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Tag: 2023

  • Stella Creasy – 2023 Speech on the Protection from Sex-based Harassment in Public Bill

    Stella Creasy – 2023 Speech on the Protection from Sex-based Harassment in Public Bill

    The speech made by Stella Creasy, the Labour MP for Walthamstow, in the House of Commons on 24 March 2023.

    I rise as the person who tabled the original amendments in Committee that prefigured new clause 1, to recognise this as the best of Parliament. When we come together to write legislation we believe will make a positive and constructive difference to people, listening to each other’s concerns and recognising the positive pare that scrutiny can play in the process, it can bear fruits that we can all support. I welcome and support new clause 1 as a recognition that there was a concern and an issue with the concept of reasonableness being at the heart of public order offences. Let me clarify what I mean by that.

    Let me clarify what I mean by that: this legislation is about harassment, and other forms of harassment legislation have always had within them a test that someone’s behaviour cannot be considered reasonable if general opinion would be that their behaviour was unreasonable. In layman’s terms, when it comes to the harassment that we are talking about, if someone were being followed down the street and shouted at—particularly about their sex or presumed sex—even if that person were to claim it was reasonable, a magistrate should be able to say that it was patently not. The person responsible should not be able to evade prosecution under this legislation. However, this Bill was originally based on public order offences legislation, which does not include that distinction about whether somebody ought to know that their behaviour was unreasonable.

    It is very welcome that the Government have listened and agreed to put out guidance to consider that point. I hope that setting out what I believe that guidance should cover will be a helpful guide to the Government, and perhaps will answer the genuine queries from the hon. Member for Christchurch (Sir Christopher Chope) about whether there can be involvement in it. For many of us, getting this issue right goes to the heart of how this legislation will deliver the effective freedom that we hope for particularly, but not exclusively, for women, as it is women who are overwhelmingly reporting the kind of incidents that we are talking about in this legislation.

    One of the challenges will be the initial decision as to whether someone has committed an offence. Many of us are extremely used to the idea that the challenge is our reaction to someone’s provocation, rather than the provocation. I hope that new clause 1 will recognise that, consistent with other forms of harassment legislation, a defendant arguing that their behaviour is reasonable should not be a reason not to proceed with a charge. I want to be clear about that, because I understand why people would be concerned. No one is suggesting that the reasonableness defence should not remain; we are arguing that it should for the courts or the magistrates to decide whether the behaviour was reasonable, rather than the defendant. In setting out the guidance, I hope that the Government will give weight to the idea that the presentation of a reasonableness defence, which is quite frequent in harassment cases but not necessarily in public order offences, should not deter the CPS or the police from seeking to proceed with a prosecution. In that sense, it would be consistent with the guidance on the Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005 or the Protection from Harassment Act 1997.

    In reference to some of the amendments tabled, agree with the right hon. Member for Tunbridge Wells (Greg Clark) about the importance of consistency in the law. I add my support to his argument about retaining the provision on presumed sex within the Bill. The most important thing about this legislation is that it turns the lens from the behaviour of victims—women in particular, because although this legislation covers both men and women, and male and female perpetrators, women will particularly benefit from our clarifying that street-based harassment is unacceptable and is illegal already, and therefore carries a higher penalty if it is targeted in this way. Too often, the victim’s behaviour has been called into question in decisions whether to prosecute. It important that the legislation is written in such a way to turn our attention back to the perpetrator. Were we to have loopholes, whether around reasonableness or the status of the victim, we could inadvertently undermine the capacity of the police and the CPS to secure that outcome.

    I recognise the attempts from the hon. Member for Christchurch to test the legislation. If he read the scrutiny of the legislation in Committee, he would appreciate that, because that is where new clause 1 has derived from. I hope he will understand that many of us feel that the changes he suggests would undermine the Bill, because it would not be as clear that our sole concern is the people who harass, intimidate and abuse other people in public because they are focused on the sex or presumed sex of the victim. The important message that we want to send by passing this legislation is that the existing crimes should not be diminished, ignored and seen as part of everyday life, and that we should address them.

    That is what I wanted to say, as the person who originally drafted the amendment that has led to new clause 1. I also recognise the cross-party working to get this legislation right. I hope that those who had concerns about new clause 1 or other parts of the legislation will see the benefit of having had these discussions, and that the Bill will benefit many of our constituents as a result.

  • Greg Clark – 2023 Statement on the Protection from Sex-based Harassment in Public Bill

    Greg Clark – 2023 Statement on the Protection from Sex-based Harassment in Public Bill

    The statement made by Greg Clark, the Conservative MP for Tunbridge Wells, in the House of Commons on 24 March 2023.

    In line with your advice, Madam Deputy Speaker, I will address my new clause and the amendment in my name specifically, and I will also touch on the amendments tabled by my hon. Friend the Member for Christchurch (Sir Christopher Chope). I will not rehearse the reasons for the Bill. We have had a substantial debate on Second Reading and in Committee, and I hope it may be possible to say more on Third Reading.

    New clause 1 would require the Secretary of State to issue guidance to the police about the new offence proposed in the Bill, and that guidance must include, but is not limited to, guidance on the defence of reasonable conduct that is already contained in the Public Order Act 1986.

    During our debate in Committee, some Members were understandably concerned that the perpetrator of an act of deliberate harassment of a person on the grounds of their sex could escape the consequences of their actions by asserting that they thought their behaviour was reasonable. Some Members thought there was a risk that the police might be put off from taking the offence seriously, because of that potential defence. In fact, in the Public Order Act, reasonableness is not in the eye of the accused. Simply saying that behaviour that was intentionally designed to cause alarm or distress was reasonable does not provide a “get out of jail” card. Having clear guidance on this point would ensure that the matter is crystal clear to the police and all the authorities.

    The proposed requirement for statutory guidance therefore provides that clarity, but it is not limited to that; the guidance can include other matters, should that prove desirable in future. The guidance would be addressed to the police, as is obvious from the terms of the new clause, but in practice its use would be wider than that, and would include the Crown Prosecution Service. That is because statutory guidance, once issued, is in practice taken by all parties to be authoritative. Indeed, there is no point in having separate guidance for the police, the CPS and any other body.

    This is far from the only occasion when guidance is formally issued and addressed to one particular audience, rather than being proliferated to multiple actors. For example, statutory guidance within the Stalking Protection Act 2019 is formally issued to the police, but was drawn up in consultation with other statutory partners, including the Crown Prosecution Service. I envisage and hope that the Minister will be able to confirm that the same approach will be taken in this case, and that the CPS would be involved in drawing up the guidance to which my new clause refers.

    It seems to me, reflecting on the debate we had in Committee, that an amendment that guidance must be issued and must include, inter alia, statutory requirements on the interpretation of reasonable conduct, is a pragmatic and practical way of responding to the points made in the debate. I am delighted that new clause 1 has attracted widespread support, including that of the Government, whose assistance in drafting it I grateful acknowledge.

    Sir Christopher Chope (Christchurch) (Con)

    How long does my right hon. Friend expect it to take for this guidance to be produced? The guidance requested last year on the draft code of practice on the recording and retention of personal data for non-crime hate incidents took more than one year to produce. Does he envisage a similarly long period? To what extent does he expect the House to have a say on the content of the guidance?

    Greg Clark

    I would be very dismayed if it took a year to draw up such guidance, and my hon. Friend gives a cautionary warning. When the Minister responds to the debate, I hope he might undertake to produce the guidance with dispatch. I said a few moments ago that it is right and appropriate that guidance is drawn up in conjunction with the CPS, which also has regard to it, and that will take some time. I hope, however, that it will be a matter of weeks rather than a large number of months. The Minister and I are experienced in office, and we know that only the Minister can give an assurance as to how long it will take, but I am delighted that my hon. Friend shares my impatience to get on with it.

    Sir Christopher Chope

    What about the ability of the House to comment on the guidance when it is produced, or during its preparation?

    Greg Clark

    As my hon. Friend knows, guidance is issued by the Government of the day. It is not a statutory instrument, and we are not proposing that it should be. I think it would be desirable for such guidance to be shared not just with the House but in public. Guidance that is important should enjoy the confidence and wisdom of those who intend to use it.

    Sir Christopher Chope

    Finally, does my right hon. Friend envisage that the guidance should first be produced in draft form, so that there is an opportunity for people to be consulted publicly on it?

    Greg Clark

    Again, that is a matter for the Minister, but I would not only be content with that but think it a desirable route to take.

    On the amendments tabled by my hon. Friend, he is right to seek to ensure that legislation in this House is properly scrutinised and debated, and the points he has raised—including those he just made—are pertinent and valuable. As I hope he might expect, I have studied his amendments carefully, so let me deal with them in turn.

    Amendments 3 to 5 prefer the words “due to” to “because of”. Precise language is important—he and I share that view—but I do not think that the preference on his part signifies any difference in interpretation. The expression “because of” is extensively used in existing legislation. For example, section 66(4) of the Consumer Rights Act 2015 refers to circumstances in which someone suffers loss or damage

    “because of the dangerous state of the premises”

    That is “because of” rather than “due to”. With perhaps more immediate relevance to our discussions, the Equality Act 2010 uses “because of” rather than “due to”. For example, paragraph 3(5) of schedule 11, on school admissions, refers to circumstances in which a school

    “does not admit a person as a pupil because of the person’s sex”,

    rather than “due to” it. It may well be that my hon. Friend’s use of language is more elegant than that contained in the laws already on the statute book, but I hope he will agree that there is some virtue in linguistic consistency in the law. That is the reason behind that choice of words.

    My hon. Friend’s amendment 4 clarifies that it does not matter if person (A) specified in the Bill—the perpetrator of the offence in question—is a man or a woman. Although the majority of reports of public sex- based harassment have been by men towards women, the Bill applies totally equally to both sexes, and at no point does the Bill mention anyone’s sex. There is no ambiguity in the Bill on that point. If my hon. Friend is concerned that this may not be clearly understood in practice, such as by the police, it may be a candidate for inclusion in the statutory guidance to which we have already referred. As he will recall, the guidance specifies interpretation of reasonable conduct but is not limited to that. If, perhaps after taking soundings from the public, there turns out to be some ambiguity in people’s minds—if not in the Bill—there is the opportunity to address that.

    Amendments 2 and 6 would introduce a concept of subsidiarity and primacy. In other words, an offence would be committed only if the sex-based harassment was the primary motivation or aspect of the behaviour, rather than one of a number of aspects. I completely understand the point my hon. Friend puts forward, but I will say two things in response. First, one of the purposes of the Bill is to bring harassment on the grounds of sex in line with the existing law as it affects other protected characteristics, such as race. To take race as an example, to be guilty of the aggravated offence of public harassment on the grounds of race does not require the racial elements to be the primary element of a torrent of abuse that one person might direct at another. Nor is public racial harassment defensible on the grounds that racist harassment was merely a secondary aspect of the behaviour in question.

    Indeed, not only is there the argument of consistency, which the Bill seeks to address, but, in this case, it is right that it is framed in this way because racist abuse should not happen at all. The law should be clear on that, and that applies equally to harassment on the grounds of someone’s sex. For reasons of consistency with the established law elsewhere and, in my view, what is right, we should not introduce a special filter for primacy on the grounds of sex that does not already apply to race and other offences that already have this protection.

    Amendments 7 and 6 would delete references to “(or presumed sex)”. The current treatment in the Bill is, again, drafted to be consistent with the Bill as it applies in other contexts, particularly to protected characteristics. To use the example of racial harassment again, section 28 of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 makes it clear that an offence is racially aggravated if the offender demonstrates hostility

    “based on the victim’s membership (or presumed membership)”

    of a racial group. It is not always possible with 100% accuracy to determine a person’s race or sex in a public place. Indeed, Shakespeare would have been robbed of many a dramatic plotline were it otherwise. But that does not mean it should be acceptable to hurl abuse intentionally at someone who turns out not to be of the sex that was assumed, any more than it would be acceptable to scream racial abuse in public at someone who turned out not to be of the race that the perpetrator presumed them to be. Therefore, again, for reasons for consistency with the existing law and for reasons of justice, I think the drafting of the Bill has it right.

    In amendment 9, my hon. Friend, as presaged in his earlier intervention, seeks to specify a commencement date of 1 August this year for the legislation to come into effect. I am very grateful to him for his impatience to get on with changing the law. He is quite right, in all seriousness, that if Parliament passes legislation, that signals the intention of Parliament that the law should change and the Government should not act as a brake on the law being changed in practice. Indeed, it would be unconscionable for the Bill to sit on the statute book uncommenced and therefore unusable to the police and courts. Those who might be watching these proceedings, or reading reports of it, will have a legitimate expectation that if the Bill passes, the law has been changed or will change shortly.

    Should the Bill be approved by the House today, as all colleagues know, it would then need to go to the House of Lords, whose procedures and timings are not always clear to at least this Member of this House. If my new clause 1, requiring statutory guidance to be issued, is inserted by the House, that will, as we discussed a few moments ago, take some time, especially if we provide an opportunity to take soundings on it before it is adopted. So I fear that 1 August may be a little too specific and early to be in the Bill as the date by which commencement must be made. I do not want in any way to separate myself from my hon. Friend’s motivation—quite the reverse. Should the Bill attract the favour of the House and the other place, I hope that he will join me in pressing the Government today to commit in seriousness to commencing the legislation as soon as is practically possible. Should that commitment turn out not to be enacted in practice, I hope he will bolster my efforts in harrying the Government at every opportunity, and relentlessly—given his considerable experience, and indeed success, in that—until the legislation is commenced.

    In conclusion, I am very grateful to my hon. Friend for his thoughtful and apposite amendments. I hope he can tell that I have seriously considered their effects. In no case am I antipathetic to the quite reasonable questions he raises about them, but I do think they have answers in the current drafting of the Bill, with the new clause I am moving today, so I hope that at the end of the debate he will feel able not to press amendments and, should circumstances arrive, to join me in continuing a campaign for great dispatch on the part of the Government.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Coastal communities to receive funding for recreational sea fishing [March 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : Coastal communities to receive funding for recreational sea fishing [March 2023]

    The press release issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 27 March 2023.

    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.

    From today (27 March), eligible applicants will be able to 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.

    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.

    Today’s funding 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.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Myanmar Armed Forces Day – UK announces fresh sanctions on aviation fuel and military equipment suppliers [March 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : Myanmar Armed Forces Day – UK announces fresh sanctions on aviation fuel and military equipment suppliers [March 2023]

    The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 27 March 2023.

    A new round of UK sanctions will target suppliers to the Myanmar regime of military equipment and other material, which are still being used to attack its civilians.

    • UK announces further sanctions against prominent arms dealer and aviation fuel suppliers in Myanmar.
    • Sanctions to target enablers of air force bombing campaign against civilian population.
    • Announcement comes as Myanmar marks its annual Armed Forces Day.

    A new round of UK sanctions will target suppliers to the Myanmar regime of military equipment and other material, which are still being used to attack its civilians.

    Those sanctioned today include a company and its director who supply the Myanmar Air Forces with aviation fuel and a second individual who is the director of a company which supplies restricted goods and technology through its business.

    On 1 February 2021, the Myanmar military overthrew the democratically-elected government, led by Aung San Suu Kyi, and installed a military regime. Since then, they have used violence and atrocities to maintain power and suppress any opposition voices.

    Minister of State for the Indo-Pacific, Anne-Marie Trevelyan, said:

    On Myanmar Armed Forces Day, the UK condemns the military’s increasingly brutal campaign against the Myanmar people.

    The sanctions announced today are designed to reduce the military’s access to fuel and military equipment.

    The UK will continue to work closely with partners to hold the military regime to account and support the people of Myanmar, as they strive for a return to democracy and freedom.

    These targeted sanctions will raise the cost for those profiting from, or supporting, the regime and restrict the military’s access to fuel and military equipment.

    The UK has led the international community’s work to support a peaceful resolution in Myanmar and a return to democracy, as well as pushing for progress towards accountability and justice. It has also played a key role in calling on countries around the world to end the sale and transfer of arms and equipment which facilitate the military’s atrocities.

    At the United Nations the UK successfully coordinated a Security Council Resolution on the crisis, the first of its kind, to apply further pressure on the military to end its violence and engage in dialogue.

    This will be the 15th round of targeted sanctions by the UK against the military regime in Myanmar. The UK will continue to work with international partners to maintain pressure on the military regime and welcomes the sanctions announced by the US to coincide with Myanmar Armed Forces Day.

    Background:

    Those sanctioned today are:

    • Shoon Energy Pte Ltd – a company profiting from the supply of aviation fuel to the Myanmar Air Force.
    • Khin Phyu Win: current Director and shareholder of Shoon Energy Pte Ltd.
    • Tun Min Latt: Director of Star Sapphire Trading Company Limited, a company previously sanctioned by the UK which supplies restricted goods or technology through its business.
  • Andrew Mitchell – 2023 Speech on Ending Preventable Deaths

    Andrew Mitchell – 2023 Speech on Ending Preventable Deaths

    The speech made by Andrew Mitchell, the UK Ministerial Champion for Ending Preventable Deaths of Mothers, Babies and Children, in Washington DC, USA, on 21 March 2023.

    Thank you to all partners here for energising the global fight against child and maternal deaths.

    Despite global goals and widespread efforts, a pregnant woman, newborn baby or child dies every 6 seconds.

    The UK government – and I as the UK’s Ending Preventable Deaths Ministerial Champion – remain committed to working with everyone who shares our wish to end preventable deaths. Progress has been blown off course by the pandemic and Putin’s war. But solutions are all around us. We must sharpen our focus on three things:

    First, equity.

    We know these preventable deaths disproportionately affect poor and marginalised groups, and are fuelled by conflict and instability.

    We must listen to and champion the needs of marginalised communities. We must support them to hold their leaders to account, so that regardless of where people live, they can access and afford the health services they need.

    Our second focus must be quality.

    Approximately 5 million deaths each year are as a result of poor quality healthcare.

    We must push for high quality services, including services that are kind and respect the rights of women, girls and other marginalised groups. We must give communities a voice in decisions about their health services, and support trained, paid and motivated health workers, who have access to the equipment and drugs they need.

    Our third focus must be integration.

    To save a mother and a baby requires almost every part of the health system to be working well.

    So we must strengthen the ‘backbone’ of the health systems, including community and primary care, supply chains, midwifery, health financing and vaccines. We have to focus on every contributor to child and maternal health – everything from good nutrition to hygiene and sanitation. From clean water and air, to supporting people, especially women and girls, to make healthy choices.

    I am happy to announce that we will launch a new UK EPD programme to provide technical and strategic support to a set of flagship countries who want to partner with us and where the need for UK support is greatest.

    The central component to all these efforts is partnership… governments, donors, health professionals and people working together for better services and better outcomes.

    We know that we can achieve more together than we can alone. So let’s continue to bring people together, focus on solutions and innovation, and halt the preventable deaths of more mothers, babies and children.

    Thank you.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Government reviews whistleblowing laws [March 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : Government reviews whistleblowing laws [March 2023]

    The press release issued by the Department for Business and Trade on 27 March 2023.

    The government has launched a review of the whistleblowing framework.

    • The review will gather evidence on the effectiveness of the current regime in enabling workers to speak up about wrongdoing and protect those who do so.
    • The evidence gathering stage of the review will conclude in Autumn 2023.

    A review of the whistleblowing framework – the laws that support workers who blow the whistle on wrongdoing in the workplace – has been launched by the Government today.

    The review will seek views and evidence from whistleblowers, key charities, employers and regulators.

    Whistleblowing refers to when a worker makes a disclosure of information which they reasonably believe shows wrongdoing or someone covering up wrongdoing.  Workers who blow the whistle are entitled to protections, which were introduced through the Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998 (PIDA). Successive governments have taken steps to strengthen whistleblowing policy and practice.

    For authorities tackling corruption, fraud and other economic crime, whistleblowing is a crucial source of evidence, as these activities and their perpetrators can only be exposed by insiders.

    It also provides a route for employees to report unsafe working conditions and wrongdoing across all sectors.

    This was keenly felt during the height of the Covid-19 Pandemic, when the Care Quality Commission and Health and Safety Executive recorded sharp increases in the number of whistleblowing disclosures they received.

    Business Minister Kevin Hollinrake said:

    Whistleblowing is a vital tool in tackling economic crime and unsafe working conditions, and the UK was one of the first countries in the world to develop a whistleblowing framework.

    This review has been a priority for me since joining government, and it will take stock of whether the whistleblowing framework is operating effectively and protects those who call out wrongdoing in the workplace.

    This review will cover central topics, key to the whistleblowing framework:

    • who is covered by whistleblowing protections.
    • the availability of information and guidance for whistleblowing purposes (both on gov.uk and that provided by employers).
    • how employers and prescribed persons respond to whistleblowing disclosures, including best practice.
  • PRESS RELEASE : Government consultation on night-time noise objectives at some of the busiest airports is set to take off [March 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : Government consultation on night-time noise objectives at some of the busiest airports is set to take off [March 2023]

    The press release issued by the Department for Transport on 27 March 2023.

    Night flight policy still under review as new consultation on noise objectives launches.

    • government to consult on the impact of night flights at some of the busiest airports to ensure the negative impacts do not outweigh the positive benefits they bring
    • consultation will seek views on noise objectives relating to night flights at Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted
    • guidance on the night flight dispensation process will also be reviewed, considering the increased usage of dispensations in summer 2022

    The government is continuing its review of night flight policy with a new consultation on the noise objectives for Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted airports.

    The review will ensure that aircraft operations at those airports are managed, so that the negative impacts of night flying on local residents do not outweigh the positive benefits they bring to the wider economy.

    Aircraft are becoming quieter as technology advances and we expect this trend to continue. However, the government recognises that noise from aircraft taking off and landing at night is often regarded by communities as the most disturbing form of airport operations.

    Aviation minister Baroness Vere of Norbiton said:

    There’s no doubt night flights have an effect on local residents underneath busy flightpaths, but as aircraft become quieter, we have an opportunity to strike a balance to make sure we can support the aviation industry without having a debilitating impact on people’s lives.

    This consultation will help us to shape policy and create a flightpath towards a more sustainable approach to night-time aviation noise.

    Night flights are an important part of operations at airports around the world and provide significant economic benefit to the UK, helping keep the flow of people, goods and services moving in and out of the country and supporting thousands of jobs as a result.

    The 6-week consultation on night-time noise abatement objectives will allow the government to seek views and evidence from the industry and communities.

    The objectives informed by the consultation will set the groundwork for future measures on how to manage aviation noise at night at Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted airports from October 2025.

    Also published today (27 March 2023) is the government’s revised overarching aviation noise policy statement, reaffirming the foundation for noise policy for the entirety of the aviation sector, no matter the time of the flight, whether it’s day or night. Through this statement, we aim to balance the health and wellbeing of communities with the clear economic and consumer benefits of aviation.

    In addition, the guidance used to allow dispensation for operators to fly night flights will be looked at in the wake of last summer’s disruption across the sector. The summer of 2022, was particularly challenging from an international air traffic control perspective and resulted in an increase in late-running flights and a corresponding higher number of night flight dispensations. Such a rise was in stark contrast to the summers of 2020 and 2021, when the numbers of dispensations were very low.

    Given the number of night flight dispensations allowed during the early part of last summer, it’s vital to take this additional evidence into account before publishing any revision to our night flight dispensation guidance. Updating the dispensation guidance will form part of the main night flight regime consultation, which we aim to publish in late 2023.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Ukrainian tank crews complete Challenger 2 training in UK [March 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : Ukrainian tank crews complete Challenger 2 training in UK [March 2023]

    The press release issued by the Ministry of Defence on 27 March 2023.

    Ukrainian tank crews have completed training on Challenger 2 tanks in the UK and have returned home to continue their fight against Russia’s illegal and unprovoked invasion.

    The training began shortly after the announcement in January that the UK would donate 14 Challenger 2 tanks and accompanying ammunition and spare parts to aid Ukraine. UK military trainers spent several weeks training Ukrainian personnel how to operate and fight with the tanks. Instruction included how to command, drive and work together as a Challenger 2 tank crew and effectively identify and engage targets.

    The Challenger 2 tank marks a step change in capability for the Armed Forces of Ukraine, ensuring they are better able to protect their crews and offering them some of the most modern and sophisticated gunnery systems in the world.

    To mark the conclusion of training Ukrainian Challenger 2 crews, the Ministry of Defence has today released a 30 minute documentary on YouTube. The documentary shows an unprecedented behind the scenes look at the training.

    Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said:

    It is truly inspiring to witness the determination of Ukrainian soldiers having completed their training on British Challenger 2 tanks on British soil.

    They return to their homeland better equipped, but to no less danger. We will continue to stand by them and do all we can to support Ukraine for as long as it takes.

    Lieutenant Colonel John Stone, who oversaw the training mission said:

    It has been a privilege for the Combat Manoeuvre Centre team to deliver this training to our Ukrainian partners. We have all been hugely impressed with the level of competence displayed and have no doubt that that our friends will use the Challenger 2 tanks most effectively in the battles to come as they fight to defend their homeland.

    I fight for my future, for future of my country and for future of my family. We will fight. This tank for us is like a diamond, I think it is the best tank in the world.

    The UK is sending Challenger 2 tanks, which will soon be in the hands of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

    Support to Ukraine from the international community has been unwavering since Russia’s full-scale invasion over a year ago, on 24 February 2022. The UK has trained and equipped the Armed Forces of Ukraine with a range of capabilities to help them defend their territory including anti-tank weapons, armoured vehicles, and air defence systems.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Just three energy suppliers making up over 70% of all forced installation of prepayment meters [March 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : Just three energy suppliers making up over 70% of all forced installation of prepayment meters [March 2023]

    The press release issued by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero on 27 March 2023.

    Over 94,000 prepayment meters were forcibly installed under warrant last year – with Scottish Power and British Gas leading the pack.

    • New figures reveal over 94,000 prepayment meters were installed under warrant in 2022 – with Scottish Power and British Gas leading the pack
    • Uplift in number of people redeeming energy bill support vouchers with 78% used, as Ministers call for suppliers to help those yet to use them
    • Energy Security Secretary calling on companies to focus on compensating those customers mistreated through this practice

    Over 94,000 prepayment meters were forcibly installed in homes under warrant last year without customer consent – on average over 7,500 meters a month.

    After calling on suppliers to stop forcibly installing prepayment meters, the Energy Security Secretary Grant Shapps has now revealed the most overzealous suppliers, as part of a crackdown on mistreatment of vulnerable customers in the use of these meters.

    Leading the charge with the highest number of prepayment meters force-fitted last year are British Gas, Scottish Power and OVO Energy, making up 70% of all forced installations with a total of 66,187 devices fitted under warrant. Of these, Scottish Power tops the list as the worst offender when taking into account their customer base – force fitting over 24,300 in their customer’s homes in 2022.

    Mr Shapps has today doubled down on his call for any mistreatment of customers to be rectified, while again urging suppliers to help the households on traditional prepayment metres access the 2.1m vouchers yet to be claimed under the government’s Energy Bills Support Scheme.

    Energy Security Secretary Grant Shapps said:

    Today’s figures give a clear and horrifying picture of just how widespread the forced installation of prepayment meters had become, with last year seeing an average of over 7,500 force-fitted a month.

    Prepayment meters are right for some people, so I do not want to ban them outright, but I do have concerns that companies have not been treating their customers fairly, over an already difficult winter during which the government has tried to help families by paying around half the energy bill of the average household.

    After my calls for change, I’m pleased that suppliers have made their actions public and agreed to put a stop to forcing prepayment onto vulnerable customers for good – but this cannot happen again.

    I will be watching Ofgem’s ongoing review closely so customers get the support they need – and those vulnerable consumers who have wrongly suffered forced installations get the justice they deserve in the form of redress.

    Minister for Energy Consumers and Affordability Amanda Solloway said:

    Another increase in the number of energy bill support vouchers redeemed by customers is great news, but I urge those that haven’t done so to use them as soon as possible – and suppliers must continue to do everything they can to make sure this happens.

    We will not stand for the mistreatment of vulnerable customers who have been forced onto prepayment meters. I welcome the move from Ofgem to make it easier for customers to report cases but this can’t be a one off, and suppliers must now offer redress to those they have wronged.

    Prepayment meters allow customers to pay for gas and electricity on a pay-as-you-go basis and serve an important function by helping the avoidance of debt and court action.

    However, an intervention from the Energy Security Secretary last month brought the practise to a firm halt, after evidence came to light of suppliers in forcing these meters on vulnerable households.

    Mr Shapps demanded transparency from the sector over the number of forced installation warrants they had used, following a huge spike in applications as households grappled with high energy costs. Lord Justice Edis issued directions for magistrates’ courts to stop all warrants that allow companies to force-fit these meters, alongside the government’s crackdown unacceptable behaviour from suppliers.

    This move follows the government’s unprecedented support to help families with their bills this winter, including households on prepayment meters.

    Latest figures published today show 7.6 million Energy Bills Support Scheme vouchers have now been redeemed by households that use prepayment meters across Great Britain, as of February – saving them up to £400 on their energy costs.

    Since the scheme launched the number of households redeeming their vouchers has steadily climbed with 78% used so far – up from 76% in January. Suppliers with the highest redemption levels include Shell Energy, E and Octopus Energy. However, those with the most vouchers still outstanding, with nearly 400,000 yet to be redeemed include Scottish Power, OVO Electricity and British Gas.

    Customers will also benefit from new protections, announced in last week’s Budget, that will see households on prepayment meters pay no more than other customers for their energy.

    The recent action from the government led the regulator, Ofgem, to launch a review into the use of prepayment meters in the sector. Companies have been instructed to revisit their past cases and offer redress, such as compensation, to customers where these meters were wrongly installed and regulations have not been followed.

    Just last week, Ofgem also extended the ban on forced installations of prepayment meters until a new code of practice is agreed by energy companies, after British Gas was found to have broken into homes to fit the devices.

    The government continues to work with the sector, as well as consumer groups, charities and local leaders to reach eligible customers with unused vouchers that have not yet benefitted from the Energy Bill Support Scheme. This includes ongoing information campaigns across community radio, social media, national magazine titles and roaming advert vans that have been popping up in towns and cities across the country.

  • PRESS RELEASE : What the PM’s action plan to tackle anti-social behaviour means for you [March 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : What the PM’s action plan to tackle anti-social behaviour means for you [March 2023]

    The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 27 March 2023.

    Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s plan to tackle anti-social behaviour.

    “I made a promise in January that we will work tirelessly to crack down on anti-social behaviour. For too long, people have put up with it ruining their neighbourhoods.

    These are not minor crimes. They disrupt people’s daily lives, hold businesses back and erode the sense of safety and community that brings people together.

    That’s why I’m bringing forward a new plan to crack down on this behaviour once and for all – so that everyone can feel proud of where they live.

    This is how the new measures will affect you.

    I’m bringing in tougher punishments for criminals

    Those responsible for offences such as vandalism or graffitiing will start cleaning up their crimes as quickly as possible, aiming for offenders to start work within 48 hours of receiving an order.

    Victims and affected communities will also get a say in deciding what type of punishment or consequences offenders should face, alongside input from local police and crime commissioners.

    We are banning nitrous oxide

    We will ban nitrous oxide, also called laughing gas, putting an end to litter and intimidation in our parks so people feel safer.

    We will test more criminals for illegal drugs

    The police will also now be able to drug test criminals who take illegal drugs like ecstasy and methamphetamine, and we will drug test offenders who have committed a wider range of crimes, like violence against women and girls, serious violence, and anti-social behaviour.

    We’re introducing tougher fines for litter, graffiti and fly-tipping

    We are increasing he upper limit on fines for littering and graffitiing from £150 to £500 and fines for fly-tipping will increase from £400 to £1,000.

    We will also support councils to hand out more of these fines to disrespectful offenders, with councils keeping these fines to reinvest in clean up and enforcement.

    We’re making evictions of anti-social tenants easier

    We are aiming to make it quicker for private landlords to evict anti-social tenants after serving notice, as well as broaden the disruptive and harmful activities that can lead to eviction.

    We will also strengthen rules so previous anti-social behaviour perpetrators are deprioritised for new council housing.

    By establishing a zero-tolerance approach where offenders know they will face the full consequences of their actions – we can prevent more of these crimes from happening in the first place.

    I am determined to tackle these crimes with the urgency they deserve, restoring your confidence that these will be quickly and visibly punished.”

    Prime Minister Rishi Sunak