And that is without even mentioning the speed of the changing media landscape.

    Staying competitive in a rapidly changing environment is a challenge for everyone. Challenger companies like BuzzFeed and Vice that were once the new kids on the block, are facing uncertain futures.

    As a government we are taking steps to increase press freedoms and make sure journalists can do their jobs effectively.

    With measures like the protection of public service broadcasters and prominence in the draft media bill and our commitment to the repeal of section 40 or the protection of journalists in the online safety bill, we are actively guarding your ability to uphold the rights of others.

    If we want a thriving media sector in the future – our focus has to be on a free press and a press that is free to grow.

    I know that is a major focus of your discussions today – looking at what the future looks like for companies big and small.

    And through our draft Media Bill we are updating a decades old regulatory framework to level the playing field and help guarantee the long term future of those first class Public Service Broadcasters.

    While also giving a broadcaster like Channel 4 even greater freedoms to produce, own and sell outstanding British content across the globe.

    No Government has all the answers to all the challenges the media faces, but what I can promise you is that my approach will be guided by the following principles.

    Protect our public service broadcasters.

    Stand up for independent voices.

    And nurture a thriving media landscape which upholds and champions fearless truth telling.

    To finish, I want to end with a thought.

    Last Saturday I enjoyed seeing the amazing cultural programme organised by Liverpool as the host city for the Eurovision Song Contest which showcased Ukrainian artists. And I also celebrated with 7,000 others in the Liverpool arena at the Grand Final.

    Creative excellence, TV production at its finest, world class BBC output.

    I was sitting next to the Ukrainian culture minister.

    As the show started Russia bombed Ukraine. He turned to me and said ‘it’s surreal.’ He looked around at the glitter, the spectacle and the sparkle. And said ‘I am here. And my wife is in a bomb shelter in Ukraine.’

    Here in the UK we are lucky to have it all. Potential. Opportunity. Freedom.

    And we must embrace it.

    Because as my grandmother would have said, ‘what’s a heaven for’?

  • PRESS RELEASE : Japanese firms commit record £17.7 billion investment into the UK [May 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : Japanese firms commit record £17.7 billion investment into the UK [May 2023]

    The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 18 May 2023.

    Leading Japanese businesses have committed to invest almost £18 billion in businesses and projects across the UK.

    • Japanese businesses commit almost £18 billion investment in the UK as PM hosts business reception in Tokyo
    • New finance from firms like Marubeni Corporation and Sumitomo Electric Industries set to create high quality jobs in strategic clean-energy industries
    • British businesses like Octopus Energy and Mott MacDonald seize opportunities in Japan as UK prepares to join CPTPP

    Leading Japanese businesses have committed to invest almost £18 billion in businesses and projects across the UK, generating growth in key sectors, creating high-skilled jobs and driving technology innovation.

    The announcement comes as the Prime Minister prepares to host a business reception in Tokyo today [Thursday 18th], where he will welcome the strength of the UK and Japan’s economic relationship and set out the opportunities to go further.

    Japan is already our 5th largest investor with £92 billion invested in the UK, and our trade in goods and services was worth £27.7 billion last year – which is likely to be boosted further when the UK joins the regional CPTPP trade bloc. The Prime Minister will thank Japanese CPTPP Minister Goto in person today for Japan’s strong support for the UK’s membership.

    The new investments include funding for offshore wind, low carbon hydrogen and other clean energy projects from Marubeni. The leading Japanese trading house has announced its intention to sign an MoU with the government which envisages approximately £10 billion of investment in the UK with its partners over the next 10 years – including in offshore wind in Scotland and green hydrogen projects in Wales and Scotland.

    The company is already supporting 500 UK jobs through its subsidiary SmartestEnergy Limited and will collaborate with government to create a substantial number of new green jobs in the UK.

    Mitsubishi Estate and Mitsui Fudosan, two of the largest real estate companies in Japan, are also confirming plans to invest £3.5 billion in the UK today. The planned projects will build affordable housing, high quality office space and life-science laboratory in London, which is expected to support thousands of jobs and help to revitalise areas of the capital.

    Sumitomo Corporation intends to expand its UK offshore wind projects, leading to a total investment of £4 billion in projects off the coasts of Suffolk and Norfolk alongside its partners. The major investment further solidifies the UK’s status as a clean energy pioneer and supports Government’s ambition to install 50GW of offshore wind capacity by 2030.

    Sumitomo Electric Industries has also announced its decision to build a strategically important high voltage cable manufacturing plant in the Scottish Highlands, bringing more than £200m in investment and creating 150 highly skilled green jobs. This investment will help the UK build resilient supply chains for critical infrastructure such as offshore wind projects and support UK developers to enhance their contribution to UK growth.

    The new investment will support growth in some of the UK’s most cutting-edge industries. Toshiba will be expanding operations at their Cambridge Laboratory, for example, which is designing and delivering advanced quantum-safe cryptographic communication solutions – creating more than 30 new jobs initially and investing in excess of £20 million in new technology development.

    Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said:

    These new investments are a massive vote of confidence in the UK’s dynamic economy, from some of Japan’s top firms.

    Working with the Government and British industry they will create the kind of high-quality, reliable jobs and transformative local investment we are delivering around the country.

    It’s great to also see leading UK businesses seizing the huge opportunities for growth and collaboration in Japan. As we grow our trade ties further and join the huge regional CPTPP trade bloc, the sky’s the limit for British and Japanese businesses and entrepreneurs.

    UK company Octopus Energy is also announcing today its commitment to invest £1.5 billion in the Asia-Pacific energy market by 2027, helping speed up the region’s transition to a cleaner, smarter energy system. Doubling down on its existing Asian headquarters, Octopus will commit £300 million to expand its tech innovation and energy retail hub in Tokyo. This will enable the business to increase its headcount tenfold by 2027, creating 1,000 green jobs for UK and local talent.

    As we grow our defence cooperation with Japan, Leonardo UK in partnership with Kawasaki Heavy Industries has been contracted to provide further world-class naval helicopters and Mid Life Upgrade kits for the Japanese Maritime Self-Defence Force, in a deal worth over £150 million in exports.

    Building on the UK’s expertise in offshore wind, UK consultancy Mott MacDonald has also secured a major contract to help develop a state-of-the-art offshore wind farm in western Japan that could power more than 175,000 homes with clean energy.

    Masumi Kakinoki, CEO of Marubeni Corporation said:

    We are thrilled to have forged a robust partnership with the United Kingdom, and we eagerly anticipate collaborating with the UK government to unleash a surge of investment into the nation’s clean energy transition.

    This endeavour not only signifies our commitment to the UK’s energy transition, but also reinforces Marubeni’s role as an active participant in the global march towards a sustainable future. We are on the brink of an energy revolution, and it is partnerships like these that will help ensure our shared success.

    Greg Jackson, Founder of Octopus Energy Group, said:

    International cooperation is the key to creating an energy transition which benefits consumers and economies as well as the climate. Our partnership with Tokyo Gas has grown ever stronger and I’m delighted to be bringing even more investment to Japan and into the UK.

    Linking our businesses in Australia, New Zealand and Singapore to the UK and Europe, our operations in Japan have helped create a unique global technology ecosystem benefiting everyone. I’m excited to take it even further with today’s announcement.

    Alongside chief executives and CEOs from firms like Nissan, Sumitomo Corporation and Hitachi, the Prime Minister will meet three start-up UK companies at today’s business reception. Winnow, Transreport and Oxentia have just announced new partnerships and offices in Japan, demonstrating the opportunities for growing UK companies to export internationally.

    These announcements come as the UK and Japanese governments unveil a new Renewable Energy Partnership which includes building business partnerships to accelerate the deployment of clean energy.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Lord Chancellor reappoints 2 members to the Tribunal Procedure Committee [May 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : Lord Chancellor reappoints 2 members to the Tribunal Procedure Committee [May 2023]

    The press release issued by the Ministry of Justice on 18 May 2023.

    The Lord Chancellor, after consultation with the Lord Chief Justice, has announced the reappointment of Philip Brook Smith KC and Susan Humble as members of the Tribunal Procedure Committee.

    The Lord Chancellor has announced the reappointment of Philip Brook Smith KC and Susan Humble as members of the Tribunal Procedure Committee (TPC) for 3 years from 4 July 2023 to 3 July 2026.

    Philip Brook Smith KC, was appointed to the TPC on 4 July 2020. He has a broad commercial and civil practice and has substantial experience of a wide variety of areas of commercial and civil law, achieving notable distinction in the field of product liability.

    Susan Humble was appointed to the TPC on 4 July 2020. She is a partner at RIAA Barker Gillette, Chair of the Taxation Disciplinary Board and a Lay Panellist on the Professional Conduct Committee of the Teaching Regulation Agency. Between 2010 – 2018, Susan was the Chief Executive Officer and Clerk of the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal.

    Both appointees have declared no political activity.

    The TPC was established, on 19 May 2008, under the Tribunals, Courts and Enforcement Act (TCEA) 2007 to make rules governing practice and procedure in the First-tier and Upper Tribunals. The TPC is responsible for nine sets of Tribunal Rules, covering 11 Chambers in the Unified Tribunals System. The subject matter of the appeals heard in those Chambers includes immigration, tax, mental health and transport.

    These reappointments are made under Schedule 5(21) of the TCEA and are regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments and comply with the Cabinet Office Governance Code on Public Appointments.

  • PRESS RELEASE : New funding for farmers to protect the English landscape [May 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : New funding for farmers to protect the English landscape [May 2023]

    The press release issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 18 May 2023.

    Farmers and landowners will receive funding and support for projects to protect and restore thousands of acres of the English landscape.

    Farmers and landowners will receive funding and support for projects to create new habitats for wildlife, help protected sites and boost efforts to reach net zero, alongside sustainable food production, the government has confirmed today (Thursday 18 May).

    Building on the success of the first round of the scheme launched last year, farmers and land managers are able to bid for a share of £15 million initial development funding, with significantly more investment in the years to come as projects move from development to delivery.

    This will help them to collaborate and work in partnership to protect and enhance landscapes in England, delivering environmental benefits on a massive scale while supporting farmers to deliver their world-renowned produce.

    The second round of the scheme will support up to 25 projects which will be administered by Natural England and the Environment Agency – the lead delivery partners for the scheme. The projects will be selected based on their environmental and social impact, value for money and suitability for the scheme. In addition, for the first time, we have introduced a food production criterion which will be used to ensure prospective projects take food production into consideration and mitigate any negative impacts on this where possible.

    It will focus on projects of at least 500 hectares which could include landscape scale projects creating and enhancing woodland including temperate rainforest, peatland, nature reserves and protected sites such as ancient woodlands, wetlands and salt marshes.

    Secretary of State for Food and Farming Thérèse Coffey said:

    Landscape Recovery is one of our three Environmental Land Management schemes which provide the funding and support for farmers in England through the biggest change in a generation.

    The scheme is already supporting 22 inspiring landscape-scale projects across England with development funding and the second round will help more farmers and land managers take collective action through involvement in bespoke projects that will make a real difference in reaching net zero and supporting valuable habitats, while continuing to support sustainable food production.

    Projects selected for the first round last year are demonstrating how food production and environmental delivery can go hand in hand. On the Somerset and Dorset border, the River Axe Landscape Recovery project is bringing together 23 farmers, smallholders and landowners, including dairy, beef, sheep and arable farms, to restore a 23.6km stretch of the upper river. The project will support regenerative farming and extensive grazing on the land neighbouring the river corridor to reduce diffuse pollution, phosphates and sediments entering the river, enabling cleaner water to flow.

    Funding for Landscape Recovery will be provided from the government’s £2.4 billion annual investment into the farming sector, which is guaranteed for the rest of this Parliament, with every penny of the reductions to farmers’ direct payments reinvested back into farming.

    Dr Tony Juniper, Chair of Natural England, said:

    Agriculture has a huge role to play in Nature recovery, ensuring that a thriving natural world is at the heart of sustainable food production. Landscape Recovery encourages farmers and land managers to transform Nature at a landscape scale and Natural England will use its advice and relationships to support them every step of the way.

    I hope that through this scheme more farmers and land managers will join forces, making significant progress towards the statutory Nature targets and providing the food and public goods that our society depends upon.

    Alan Lovell, Chair of the Environment Agency, said:

    I welcome the second round of the Landscape Recovery scheme, which is a key opportunity for farmers and land managers who want to focus more specifically on ambitious land-use change and habitat restoration.

    The round one projects – only launched in September 2022 – are already showing great promise, such as the River Axe project in Devon supported by the Environment Agency to improve the habitats and water quality of the Axe.

    This second round of Landscape Recovery will take us further down the track toward becoming a nation that is resilient to climate change and rich in ecological diversity.

    This new round builds on the success of the first round of the scheme last year, which was oversubscribed with high quality applications. The 22 projects selected for the first round focus on recovering and restoring England’s threatened native species and restoring England’s streams and rivers by improving water quality, enhancing biodiversity and adapting to climate change.

    Farmers and land managers, including tenants and upland farmers, are at the centre of all the projects. They will be working closely together to deliver a range of environmental benefits across farmland and rural landscapes. This includes creating and enhancing habitats from chalk streams and temperate rainforest to moorland and wetland, restoring over 600km of rivers, and protecting at least 263 species such as water vole, otter, pine marten, lapwing, great crested newt, European eel and marsh fritillary.

    The projects range from the Three Dales project in Yorkshire – where a consortium of ten farmers, landowners and conservation organisations led by the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust are aiming to restore a large area of the western Yorkshire Dales uplands, creating habitats for species including black grouse, curlew and ring ouzels – to the Darent Valley Farmer Cluster in Kent which is seeing farmers join forces with Kent Wildlife Trust and more local organisations to carry out chalk stream restoration in the Kent Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

    The Landscape Recovery programme is one of the government’s three new Environmental Land Management schemes, alongside the Sustainable Farming Incentive and Countryside Stewardship.

    The EU’s Common Agricultural Policy disproportionately rewarded the biggest farms, with 50% of payments going to the largest 10% of recipients, which wasn’t fair or sustainable for our long term shared aims to protect the dual role of farmers as food producers and stewards of our national environment.

    Outside the EU, our new system sees payments made fairly to all farmers in return for their actions, designed in partnership with the industry, and tailored to the specific interests of British farmers.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Trolls who encourage serious self-harm to face jail [May 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : Trolls who encourage serious self-harm to face jail [May 2023]

    The press release issued by the Ministry of Justice on 18 May 2023.

    New offence for encouraging serious self-harm with perpetrators facing 5 years behind bars.

    • offence to apply regardless of whether target goes on to cause serious self-harm
    • move will protect vulnerable while not criminalising those who share their recovery journey

    Vile trolls who hide behind the anonymity of the internet to encourage others to cause themselves serious harm will face prosecution as part of an overhaul of online safety laws announced today (18 May 2023).

    Additions to the Online Safety Bill will make it a crime to encourage someone to cause serious self-harm, regardless of whether or not victims go on to injure themselves and those convicted face up to 5 years in prison.  The new offence will add to existing laws which make it illegal to encourage or assist someone to take their own life.

    Police or prosecutors will only have to prove communication was intended to encourage or assist serious self-harm amounting to grievous bodily harm (GBH) – this could include serious injuries such as broken bones or permanent physical scarring.

    The offence will apply even where the perpetrator does not know the person they are targeting – putting an end to abhorrent trolling that risks serious self-harm or life-changing injuries.

    Encouraging someone to starve themselves or not take prescribed medication will also be covered.

    Research from the Mental Health Foundation shows that more than a quarter of women between 16-24 have reported self-harm at some point in their life and since 1993 the levels of self-harm among women have tripled.  Today’s announcement is the latest step in our work to provide greater protections for women and girls who are more likely to self-harm.

    Research also shows more than two-thirds of UK adults are concerned about seeing content that promotes or advocates self-harm while online.

    Lord Chancellor and Justice Secretary, Alex Chalk KC, said:

    There is no place in our society for those who set out to deliberately encourage the serious self-harm of others. Our new law will send a clear message to these cowardly trolls that their behaviour is not acceptable.

    Building on the existing measures in the Online Safety Bill our changes will make it easier to convict these vile individuals and make the internet a better and safer place for everyone.

    The new offence will be created following a recommendation from the Law Commission in 2021 and balances the need to protect vulnerable people while not criminalising those who document their own self-harm as part of their recovery journey.

    Justice Minister, Edward Argar MP, said:

    No parent should ever worry about their children seeing content online or elsewhere encouraging them to hurt themselves.

    Our reforms will punish those who use encourage vulnerable people to inflict serious injuries on themselves and make sure they face the prospect of time behind bars.

    This new offence builds on measures already in the Online Safety Bill, which will better regulate social media and ensure that social media companies like Tiktok, Snapchat, Facebook, Instagram and others are held legally responsible for the content on their sites.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Government to tackle post pandemic absence rates with new support [May 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : Government to tackle post pandemic absence rates with new support [May 2023]

    The press release issued by the Department for Education on 18 May 2023.

    Successful attendance programmes expanded by Government to get more children into school.

    New plans to support pupils to drive up attendance rates in schools to improve pupils’ attainment and welfare have been announced by the Government today.

    These plans include the expansion of the successful sector-led Attendance Hubs programme with nine new lead hub schools, alongside the expansion of Attendance Mentors in areas of the country with the highest levels of pupil absence.

    The nine new attendance hub leads will support up to 600 primary, secondary and alternative provision schools in England to improve their attendance by sharing effective practice and practical resources.

    Practice shared by hubs may include rolling out automatic text messaging to parents where pupils do not attend school and using data effectively to identify children at risk of poor attendance and in order to intervene early.

    The expansion of the attendance mentors programme, delivered by children’s charity Barnardo’s, will see trained mentors work directly with 1,665 persistently and severely absent children and their families across Knowsley, Doncaster, Stoke-on-Trent and Salford to understand and overcome the barriers to attendance and support them back into school.

    These new measures build on the Government’s existing attendance strategy which includes: new expectations set out in guidance for schools, trusts and local authorities, a national attendance data dashboard providing more up-to-date attendance data so schools can target the most vulnerable, and the work of the national Attendance Action Alliance.

    Improving attendance is key to boosting attainment and evidence shows pupils with higher attendance tend to have higher attainment across all key stages. Education and the social connection that comes with it can also have a positive impact on the mental health and wellbeing of young people. It lays the foundation for growing a strong economy in the future, one of the Prime Minister’s priorities.

    Today the Department is also publishing a call for evidence on children missing education – those neither on a school roll nor being suitably home educated. Receiving evidence from local authorities, schools and other agencies on what works to support children missing education and the challenges they face, will play a vital role in allowing the Department to identify existing best practice and inform future policy. The call for evidence is open until 20 July.

    Schools Minister, Nick Gibb said:

    We know that the best place for children to learn is in the classroom, and the vast majority of children are currently in school and learning.

    Though pupil attendance is continuing to recover, the pandemic has still had a real impact on pupil absence in school.

    That is why we’re expanding some of our most important attendance measures today – including the attendance hubs and mentoring programmes, to ensure children have the best chance of receiving a high-quality education.

    Assistant Director of Barnardo’s North, Emma Ramsay said:

    We are very excited to have confirmation from the Department for Education that Attendance Mentor pilot is being expanded into the four new areas after our pilot in Middlesbrough.

    We are looking forward to working with schools, local authorities, families and pupils who face challenges with school attendance in Doncaster, Salford, Stoke on Trent, and Knowsley.

    We are passionate about helping pupils overcome the barriers they face, and are sure these areas will benefit significantly from the service.

    CEO of Northern Education Trust, Rob Tarn said:

    It has been wonderful to see the positive professional conversations generated following the creation of the North Shore attendance hub. Securing better attendance always has been, and continues to be, a day to day challenge for schools across the country.

    The increase in the number of attendance hubs and the number of schools involved in collaborative work will mean that many organisations need no longer feel alone and will have the ability to share their best practice whilst receiving ideas from others.

    The new Attendance Hubs will start supporting other schools from June and mentors will begin working with children and families in the new areas from September.

    Findings from the expansion of the attendance hubs will determine whether the approach has the potential to be rolled out to other areas across the country.

    The first Attendance Hub was established by Rob Tarn, CEO of Northern Education Trust and member of the Attendance Action Alliance, to provide other schools with techniques, resources and advice on how to improve attendance, as successfully trialled in Northern Education Trust’s North Shore Academy.

    North Shore Academy has significantly improved its own pupil attendance rates despite having almost three times more disadvantaged pupils than the national average. Last year the national absence rate in schools was 9% whereas North Shore Academy was 8.2%. As part of the hub, it is extending its work to headteachers running schools in similar circumstances. A number of schools who have participated in the hub have seen significant improvements in their attendance.

    As part of the expansion, nine additional schools will join North Shore Academy to lead new hubs to share methods that keep pupils in school.

  • PRESS RELEASE : UK to join Biden’s emissions challenge as it forges closer energy security links with US [May 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : UK to join Biden’s emissions challenge as it forges closer energy security links with US [May 2023]

    The press release issued by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero on 18 May 2023.

    Grant Shapps begins 4-day visit to the US, as Department for Energy Security and Net Zero marks first 100 days.

    • Shapps on 4-day US visit to strengthen collaboration to safeguard UK
    • Energy Security Secretary is meeting senior members of Biden administration
    • UK set to join President’s Carbon Management Challenge to remove and store CO2
    • visit comes as Department for Energy Security and Net Zero marks first 100 days

    The UK will back President Biden’s drive to remove and store global carbon emissions as it forges ever-closer links with the United States on energy security.

    Grant Shapps said the UK will join the President’s Carbon Management Challenge on a 4-day visit to the US this week. The Challenge encourages countries to rapidly cut emissions and develop removal technologies to capture CO2 and store it deep underground.

    The UK has one of the largest carbon storage potentials, including under the North Sea, of any country in the world, with capacity to hold up to 78 billion tonnes of carbon – equal to the weight of 15 billion elephants. This will create a whole new industry, worth £8 billion to the UK economy and produce around 50,000 new jobs – supporting the government’s priority to grow the economy.

    The Energy Security Secretary’s visit to the US this week will strengthen collaboration between the 2 countries. This includes working closely together on clean and renewable technologies to cut household bills, reduce the need for foreign fossil fuels and further drive tyrants like Putin out of the global energy market.

    Grant Shapps is meeting senior members of the Biden administration, including his Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm in Washington DC yesterday (Wednesday), and key figures such as California Governor Gavin Newsom today (Thursday).

    The visit comes as the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero marked its 100th day.

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

    Putin’s illegal war in Ukraine has had the exact opposite effect from what he wanted – rather than wilting in the face of his tyranny, we’ve stood firm and united and are neutralising his blackmail.

    Our resolve has strengthened our relationships around the world, and nowhere more so than with the United States, where we are forging ever-closer links to deliver cleaner, cheaper, and more secure energy – ensuring the likes of Putin can never again hold the world to ransom.

    We’re world leaders in renewable technologies and by supporting President Biden’s Carbon Management Challenge we are taking a step closer to realising our huge potential and be at the forefront of this exciting industry of the future.

    Today in California, the Energy Security Secretary is due to meet Governor Gavin Newsom and Secretary for Environmental Protection Yana Garcia. Grant Shapps will point to the UK’s world leading expertise in renewable energy, including offshore wind, and is expected to discuss how the UK and California – the world’s fourth largest economy – can work closer together on clean technologies.

    In Washington DC yesterday, the Energy Security Secretary discussed with Secretary Granholm closer collaboration further diminish Putin and deliver cheaper, cleaner and more secure energy for both countries.

    In addition to the Carbon Management Challenge, the UK is supporting John Kerry’s First Movers Coalition (FMC) under the Breakthrough Agenda – a UK-led initiative launched by 45 world leaders at COP26. The FMC sees companies around the world make pledges to cut their carbon emissions, such as by cleaning up manufacturing processes and supply chains.

    To date, 6 UK companies – PricewaterhouseCoopers, Deloitte, the Aveva Group, Rio Tinto, National Grid and Ernst & Young – have become partners. Today, Grant Shapps is calling on other British businesses to consider following suit, and be part of the global effort to clean up the most carbon-intensive industries.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Prime Minister to agree historic UK-Japan Accord ahead of G7 [May 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : Prime Minister to agree historic UK-Japan Accord ahead of G7 [May 2023]

    The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 17 May 2023.

    Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida will agree a landmark new global strategic partnership, ‘The Hiroshima Accord’.

    • PM set to agree historic ‘Hiroshima Accord’ on UK-Japan economic, security and tech collaboration
    • UK to step up defence cooperation with Japan to uphold stability in the Indo-Pacific
    • PM will visit a naval base and host a business reception in Tokyo before travelling to Hiroshima to meet Prime Minister Kishida ahead of G7

    Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida will agree a landmark new global strategic partnership, ‘The Hiroshima Accord’ when they meet in the city later today [Thursday 18th May].

    The UK’s relationship with Japan has grown further and faster than with any other international partner, reflecting Japan’s pivotal role in the Indo-Pacific and their centrality to the UK’s security and prosperity. In the last six months, we have completed negotiations to join the CPTPP trade bloc, launched the UK-Japan-Italy Global Combat Air Programme and signed a ground-breaking defence Reciprocal Access Agreement.

    The Hiroshima Accord will cement this relationship, with new agreements on defence, trade and investment, science and technology collaboration, and joint work on tackling global issues like climate change.

    Arriving in Tokyo on Thursday, the Prime Minister will visit a naval base and confirm new UK-Japan defence cooperation. This includes doubling UK troop numbers in upcoming joint exercises, committing to deploy the Carrier Strike Group to the Indo-Pacific in 2025 and agreeing a formal Consult Clause, whereby the UK and Japan commit to consult each other on important regional and global security issues and consider measures in response.

    We are also launching a set of science and technology programmes to support UK-Japan collaboration at every stage of the pipeline, from early career researchers through to bringing new innovations to market. It includes a new strategic relationship between Imperial College London and the University of Tokyo, built on collaboration with Hitachi Ltd, to develop a UK-Japan Cleantech Innovation Hub and scale up the rapid development of green technologies.

    As part of the new Accord, the UK and Japan will launch a Semiconductors Partnership, with new commitments to pursue ambitious R&D cooperation and skills exchange, strengthening our domestic sectors and bolstering supply chain resilience in an increasingly competitive market.

    Later on Thursday, the Prime Minister will host a reception of key Japanese business leaders in Tokyo to reiterate the importance of our trade and investment relationship. He is expected to confirm billions of pounds of new job creating investments in the UK.

    Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said:

    It is a privilege to be visiting Tokyo and Hiroshima at this historic moment in the United Kingdom’s relationship with Japan.

    Prime Minister Kishida and I are closely aligned on the importance of protecting peace and security in the Indo-Pacific and defending our values, including free and fair trade.

    The Hiroshima Accord will see us step up cooperation between our armed forces, grow our economies together and develop our world-leading science and technology expertise.  It marks an exciting next phase in the UK and Japan’s flourishing partnership.

    The fourth UK-Japan joint ‘Vigilant Isles’ military exercises, taking place in Japan later this year, will be the biggest yet with around 170 UK personnel taking part, including from the 1 Royal Gurkha Rifles and 16 Air Assault Brigade.

    The UK will confirm today that its Carrier Strike Group will return to the Indo-Pacific in 2025, following its maiden voyage to the region in 2021. The fleet, comprised of an aircraft carrier, her escorts and her aircraft, will work alongside the Japanese Self Defence Forces and other regional partners to help defend peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific.

    As part of the defence agreements under the Hiroshima Accord, the Prime Minister is expected to agree a new Cyber Partnership with Japan. This will deepen UK-Japan cooperation on cyber and set a high level of ambition for the future relationship, with Fujitsu UK joining the National Cyber Security Centre’s Industry 100, and the UK and Japan piloting a new Japan Cyber Security Fellowship to develop future cyber leaders.

    We will also unveil a new Renewable Energy Partnership, aimed at accelerating the deployment of clean energy in the UK, Japan and third countries.