Tag: 2023

PRESS RELEASE : Defibrillator deliveries begin for all schools that need one [January 2023]

The press release issued by the Department for Education on 20 January 2023.

Deliveries of defibrillators begin today (20 January) to all state-funded schools in England that don’t currently have a life-saving device.

Last year, the government committed to supplying state-funded schools across England with defibrillators to make sure there is a device in every school.

It follows campaigning from the Oliver King Foundation and its founder Mark King, who has worked tirelessly to raise awareness of the need for defibrillators since he tragically lost his son at the age of 12 to cardiac arrest while swimming at school.

The deliveries of the first defibrillators mark the start of a roll out of over 20,000 defibrillators to almost 18,000 state-funded schools by the end of the academic year.

The government is also supporting schools in making defibrillators available to the community, with external heated defibrillator cabinets being provided to primary and special schools in areas where provision is lower.

An internal cabinet is being provided to secondary schools that are receiving two or more defibrillators, so one can be placed at the school’s sports facility, where a cardiac arrest is more likely to happen.

The Oliver King Foundation and other leading charities, including the British Heart Foundation, Resuscitation Council UK and St John Ambulance, have supported the creation of updated guidance which will give schools the tools and knowledge they need to use their new defibrillators.

Education Secretary Gillian Keegan said:

Today we’re celebrating a huge milestone as we start deliveries of defibrillators to schools, working towards every school having one by the end of the academic year.

None of this would have come about without the relentless and brave campaigning of Mark King and the Oliver King Foundation, and we are extremely grateful to him and other leading charities for the ongoing support they will doubtless provide schools from lesson plans to staff training.

Founder of the Oliver King Foundation Mark King said:

This is a landmark moment and will be welcomed by pupils, parents and teachers up and down the country.

It is a proud day for us because we’ve campaigned for schools to have access to defibrillators for over a decade. It is a major victory for the Oliver King Foundation.

Defibrillators save lives and I have no doubt that lives will now be saved so that families do not have to suffer the heartbreak of unnecessarily losing a child. This is for our Ollie.

This is the largest defibrillator programme in England to date and will ensure that pupils and staff have access to this lifesaving first aid equipment.

The new guidance provides advice for schools on how to make their defibrillator available to the community. The government is also encouraging schools to sign up to The Circuit, the national defibrillator network.

As part of the rollout, awareness videos are being provided to show how simple defibrillators are to use, and schools are being encouraged to share these videos in staff meetings and assemblies.

This follows the announcement last month of a new £1 million fund to increase the number of defibrillators in communities most in need – providing an estimated 1,000 new defibrillators in community spaces across England.

January 20, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Levelling up projects in Scotland awarded £177 million [January 2023]
The press release issued by the Office of the Secretary of State for Scotland on 20 January 2023.

A new ferry for Fair Isle, restoration of Kilmarnock’s historic Palace Theatre, and regeneration in Stirling are just some of the transformational local projects across Scotland awarded a share of £2.1 billion from the UK Government’s landmark Levelling Up Fund.

Major UK Government investment will benefit people across Scotland by spreading opportunity and breathing new life into historically overlooked areas.

A total of 10 projects in Scotland have been allocated more than £177 million from round two of the Levelling Up Fund. The projects will create jobs, drive economic growth, help restore people’s pride in the places where they live and spread opportunity more equally.

This will drive forward the Prime Minister’s priority to grow the economy by levelling up and provide the foundations for building a better future in communities across the UK. By working together the UK is better able to collectively tackle the individual challenges faced by every region and nation across the country.

Grants include nearly £27 million for a new roll-on, roll-off ferry for Fair Isle. There is also £20 million to fund the refurbishment of Kilmarnock’s 163-year-old Palace Theatre and Grand Hall, and a new park near the town square, as well as more than £19 million towards the regeneration of the Forthside area in Stirling.

In Aberdeenshire, £20 million will transform Peterhead’s disused Arbuthnot House into a new museum, library and cultural hub, while the popular marine aquarium in Macduff will be modernised and expanded.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said:

Through greater investment in local areas, we can grow the economy, create good jobs and spread opportunity everywhere.

That’s why we are backing a number of projects with new transformational funding to level up local communities in Scotland.

By reaching even more parts of the country than before, we will build a future of optimism and pride in people’s lives and the places they call home.

Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove said:

We are firing the starting gun on more than a hundred transformational projects in every corner of the UK that will revitalise communities that have historically been overlooked but are bursting with potential.

This new funding will create jobs, drive economic growth, and help to restore local pride. We are delivering on the people’s priorities, levelling up across the UK to ensure that no matter where you are from, you can go as far as your talents will take you.

Scottish Secretary Alister Jack said:

It’s fantastic to see real momentum gathering as we level up across Scotland. This latest round of UK Government funding will see more than £177 million invested into 10 exciting projects which will breathe new life into communities across Scotland.

Working with local partners we are boosting culture and leisure in Aberdeenshire, Galloway and Kilmarnock; improving connectivity in Shetland and Dundee; regenerating Greenock and Cumbernauld town centres; unlocking huge swathes of land for green development in East Lothian and Stirling; and helping communities in Fife connect with nature.

We must and will continue to invest in initiatives that will make a difference to communities and help grow our economy. So far we have announced more than £2.26 billion – including the two Freeports confirmed last week – to bring prosperity and growth to Scotland that is crucial as we tackle the challenges associated with rising energy prices and the increased cost of living.

Projects in Scotland awarded Levelling Up Fund grants in round 2:
- nearly £27 million has been guaranteed for a new roll-on, roll-off ferry for Fair Isle. The service is a lifeline for the island, supporting its residents, visitors and supply chains, and without its replacement the community will become further isolated.
- in Aberdeenshire, £20 million will transform Peterhead’s disused Arbuthnot House into a new museum, library and cultural hub, while the popular marine aquarium in Macduff will be modernised and expanded.
- there is £20 million to fund the refurbishment of 163-year-old Palace Theatre and Grand Hall, and a new park near the town square in Kilmarnock.
- in Dundee, £14 million will go towards redeveloping a dated multi-storey car park into a sustainable transport hub, creating 350 electrical vehicle charging points, car share spaces, and an e-bike hire scheme.
- nearly £20 million will help demolish and reroute the A78 dual carriageway to reconnect and transform Greenock town centre into a modern, vibrant hub based around public squares and green spaces.
- in Stirling, more than £19 million will go towards the regeneration of the Forthside area, helping to create 1,000 new jobs.
- more than £19.4 million to accelerate the regeneration of Riverside Park in Fife and improve access to the River Leven with new walking routes.
- in Cumbernauld, more than £9 million will support the demolition and regeneration of two failing shopping centres and a vacant office block, helping to bring education, employment and homes into the heart of North Lanarkshire’s largest town.
- in East Lothian, nearly £11.3 million of funding will help free up land at a former coal fired power station for future, green regeneration.
- almost £18 million will help Dumfries and Galloway turn redundant spaces and buildings into exciting new cultural and leisure opportunities.
The major investment announced follows the allocation of £1.7 billion to 105 projects from round one of the Levelling Up Fund in 2021– taking the total allocated so far from the fund to £3.8 billion. In Scotland there was an allocation of £172 million to 8 Scottish projects from round one of the Levelling Up Fund in 2021– taking the total allocated so far from the fund to £349 million. The UK Government’s levelling up projects across Scotland can be explored on this map.

The UK Government has also confirmed there will be a further round of the Levelling Up Fund, providing more opportunity to level up places across the UK.
January 20, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : UK Government signs Islands Growth Deal worth £393m [January 2023]
The press release issued by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities on 20 January 2023.

An agreement to invest £100 million in the future economic prosperity of Orkney, Shetland and the Outer Hebrides was signed today (20th January) in Orkney by UK and Scottish Government Ministers and the Council Leaders of the three island groups.

Up to 1,300 jobs and £393 million of investment is anticipated to result from the signing of the transformative Islands Growth Deal between UK Government, Scottish Government, Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, Shetland Islands Council, and Orkney Islands Council.

Over a ten-year period, the Islands Growth Deal will invest in 16 projects and programmes that capitalise on the Islands’ unique assets. These are built around three strategic themes of low carbon, supporting growth and future industries, and thriving sustainable communities, subject to approval of Full Business Cases.

Jointly funded by up to £100 million – £50 million from each of the Scottish and UK Governments – the Islands Growth Deal will attract further investment of up to £293 million in match funding.

The Deal (full document) has been developed by the three island Councils, together with public, academic, business, community and third sector partners.

The first year of the ten-year programme is anticipated to see investment across the islands, including in UHI’s campuses in Shetland and the Outer Hebrides, and the pan-island Islands Centre for Net Zero, which will be based at the Orkney Research and Innovation Campus in Stromness.

Following the signing within Orkney Islands Council’s chamber, UK Government Minister for Scotland Malcolm Offord said:

This will not just boost local economies and create jobs, but also empower communities to get the most out of the many assets and attributes that make the islands such unique and special places to live.

This deal is packed with a broad range of high-impact projects, whether it’s leading the transition to net zero or developing ‘must-visit’ destinations such as the St Kilda trail.

The UK Government’s £50m support for the Islands deal, in addition to other levelling up investments, shows our continued commitment to the Scottish Islands.

Scottish Government Business Minister Ivan McKee said:

This Growth Deal will be a game-changing initiative for our islands – enabling sustainable economic growth and delivering new and internationally significant port infrastructure that will play an important role in achieving net zero targets.

This £50 million Scottish Government investment will support the transition to renewable energy sources – including equipping the workforce with new skills – and trial emissions reduction initiatives on islands. It will drive innovation in key space, food and drink and creative industries sectors; help develop significant tourism and cultural attractions and expand education provision.

We are determined that our islands should be attractive places to live and work and are able to maximise their contribution to Scotland’s sustainable economic transformation.

Councillor James Stockan, Leader of Orkney Islands Council, said:

The signing of this important document today in Orkney marks another significant milestone in our collaborative journey and future vision for our three island areas.

We have worked together to successfully achieve an impactful growth deal from our governments in both London and Edinburgh that will help secure a better future for us all. Not only does the agreement recognise all our unique challenges faced as island areas, but also the strength of our assets and opportunities that we offer.

Councillor Paul Steele, Leader of Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, said:

The signing of the Islands Growth Deal is both the culmination of a vision set out by the Islands Councils and the UK and Scottish Governments and the beginning of the implementation of that vision.

It is a milestone towards achieving our aims of securing 1300 jobs and £393m of investment over 10 years through the Islands Deal, using the resources of our Islands and capitalising on our natural assets and most importantly, our people.

Councillor Emma Macdonald, Leader of Shetland Islands Council, said:

The Deal contains projects which are island-specific and focus on local opportunities and priorities, as well as those which, working in partnership, will help us unlock more economic success for all our islands. These vital projects supporting our islands’ sustainability could not have progressed without the UK Government and Scottish Government’s support and investment

Our partnership has developed as we have developed the Deal, and I look forward to seeing how it develops over the coming decade.

The UK Government’s £50 million investment will be shared across the following projects:
- £16m for Islands Centre for Net Zero
- £11m for Outer Hebrides Energy Hub
- £2.6m for Creative Islands Wellbeing
- £4m for Outer Hebrides Destination Development
- £1m for Orkney World Heritage Gateway
- £1m for Orkney Vertical Farm
- £4.4m for Shell-volution
- £1.5m for TalEntEd Islands
- £8m for Orkney Research and Innovation Campus
January 20, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Barclays Eagle Labs chosen to help turbocharge next generation of UK tech stars [January 2023]
The press release issued by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport on 20 January 2023.

Government funding package awarded to organisation to boost regional growth of tech start-ups and scale-ups.
- Grant will build on Barclays Eagle Labs’ track record of supporting high-growth businesses across the UK and deliver new programmes
- Two-year programme to start in April 2023
Barclays Eagle Labs has been awarded a new grant to boost small and scaling tech businesses in all corners of the UK.

Estimates suggest strengthening regional tech industries could grow the UK’s digital sector by an additional £41.5 billion by 2025 and create 678,000 jobs.

The £12.09 million Digital Growth Grant builds on more than £42.2 million invested by the government to support tech start-ups and scale-ups since 2016.

Combined investment from Eagle Labs and the government will increase support for the tech sector so more than 22,000 businesses can benefit, with at least 80 per cent based outside London.

Barclays Eagle Labs has expertly delivered growth programmes, business mentoring and events to start-ups and scale-ups since 2015. Their growing network already supports businesses from Aberdeen and Belfast to Cardiff and Cumbria through 38 physical sites, as well as virtually across the country.

Together with best-in-class business support experts, Eagle Labs will create effective local networks to help tech businesses wherever they are in the country.

Eagle Labs and industry partners will provide specialist support, funded by the Digital Growth Grant, for founders from underserved communities – for example expanding access to their growth programmes for Black and female founded businesses.

The grant will fund training resources and opportunities for entrepreneurs, including a Learning Management System providing virtual training to over 10,000 businesses and training modules created for young people to inspire the next generation of UK entrepreneurs.

Minister for Tech and the Digital Economy, Paul Scully, said:

We want to unlock the potential of the next generation of start-ups and scale-ups and boost tech businesses in all corners of the country.

Barclays Eagle Labs are digital industry experts and will help tens of thousands of tech firms and founders to achieve their dreams and create jobs and economic growth.

The Digital Growth Grant was awarded following an open competition and rigorous assessment process. The Barclays Eagle Labs bid represented the best value for taxpayers’ money as the full grant will be allocated to supporting the UK tech ecosystem, with Eagle Labs absorbing all operational and people costs associated with delivering the programme of activity.

It will enable Eagle Labs to launch new programmes to grow tech businesses as well as increasing access to Eagle Labs’ existing services. The funding will double the number of mentoring sessions offered to tech firms to 1,500 a year.

The independent panel assessing applications concluded Eagle Labs was uniquely positioned to deliver targeted support across the country. A bespoke regional partnership programme will ensure funding and training reflects the challenges digital businesses are facing in their area.

Amanda Allan, Director of Barclays Eagle Labs, said:

Eagle Labs’ vision is to make the UK tech sector an engine for growth and for the UK to be the best place in the world to start and grow a tech business

Through the Digital Growth Grant, we’re excited to double down to reach more businesses across the country with our best-in-class business growth programmes and bespoke regional support.

We have a track record of supporting over 8000 start-ups and high-growth businesses since we launched in 2015 and we’re proud that, due to our established Eagle Labs network, we can pass through all grant funds to our delivery partners and programmes, helping to maximise the impact of the grant in supporting the UK tech ecosystem.

Tech Nation will continue to deliver remaining DCMS grant funding until March 2023. The Digital Growth Grant will be awarded to Barclays Eagle Labs from April 2023 and will fund activity until March 2025.
January 20, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : UK landmark genomic partnership with Thailand to unite against health threats [January 2023]
The press release issued by the Department for Health and Social Care on 20 January 2023.

UK signs memorandum of understanding with Thailand to boost genomics expertise and explore mutual priorities for improving patient outcomes.
- The UK is set to boost its genomics expertise to deliver better healthcare through a landmark memorandum of understanding signed with Thailand
- Thailand is a world-leader in life sciences and genomics and plans to share knowledge with the UK to help prevent, diagnose and treat major diseases that burden people in both countries
- New partnership will explore mutual priorities for improving patient outcomes
UK patients will benefit from a new partnership with Thailand to share expertise of genome sequencing, collaborate in research, education and training opportunities, knowledge exchange and genomics data handling.

Yesterday afternoon (Thursday 19 January) the memorandum of understanding was signed by UK Health Minister Lord Nick Markham CBE and Thailand’s Minister for Public Health and Deputy Prime Minister HE Anutin Charnvirakul. Both countries have committed to working together on genomics and understanding rare and undiagnosed diseases and cancer, as well as building stronger academic and institutional links through working groups that could start as early as February 2023.

The collaboration will allow the 2 countries to better share information on genomics, the study of people’s DNA, including Genomics Thailand’s 50,000 Genome Initiative and the UK’s pioneering 100,000 Genomes Project led by Genomics England.

Genomic sequencing can speed up diagnosis of cancer, ensure patients with treatable illnesses receive treatment faster and improve our understanding around how health outcomes differ by ethnicity to tackle inequalities.

A key lesson learnt from the COVID-19 pandemic was that collaboration with international partners is crucial to building our own resilience to health threats. Thailand has world-leading genomics capabilities, so the landmark new partnership will help to broaden the UK’s expertise in this field and cement our status as a global life sciences superpower.

UK Health Minister Lord Nick Markham CBE said:

Genomics has the power to revolutionise healthcare in the UK and across the world, so it is brilliant to be joining hands with Thailand for this exciting partnership. Both countries share the common goal of enhancing our healthcare systems with innovative technology and scientific understanding to reduce inequalities and ultimately save lives.

We look forward to working closely with our counterparts in Thailand to bolster our ability to offer diagnosis for rare diseases and develop cutting-edge treatments.

Through our commitment to sharing knowledge, exploring training opportunities and pioneering joint research initiatives we can collaborate to deliver better health outcomes at lower costs.

Chief Executive of the UK Health Security Agency, Dame Jenny Harries, said:

Improving the world’s ability to monitor and detect newly emerging pathogens is critical for global health security. The COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated clearly how vital genomic surveillance is in helping us detect and prepare for new dangers to global public health.

International co-operation is a crucial part of developing this capability. I welcome this agreement with the government of Thailand which will strengthen our ability to closely monitor and respond to new health threats. I look forward to a fruitful and productive collaboration.

Thailand’s Minister for Public Health and Deputy Prime Minister, HE Anutin Charnvirakul, said:

This is the first partnership between Thailand’s Ministry of Public Health and the UK’s Department of Health and Social Care. It marks an important step for genomics collaboration between the 2 countries.

With mutual interest, Thailand and the UK will come together to share knowledge and best practices in genomics medicine, including data handling, ultimately to help treat and protect the people from diseases that we may have never been able to do so before.

Chief Scientific Officer for Genomics England, Professor Matt Brown, said:

The potential for genomics to revolutionise the way we deliver healthcare is great and we’re already starting to see this transformative science being adopted across many areas of medicine. We’re delighted to partner with Thailand and share our knowledge and experience to put the promise of genomics into practice and bring benefits for patients worldwide.

Building on the success of the ground-breaking 100,000 Genomes Project – which has already helped diagnose rare disease in hundreds of children – the government recently allocated new funding to genomics to ensure a better quality of life for UK patients. In December 2022, £175 million was awarded in new genomics funding to ensure a better quality of life for our patients, putting the NHS on the front foot and affirming our position as a life sciences superpower.

This funding will build on the world-leading work of the NHS Genomic Medicine Service, harnessing innovation to drive improvements across the health system.

The funding also included £25 million of UKRI–MRC funding for a UK-wide new initiative on functional genomics, an area of genomic research which uses molecular tools such as gene editing to improve understanding of how genetic variation leads to disease and support smarter diagnostics and the discovery of new treatments.

The memorandum of understanding builds on the Life Sciences Vision set out in 2021, which commits to delivering a world-class offer on functional genomics and the UK is in a strong position to become a leader in this area.
January 20, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Panel of independent experts publish findings into crab deaths [January 2023]
The press release issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 20 January 2023.

The panel of independent experts set up to assess the cause of dead and dying crabs washed up on shores from October 2021 have today (Friday 20 January) published their findings.

The panel, made up of experts from academia and industry, was chaired by Defra’s Chief Scientific Adviser Gideon Henderson with input from the Government Chief Scientific Adviser, Sir Patrick Vallance.

They investigated a number of possible causes for the unusual crab deaths which started in October 2021 including a potential disease or parasite, a harmful algal bloom, chemical toxicity including pyridine, and dredging which could have released a toxic chemical. Each of these potential causes was assessed according to the likelihood of the occurrence.

The key observations that must be explained by any cause include: Mortality over a sustained period and along at least 70km of coastline; the unusual twitching by dying crabs observed in many locations; and the deaths being dominantly crustaceans rather than a wider range of species.

The panel concluded:
- It is about as likely as not that a pathogen new to UK waters – a potential disease or parasite – caused the unusual crab mortality. There are pathogens known to cause similar symptoms to those observed in the north-east and these pathogens have caused mortality events and declines in crustacean populations around the world. No significant pathogens were identified in the north-east crabs but full molecular screening was not conducted at the time of the initial investigation.
- It is unlikely that a harmful algal bloom or that a loss of oxygen in the water associated with the algal bloom caused the crab deaths. The panel assessed satellite data and water-column measurements and concluded that the presence of an algal bloom in the area during September 2021 was likely but it was unlikely that the bloom persisted beyond October 2021.
- It is very unlikely that pyridine or another toxic pollutant caused the crab deaths. The panel considered industries on Teesside and concluded they could not be sources of any significant volume of pyridine during the period of the crab deaths. Measurements of seawater by the Environment Agency and York University could not detect pyridine. Sediment measures of pyridine from dredged material and other toxic chemicals found in sediments in the Tees are significantly lower than the levels which would cause crab mortality.
- It is very unlikely that maintenance dredging, as required to keep the port open, was the cause; a dredger operated in the channel offshore Teesside during late September and early October 2021 but the maximum possible release of toxic chemicals, including of pyridine, caused by this activity is significantly too small to cause crab mortality.
- Capital dredging (i.e. as required to expand the port) was last carried out in December 2020, some time before deaths started in October 2021. Further capital dredging did not commence until September 2022. It is therefore exceptionally unlikely that capital dredging on the Tees caused the crab mortality seen in the region.
Although there is no direct evidence of a novel pathogen – a disease or parasite – it would explain the key observations including mortality over a sustained period and along 70km of coastline, the unusual twitching of dying crabs and the deaths being predominantly crabs rather than other species..

It is also possible that a combination of factors lead to the unusual mortality, rather than one of the factors the panel considered.

Sir Patrick Vallance, Government Chief Scientific Adviser, said:

I would like to thank the scientists who have been involved in the expert assessment of this unusual crustacean mortality. For a complex issue like this it is important to have a range of experts involved who can offer independent challenge and analysis.

Whilst with the current data there cannot be a definitive answer, the options for possible causes and an analyses of likelihood are clearly laid out in the report.

Gideon Henderson, Defra Chief Scientific Adviser, said:

The report summarises thorough and insightful analysis of diverse relevant data by an impressive group of leading marine scientists from across the UK. Their combined knowledge allowed expert assessment of all possible causes of the unusual crustacean mortality.

The panel was unable to identify a single clear cause, but it has been able to point to those more likely to explain the key features of the outbreak.

Environment Secretary Thérèse Coffey asked Defra’s Chief Scientific Advisor Gideon Henderson to liaise with the Government Chief Scientific Adviser Sir Patrick Vallance to establish an independent group, following a request from the Environment, Farming & Rural Affairs (EFRA) Select Committee. The Crustacean Mortality Expert Panel (CMEP) was convened from December 2022 to independently assess the causes of the unusual deaths.

The panel was established with experts from academia and industry with a range of knowledge and experience.

The full report is available here.
January 20, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Regulator launches inquiry into disability charity the Organisation of Blind Africans and Caribbeans [January 2023]
The press release issued by the Charity Commission on 20 January 2023.

The Charity Commission has launched a statutory inquiry into the Organisation of Blind Africans and Caribbeans to examine potential serious wrongdoing by an individual involved in the control of the charity. These regulatory concerns have been exacerbated by significant difficulties in obtaining information from the trustees.

The charity was initially registered with the Commission in 1994, and re-registered in 2011 after incorporating as a charitable company. The charity provides services, education and training to people who are blind or partially sighted in the UK, Africa and the Caribbean.

Since July 2021 the Commission has attempted to engage with the charity to explore concerns around potential wrongdoing and/or abuse by a senior employee. It has repeatedly met with difficulties in obtaining information and cooperation from the trustees and multiple instances of non-compliance, including with an Order issued under section 52 of the Charities Act.

The underlying concerns about this individual’s continued involvement in the charity and the trustees’ ongoing failures to properly engage with the regulator have resulted in the Commission’s decision to open a statutory inquiry.

The inquiry was opened on 15 December 2022 and will examine:
- The administration, governance and management of the charity by the trustees.
- Whether the trustees have complied with and fulfilled their duties and responsibilities as trustees under charity law; in particular whether they exercise sufficient oversight over the charity’s activities and executive leadership.
- Whether there has been any misconduct and/or mismanagement by the trustees.
The Commission may extend the scope of the inquiry if additional regulatory issues emerge.

It is the Commission’s policy, after it has concluded an inquiry, to publish a report detailing issues the examined, the action undertaken, and the inquiry’s outcomes.
January 20, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : UK joins core group dedicated to achieving accountability for Russia’s aggression against Ukraine [January 2023]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 20 January 2023.

The UK will play a leading role in a core group of likeminded partners to pursue criminal accountability for Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine, the Foreign Secretary James Cleverly has announced today, Friday 20 January.

Alongside other international partners invited by Ukraine, the UK will shape thinking on how to ensure criminal accountability for Russia’s aggression against Ukraine.

This includes assessing the feasibility of a new ‘hybrid’ tribunal (a specialised court integrated into Ukraine’s national justice system with international elements).

Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said:

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is an outrageous violation of the rules-based international order. The atrocities we’ve witnessed in Ukraine are diabolical – thousands of soldiers and civilians killed, and millions more displaced, forced to flee for their lives in the most horrific circumstances.

These atrocities must not go unpunished. That’s why the UK has accepted Ukraine’s invitation to join this coalition, bringing our legal expertise to the table to explore options to ensure Russia’s leaders are held to account fully for their actions.

An investigation into the Crime of Aggression could complement established mechanisms for investigating war crimes, including the International Criminal Court and Ukraine’s domestic legal process. Together these parallel processes would help ensure all crimes are fully investigated and that perpetrators are held to account.

In joining this additional core group focused on Crimes of Aggression, the UK will complement its previous support in the pursuit of accountability for Russia’s actions.

In March 2022 the UK led efforts to refer the situation in Ukraine to the International Criminal Court (ICC), which has now secured the support of 42 other countries. We have also provided £1 million of UK funding for the International Criminal Court to increase its collection of evidence capacity and provide enhanced psychosocial support to witnesses and survivors. Looking ahead, in March 2023 the UK and Netherlands will co-host an international meeting of Justice Ministers in London to encourage more practical support for the ICC’s work.

The UK has also co-founded the Atrocity Crimes Advisory Group (ACA) with the US and the EU to directly support the War Crimes Units of the Office of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine in its investigations, and appointed Sir Howard Morrison KC as an Independent Advisor to the Ukrainian Prosecutor General.

Through the ACA, the UK has funded a £2.5 million package of assistance including training for more than 90 Ukrainian judges, the deployment of Mobile Justice Teams to the scene of potential war crimes, forensic evidence gathering, and support from UK experts in sexual violence in conflict.

Attorney General Victoria Prentis said:

Russia’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine is barbaric. The UK stands shoulder to shoulder with Ukraine, and we are committed to helping them secure justice for a growing catalogue of war crimes.

Ukraine’s resolve in bringing prosecutions in the middle of a live conflict is extraordinary. By providing funding and legal expertise to Ukraine’s domestic prosecutors and judicial system, the UK is helping them to investigate atrocities committed on Ukrainian soil and, where appropriate, bring speedy prosecutions in Ukrainian courts.

January 20, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Building a modern partnership rooted in shared values – Minister spends week in Japan to boost ties [January 2023]
The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 20 January 2023.
- Minister for the Indo-Pacific held talks with government counterparts and business representatives on a week-long visit to Japan
- trip showcased cutting edge science and tech collaboration between the UK and Japan, one of its closest partners in the region
- visit follows the signing of a landmark new defence agreement between the UK and Japan to deepen key security partnership in the Indo-Pacific
In a milestone year for Japan, as it assumes its G7 presidency, the UK has committed to doing more with one of its closest Indo-Pacific partners to boost ties and robustly defend democracy, peace and freedom.

Following the recent signing of the landmark UK-Japan Reciprocal Access Agreement in London, Minister for the Indo-Pacific Anne-Marie Trevelyan spent the week in Japan, seeing first-hand the vital collaboration between the 2 countries on everything from trade to education.

Defence and security are at the heart of the UK-Japan relationship, with the newly announced treaty allowing UK and Japanese armed forces to more easily carry out joint training activities and exercises.

This builds on increasingly close military ties, including the Global Combat Air Programme announced in December 2022, and cements the UK’s commitment to the Indo-Pacific.

Minister for the Indo-Pacific Anne-Marie Trevelyan said:

Japan is one of our closest partners in Asia. From science and innovation to defence and digital, we are developing a modern, cutting-edge partnership that is rooted in our shared values.

My visit has showcased the depth of that collaboration, with so many more opportunities for investment, research and talent to be shared between our 2 countries.

The Minister saw Cambridge-based AstraZeneca’s Tokyo headquarters, where she set out the UK’s ambition to deepen collaboration with Japan in research, technology and innovation as 2 leading science superpowers. Deepening these links will grow both countries’ economies, creating better-paid jobs and opportunities right across the UK and Japan.

While in Japan’s capital, the Minister met Japanese graduates from UK universities to launch a new British Council alumni network, which will maintain the strong links between the UK and Japan’s world leading universities. The Minister also attended a Women in Parliament event alongside Japanese MPs, to hear about initiatives to promote women’s participation in political life.

Beyond Tokyo, the Minister travelled to Kobe to visit leading healthcare technology firm Medicaroid to hear about its work developing the next generation of surgical robots, supported by investors to the UK Sysmex and Kawasaki Heavy Industries.

In Osaka, the Minister met with the Organising Committee of the Osaka Kansai Expo 2025 and held talks with senior business figures, including the head of the Kankeiren, a regional federation of 1,300 businesses, organisations and educational corporations. They discussed the UK government’s ambition to strengthen economic ties with companies across Japan, as well as the benefits of the UK joining the Trans-Pacific Partnership trading bloc (CPTPP) as accession talks continue. Joining the CPTPP will bring the UK closer to a dynamic group of economies in the Indo-Pacific, including Japan, creating opportunities for cooperation not only on trade but also to uphold shared values.

In Hiroshima, the Minister visited the Peace Memorial Museum and Park to lay a wreath and meet atomic bomb survivors, and reiterated the UK’s commitment to the long-term goal of a world without nuclear weapons. She also met the Mayor and Governor of Hiroshima as the city prepares to host the G7 Leaders’ Summit in May.

Minister Trevelyan met counterparts from the Japanese Government including Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi and State Minister for Foreign Affairs Kenji Yamada, with whom she discussed Japan’s priorities for its G7 presidency and explored what both countries can do to accelerate support for Ukraine following Russia’s invasion. The Minister also held meetings with Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Fusae Ota, and Economic Security Minister Sanae Takaichi.

The trip underlines the UK’s commitment to the Indo-Pacific, which Prime Minister Rishi Sunak reiterated to Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on his visit to London last week. The region is not only home to likeminded partners with whom the UK shares fundamental beliefs in peace and democracy, but also many of the world’s fastest-growing economies, making it critical to UK prosperity.
January 20, 2023

PRESS RELEASE : Change of His Majesty’s Ambassador to the Democratic Republic of the Congo – Alyson King [January 2023]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 20 January 2023.

Ms Alyson King OBE has been appointed His Majesty’s Ambassador to the Democratic Republic of the Congo in succession to Ms Emily Maltman who will be transferring to another Diplomatic Service appointment. Ms King will take up her appointment during April 2023.

Curriculum vitae

Full name: Alyson Ruth Grace King

Married to: Ayman Jarjour

Children: 2

Year	Role
2020 to 2023	Beirut, Deputy Head of Mission
2019 to 2020	UK Government Arabic Spokesperson and Senior Regional Communicator, based in Dubai
2018	Full Time Language Training (Arabic)
2016 to 2017	Scotland Office, Deputy Director and Head of Policy Division
2013 to 2016	FCO, Deputy Head, European Union Department (Internal), Europe Directorate
2010 to 2013	Khartoum, Head of Political Section
2009 to 2010	Full Time Language Training in Damascus (Arabic)
2008 to 2009	Brussels, United Kingdom Permanent Representation to the European Union, Legal Adviser
2005 to 2008	European Commission, Secondment as National Expert on Sanctions and the Kimberley Process, Brussels
2004 to 2005	FCO, Assistant Legal Adviser, Legal Directorate
2003 to 2004	FCO, Desk Officer, Trade Policy/Slovenia, Europe Directorate
1999 to 2003	Davis Polk & Wardwell, Associate Lawyer, based in New York and London
1997 to 1999	Columbia University, Teaching Assistant, Human Rights Department (worked alongside studying for 2 Masters degrees)

January 20, 2023