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Tag: 2023

  • PRESS RELEASE : Millions released from dormant accounts to support vulnerable people with cost of living [March 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : Millions released from dormant accounts to support vulnerable people with cost of living [March 2023]

    The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 7 March 2023.

    £76 million tied up in forgotten accounts to be used to support people to get out of debt and assist social enterprises with innovative energy saving solutions.

    • Dormant Assets Scheme redirects money from forgotten accounts to good causes
    • £76 million will go to those struggling with the cost of living, including through no-interest loans
    • In England, Scheme is being expanded to include community wealth funds, pots of money that will allow local residents to improve their communities

    The most vulnerable people in society will be given additional support to deal with the cost of living, as £76 million tied up in forgotten accounts is unlocked.

    The cash will support people to get out of debt and assist social enterprises with innovative energy saving solutions.

    Beneficiaries include no-interest loans for 69,000 individuals struggling with finances via a £45 million grant distributed by Fair4All Finance, and hundreds of charities and social enterprises which will receive support from a pot of £31 million, distributed by social investors Access and Big Society Capital. This will be used to retrofit premises with cleaner, greener, and more efficient energy systems, such as new boilers or heat pumps, solar panels, and new lighting.

    Dormant assets are financial assets left untouched for long periods. Led by the financial services industry and backed by the government, the Dormant Assets Scheme aims to reunite people with these lost funds. Where this is not possible, it can be transferred to the Dormant Assets Scheme to be distributed to important social and environmental initiatives.

    The Dormant Assets Scheme unlocks money from forgotten bank and building society accounts, and will soon include further assets from the insurance and pensions, investment and wealth management, and the securities sectors.

    An estimated £738 million more will be made available over time thanks to the expansion of the Scheme to the new sectors.

    Since 2011, £892 million has been released via the Scheme. In England, dormant assets money has been used to support young people, help those in financial difficulty, and generate social investment.

    The government is also today announcing that community wealth funds will become an additional beneficiary of the Dormant Assets Scheme. A community wealth fund is a pot of money distributed to communities in deprived areas and released over a long time period, with local residents empowered to make decisions on how to use the money.

    To ensure that local decision-making sits at the heart of a community wealth fund, the government will shortly launch a public consultation to gather public and industry views on the overarching design of this important new initiative.

    Youth, social enterprises, and people in financial difficulty will continue to be supported, with previous beneficiaries including community centres and charities providing care for the socially isolated and elderly.

    Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer said:

    “Today we are announcing that millions of pounds will be redirected from dormant accounts to help the most vulnerable in society deal with the cost of living.

    “This will have a real impact on people’s lives, help alleviate debt and provide money saving solutions for charitable organisations.”

    DCMS Minister Stuart Andrew said:

    “The public consultation on dormant assets funding provided people with the opportunity to name how money that will be unlocked should be spent, and I’m delighted to announce our plans to introduce a community wealth fund as a new cause.

    “The creation of a community wealth fund will give local residents in some of the more deprived areas of the country the power to improve where they live and invest in what’s important to them.”

    David Knott, Chief Executive, The National Lottery Community Fund said:

    “As the distributor of dormant assets, The National Lottery Community Fund sees first-hand the life changing difference this funding makes. I welcome the Government’s plans to include community wealth funds alongside existing causes. This reflects The National Lottery Community Fund’s experience of funding and supporting communities over decades. I look forward to turbo charging efforts through this expansion. ”

    Jane Hanson, CBE, Chair, Reclaim Fund Ltd and Dormant Assets Expansion Board  said:

    “The Government’s announcement on future dormant assets funding comes at a particularly important time given the pressures on so many households. Thanks to the collaborative efforts of the Dormant Assets Expansion Board, which brings together industry, government and regulators, the Scheme is now poised for expansion, which could result in £880 million in additional dormant assets funding to good causes across the UK. Reclaim Fund Ltd is making the final preparations to launch the expanded Scheme and we look forward to welcoming participants from the insurance and pensions sector, followed by other sectors, including investment and wealth management, later this year.”

    Kirsty Cooper, Champion for the Insurance and Pensions sector and Group General Counsel and Company Secretary, Aviva said:

    “I’m delighted with the Government’s new announcement on future dormant assets funding. The expanded Scheme will help to make a real difference to the lives of those people who need it most across society, freeing up millions of pounds at a time when financial hardship is a real cause for concern, and I welcome the news that financial inclusion will receive additional funding to support this.”

    Reclaim Fund Ltd is making the final preparations to launch the expanded Scheme. This will welcome the first participants from the insurance and pensions sector in the coming months, with other sectors joining later this year.

    The Dormant Assets Scheme has supported many projects across the country already. These include:

    • Following the pandemic, Chanctonbury Community Leisure in Storrington, West Sussex were provided with a £50,000 grant and £100,000 loan from CAF Venturesome which was partly used to install a new 3G pitch. This has become a major community asset with 20 local teams training each week on the facility, including a new girls’ football team and women’s football and rugby teams.
    • Supported by Big Society Capital, The Greater Manchester Homes Partnership have enabled 355 of Greater Manchester’s homeless people to be housed.
    • Youth Futures Foundation has supported 802 young people in the Greater Manchester region with employability skills, including through the Manchester Deaf Centre, which helps children and young people who are deaf, deaf/blind, or children of deaf adults and have experienced increased isolation due to Covid-19.
    • Fair4All Finance has committed £25 million to the Affordable Credit Scale Up Programme, which is projected to help triple the availability of affordable credit to approximately £900 million by 2025.
    • Big Society Capital committed £8.5 million to Black Country Reinvestment Society, which invests in local enterprises, such as Miss Macaroon, a social enterprise which reinvests 100% of its profits into helping unemployed young people gain employability skills.
    • Access’s Growth Fund supported 41 projects across the Liverpool City Region with £3.7 million investment. This includes support for Homebaked, a co-operative bakery and community land trust based opposite Liverpool FC’s Anfield stadium, enabling them to meet growing demand through the development of a dedicated catering unit with specialised equipment and freeing up space in their own kitchens for classes for local children.
  • PRESS RELEASE : Foreign Secretary call with French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna [March 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : Foreign Secretary call with French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna [March 2023]

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

    A joint statement following the Foreign Secretary’s call with Catherine Colonna, French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs.

    Catherine Colonna, Minister of Europe and Foreign Affairs, and James Cleverly, Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, spoke by telephone on 6 March 2023.

    The exchange helped prepare for the 36th Franco-British Summit to be held on 10 March in Paris and will deepen the long-standing bilateral relationship between the two countries by deepening cooperation in a number of areas, including foreign affairs, security and defence, the economy, youth, energy and migration.

    In this context, the ministers discussed the major international issues of the day, including joint support for Ukraine in the face of Russian aggression and the defence of the rules-based international order.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Five years on from a Russian chemical attack in the UK, Russia continues to protect the Syrian Regime – UK Statement at the UN Security Council [March 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : Five years on from a Russian chemical attack in the UK, Russia continues to protect the Syrian Regime – UK Statement at the UN Security Council [March 2023]

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

    Statement by Alice Jacobs, UK Deputy Political Coordinator at the Security Council briefing on Syria.

    I thank USG Nakamitsu for her excellent briefing, as ever.

    As we discussed last month, the Douma report is further confirmation of Syria’s disdain for its basic obligations under international law.

    We again commend the Investigation and Identification Teams’ integrity, impartiality and professionalism in reaching its conclusions through rigorous scientific methodology.

    The Douma report has also further exposed Syria and Russia’s repeated attempts to discredit and undermine the OPCW to protect the Assad regime from accountability. Their reprehensible scapegoating of the White Helmets is aimed at deflecting attention. The White Helmets’ life-saving work has been demonstrated time and again, including during the recent earthquake response.

    President, it is also worth noting that today marks five years since two Russian GRU agents carried out a chemical weapons attack in the UK killing a British citizen and injuring others. It is, therefore, perhaps not just the Assad regime that it is attempting to protect.

    President, Douma represents the ninth attributed instance of chemical weapons use by the Assad regime. Given this consistent pattern of behaviour and without progress on any of Syria’s outstanding declaration issues, we cannot exclude the possibility that the Assad regime might use chemical weapons again.

    As we have said many times, the outstanding issues on Syria’s declaration are neither academic nor historic. While Syria continues to fail to comply with its obligations under the CWC, its chemical weapons programme presents an ongoing threat to international peace and security. It is therefore incumbent on this Council to continue to discuss the matter and to continue to bring pressure on Syria to cooperate with the OPCW.

  • James Cleverly – 2023 Statement on Japan-South Korea Relations

    James Cleverly – 2023 Statement on Japan-South Korea Relations

    The statement made by James Cleverly, the Foreign Secretary, on 6 March 2023.

    The UK welcomes the statements today from South Korea and Japan as they seek to resolve sensitive historic issues. We support both our partners in their efforts to form closer ties. Our world can only be stronger and safer when we work together in support of our shared interests and values.

  • Mark Harper – 2023 Speech on Transforming Transport in the North

    Mark Harper – 2023 Speech on Transforming Transport in the North

    The speech made by Mark Harper, the Secretary of State for Transport, in Newcastle on 6 March 2023.

    Introduction

    It’s great to be here in Newcastle, in what is my first visit to the North-East as Transport Secretary. And let me start, first of all, by thanking Martin Tugwell for the invitation.

    Transport for the North is a valued partner, a tireless champion of boosting connectivity across the region, both in public and in private. And your conference today will be a reminder, to anyone who needed it, that the success of the UK is increasingly tied to the success of the North of England.

    And, to you Lord McLoughlin, or Patrick as I know you better, although frankly for the first large number of years that I knew him, he wasn’t called Patrick, he was called ‘Chief’, as we call the Chief Whip. It was a job he carried out so effectively overseeing party discipline. That it all but guaranteed my attendance here today. There seems to be a theme of former Chief Whips becoming former Transport Secretaries.

    Like Patrick, I was part of the government that, almost a decade ago, actually launched the northern powerhouse. The idea that by pooling the region’s talent, leveraging its fantastic academic institutions, and connecting its great urban centres, we wanted to turn individually strong northern cities into a collective unit, that was greater than the sum of its parts.

    It was an unashamedly ambitious target. And we knew it wouldn’t happen overnight.

    Yet despite the turbulence of recent years – from a global pandemic to now a war on the continent of Europe – there has never been a question of our commitment to the North ever being placed on the backburner, as some have claimed.

    In fact, we redoubled our efforts to boost connectivity, accelerate devolution and revive former industrial heartlands into new engines of economic growth.

    The spirit of that original mission, which we launched 9 years ago, is still alive today. A fundamental belief that a better connected, well-funded, and strongly represented North of England. isn’t just essential for this region, but for the stronger economy the whole country needs.

    Delivery

    We all know the benefits of improved connectivity. The investment it attracts, the jobs it creates and the talent it retains. So even in this tough fiscal climate – where last November, the Chancellor had to make difficult, yet responsible, decisions to restore economic stability – we protected transport infrastructure spending across the North.

    Take major roads. Across the region, we’ve invested £2.5 billion in the Strategic Road Network over the past 3years. Including upgrades to the Newcastle-Gateshead Bypass, improvements to the A63 at Castle Street in Hull, and just last year, completing the £110 million A1 Scotswood to North Brunton scheme. These will not just increase safety and connectivity, but reduce congestion, which acts as a drag on our economy.

    But we’re also giving people alternatives to the car.

    Our National Bus Strategy, and I agree about the importance of buses – around twice as many journeys are made by bus than rail. Our National Bus Strategy transfers greater control over fares and timetables to local authorities, while giving operators the freedom to invest and innovate.

    And it’s working. Because not only have I welcomed the North-East’s and North of Tyne’s Bus Service Improvement Plan, today, I can confirm they will receive £118 million this year to deliver improved services for passengers.

    Now our commitment to buses stretches across the region, and indeed across the country. Last month, I extended both the Bus Recovery Grant and the £2 Fare Cap, which continues our support for a sector that’s still recovering from the pandemic.

    Here in the North-East, we’re also delivering a better railway with services on the East Coast Mainline bouncing back after the pandemic, with LNER the fastest recovering operator over the last 18 months. We’ll soon roll out single-leg pricing for tickets across the LNER network, giving passengers more flexibility in how they travel.

    And with the new Azuma Intercity Express Trains having been built in Newton Aycliffe, passengers in the North-East are riding on trains built in the North-East.

    But that’s not all. Open access operators such as Lumo are providing greater choice in this city, by making use of extra capacity on the network. And on the Tyne and Wear Metro, passengers will soon ride on a new fleet of modern trains, thanks to an investment of over £300 million from my department.

    But today, I am delighted to put right an historic wrong that’s lasted for 60 years. I can confirm we will reopen the Northumberland Line next year, making available the necessary funding that will build 6 new stations across the route. Connecting towns such as Ashington and Blyth to Newcastle, and breathing new economic life into those communities, delivered in partnership with Northumberland Council.

    Now, across the North, local leaders have long called for more ambitious rail infrastructure spending, as was touched on – and this government has answered that call.

    And I think it’s worth saying that any government has to be honest. Easy promises to get applause at events and conferences like this around the country, are not credible if people don’t have plans to pay for them. Ministers also have a duty to the taxpayer to set out well thought-through, costed promises.

    This government is committed £96 billion Integrated Rail Plan that we set out, which will deliver high speed rail to Manchester and transform journeys across the Pennines. And work is already underway. Like between Church Fenton and York, which includes some of the busiest stretches of railway in the North. A combination of electrification, track replacement and modern signalling will lead to faster and more efficient journeys for passengers. Which is part of the major upgrade to the 70-mile Trans-Pennine route. Which is a central government commitment that surpasses what we spent on Crossrail.

    However, one thing is obvious. Even with that investment, the single biggest investment since the creation of the railways right here in the North-East. That will be quickly forgotten if operators can’t deliver services aren’t up to scratch.

    If passengers are regularly let down by industrial action, as a result of the unions refusing to put reasonable pay offers to their members. The Rail Minister, Huw Merriman and I have made it clear to the relevant Managing Directors that services on Avanti West Coast and Trans-Pennine Express routes must improve. It’s good to see Avanti weekday services are starting to improve, but there is more to do so passengers don’t face unacceptable levels of disruption of the past 9 months.

    But also, if trade unions continue to reject pay offers, and refuse to undertake reforms, that are accepted in any modern industry, then it will be impossible to provide consistent and reliable services for passengers. It is not up for debate, about privatisation or nationalisation, it’s about building a modern railway which works as one coherent system in partnership.

    Patrick spoke about my George Bradshaw address, and that was about partnership between the state doing that part of the job that it needs to do, and the private sector doing its part to get more passengers back on the railway. It’s about improving the passengers’ experience, and if we don’t do that and get more revenue, that’s the only way we will build a sustainable and long-term railway, which isn’t at the mercy of antiquated working practices that prevent a reliable 7 day a week railway or hold us back from creating resilient infrastructure.

    Reform won’t just benefit passengers and freight customers, but also the workforce, who want to be part of a growing and sustainable industry, and it’s only that that can fund the pay rises that they expect. Almost the entire industry recognises the need to move forward, including the TSSA, whose members recently accepted a 5% plus 4% pay offer over 2 years.

    It’s a great sadness that the RMT have refused to put that same offer to their members, seemingly intent on thwarting the modernisation of the railways. My message to them is simple: reconsider, a best and final pay offer has been made, your members deserve the final say, let them make that decision in a referendum.

    Devolution

    Now, I’ve spoken about what we’re delivering for the North, but just as important are the powers we’re devolving to the North. Over 75% of the region is now covered by devolution deals, including the North-East, which will form a new Mayoral Combined Authority under a single Mayor, and with a £1.4 billion settlement to fund local priorities.

    You don’t need to look far to see what a determined and empowered Mayor can achieve. Ben Houchen has revived Teeside International Airport from the brink of closure. And opened the largest freeport in the country, which will attract investment and jobs. What Ben and others are doing across the North is important to me. Not just because as a small and big ‘c’ conservative, I’ve long championed the principle of more power in local hands. But because as a constituency MP in rural Gloucestershire for almost 20 years, I empathise with those who feel that Whitehall doesn’t always understand the transport needs of local communities. It touched on the needs of rural communities, for example, to make sure we’ve got transport that fits our needs.

    So whilst central governments must always ensure value for money for the taxpayer, I firmly believe more decisions should be made by local people, in local areas, and for local needs. So, through the Levelling Up Fund and Sustainable Transport Settlements, we’ve made over £3 billion in funding available for regional leaders to transform local transport, according to their priorities. That will lead to upgrades to the Sheffield Supertram, more cycling and walking schemes in the Tees Valley, and better bus routes between Leeds and Wakefield.

    But even the idea of a central government pulling the strategic levers from London feels outdated. That’s why we’ve set up Treasury North in Darlington. The National Infrastructure Bank and a Department for Transport office in Leeds, all clear signs that this Government is putting northern people and businesses at the heart of how this country is run.

    Decarbonisation

    Finally, let me mention how transport is delivering the sustainable economic recovery the country needs.

    The Prime Minister has reiterated our commitment to the 2050 net zero target – both through words and action. We now have departments of state dedicated to net zero, to science and innovation, and in the case of the DfT to transport decarbonisation. It means, right across Cabinet, decisions are being made to drive green growth.

    For transport, the source of most emissions is our roads. So, to support the rising popularity of electric vehicles, I’ve announced £56 million in public and industry funding to ensure local authorities can transform the availability of charging infrastructure. And this includes funding for nine local authorities in the North, such as Durham and Sunderland.

    We’re cleaning up buses too. The City of York and West Yorkshire authorities will be able to introduce over 30 new British made zero emission buses, thanks to a share of a £25 million investment I announced last week.

    However, we cannot overlook the North-East’s critical role in this future of clean travel. Look at what’s happening in Teesside, thanks to DfT funding, its Transport Hub is exploring how we use hydrogen to power some of our heaviest forms of transport.

    And industry is taking note, with BP and Protium already announcing plans for large scale green hydrogen production in the area. And with Port Clarence and Wilton International set to be the sites of new Sustainable Aviation Fuel production plants.

    This very corner of the country is powering a new green industrial revolution, 200 years after powering the first one.

    Conclusion

    So, increasing connectivity for the North. Devolving more power to the North. And decarbonising our economy, led by the North. That is our commitment to this region.

    And we cannot afford to fail. Because to grow the economy, to deal with the cost of living, and to win the race to net zero: the UK economy must fire on all cylinders.

    And it will be this government, led by the first Conservative Prime Minister from a northern constituency for over half a century, armed with a historic electoral mandate from the North, that will build on the foundations laid over the past 9 years, ensuring the North’s best years aren’t consigned to history, but actually lie ahead.

    Thank you.

  • PRESS RELEASE : The Government of South Sudan must stop violence and deliver basic services to their people – UK Statement at the UN Security Council [March 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : The Government of South Sudan must stop violence and deliver basic services to their people – UK Statement at the UN Security Council [March 2023]

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

    Statement by Ambassador James Kariuki at the UN Security Council briefing on South Sudan.

    Thank you, President. Let me join others in congratulating Malta for their successful Presidency in February and wishing you the best for yours in March.

    Thank you also to SRSG Haysom and to our briefers for their updates. I also welcome the presence of the Permanent Representative of South Sudan in our meeting today.

    First, I would like to echo the messages delivered by the Pope, Archbishop of Canterbury, and Moderator of the Church of Scotland during their historic visit to South Sudan.

    The UK endorses their calls on the Government of South Sudan to stop violence, end corruption, and deliver basic services for the South Sudanese people.

    Recent legislative steps, such as progress on the Constitution-Making Process Bill and the Public Procurement and Disposal of Assets Authority, are welcome.

    The key is now to implement such laws. We also call on the Government to take immediate steps to reconstitute the Political Parties Council and adopt The National Elections Act, among other urgent tasks. We echo SRSG Haysom’s message that 2023 needs to be the year that the South Sudanese Government delivers for its people.

    Second, I would like to note our concerns about the escalation of subnational conflict across South Sudan.

    The Church leaders were clear that failure to implement the peace agreement is driving subnational conflict and humanitarian suffering.

    Violence has caused significant loss of life, displaced thousands of civilians, and led to large-scale abductions of women and children.

    The United Kingdom commends UNMISS’s continued efforts to protect civilians under such challenging circumstances.

    We are therefore deeply concerned by reports of intimidation of UN peacekeepers and UNMISS personnel by armed groups across the country.

    We call upon the South Sudanese authorities to respect the SOFA and where necessary ensure thorough investigations take place to ensure accountability.

    Third, we reiterate our call for the South Sudanese Government to remove all constraints on humanitarian access, and to act urgently to address ongoing theft of humanitarian resources. It is imperative that safe, unimpeded help can reach the most vulnerable, including those along the River Nile.

    In closing, President, the United Kingdom remains committed to the South Sudanese people’s quest for peace, prosperity and democracy.  The leadership must now deliver real change to that end.

    Thank you.

  • PRESS RELEASE : UK and Canada sign agreement to boost green tech supply chains [March 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : UK and Canada sign agreement to boost green tech supply chains [March 2023]

    The press release issued by the Department for Business and Trade on 6 March 2023.

    The UK and Canada have agreed a landmark agreement to co-operate on critical minerals such as cobalt and lithium that are essential to the economy.

    • UK and Canada to sign agreement to bolster vital technologies such as smart phones, solar panels and electric vehicles.
    • Agree to work together on critical minerals research and make supply chains more resilient as demand for some minerals expected to rise 500% by 2040.
    • Agreement signed on Minister Nus Ghani’s five-day visit to Canada to meet counterparts and attend the International Mines Ministers Summit and the closing of the Toronto Stock Exchange.

    The UK and Canada have agreed a landmark agreement to co-operate on critical minerals such as cobalt and lithium that are essential to the economy and used in almost all modern and green technologies, from solar panels to electric vehicles.

    The partnership, to be launched today [Monday 6 March] by Business and Trade Minister Nusrat Ghani MP and Canadian Minister of Natural Resources Jonathan Wilkinson, will help make UK manufacturers of cutting-edge technologies more resilient to global shocks by promoting research and development between UK and Canadian businesses, driving innovation and growth.

    The announcement comes on a five-day visit to Canada, during which time Minister Ghani will also meet Canadian government counterparts to discuss critical minerals and attend the International Mines Ministers Summit and the closing of the Toronto Stock Exchange.

    Minister for Business and Trade, Nusrat Ghani MP, said:

    Every single one of us depend on critical minerals to make the technology we use in our everyday lives. With a dash for minerals to meet national business needs, it is essential we work to build more resilient supply chains for critical minerals.

    Through this Dialogue, we will work with one of our closest global allies in Canada to build and strengthen our supply chains and boost innovation, securing jobs and growing the UK economy in the process.

    Canadian Minister of Natural Resources, The Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, said:

    Canada and the United Kingdom share similar goals and values.

    By collaborating on the development of the critical mineral supply chains that we need to achieve our net-zero future, we can reinforce global energy security, advance the fight against climate change and ensure significant economic opportunity and support good jobs on both sides of the Atlantic.

    Today’s announcement is a step forward toward a sustainable and secure clean energy ecosystem.

    Canada is the UK’s 13th largest export partner, with UK companies last year exporting £14.1 billion worth of products to Canada.  Canada represents a large opportunity for UK mining and engineering firms, with the country currently producing 60 minerals and metals at 200 mines and 6,500 quarries.

    The Critical Minerals Statement of Intent and Dialogue will be launched by Minister Ghani at the 2023 Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada Convention. They also commit Canada and the UK to high environmental, social and governance standards in critical minerals supply chains.

    Demand for certain critical minerals is expected to rise by as much as 500% by 2040, and the Statement and Dialogue are a part of the UK’s Critical Minerals Strategy to secure supply chains for these minerals and therefore the UK’s position in the growing markets for green technologies, such as hydrogen production and nuclear energy. A refreshed approach for delivering the Strategy is due to be published later this year.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Government appoints first Menopause Employment Champion to improve workplace support [March 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : Government appoints first Menopause Employment Champion to improve workplace support [March 2023]

    The press release issued by the Department for Work and Pensions on 6 March 2023.

    Employers are being encouraged to better support women experiencing the menopause as the Government today appointed England’s first ever Menopause Employment Champion.

    • Helen Tomlinson appointed new Menopause Employment Champion and calls on more employers to develop menopause policies
    • One in four women experiencing menopause are reported to have considered leaving their job due to symptoms
    • She will drive awareness of issues surrounding menopause and work while promoting the benefits for businesses and the economy when women are supported to stay in work and progress

    Helen Tomlinson, Head of Talent (UK & Ireland) at The Adecco Group, has been appointed to the independent role by the Department for Work and Pensions and will work closely with the Minister for Social Mobility, Youth and Progression Mims Davies.

    As part of the voluntary role, Helen will focus on encouraging employers to develop menopause policies to create more supportive environments to help women experiencing menopause to stay and progress in work. She will carry out this work while continuing her employment at Adecco.

    With 30 years’ experience in the recruitment and employability sector, Helen is ideally placed to take on the role having hosted a podcast on menopause and work which led to her working with Adecco to develop and introduce their menopause policy.

    Launched in 2021, it has since been adapted for numerous external clients and includes training for managers and the creation of a menopause community of allies who advise women on how to support themselves to thrive in work whilst experiencing menopause.

    Menopause Employment Champion, Helen Tomlinson said:

    I have witnessed the transformational power that opening up conversations on the menopause can have in a workplace. By creating safe spaces by educating management and creating allies across workforces, women can be supported and empowered to manage their symptoms and thrive in work.

    Less than a quarter of UK businesses currently have a menopause policy, but as I take on this role, I am determined that my generation of women in work will break the menopause taboo and have confidence that their health is valued.

    I look forward to working with women and leaders across all sectors of work to address this gap and make a difference for current and future generations.

    Department for Work and Pensions Minister, Mims Davies said:

    Menopause is a major driver of too many women leaving the workforce early, often when they are at the peak of their skills and experience with so much more still to contribute.

    We are committed to ensuring any stigma is addressed associated with menopause and its symptoms which can vary.

    Working positively with employers is vital to ensure they can recruit and retain women experiencing menopause and stop women perhaps considering giving up their employment due to the impact.

    I look forward to working closely with Helen, to achieve our goals of driving positive workplace change to help realise the full potential of women, businesses, and the economy by assisting women at any age and career stage to be properly supported and thrive in work.

    Although not all women experience effects which prevent them from working, research suggests those with serious menopausal symptoms take an average of 32 weeks of leave from work, whilst one in four women report they have considered leaving their job due to experiencing the menopause.

    The average age for a woman to reach the menopause is 51, and this matters especially as women over 50 represent the fastest growing segment of the workforce, with a third of the working age population now over 50.

    Indeed, 1 in 100 women experiencing menopause impact before the age of 40 with peri-menopause symptoms often during their 40s and some experiencing it mid-30s.

    As Menopause Employment Champion, Helen will focus on workplace support and raising awareness of menopause related issues. This could include advising employers on small but significant changes they could make to the workplace, such as offering those experiencing symptoms more regular breaks, a choice of uniform or creating cooler spaces in offices for those experiencing hot flushes.

    Helen will also work closely with the Women’s Health Ambassador Dame Lesley Regan whose work on the menopause centres on healthcare provision.

    Women’s Health Ambassador Dame Lesley Regan said:

    Having spent my professional career caring for women across their life course, I am acutely aware of the need to support menopausal women in every aspect of their lives.

    The Menopause Employment Champion will improve the support we offer our workforce – keeping women in the workplace and ensuring that every woman has the opportunity to live her life to the fullest potential.

    This is a further positive step in the implementation of the Women’s Health Strategy which is tackling many practical problems that women experience when trying to access the services they need to optimise their health and wellbeing.

    I look forward to working closely with Helen Tomlinson in her new role.

    Ahead of today’s announcement, Mims Davies and Helen Tomlinson visited the Whitbread-owned Premier Inn at London County Hall, as the Group has made the menopause a key part of its diversity and inclusion policy.

    Janet Tidmarsh, Head of Diversity and Inclusion for Whitbread said:

    The menopause is a key part of our robust Diversity and Inclusion strategy, particularly because 67% of our front-line workers are women.

    We’re so proud to be on our journey to being accredited as a Menopause Friendly Employer and have made our workplace guide to the menopause available in six different languages. This makes sure it is as accessible as possible in order to enable teams and managers to be supportive for people experiencing menopausal symptoms.

    Our Gender Equality inclusion network, which is run by colleagues across the business, has been instrumental in driving awareness and change and work is only going from strength to strength as we continue to invest in this important topic.

    This latest announcement comes ahead of International Women’s Day this week and builds on the government’s delivery of an ambitious plan to improve the health and wellbeing of women and girls, set out in the Women’s Health Strategy, in which menopause features as a priority area.

  • PRESS RELEASE : HRC52 – Statement on Afghanistan [March 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : HRC52 – Statement on Afghanistan [March 2023]

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

    The UK’s Ambassador to the WTO and UN in Geneva, Simon Manley, delivered this statement on Afghanistan at the 52nd session of the UN Human Rights Council.

    Thank you Mr President.

    Let me start by thanking the Special Rapporteur for his determination and eloquence in shedding light on the deteriorating situation of human rights in Afghanistan.

    As International Women’s Day fast approaches, half of Afghanistan’s population are practically imprisoned in their homes. Domestic violence is on the rise. Yet, if women exercise their freedom of movement they risk arrest, detention and beatings. Instead of attending school and freely planning their futures, girls face the truly devastating fate of being forced into marriage.

    This draconian reality is further compounded by rising food insecurity and poverty.

    The Taliban have made it near impossible for the Afghan people to live in dignity and safety. Therefore the international community, must continue to urge the Taliban to restore hope to the people of Afghanistan. Which is why the UK has disbursed over half a billion pounds in aid, to ensure lifesaving support to the most vulnerable,

    Special Rapporteur,

    What more can be done to urgently improve the situation for women and girls in Afghanistan?

    Thank you.

  • PRESS RELEASE : £1 billion in potential annual savings to be realised through stepped up efficiency drive [March 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : £1 billion in potential annual savings to be realised through stepped up efficiency drive [March 2023]

    The press release issued by the Cabinet Office on 6 March 2023.

    The Evaluation Taskforce has awarded more funding for projects to improve evaluation.

    • Four new projects have been awarded funding to help test and evaluate new approaches within government
    • Up to £1 billion to potentially be saved through modernisation and automation of services
    • Other projects include using mobile network data to support electric vehicle uptake
    • Fund forms part of a wider push from ministers to drive efficiencies in new ways

    New projects within government which could save the taxpayer up to £1 billion have been launched by the Cabinet Office.

    The four new projects announced today are part of the Evaluation Task Force’s Accelerator Fund, which provides money to departments to improve evaluation of policy within government.

    The Fund is the latest demonstration of the government’s drive to ramp up the use of data to provide financial and efficiency savings to ensure the best value of public money from new policies or interventions.

    One project, which will drive forward improvements in government services, could see £1 billion of taxpayer’s money saved through shifting services to digital channels, reducing paper use and automating processes. This includes through the use of phone-bots and automated processes to cut out unnecessary processes.

    More than £1.2 million of funding has been awarded to teams tackling issues such as cutting costs through digital transformation and mapping the use of electric vehicles.

    Minister for the Cabinet Office Jeremy Quin said:

    This is a government with innovation at its core and it’s vital that we channel that in the right way, ensuring decisions made by the government are data-driven.

    This funding will help teams drive innovation across government, creating the tools and data departments need to become more efficient and drive value for money. I’m looking forward to seeing the positive impact this will have on public services.

    The four projects awarded a total of £1,285,000 via the Evaluation Accelerator Fund will test and develop new data-driven approaches to policy-making and evaluation. It builds on £12.2 million awarded across 16 projects in the first round of funding last year.

    Teams across Whitehall and the What Works Network were invited to place bids for ideas that would test and evaluate the impact of new policies or approaches to delivering public services.

    The bids needed to demonstrate how they would provide robust evidence of financial or efficiency savings, tying in with the wider push within the government to ensure taxpayers are receiving the best possible value for their money.

    One successful bid which has received £500,000 from the Accelerator Fund will see the Cabinet Office evaluate how service improvements, such as reducing the use of paper and demand on customer service teams, can help unlock savings across government. Improvements may include the replacement of physical signatures with e-signatures, or the use of electronic notifications, for example SMS and social media, instead of paper.

    Around £450,000 also went towards work being undertaken by the Department for Transport exploring how mobile network operator (MNO) data can be used to support initiatives targeting electric vehicle uptake and usage. It is hoped that mobile data, including geographical spread, charging locations and distances travelled, can be used to help locate charging infrastructure where it’s needed most, as well as providing a more comprehensive evaluation of electric vehicle usage across the country.

    Last year a project led by the College of Policing was awarded £1.7 million to help test new ways at preventing violence against women and girls. The funding is now being used to further evaluate the use of Rapid Video Response (RVR) for domestic abuse, having previously been trialled by Kent Police. Findings from the Kent trial showed that it had increased victim satisfaction, with the average wait time to speak to an officer reduced to three minutes. Financial efficiencies, based upon the findings of the initial trial, were calculated to be between £119,000 – £190,000 per annum. Replication of RVR in other forces and testing of different uses of the same technology will identify the potential of this approach across the country.

    Another project led by the Ministry of Justice and HM Prison and Probation Service was awarded over £933,000 to tackle drug misuse in prisons by monitoring wastewater. Following successful fieldwork, the trial is due to launch later this year.