Tag: 2023

PRESS RELEASE : The wide-ranging security impacts of challenges in cyberspace – UK statement to the OSCE [March 2023]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 29 March 2023.

Emma Logan (UK Delegation) condemns Russia’s sustained pattern of malicious cyber behaviour against the UK and our partners.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. As we have heard today, threats in cyberspace are evolving and can take many forms.

We continue to see a sustained pattern of malicious cyber behaviour by the Russian state, and by cyber criminals allowed to operate from Russian territory with impunity, against the UK and our friends and partners.

Threat to Ukraine

This pattern of malicious cyber behaviour includes a long-running campaign of hostile and destabilising activity against Ukraine, the tempo of which increased significantly in the run up to and immediately following Russia’s illegal invasion on 24 February 2022.

Together with partners, we have exposed multiple instances of malicious cyber activity by Russia, including the deployment of malware against the Ukrainian banking sector on 15 and 16 February 2022, and an attack on a communications company on the 24 February that caused outages for several thousand Ukrainian customers, with tens of thousands of terminals damaged, rendered inoperable and irreparable.

In addition to harming their intended targets, these incidents have had wider destabilising consequences – affecting ordinary people and businesses across the OSCE region. For example, the 24 February attack affected windfarms in one country and internet users across Europe.

In addition, the Kremlin continues to use information operations to undermine Ukrainian sovereignty, create false pretexts and obscure the truth. It regularly uses propaganda and disinformation to sustain its support base, attack rivals, and erode international support for Ukraine. Georgia and Moldova are among the states suffering on the frontline from these underhand tactics.

Threat to the UK

Even before it launched its illegal invasion of Ukraine, we judged Russia posed a significant, enduring, and direct cyber threat to the UK.

Our National Cyber Security Centre has confirmed that Russian cyber actors have conducted a malign programme of activity in recent years, including attempted interference against our media, telecommunications, and energy infrastructure.

This threat has not changed significantly since the start of its invasion, but Russia’s risk appetite has grown significantly.

UK response

As was made clear by our recent Integrated Review Refresh, the UK is working with our partners to meet these challenges head on and to hold the perpetrators to account.

Public attribution

We have publicly attributed malicious cyber activity to Russia where we have had compelling evidence to do so and it was in our national interest. I have already given some examples, related to Ukraine, but there are others. For example, in April 2021 we attributed the SolarWinds compromise to Russia’s foreign intelligence agency, the SVR. This forms part of a pattern of behaviour ongoing since 2011, predominantly aimed at overseas governmental, diplomatic, think-tank, healthcare and energy targets for intelligence purposes.

Sanctions

We have also used our cyber sanctions regime to impose a direct cost on those responsible for malicious cyber activity. For example, together with partners we have imposed asset freezes and travel bans against members of Russia’s military intelligence agency, the GRU’s, destructive cyber unit.

Resilience

As outlined in our National Cyber Strategy, the UK will continue to strengthen our cyber resilience.

Support to partners

And importantly, we also will continue to support our partners to build their own resilience.

For example, we announced a £6.35 million package of cyber support to Ukraine last year, including the provision of daily cyber threat intelligence and technical assistance to the MFA to protect their websites from Distributed Denial of Service attacks.

Lastly, on disinformation, we have established a new directorate in our Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office to build our capability to assess and respond to the hostile manipulation of information. And we have committed to provide additional funding to the BBC World Service to counter disinformation.

Mr. Chair, not only must Russia withdraw its troops from Ukraine and end its brutal and illegal war, it must act as a responsible actor in cyberspace, and refrain from spreading dangerous disinformation. The UK will continue to do everything we can to protect ourselves and our partners from these threats and we would welcome further discussion on these topics in the OSCE Security Committee as the threats remain live.

Thank you.

March 29, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : UK unveils world leading approach to innovation in first artificial intelligence white paper to turbocharge growth [March 2023]
The press release issued by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology on 29 March 2023.

Government launches AI white paper to guide the use of artificial intelligence in the UK, to drive responsible innovation and maintain public trust in this revolutionary technology.
- White paper sets out new approach to regulating artificial intelligence to build public trust in cutting-edge technologies and make it easier for businesses to innovate, grow and create jobs
- plan will help unleash the benefits of AI, one of the 5 technologies of tomorrow, which already contributes £3.7 billion to the UK economy
- follows new expert taskforce to build the UK’s capabilities in foundation models, including large language models like ChatGPT, and £2 million for sandbox trial to help businesses test AI rules before getting to market
Five principles, including safety, transparency and fairness, will guide the use of artificial intelligence in the UK, as part of a new national blueprint for our world class regulators to drive responsible innovation and maintain public trust in this revolutionary technology.

The UK’s AI industry is thriving, employing over 50,000 people and contributing £3.7 billion to the economy last year. Britain is home to twice as many companies providing AI products and services as any other European country and hundreds more are created each year.

AI is already delivering real social and economic benefits for people, from helping doctors to identify diseases faster to helping British farmers use their land more efficiently and sustainably. Adopting artificial intelligence in more sectors could improve productivity and unlock growth, which is why the government is committed to unleashing AI’s potential across the economy.

As AI continues developing rapidly, questions have been raised about the future risks it could pose to people’s privacy, their human rights or their safety. There are concerns about the fairness of using AI tools to make decisions which impact people’s lives, such as assessing the worthiness of loan or mortgage applications.

Alongside hundreds of millions of pounds of government investment announced at Budget, the proposals in the AI Regulation White Paper will help create the right environment for artificial intelligence to flourish safely in the UK.

Currently, organisations can be held back from using AI to its full potential because a patchwork of legal regimes causes confusion and financial and administrative burdens for businesses trying to comply with rules.

The government will avoid heavy-handed legislation which could stifle innovation and take an adaptable approach to regulating AI. Instead of giving responsibility for AI governance to a new single regulator, the government will empower existing regulators – such as the Health and Safety Executive, Equality and Human Rights Commission and Competition and Markets Authority – to come up with tailored, context-specific approaches that suit the way AI is actually being used in their sectors.

The white paper outlines 5 clear principles that these regulators should consider to best facilitate the safe and innovative use of AI in the industries they monitor. The principles are:
- safety, security and robustness: applications of AI should function in a secure, safe and robust way where risks are carefully managed
- transparency and explainability: organisations developing and deploying AI should be able to communicate when and how it is used and explain a system’s decision-making process in an appropriate level of detail that matches the risks posed by the use of AI
- fairness: AI should be used in a way which complies with the UK’s existing laws, for example the Equality Act 2010 or UK GDPR, and must not discriminate against individuals or create unfair commercial outcomes
- accountability and governance: measures are needed to ensure there is appropriate oversight of the way AI is being used and clear accountability for the outcomes
- contestability and redress: people need to have clear routes to dispute harmful outcomes or decisions generated by AI
This approach will mean the UK’s rules can adapt as this fast-moving technology develops, ensuring protections for the public without holding businesses back from using AI technology to deliver stronger economic growth, better jobs, and bold new discoveries that radically improve people’s lives.

Over the next 12 months, regulators will issue practical guidance to organisations, as well as other tools and resources like risk assessment templates, to set out how to implement these principles in their sectors. When parliamentary time allows, legislation could be introduced to ensure regulators consider the principles consistently.

Science, Innovation and Technology Secretary Michelle Donelan said

AI has the potential to make Britain a smarter, healthier and happier place to live and work. Artificial intelligence is no longer the stuff of science fiction, and the pace of AI development is staggering, so we need to have rules to make sure it is developed safely.

Our new approach is based on strong principles so that people can trust businesses to unleash this technology of tomorrow.

Businesses warmly welcomed initial proposals for this proportionate approach during a consultation last year and highlighted the need for more coordination between regulators to ensure the new framework is implemented effectively across the economy. As part of the white paper published today, the government is consulting on new processes to improve coordination between regulators as well as monitor and evaluate the AI framework, making changes to improve the efficacy of the approach if needed.

£2 million will fund a new sandbox, a trial environment where businesses can test how regulation could be applied to AI products and services, to support innovators bringing new ideas to market without being blocked by rulebook barriers.

Organisations and individuals working with AI can share their views on the white paper as part of a new consultation launching today which will inform how the framework is developed in the months ahead.

Lila Ibrahim, Chief Operating Officer and UK AI Council Member, DeepMind, said:

AI has the potential to advance science and benefit humanity in numerous ways, from combating climate change to better understanding and treating diseases. This transformative technology can only reach its full potential if it is trusted, which requires public and private partnership in the spirit of pioneering responsibly. The UK’s proposed context-driven approach will help regulation keep pace with the development of AI, support innovation and mitigate future risks.

Grazia Vittadini, Chief Technology Officer, Rolls-Royce, said:

Both our business and our customers will benefit from agile, context-driven AI regulation. It will enable us to continue to lead the technical and quality assurance innovations for safety-critical industrial AI applications, while remaining compliant with the standards of integrity, responsibility and trust that society demands from AI developers.

Sue Daley, Director for Tech and Innovation at techUK, said:

techUK welcomes the much-anticipated publication of the UK’s AI White Paper and supports its plans for a context-specific, principle-based approach to governing AI that promotes innovation. The government must now prioritise building the necessary regulatory capacity, expertise, and coordination. techUK stands ready to work alongside government and regulators to ensure that the benefits of this powerful technology are felt across both society and the economy.
March 29, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Eight projects seek funding in the second phase of the Climate Finance Accelerator in Peru [March 2023]
The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 28 March 2023.

Eight innovative projects that contribute to climate change mitigation have been selected to participate in the second phase of the Climate Finance Accelerator.

The program, funded by the Government of the United Kingdom, will support the selected projects to strengthen their proposals and attract investment from Peruvian and international financiers.

The projects in this second CFA cohort come from a variety of sectors including waste management, energy, sustainable agriculture, among others. For example, some of them aim to implement solar panel boats for river traffic in the Amazon, responsible waste management in the construction sector, regeneration of used clays, among others.

A key barrier to climate action is the limited supply of projects capable of attracting the financing and investment needed to implement large-scale solutions. Projects will receive

The technical assistance provided focuses on identifying their financial needs such as the combination of financing from public and private sources, structuring their bankable financial model and presentation materials.

The advice also seeks to improve the business model in areas like gender inclusion and social equality. Once funded, the projects will benefit communities throughout Peru through pollution reduction, employment opportunities, energy access, water conservation, and support for gender equality and social inclusion efforts.

UK Ambassador to Peru, Gavin Cook, stated:

I’m delighted to join these eight exciting projects at the start of their CFA Peru journey. Their innovative ideas and approaches really showcase how the private sector is helping to tackle the climate emergency in Peru and we’re excited to partner.

The CFA’s technical and financial experts will help them develop to get the investment that will drive not just their projects, but wider social impact. The lessons we learn will also help the Peruvian government and private sector generate capital flows for the future. I can’t wait to hear how they get on.

By bringing together stakeholders who can develop and finance climate projects at scale, the CFA will support Peru’s efforts to meet the priorities set out in its Nationally Determined Contribution under the Paris Agreement.

The project is led in Peru by Libélula. Program leader in Peru, Katherine Bocanegra, Libelula’s Head of Projects added:

The CFA Program is a great opportunity to continue building the portfolio of sustainable and bankable projects that reduce carbon emissions in Peru. We are very excited about the results we will obtain at the end of this second phase, the projects are increasingly promising and we will do everything we can to help them access the financing they need.

The eight projects selected for this second phase are:
1. QUIASA Consulting SRL: Quiasa Consulting is a company that develops solutions in the oil sector with the objective of expanding the regeneration system of activated clays used in the edible oil industry, by the boil off method, for its reuse and also to obtain the residual oil by-product, which will be used as raw material for the Peruvian biofuel market.
2. RONAP: Digital connectivity in real time to promote initiatives that raise the value of the forest, linking consumers, with a commitment to climate change, in order to make them participants in the conservation and recovery of forests, strengthening the relationship of producers/gatherers, their families and context with the biodiversity of the Amazonian ecosystems.
3. Cartonorte EIRL: Replacing wooden crates from the indiscriminate felling of trees with biodegradable recyclable cardboard boxes for the transport of fruit harvested in the central jungle.
4. Kara Solar Foundation: A consortium to promote solar-powered river transportation. Kara Solar, the Ecuador-Peru Binational Plan and the Conservation Strategy Fund seek to massify this transportation and energy model in the Peruvian Amazon to promote sustainable development and create a concrete response to deforestation. We will focus on the implementation of technology, training, and financial tools.
5. SINBA: sinba is a socio-environmental company and Certified B Company founded in Lima, Peru in 2016, whose purpose is to co-create a #waste-free world, where nothing is left over and no one is left over. We recover organic waste and turn it into animal feed and fertilizers, in addition to recovering recyclable materials. Through the circular economy we reduce GHG emissions from waste by 90%, in addition to providing low-carbon raw materials for local industries.
6. CICLO: We increase the sustainability indicators of companies in the construction sector with 2 lines of business: the integrated management of construction waste (CDW) and the sale of eco-materials that we manufacture from the recycling of this waste.
7. Cooperativa Agraria Cafetalera Alto Mayo: The project consists of using coffee waste (Cascarilla) for the production and commercialization of organic fertilizers and coffee briquettes; as well as processing and commercializing soluble coffee with a new brand, located in the provinces of Moyobamba (San Martín and Jaén (Cajamarca).
8. Bioenergy Perú SAC: Bioenergy seeks financing to increase its production capacity (CAPEX) by increasing its monthly production capacity from 2,500 MT to 4,000 MT through the acquisition of equipment, as well as the increase of working capital to acquire larger volumes of raw material.
March 29, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : New laws to help bring more great shows to British screens and airwaves [March 2023]
The press release issued by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on 28 March 2023.

Draft Media Bill published to help public service broadcasters better compete with streaming giants.
- Confirms plans to bring Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+ under new Ofcom rules and ensure public service broadcasters’ on-demand services are easy to discover on smart TVs and streaming sticks
- New reforms to guarantee access to UK radio on smart speakers and cut red tape on commercial stations
- Streaming services will be required to provide subtitles, audio description and signing to support people with disabilities
Britain’s biggest broadcasters will get new privileges and freedoms to make more hit shows and better compete with global streaming giants under new draft legislation published today.

The draft Media Bill will enable public service broadcasters (PSBs) – the BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Channel 5, STV and S4C – to unleash their potential to grow, produce more top quality British content and invest in new technologies to keep viewers tuning in amid fierce competition from subscription-based online platforms.

It marks the next step in the government’s plan to modernise decades-old broadcasting legislation outlined in a white paper last year. In addition, new reforms have been added to protect the position of UK radio on smart speakers as listeners increasingly move away from AM and FM stations in favour of internet-based services.

Smart speaker platforms – such as Google and Amazon – will be required by law to ensure access to all licenced UK radio stations, from major national stations to the smallest community stations. Platforms will be banned from charging stations for being hosted on their services or overlaying their own adverts over the top of those stations’ programmes.

The Bill will also reduce regulatory burdens on commercial radio stations, relaxing content and format requirements developed in the 1980s which tie them to commitments to broadcast particular genres of music or to particular age groups. The new regime will give stations more flexibility to update or adapt their services without needing consent from Ofcom. The reduced bureaucracy these changes will deliver could save the radio industry up to £1 million per year.

TV-focused measures include bringing mainstream video-on-demand (VoD) services consumed in the UK – such as Netflix and Disney+ – under a new Ofcom content code, to protect audiences from a wider range of harmful material – such as misleading health claims. The latest research from Ofcom indicates that traditional ‘linear’ TV viewing – where viewers watch programmes broadcast at a scheduled time usually via terrestrial or satellite – is down more than 25 per cent since 2011, and 68 per cent among 16-24s.

The draft Bill includes action to ensure video on demand viewers can more easily discover public service broadcast services such as BBC iPlayer and ITVX on smart TVs, set-top boxes and streaming sticks. It also includes new rules to make video on demand content more accessible to those with seeing and hearing impairments.

The new laws will introduce simpler, more flexible rules on what TV programmes public service broadcasters are required to show, meaning these broadcasters – who commission around £1.2 billion in programming each year, with almost all of it spent in the UK – will be better equipped to adapt to changing viewer habits as people increasingly watch TV on digital devices instead of traditional ‘linear’ TV.

Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer said:

Technology has revolutionised the way people enjoy TV and radio. The battle to attract and retain audiences has never been more fierce. British content and production is world leading but changes to viewing habits have put traditional broadcasters under unprecedented pressure.

These new laws will level the playing field with global streaming giants, ensuring they meet the same high standards we expect from public service broadcasters and that services like iPlayer and ITVX are easy to find however you watch TV.

Our Bill will give these brilliant broadcasters and our legendary radio industry the tools to keep doing what they do best – nurturing the creative talent and skills that fuel the UK’s booming production industry, whilst making outstanding shows that we can all enjoy.

Dame Carolyn McCall, Chief Executive, ITV plc said:

We welcome the publication of the Media Bill today as a decisive staging post on the journey to a modern and flexible regulatory regime for TV and media in the UK. This Bill will modernise the framework for a Public Service Broadcasting system that is the cornerstone of the £116bn creative economy.

The UK is a global leader in the creative industries and this legislation will help to maintain and strengthen that position. Given the profound and dynamic changes in the global media ecology the need is urgent and we would encourage the Government to ensure the Bill becomes law as soon as possible.

Maria Kyriacou, Paramount Global’s President for Broadcast & Studios, International Markets, said:

We welcome the publication of the draft Media Bill. This is vitally important new legislation to ensure that prominence for Public Service Broadcasters is maintained in the age of the smart TV.

We hope that Parliament supports and recognises the urgency of implementing this to underpin the health and vitality of our world-leading British broadcasting and creative sector – and protect it for the future.

It’s particularly pleasing that Channel 5’s PSB licence has also been renewed, which is great recognition of the ongoing success of the channel and its important role in the public service ecology of the UK.

The Media Bill will level the playing field between public service broadcasters and video-on-demand services. For the first time, UK-focused mainstream VoD services will be brought under rules similar to those that already apply to linear TV. It will mean that UK audiences, especially children, are better and more consistently protected from harmful material.

For the first time, VoDs will have to provide subtitles on 80 per cent of their programmes, while 10 per cent must have audio description and 5 per cent signed interpretation. Subtitles are carried on the majority of VoD programming, but this can be inconsistent across services and audio description and signing are rarer, so the Bill will help ensure those with disabilities can enjoy more of their favourite shows.

VoD viewers will now be able to formally complain to Ofcom, and the Bill will strengthen Ofcom’s duty to assess audience protection measures on VoDs such as age ratings and viewer guidance. Ofcom will have more robust powers to investigate and take action to enforce standards if they consider it appropriate, including issuing fines of up to £250,000 and – in the most serious and repeated cases – restricting a service’s availability in the UK.

Channel 4 will no longer be barred from producing its own content, if it chooses to do so, and will get a new legal duty to consider its long-term sustainability alongside the delivery of its public service remit, which will ensure this globally renowned broadcaster can continue to produce high impact, distinctive shows long into the future.

The draft Bill will boost S4C, the Welsh language broadcaster, by removing geographic restrictions – confirming it can broaden its reach in the UK and beyond and offer its content on a range of new digital services, and will ensure major TV sporting events like the Olympics and World Cup remain free to watch by as many people as possible.

It also delivers on the government’s commitment to repeal section 40 of the Crime and Courts Act 2013, which is not in force, but would require news publishers to pay both sides’ costs in any legal proceedings if not a member of an approved regulator.

Matt Payton, CEO of Radiocentre, said:

With more radio listening than ever now taking place online and on smart speakers, it’s only sensible that the Government introduces safeguards for the future that will guarantee consumer choice and support the public value provided by UK radio services.

The commercial radio sector welcomes this important recognition of the vital role that it plays in the media landscape. We’re also pleased to see legislation that will finalise commercial radio deregulation, enabling stations to focus on producing great content that listeners want to hear.

The publication of the Bill in draft will allow for further engagement with the industry to ensure these major reforms deliver for broadcasters and viewers. The government remains fully committed to introducing the Bill as soon as Parliamentary time allows.
March 29, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : UK encourages greater use of UN sanctions regimes to counter terrorism on the continent of Africa – UK Statement at the Security Council [March 2023]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 28 March 2023.

Statement by Ambassador James Kariuki at the UN Security Council debate on counter-terrorism.

Thank you President, and thank you for convening this important meeting today, consistent with your personal leadership on peace and stability to drive the Maputo Peace Accords.

The co-ordinated response to the conflict in Northern Mozambique that you secured demonstrates the importance of regional collaboration to stem the spread of terrorism. I also thank the Secretary-General and AU Chair, President Assoumani, for their briefings.

President, as we have heard, the terrorist threat is increasingly transnational and opportunistic, exploiting existing tensions in society. So the international community’s response needs to make the most of all of our expertise and capacity, adapted to different regional contexts as necessary. Let me highlight three priorities.

First, the UK is committed to regional security and intelligence cooperation on the continent of Africa and around the world. We encourage collaboration between the United Nations, the African Union, and Regional Economic Communities, including in mission settings. As with UN and AU-led operations, REC-led missions must have robust compliance and accountability measures, not least to ensure that they do not feed the terrorists’ own narratives. We recognise the challenges of resourcing and sustaining such operations. We look forward to constructive discussions about how this could be improved following the SG’s upcoming report on UN-AU financing.

Second, as we work to cut off the funding of terrorism, we encourage greater use of UN sanctions regimes on the continent of Africa, whilst ensuring continued delivery of humanitarian assistance to states responding to crises. We deeply value our cooperation with regional partners on the 751 Al Shabaab sanctions regime, we have used this to continue tightening the knot on Al Shabaab, including through sponsoring the designation of individuals associated with the group.

Third, we welcome, and endorse, calls for counter terrorism efforts to be holistic, not just military-focussed. As we review the UN Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy, we are clear that Counter-Terrorism and Counter Violent Extremism efforts must uphold the protection of human rights, the inclusion of civil society, and the meaningful participation of women, in order to be effective. The UK is working closely with partners across Africa to strengthen security cooperation. In Kenya, for example, the UK funded the establishment of the Anti-Terrorism Police Unit’s headquarters in Mombasa, as part of our $8.6 million a year investment to support Kenya’s CT efforts. We also worked with national and county government, civil society and communities to reduce the vulnerability of 800 at-risk Kenyans to radicalisation.

President, in areas of instability, the Wagner Group is part of the problem, not the solution. For example, in Mali and the Central African Republic, we cannot ignore the destabilising role of the Wagner group as they exploit conflict and governance deficits to suck resources out of Africa where it is sorely needed, contributing to environments in which terrorism can thrive.

President, we look forward to the Africa Counter-Terrorism Summit in Abuja in October as a chance to strengthen further our cooperation on this important subject.

Thank you.

March 29, 2023
Robert Halfon – 2023 Speech to the Apprenticeship Ambassador Network Conference

The speech made by Robert Halfon, the Minister for Skills, Apprenticeships and Higher Education, at the Mansion House in London on 28 March 2023.

Introduction

I’m delighted to be here today with so many enthusiastic apprenticeship champions at this spectacular venue.

This building’s first stone was laid in 1739 – yet Mansion House was not completed until 19 years later. Recruiting more construction apprentices should have been a priority!

Today, my mission is to ensure that high-quality apprenticeships create a ladder of opportunity to boost our country’s skills, growth and productivity.

We need to expand these opportunities for people of all ages. They need to see the full picture of their career options to make informed choices.

And we need employers to take on apprentices in greater numbers – particularly SMEs. Nurturing apprentices’ talent can secure a competitive advantage, and equip the workforce with skills to enhance productivity.

Apprenticeship Ambassador Network

I want to thank you all for your work as Apprenticeship Ambassadors. You have excellent leadership in Anthony Impey, Kathryn Marshall, Tom Culley – and the regional employer and apprentice Chairs.

It’s a magnificent achievement that the network now extends to almost 900 employers, and over 350 apprentice ambassadors.

You demonstrate the incredible impact of apprenticeships on employers and apprentices – helping to change the mindsets of business leaders and young people.

This is why the Government is investing in high-quality apprenticeships – with funding reaching £2.7 billion by 2024-25. Because apprenticeships are the catalyst to driving forward a better future.

You are helping us build a revitalised apprenticeship programme by spreading the word.

I applaud your aim to have an Ambassador partnered with every secondary school and college in England over the next 3 years.

That’s no mean feat – there are over 3,500 of them!

And to get Ambassadors to buddy-up with small businesses – they’ll listen because you’re a trusted voices on what apprenticeships can offer.

Your Network’s new strategy is a charter for government’s decision to bring about a skills revolution. Together, we will accomplish it.

Pillars of reform

The ‘A’ badge I’m wearing features a ladder.

High-quality apprenticeships provide people with a Ladder of Opportunity, which is held up by 2 pillars.

The first is opportunities and social justice.

To every young person I meet, my message is:

‘No matter who you are, or where you are from, or whatever career you want to do – an apprenticeship will open doors for you’.

I’ve read about Amy Groves, one of your Apprentice Ambassadors from Hebden Bridge in Yorkshire. Amy left school at 16, and worked in a fish and chip shop for a few years. While her friends were getting ready to go to university, Amy wanted to find her own way. But no one told her about the power of apprenticeships.

At 24, Amy realised her friends had graduated and landed good jobs – paying far more than the chip shop.

Amy decided to take a risk. She left her job and took a temporary contract on the HR helpdesk at Lloyds Bank. She described how it opened her eyes to a whole new world, to people from all backgrounds and cultures.

Amy described how she “fell in love with the opportunities”.

The she saw an advert for the bank’s IT group apprentices.

She says:

“I read the job description. Then I read it again. Each time the jargon didn’t make sense – but I picked out the keywords of collaboration, communication, and willingness to learn.

Well, that’s me right there.”

Amy has now been an apprentice at Lloyds Banking Group for 3 years. She’s completed Level 3 IT Solutions Technician, and is working towards a Level 4 DevOps apprenticeship.

Amy is evidence – apprenticeships do transform lives. We need these opportunities reach the people who need them most. This includes low-income groups, minority communities, and those who have left care.

That’s why the apprenticeships care-leavers’ bursary is being increased to £3,000 from August 1st, and employers and training providers will continue to get £1,000 each in funding for every care leaver they take on.

Talent is not defined by geography, or circumstance, or heritage. People are our country’s greatest assets, and we have a responsibility to ensure everyone can make a positive contribution socially and economically.

Social justice demands that any disadvantaged person can aspire to do a Degree Apprenticeship. These prestigious qualifications allow apprentices to earn while they learn, and graduate free from student debt.

Level 6 and 7 apprenticeships now make up more than 1 in 10 of all new apprenticeships starts. 94% of Level 7 apprentices from the 2019/20 academic year are in sustained employment. Level 6 achievers earned a median income of over £34,500 after achieving – and Level 7 achievers earned nearly £39,000.

There’s an incredibly diverse range of higher-level apprenticeships at Levels 6 and 7 as well – going well beyond management – including Police Constable, Registered Nurse, Chartered Surveyor and Teacher. They are providing alternative pathways into these sought-after professions.

These are opportunities we need to keep amplifying, loudly!

We’ve allocated £8 million of funding to Higher Education providers to grow Degree Apprenticeship provision. That ties in with the Second Pillar of the Ladder – strengthening Higher and Further education. For the latter, we are continuing to bolster the post-16 system to support outstanding teaching, high-quality provision and well-run training providers.

First rung of the ladder

The Ladder of Opportunity has 5 rungs.

The first rung is careers empowerment. Careers information must be about work experience and skills.

I travelled the country from Sunderland to Oldham, from Sheffield to Basingstoke, during National Apprenticeship Week. I heard many apprentices had found out more about apprenticeships from friends, family, Instagram, and Tik Tok than they had at school.

This has to change – and let me be clear, this will change.

We need to get careers advice right every single time. It has to be impartial and comprehensive, presenting every option.

When you arrived in London today, you had a choice of routes. Get to Mansion House by tube, taxi, bus, or walk. You knew the options to complete your journey.

Like a travel app, careers empowerment will help students make the correct choices using the most up-to-date information.

And this is where you come in – to make sure young people also hear about apprenticeships from those who’ve been there and done them (and got the badge).

Second rung of the ladder

The second rung of the Ladder of Opportunity is about championing apprenticeships and skills that employers need.

I want to emphasise here why SMEs are integral to the success of programmes such as apprenticeships and T Levels.

SMEs are our great innovators, building new businesses and broadening the economy. It’s an economic imperative that we connect more SMEs to technical education students.

Evidence shows SMEs are more likely to employ younger people learners compared to larger employers. In 2020-21, 83% of new apprenticeship recruits who started with an SME were under 25 years old. And SMEs have an impressive track-record in hiring people in disadvantaged areas.

Our support extends to paying 95 per cent of the training costs for SMEs. But we recognise that they face barriers in engaging with technical education – an issue I want to resolve. SMEs can soar ahead, if they can access the rich potential of highly-skilled employees.

We know SMEs are time-starved, dealing with the daily pressures of running a business in a fierce economic climate. One thing I can guarantee is that my time is always available to them, regarding apprenticeships hire. I’m looking at how we can to support them to take-on more – no measures or solutions are off the table.

We have already committed to meaningful steps to help SMEs get behind apprenticeships in greater numbers.

We will make it easier and quicker for larger employers to agree the transfer of funds to SMEs to enable them to take on more apprentices – and help ensure training providers receive timely payment.

Since 2021, 320 employers – including as Amazon, Nat West, B&Q, John Lewis, Serco, National Grid, and Asda, have pledged to transfer over £21 million to support apprenticeships in other businesses.

Future changes will allow the employer transferring funds to give greater control and autonomy to the SME, so they can use funds without further approvals.

This year, we also plan to double the number of starts on the ‘Skills Bootcamp: Pathway to Accelerated Apprenticeships’ model. This is all about progression – allowing individuals to get ‘in’ via a Bootcamp, and then get ‘on’ to an apprenticeship.

And the focus is on speed – enabling learners to access an accelerated apprenticeship, which they wouldn’t have been able to do previously.

For SMEs, we understand there can be issues attracting candidates, including costs, especially in the digital arenas. SMEs can recruit directly off a Bootcamp at no cost – and they gain someone who has already tested their new career and developed new skills.

This means these candidates hit the ground running from day one. And they become occupationally competent more quickly. There is compelling evidence that learners can speed up their apprenticeship journey by between 3 to 6 months, which includes their Bootcamp stint.

In Wave One of the Bootcamps, SME engagement stood at 76%. This means that SMEs were heavily involved in the design and delivery – as well as recruiting Bootcamp graduates.

We are also targeting SMEs who have expressed interest in apprenticeships, providing additional multi-channel support to help them take the next steps. We’re scaling up the SME helpline which provides direct support – and linking up the Network, so you can buddy with 3,000 new SMEs in their early stages. This means SMEs can avoid common pitfalls and learn best practice techniques quickly – from the experts.

We are also making it simpler and quicker for an SME to take on their first apprentice. This will be achieved with a redesigned registration process that aims to overcome common challenges SMEs have told us about. We do listen.

This reduces the need for unnecessary processes – and allows an employer to ask the training provider to do more of the account administration (where they want this). There will also be new enhanced advice and guidance via GOV.UK specifically for SMEs, including new peer-to-peer videos.

In addition, we are also simplifying our funding rules to be more straightforward for employers, providers and apprentices – so that they can focus on delivery, not administration.

Rules will be removed where we don’t need them, and streamlined where we do. We have also committed to publishing the draft rules as early as possible, to help businesses to adapt to them.

I am on the side of SMEs – and am already looking for more we can do in the future.

Third rung of the ladder

The third rung of the Ladder is about high-quality qualifications. High quality is the DNA of apprenticeships – I will never compromise on quality.

We now have over 640 apprenticeship Standards, designed by employers, for employers covering science, fashion, engineering, broadcasting, sport, construction. The opportunities are endless!

Apprenticeship Standards are rigorous, challenging, and robust, because they have to meet the needs of employers. And apprentices must have the confidence that they will acquire the skills and knowledge they need in the global talent race.

Fourth rung of the ladder

The fourth rung of the Ladder is lifelong learning.

We need to give people the opportunity to train, retrain, and upskill throughout their lives to respond to the changing demands of businesses.

The robots are coming, but we’ll always need skilled people. The trick is to make sure people can gain those skills when the economy shifts.

Fifth rung of the ladder

The fifth rung, at the very top of the Ladder, is job security and prosperity.

The skills system has to support people into secure, sustained, and well-paid employment.

Conclusion

Apprenticeships represent everything I believe – education, aspiration, hard work and commitment.

I know that you all believe this too.

On your conference website, there’s a quote:

‘Never underestimate the influence that you have on others’.

That sums up why I, the DfE, employers, apprentices, students, local communities, and the country needs your advocacy and enthusiasm for apprenticeships.

Together, we can all inspire and excite everyone we reach – to build growth, productivity and opportunities for all.

March 29, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : New support for Afghans in UK hotels to find settled housing [March 2023]

The press release issued by the Home Office on 28 March 2023.

Greater support will be given to those resettled and relocated from Afghanistan in bridging accommodation to find settled housing.

Afghans living in temporary bridging accommodation in the UK under the UK’s two resettlement schemes, Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme (ACRS) and Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP), will be given additional support to find settled accommodation after 18 months in hotels.

The use of temporary bridging accommodation has ensured that all Afghans have been housed safely from the moment they arrived, but this is unsuitable for children who are adjusting to their new life and schools, does not support individuals to enter the world of work and holds people back from putting down roots in communities.

Currently, Afghans who arrived on ACRS or ARAP make up a fifth of people living in bridging hotels, which is why the government’s new plan intensifies support to help Afghans move on from bridging accommodation. This is the right thing to do to ensure that those to whom we have made commitments are supported.

Today’s announcement will also help to provide more stability for families so they can rebuild their lives in the UK, and ensure they benefit from consistency of public services, schooling, and employment while also helping reduce the use of hotels which do not offer suitable long-term accommodation and have added pressure on local communities.

The government is providing £35 million in new cash for Local Authorities, which will go towards increasing the level of support available and overcoming key barriers in accessing the housing system and employment. This new, generous package of support comes in addition to the existing support available for people on the ACRS and ARAP schemes, including access to welfare and the right to work, as well as access to public services.

The Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities is expanding the Local Authority Housing Fund by £250 million. This innovative fund is helping councils to source homes to house Afghans currently in bridging accommodation.

Minister for Veterans’ Affairs, Johnny Mercer said:

I saw first-hand the invaluable contribution many Afghans made to the British military and our international partners, with many more standing by the UK to uphold democratic values. Others were fleeing genuine persecution and rightly came here through safe and legal routes.

Our commitment to the people of Afghanistan is unwavering, and our new plan, complete with new funding, will speed up the resettlement of Afghans into suitable, long-term housing so they can successfully make Britain their home and find the certainty that brings.

We all owe a huge debt of gratitude to the people of Afghanistan, and I would encourage a whole of society effort to help them rebuild their lives here.

In addition, the government has partnered with Britain’s largest housebuilders Barratt Developments and local authorities to provide more than 20 new 4-bedroom homes across the country to support Afghan families. The first two families have moved into homes in Doncaster with the rest to follow in the next few weeks including new homes in Bedfordshire, Canterbury, North Somerset and Telford.

The government will aim to build on this pilot – the Homes Partnership Model – by working with Barratt Developments and further homebuilders to lease properties for Afghans for a few years to start their resettlement journey.

Housing Minister Felicity Buchan said:

We remain committed to doing all we can to support those brave Afghans who have found shelter in the UK.

It is right that we help these Afghans properly put down roots – committing to employment and integrating into communities – which is why the government is expanding the Local Authority Housing Fund to help councils provide homes for them.

This is a national effort, so I am delighted to see Barratt Developments stepping up and also offering homes to our Afghan friends – a fine example to other large housebuilders.

Minister for Immigration, Robert Jenrick said:

Many of these Afghans risked their lives to support the UK – it is right we do all we can to support them as they build their new lives here.

Bridging hotels, although safe and secure, were never meant for long-term living – with the uncertainty limiting the ability of families to put down roots in the UK.

The new support and funding announced today will give families the support they need to transition into settled accommodation so they can enjoy the freedoms of living independently;

Dedicated staff, including Home Office Liaison Officers, DWP work coaches, council staff and charities, will be regularly based in hotels to provide advice to Afghans, including providing information on how to rent in the private sector, helping people find jobs and signposting available English language instruction. Translated guidance will be provided and a helpline is also available for Afghans who arrived under ARAP and ACRS.

Afghans arriving in the UK on ACRS or ARAP have also had the right to work and receive benefits from the first day of their arrival, as well as access to public services.

The government will issue guidance to individuals and families in bridging accommodation in April, detailing what will happen next and the extensive support available to them, before writing to Afghans from the end of April notifying them of when their hotel will be closing. This process will be staggered, with a notice period of three months, and people will be notified at different times to ensure that there is not a disproportionate demand for housing in one area.

Support to find housing for Afghans in the UK under ARAP and ACRS has already helped around 9,000 people into settled accommodation but more needs to be done to help the remaining 8,000 still living in 59 bridging hotels.

Supporting Afghans’ access to housing represents value for money for the UK taxpayer making sure extensive support is in place for people while helping to reduce the use of hotels, which costs around £1 million per day to house Afghans.

Future UK arrivals will go directly into appropriate accommodation in order to successfully integrate into their new homes and have the stability that comes with a permanent place to live.

The government is committed to improving the lives of those Afghans resettled here and will continue to support them and help them successfully make the UK their home and is encouraging everyone in society to play their part, such as through offers of employment or assisting with integration.

March 29, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : HMS Mersey in Estonia as all three UK Armed Services operating in support of Estonian security [March 2023]

The press release issued by the Ministry of Defence on 28 March 2023.

Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force bolster security in Estonia as part of NATO and the Joint Expeditionary Force.

Royal Navy ship HMS Mersey has been deployed to the Baltic Sea for the last week, operating with the Estonian Navy and Royal Air Force in support of the nations’ security as Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) partners. This follows Mersey’s recent engagements with Swedish and Finnish Navies.

The British Army and Royal Air Force have also been operating in Estonia, supporting regional security as part of NATO. Estonia is a valued and strategically important defence partner for the UK and working together to respond to shared challenges provides an important boost for European security.

Four Royal Air Force Typhoon aircraft have been conducting NATO air policing patrols alongside the German Air Force from Ämari Air Base, near Tallinn. Earlier this year, three Chinooks from 18(B) Squadron from RAF Odiham and approximately 100 RAF personnel deployed to Estonia following an agreement by Defence Secretary Ben Wallace in November 2022 to help bolster defence and security across the Baltic states.

The deployments by the Navy and RAF complement the British Army’s operation in Tapa, leading the NATO enhanced Forward Presence, called Operation Cabrit. Established in 2017, the UK leads a multinational, combat-ready battlegroup to protect and reaffirm the security of the alliance’s member states. British units rotate on a continuous basis alongside Danish, French, and host nation Estonian forces. Around 1,000 British Army personnel are deployed to Estonia on Operation Cabrit.

Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said:

The deployment of all three services to Estonia demonstrates the strength of our relationship, exercising and operating alongside allies and partners in support of regional stability in the face of Russian aggression.

The UK and Estonia are Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) partners – a multinational force made up of like-minded, northern European nations – the UK, together with Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway and Sweden. The deployment of HMS Mersey, an Offshore Patrol Vessel, reaffirms the UK’s capability and commitment to the JEF which is committed to European security with the Baltic region as one of its focus areas.

Portsmouth-based HMS Mersey has been working with the RAF Typhoons and long-range maritime patrol aircraft during its deployment. The RAF dispatched a P8 Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft to waters off Estonia in a long-range mission – a round trip from its base at RAF Lossiemouth of more than 2,000 miles, The aircraft worked with HMS Mersey to compile a complete picture of maritime activity in the region.

HMS Mersey’s Commanding Officer Lieutenant Commander James Mitchell said:

The capabilities that Poseidon brings are impressive, especially on a foggy day like today when we struggle to identify shipping contacts,” said

Operating together we were able to generate a recognised maritime picture of activity across the Baltic Sea region. It’s another demonstration of our ability to integrate and operate alongside partners and allies both under the JEF framework and as part of the NATO alliance.

Colonel Dai Bevan, Commanding Officer of Operation Cabrit, said:

We recognise the importance of the UK and Alliance presence in the Baltic region to bolster security.

Since 2017, the British Army has led the enhanced Forward Presence in Estonia and welcomes the additional capabilities from the Royal Navy, Royal Air Force and JEF partners to help ensure the security of Eastern Europe.

Wing Commander Ben Livesey, the Officer Commanding CXX Sqn and who flew on the sortie said:

This was an excellent example of what the Poseidon can do… reassuring our Allies and cooperating closely with our Royal Navy colleagues at range.

The ability to project our RAF Maritime Patrol capability into different areas like this allows us to better understand the battlespace, both above and below the waves, and this ability continues to grow as Poseidon builds towards Full Operational Capability. Despite the poor weather, we were able to achieve our mission objectives whilst conducting valuable training, which prepares us better for future challenges, whatever those may be.

Estonian patrol vessel Kindral Kurvits joined HMS Mersey for three days of combined exercises off the coast of Tallin, and the Head of the Estonian Navy Commodore Yüri Saska embarked on the Royal Navy ship for a day to observe the activity.

For the final exercise during which snow limited visibility to half a mile at times, the Kurvits searched the Gulf of Finland for ‘hostile’ shipping – played by HMS Mersey – which simulated a ship refusing demands to comply during the exercise, prompting the Estonians to call in the RAF, deployed to the country as part of a NATO air policing mission. A jet from IX (Bomber) Squadron, 140 Expeditionary Air Wing, based at Ämari Air Base responded, making repeated low-level passes of the Royal Navy vessel in a show of force.

Lieutenant John Hawke HMS Mersey’s gunnery officer said:

There is a lot we can learn from the Baltic navies – they have different skillsets from us and they operate in a very different geo-political sphere.

Wing Commander Scott MacColl, the Commanding Officer of 140 Expeditionary Air Wing said:

“This was an excellent opportunity for the UK and 140 EAW to demonstrate the flexibility and agility we can bring from a deployed location in Estonia. From an Air Policing posture, the team were able to seamlessly transition into a maritime role, reinforcing our excellent working relationship with Royal Navy units and other RAF capabilities. This versatility is key to interoperability with a wide range of Allies and Partners, and enhancing broader Baltic Security.”

The Royal Navy, British Army and Royal Air Force activities in the Baltic are part of the UK contribution to the NATO and the Alliance’s collective work to ensure security and stability in the region.

Having completed her work in Estonia, HMS Mersey will remain in the Baltic for further exercises with regional navies before returning to the UK in April.

March 29, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : UN HRC52 Universal Periodic Review Adoption – South Africa [March 2023]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 28 March 2023.

The UK’s statement for 52nd Session of the Human Rights Council for the Universal Periodic Review adoption of South Africa.

Thank you, Mr President.

The United Kingdom welcomes South Africa’s engagement with the Universal Periodic Review mechanism and its response to the Report of the Working Group. We also welcome the steps that South Africa has taken to make progress on human rights since its last review, including efforts to implement a National Strategic Plan on addressing Gender-Based Violence and Femicide.

The UK is pleased that South Africa fully supports our recommendation to strengthen measures to address violence against marginalized groups by enacting the Hate Crimes Bill in early 2023. We believe this is an important step to promote accountability and safeguard vulnerable groups.

We reiterate our commitment to working constructively with South Africa as it seeks to strengthen its protection of human rights.

The UK attaches great importance to the concrete steps that South Africa is committing to take to implement the recommendations it accepted, and we therefore strongly encourage South Africa to provide an update on its progress through submitting a mid-term report at the appropriate time.

Thank you.

March 29, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : UK coastal communities to receive funding for recreational sea fishing [March 2023]

The press release issued by the Secretary of State for Scotland on 28 March 2023.

UK Government announces funding available for projects that will improve recreational sea fishing across the UK.

Up to £1 million has been made available for coastal communities across the UK to invest in new and improved infrastructure for recreational sea fishing.

Eligible applicants can now bid for between £10,000 and £100,000 for projects to upgrade recreational fishing facilities, reduce carbon emissions, support the protection and recovery of the marine environment, and provide training to help recreational sea fishermen operate in a more sustainable way.

Recreational sea fishing involves fishing for the purposes of pleasure, tourism or sport. With an estimated two million recreational sea anglers taking to the water every year, recreational sea fishing contributes over £800 million to the UK economy annually and boosts local economies through activities such as fishing tournaments, boat rental, bait and tackle supply, and local tourism.

Part of the £100 million UK Seafood Fund infrastructure scheme, this funding will ensure recreational fishing continues to prosper by backing projects which could enhance piers and harbours, create more accessible paths, floating walkways and pontoon dockings; and promote fishing tournaments.

Fisheries Minister Mark Spencer said:

Recreational sea fishing is a small but mighty part of our fishing industry. It contributes to the economic growth of coastal communities and is a much-loved sport that can improve the health and well-being of those who take part.

This new round of funding will encourage the development and expansion of the sport in coastal areas, promote and support more sustainable fishing practices, and ultimately make recreational fishing bigger and better for anglers across the UK.

UK Government Minister for Scotland John Lamont said:

The £100 million UK Seafood Fund is a crucial part of our commitment to help level up coastal communities and deliver the Prime Minister’s priorities of growing the economy and creating better-paid jobs and opportunity right across the country.

So far, Scotland’s world renowned fisheries, seafood and aquaculture sectors have won £8.4 million in grants from the fund and I urge eligible applicants to come forward and bid for investment for new and improved infrastructure for recreational sea fishing in Scotland.

The £100 million UK Seafood Fund is supporting the long-term future and sustainability of the UK fishing and seafood industry by backing innovation, skills and job creation around our coastline.

This is the latest funding from the UK infrastructure scheme and will be open until 19th June 2023. Applicants can apply here: Atamis Contracts Search (force.com).

It means at least £65 million in grant funding has now been made available through the scheme to improve infrastructure right across the seafood supply chain, including investment in fleet modernisation and the trialling of hybrid and electric engines; and improved capability at ports, harbours, processing and aquaculture facilities. Successful bidders include Scottish company Denholm Seafoods who will install equipment to increase production of mackerel and herring, and Cornish based Falfish who will invest in new technology to grade, freeze and pack pelagic fish in support of building two purpose-built Sardine fishing vessels.

Nearly £20 million was awarded in the first round of the infrastructure scheme for projects including the expansion of processing facilities for popular British fish like Scottish salmon and Cornish sardines, with a further £30 million made available in round two. The small scale fishing fleet will also benefit from an initial £2 million investment to trial new, greener engines and help create a safer, more sustainable fishing fleet.

The second round of the UK Seafood Fund Skills and Training scheme is also currently open for applications, with up to £10 million available to fund training projects and facilities for workers in the seafood and aquaculture industry and recreational angling sector.

March 29, 2023