Tag: 2023

PRESS RELEASE : Business Secretary launches ambitious vision to make UK scale-up capital of Europe [January 2023]
The press release issued by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy on 19 January 2023.

Grant Shapps outlines his vision for ‘Scale-Up Britain’ in a keynote speech to business leaders at Davos.
- Business Secretary throws open doors to new and alternative business voices in quest for growth – Scale-up Summit launched with goal of answering how we can create an Amazon or a Google in Britain
- UK ranked among 5 most innovative nations on earth by World Intellectual Property Office, ahead of South Korea, Germany, China and Singapore
- Shapps claims we are on the cusp of new Industrial Revolution, and the change we have seen over the past 50 years will pale into significance when compared to the next five decades of innovation
The Business Secretary Grant Shapps today (19 January 2023) set out his vision for ‘Scale-Up Britain’ in a keynote speech to business leaders at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, vowing to support the Chancellor and Prime Minister in the government’s growth agenda.

In his speech, hosted by the Confederation of British Industry, the Secretary of State noted that the UK now has a government which is making the right decisions for Britain and for our economic recovery.

Acknowledging the current global economic challenges, the Secretary of State said:

At difficult times like this, our instinct could be to turn inwards, think smaller, hedge our bets, and protect domestic industry by closing ourselves off.

But that’s precisely the opposite of what’s needed right now. Rather, we must open up more. We must think bigger, take strategic risks.

Mr Shapps continued:

Now for this government, ‘growth’ isn’t a goal, a target or a destination. It’s the cornerstone of everything we are doing. And that’s because it’s the single biggest enabler of everything we want to deliver.

How do we fix the NHS? Growth. How do we tackle the cost of living? Growth. How do we level up our country and make it fairer for all? Growth.

The Business Secretary noted that, in the last 50 years, roughly half of the UK’s productivity increase has been achieved through innovation, praising “entrepreneurs, disruptors, risk takers and innovators.”

With the world on the cusp of a new Industrial Revolution, Mr Shapps set out both the advantages and challenges facing Britain in the global economic race. He said:

We have never lacked great inventors, clever ideas, or promising start-ups. Last year, the UK was ranked among the five most innovative nations on earth by the World Intellectual Property Office, ahead of South Korea, Germany, China and Singapore.

What we must do better is convert start-ups to scale-ups. I want to inspire ‘Scale-up Britain’. Building businesses that don’t just develop in the UK, but stay to grow and mature into world-beaters.

Mr Shapps highlighted the economic opportunities presented by the UK leaving the European Union, including winning back powers to back investment in Britain, coupled with other natural advantages enjoyed by the UK, including our position as a leading global finance centre, our universities and our regulatory environment.

The Business Secretary also highlighted that while we can learn from the success of other nations, we can also learn from their mistakes, ensuring that growth and scale-up in Britain reflects the high standards for which we are famous around the world.

He said:

I think we can learn a lot from Silicon Valley’s ambition and its record creating global tech brands. But we can also learn from the mistakes it has made.

Its unicorns have sometimes prioritised shareholder value above all else. Its culture sometimes falls short of the standards we expect from modern employers. And whilst it has made a few people unimaginably rich, the wealth isn’t shared by everyone with homelessness in nearby San Francisco a visible sign of this inequality.

So what I want to create is a Silicon Valley with a British edge.

In order to help the government to seize these opportunities, the Secretary of State announced the launch of a new Scale-up Summit, allowing ministers to listen to key frontier tech figures who have worked around the world.

Concluding his speech, Mr Shapps said:

To help us raise our game, we need to listen to a wider variety of entrepreneurs currently driving change.

So I will launch a Scale-up Summit to bring together key frontier tech, development and finance figures who have accelerated tech businesses from start-ups to scale-ups…who have worked around the world, from California to Tallinn and who can help us replicate their success in the UK, from Catford to Teesside.
January 19, 2023
Grant Shapps – 2023 Speech at the Davos World Economic Forum Annual Meeting

The speech made by Grant Shapps, the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, in Davos, Switzerland on 19 January 2023.

Introduction / 50 years of Davos

Good afternoon everyone.

It is 52 years since Professor Klaus Schwab founded the World Economic Forum……

And chose Davos as the location for its annual meetings…… a place described as the perfect sanctuary to escape the outside world.

And there was no shortage of problems for those first delegates to escape in the early ‘70s…..

A looming oil crisis.

Cold War tension with Russia.

Industrial unrest.

And soaring inflation…..

To name just a few….

Looking back over half a century later, it doesn’t take too much imagination to see parallels with today’s world.

Countries experiencing a wave of distinctly old-fashioned economic shocks…..

From an energy crisis, and war in Ukraine…… to strikes and the rising cost of living……

All things we hoped had disappeared along with bell bottomed jeans in the 1970s….. but have regrettably flared up again.

However, unlike those first visitors to Davos five decades ago……

We are not here this week to escape the problems of the outside world.

We’re here – Government and industry – to fix them.

Prime Minister / Growth

We’ve now got a government which is making the right decisions for Britain, and for our economy.

A fortnight ago, in his New Year speech……

As well as pledging to halve inflation this year, and make sure national debt is falling……

The Prime Minister was unequivocal in his commitment to ‘growth’.

Now for this Government, ‘growth’ isn’t a goal…. a target….. or a destination.

It’s the cornerstone of everything we are doing.

And that’s because it’s the single biggest enabler of everything we want to deliver.

How do we fix the NHS? Growth.

How do we tackle the cost of living? Growth.

How do we level up our country and make it fairer for all? Growth.

Nothing will deflect us from this most urgent of priorities.

Innovation

But how do we achieve it?

If we analyse Britain’s economic growth since the first Davos five decades ago…….

Roughly half of our productivity increase has come from innovation.

Half of the progress we’ve made as a country, is thanks to entrepreneurs….. disruptors….. risk takers….. and innovators…..

People and businesses daring to think differently.

And the exciting thing is, the change we’ve seen over the past 50 years will pale in comparison when compared with the next 50.

We are truly on the cusp of a new Industrial Revolution.

A revolution in how we do business.

How we communicate.

How we travel.

How we feed a growing global population.

How we power our homes and industries……

A revolution in how we live our lives.

And we have a choice.

Either we sit back as a nation, waiting for change to happen…… and lose our position as one of the world’s leading economies……

Or we propel ourselves forward……

Using the unique combination of assets and talents which Britain possesses to shape the future.

And my overwhelming focus as Business Secretary will be the latter path……

To help businesses grasp the opportunities that lay ahead.

To inspire and support the entrepreneurs of tomorrow.

So Britain can create its own success.

And the key challenge is this:

We have never lacked great inventors, clever ideas, or promising start-ups.

Last year, the UK was ranked among the five most innovative nations on earth by the World Intellectual Property Office……

Ahead of South Korea, Germany, China and Singapore.

So that’s not our issue.

However, we must do better is convert start-ups to scale-ups.

So I want to inspire ‘Scale-up Britain’.

Building businesses that don’t just develop in the UK…..

But stay to grow and mature into world-leaders.

And that’s what I’d like to talk to you about today.

Raising ambitions

The first step to a ‘Scale-up’ nation is to ‘scale-up’ our ambitions.

I want to make Britain the most dynamic place in the world to launch, grow and do business.

A high-skills, high-wage economy, with a business-friendly culture, where creative enterprise is encouraged and rewarded.

At difficult times like this, our instinct could be to turn inwards, think smaller, hedge our bets, and protect domestic industry by closing ourselves off.

But that’s precisely the opposite of what’s needed right now,

Rather, we must open up more.

We must think bigger, take strategic risks.

We must target high-growth sectors with long-term potential.

We must form new global partnerships….. inviting the world to come and invest in Britain.

And we must build a business ecosystem that harnesses our incredible potential to be a leader in the fourth Industrial Revolution, just as we were in the first.

Tech

We know that emerging technology is a market we want to lead.

And we already have the largest tech sector in Europe….. worth over $1 trillion in 2021……

Making us only the third country in the world to ever reach this historic landmark.

So we’re well placed, but how do we scale-up innovators into global leaders?

We must face facts.

We have failed so far to develop any home-grown tech giants that can compete with the biggest global players.

Granted…… that blessed with the world’s finest universities and most enquiring minds, we have produced more billion-dollar unicorn start-ups than France, Germany and the Netherlands put together…..

But why do so many companies move abroad after being nurtured in the UK?

And why doesn’t Britain produce a Google, Amazon or Apple?

After all, it was a Brit who invented the World Wide Web….

I think we can learn a lot from Silicon Valley’s ambition……

And its record creating global tech brands……

But we can also learn from the mistakes it has made.

Its unicorns have sometimes prioritised shareholder value above all else.

Its culture sometimes falls short of the standards we expect from modern employers.

And whilst it has made a few people unimaginably rich, the wealth isn’t shared by everyone…… with homelessness in nearby San Francisco a visible sign of this inequality.

So what I want to create is a Silicon Valley with a British edge.

A scale-up Britain with global ambitions to lead the tech market and improve the world.

UK strengths

So how do we get there?

Well, as Business Secretary, I recognise we have an extraordinary mix of assets in this country to help businesses on this mission.

We host 4 of the world’s top 10 universities .

We have a research-friendly regulatory environment now capable of greater speed and flexibility, in part due to Brexit.

The international language of business is our mother tongue.

We’ve announced the largest R&D budget in our history to become a science superpower.

And the ONS recently revealed that the UK is investing close to 3% of GDP in research and development – significantly higher than previously thought.

When it comes to scale-up finance, we are home to one of the world’s two biggest financial centres.

We’re releasing £100 billion more through the Solvency II reforms that will be used for investment.

We are number two in the world for business start-ups.

And we are number one in Europe for venture capital investment.

Put simply: no-one else has such a unique blend of advantages.

But we have to bring them together to become more than the sum of those parts, to truly harness all our powers – if we’re to scale-up Britain and achieve our potential.

Brexit

Now, I know that some thought the UK’s vote to leave the European Union was a signal of global retreat.

And I won’t deny that Brexit has brought significant challenges.

I personally voted remain, not through any love of the European Union, but largely because of the huge hassle of leaving.

But here’s the thing……. I was a minister both before and after Brexit.

And now we’ve gone through the process of leaving the EU, I can see how we reap the benefits……

With new trade deals, and new regulatory freedoms.

For example, we got back powers that are already attracting new investment to Britain.

As PricewaterhouseCoopers’ annual survey found this week, the UK is now a top 3 global investment market.

We’re removing years of burdensome EU regulations in favour of a more agile, forward-looking approach.

Just recently, for example, I visited Teesside to see the site for a new lithium refinery built by a company called Green Lithium.

The plant will supply battery grade materials for use in gigafactories for electric vehicles, as well as renewable energy and consumer technology.

This is not just levelling-up in action….. helped by Government funding…..

It’s Europe’s first large scale lithium refinery….. securing critical minerals at a volatile time for global markets and supply chains.

It will provide 8% of Europe’s refined lithium……mainly for cars…..and was made possible by Brexit freedoms….. because we could change how the mineral is classified and that nimble work unlocked investment.

By being more agile, we can adapt to changing circumstances.

And here’s another productivity example…..

When I was Transport Secretary, we faced a global shortage of lorry drivers.

You probably remember the tanker driver shortages which led to petrol queues in 2021.

Well, I announced a large package of measures to help secure fuel deliveries to petrol stations…… many of which again, were helped by Brexit freedoms.

For example, I was able to change the law to streamline driving tests …… something I could not have done if we’d still been a member of the European Union.

And of course, we showed how agile regulation can deliver fast, effective results when Britain led the world in approving COVID vaccines, both delivering the jabs and coming out of lockdown first.

Leadership

All these benefits give us incredible scope for the future.

Not just to compete. But to drive the tech revolution ourselves.

The market is changing, and there’s a clear space for leadership.

But we are.

A British version of Silicon Valley specialising in digital technologies and deep tech .

We are pioneering so many breakthrough technologies…… from clean and secure energy to life sciences and transport.

We are investing in our world class Catapult Network to explore how technologies can be further applied to industry.

And through initiatives like the Digital Regulation Cooperation Forum, we will continue setting the pace.

We can lead a new wave of digitalisation too….. by developing the Metaverse, Digital Twins and new AI enabled robotic systems .

This wave will be driven by open ecosystems of start-ups and scale-ups, with major players collaborating across borders…..

And like-minded countries developing world-leading standards.

The UK will play a key role in this – for example through the OECD’s recently-announced Global Technology Forum.

We will work with partners to become the global hub for a responsible cyber-physical future.

Our futures will be defined by not just one tech, but many.

Artificial intelligence….. advanced communication networks….. robotics….. augmented reality and immersive technologies….. quantum and blockchain…… all potentially game-changers.

And the UK has strengths in not just one of these technologies – but all of them.

The potential they offer together is greater than the sum of their parts……

With the power to transform whole industries around the world.

Summary

So – to recap – we have a unique opportunity here……

Unprecedented in our lifetimes……

To re-equip and re-boot British industry….. for a rapidly changing world.

We have a government committed to growth.

We have expertise in a wide mix of cutting edge technologies.

We have the right environment to nurture business.

We have already launched more than four and a half thousand startups and scaleups working in advanced digital technologies in the UK.

So, with the largest tech sector in Europe, we’re already well on the way to becoming a British Silicon Valley.

Scale-up Summit

But to help us raise our game, we need to listen to a wider variety of entrepreneurs currently driving change.

So I will launch a Scale-up Summit to bring together key frontier tech, development and finance figures who have accelerated tech businesses from start-ups to scale-ups……

Who have worked around the world, from California to Tallinn…..

And who can help us replicate their success in the UK, from Catford to Teeside.

In particular, we want to hear from those who have achieved high growth, unicorn status…… and experienced multiple exits.

We will use the Summit to build networks and share expertise.

And establish how best we can use our skills and strengths to spark the growth of tomorrow.

Conclusion

So, despite the prevailing economic news right now……

The difficult challenges that almost every government and business is grappling with……

This is no time to sit back and escape the problems of the outside world, as those first Davos visitors did half a century ago…..

It’s time to confront them.

And the best way to do that is to get our economy growing.

We in government know that this country can’t thrive unless its businesses are fit and flourishing too.

That’s why the Prime Minister, the Chancellor and I are working flat out to not only recover from the toughest period in recent economic history…… but also to prepare for the next 50 years of British innovation…..

Using the unique assets Britain has at its disposal……

Building resilient businesses with global reach…..

And leading in emerging markets that will deliver in the long-term.

That’s how we’ll scale-up our ambitions.

And that’s how we will shape the future.

Thank you.

January 19, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Local communities to get £750,000 for Windrush celebrations [January 2023]
The press release issued by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities on 19 January 2023.

Applications for the Windrush Day Grant Scheme have been opened by the Department for Levelling Up.
Community groups to bid for funding to celebrate 75th anniversary of Windrush

Funding open to applications from Northern Ireland for the first time

Part of wider £3.75 million committed to honouring the Windrush legacy to date

Applications for the Windrush Day Grant Scheme have been opened by the Department for Levelling Up, today (18 January 2023).

Community groups, charities and councils will now be able to bid for their share of the £750,000 pot of funding to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the arrival of the Windrush community in their local areas.

Each area can bid for up to £50,000 to fund celebratory parades, educational resources, arts and sporting projects, providing they are focused on the contribution of the Windrush generation and their descendants.

Currently in its fifth year, the scheme will for the first time be open to applications from Northern Ireland in recognition of Windrush communities who resided there.

Communities Minister Lee Rowley said:

“The 75th anniversary of the arrival of MV Empire Windrush at the Port of Tilbury, marks a seminal moment in our nation’s shared history.

“This government is fully committed to honouring the Windrush generation and their immense contribution to this country. This funding will really help local communities come together, honour the past and celebrate our country.”

To date, the government has dedicated £3.75 million in funding toward honouring the Windrush legacy. This includes £2.75 million across five years of the Windrush Day Grant Scheme, and £1 million allocated to the National Windrush Monument.

Last year 35 projects across England were given a share of £500,000 funding to help commemorate Windrush Day. They included:

The establishment of the Bristol Windrush Reggae Choir, a six-month project that included vocal workshops and specially commissioned music.

A one-day festival at the National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, celebrating many aspects of UK Caribbean life, from music and dance to food and storytelling; and

A Windrush exhibition across museums, cultural centres, schools and colleges in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire together with live performance and online workshops.
January 19, 2023
Jonathan Reynolds – 2023 Speech on Electric Vehicle Battery Production

The speech made by Jonathan Reynolds, the Labour MP for Stalybridge and Hyde, in the House of Commons on 18 January 2023.

When the Britishvolt site was first announced in 2019, with the promise to deliver the UK’s second ever gigafactory and create 8,000 jobs in Northumberland, it was lauded by the Government as their flagship example of levelling up: the right hon. Member for Spelthorne (Kwasi Kwarteng), then Business Secretary, said that Britishvolt is

“exactly what levelling up looks like”,

and Government Ministers fell all over themselves to take the credit, so now they must also accept accountability for its failure, because, much like their levelling up strategy, all we have been left with is an empty space instead of what was promised.

The collapse of Britishvolt into administration is in no uncertain terms a disaster for the UK car industry, but what is even more worrying is that this is a symptom of a much wider failure. The automotive manufacturing sector currently employs over 182,000 people, and if we are to continue to make cars in this country we must make electric batteries in the UK. The Faraday Institution says we need 10 factories by 2040 to sustain our automotive sector, so even if Britishvolt was going ahead we would still be nowhere near where we need to be. These factories are being built in competitor countries, and that is because they have Governments with the vision and commitment to be the partner that private firms need to turn these factories from plans on paper into a reality. Surely the Government must accept that we need an industrial strategy.

Will the Minister update the House on the Government’s plans to urgently increase UK battery-making capability? Can he tell us when the Government first had concerns about Britishvolt’s ability to deliver the factory, and why did these concerns not come to light when the Department conducted its extensive due diligence investigations into Britishvolt’s plans? What conversations has he had with other companies to secure the site and ensure the factory is built in Blyth? And will he now commit to Labour’s plans to build eight new gigafactories across the UK and expand the roll-out of charging points to support electric vehicle manufacturing?

Wherever we look the Conservatives are failing this country, whether in public services or our iconic industries. Unless this Government wake up to the scale of the transition required, we will not only risk many of the good jobs that so many of our communities rely upon, but we will miss out on one of the greatest economic opportunities this country has ever had.

Graham Stuart

The hon. Gentleman is right about one thing: there is a tremendous opportunity. That is why we have the automotive transformation fund. That is why we did thorough due diligence on Britishvolt. It is because we set conditions around milestones that it had to meet that not a penny of that fund was dispensed to Britishvolt. However, I make no apology for supporting companies that are going to be part of that opportunity. The idea from the Labour party is that, if it were in power, it would build these factories. That is not how the economy works. That is why, in 2010, after 13 years of Labour Government, we saw youth unemployment up by more than 40%. That is the truth. We saw communities such as Blyth left behind and ignored. We saw an economic strategy that did not work for our young people and did not contribute to net zero in the way that it should. On the underpinning energy system, a bit more than 7% of our electricity came from renewables when Labour left power. Now it is more than 40%.

The net zero strategy announced £350 million for the automotive transformation fund. That was in addition to the £500 million announced as part of the 10-point plan. That is why we are seeing investment. That is why we have nearly full employment. That is why we have factories and manufacturing going ahead in a way that would never happen under Labour.

January 19, 2023
Graham Stuart – 2023 Statement on Electric Vehicle Battery Production

The statement made by Graham Stuart, the Minister for Energy and Climate, in the House of Commons on 18 January 2023.

Britishvolt entering into administration is a regrettable situation, and our thoughts are with the company’s employees and their families at this time. The Government are entirely committed to the future of the automotive industry and promoting EV capability. As part of our efforts to see British companies succeed in the industry, we offered significant support to Britishvolt through the automotive transformation fund on the condition that key milestones, including private sector investment commitments, were met. Unfortunately, the company was unable to meet these conditions and as a result no ATF funds were paid out. Throughout the process, we have always remained hopeful that Britishvolt would find a suitable investor and we are disappointed that this has not been possible. We want to ensure the best outcome for the site, and we will work closely with the local authority and potential investors to achieve this.

The automotive industry is a vital part of the UK economy, and it is integral to delivering on levelling up, net zero and advancing global Britain. We will continue to take steps to champion the UK as the best location in the world for automotive manufacturing as we transition to electric and zero-emission vehicles.

Despite what the party opposite may claim, we are not giving up on the automotive industry: on the contrary, our ambition to scale up the electric vehicle industry on our shores is greater than ever. We are leveraging investment from industry by providing Government support for new plants and upgrades to ensure that the UK automotive industry thrives into the future. Companies continue to show confidence in the UK, announcing major investments across the country including: £1 billion from Nissan and Envision to create an EV manufacturing hub in Sunderland; £100 million from Stellantis for its site in Ellesmere Port; and £380 million from Ford to make Halewood its first EV components site in Europe. And we will continue to work through our automotive transformation fund to build a globally competitive electric vehicle supply chain in the UK, boosting home-grown EV battery production, levelling up and advancing towards a greener future.

January 19, 2023
Sarah Green – 2023 Parliamentary Question on Forcing Prepayment Meters on Customers

The parliamentary question asked by Sarah Green, the Liberal Democrat MP for Chesham and Amersham, in the House of Commons on 18 January 2023.

Sarah Green (Chesham and Amersham) (LD)

Many of my constituents are struggling to keep up with their energy bills this winter. When families fall behind, they are too often punished by being switched over to prepayment meters, which are more expensive do nothing to help their financial situation. Will the Prime Minister back our call to ban energy companies from forcibly installing prepayment meters and stop them switching smart meters over to prepayment meters remotely?

The Prime Minister

I want to assure the hon. Lady that Ofgem has specific regulations in place regarding the use of prepayment meters and how energy companies should treat those who are struggling with their bills. I am pleased to say that her constituents will receive, at a minimum, around £900 of support with their energy bills this winter as a result of this Government’s actions.

January 19, 2023
Neale Hanvey – 2023 Parliamentary Question to Prime Minister on Health Strikes

The parliamentary question asked by Neale Hanvey, the Alba MP for Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath, in the House of Commons on 18 January 2023.

Neale Hanvey (Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath) (Alba)

A Transport Secretary implying NHS workers are deliberately putting people in danger, a Health Secretary pitting dedicated nurses against vulnerable patients—does the Prime Minister really expect the public to believe that the very people who have dedicated their lives to saving life and limb are so reckless? Is it not the case that this Government have pushed them to their absolute limit and they have no other option but to strike?

The Prime Minister

We have enormous respect and gratitude for all our public sector workers, especially those in the NHS. That is why we have backed them with not just record funding, but record investment in more doctors and nurses, with 15,000 more doctors, 30,000 more nurses and more lifesaving equipment that will help them to do their jobs. We continue to want to engage constructively in dialogue with them.

January 19, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Record number of neighbourhood criminals tagged to cut crime [January 2023]
The press release issued by the Ministry of Justice on 19 January 2023.

The number of people tagged has reached record highs following the government’s drive to use technology to make streets safer.
- over 2,500 burglars, robbers and thieves GPS-tagged
- technology is already helping police forces track and solve more crime
- 79 per cent increase in GPS tag use and doubling of alcohol tags
Statistics released today (19 January 2023) show the number of offenders, defendants and people on immigration bail tagged at any one point increased 10 per cent last year from 14,335 in December 2021 to 15,760 in December 2022.

It shows the impact of the government’s rollout of innovative GPS and alcohol tags to track the physical movements and limit the drinking of more criminals over the last 18 months.

Offenders banned from alcohol by the courts have stayed sober on 97% of the days they were tagged, but those who do drink can face returning to court for further punishment, including prison.

The figures also show a 79 per cent increase in the number of people wearing a GPS tag in the last year – from 3,188 on 31 December 2021 to 5,694 a year later.

More than 1,700 burglars, robbers and thieves were made to wear a tag and have their movements tracked in 2022, bringing the total to over 2,500 since GPS tagging was expanded to acquisitive criminals in 2021.

Police forces have been using the new location monitoring GPS tags to successfully help solve a series of neighbourhood crimes, including an armed robbery in Derbyshire, a car theft in Cheshire and a house burglary in Kent. In all these cases the innovative technology helped police catch and convict offenders and they were all handed prison sentences.

The number of offenders wearing alcohol monitoring ‘sobriety’ tags on a given day has also doubled – increasing from 773 to 1,859 in the last year following the national rollout of sobriety tags for prison leavers in June 2022 to tackle booze-fuelled crime.

Deputy Prime Minister and Justice Secretary, Dominic Raab, said:

Thousands of offenders are being tagged each year to crackdown on crime thanks to our investment in cutting-edge technology.

We’ve more than doubled the number of offenders wearing alcohol tags and have been GPS tagging thousands more burglars and robbers – to reduce reoffending and keep our communities safer.

GPS monitoring equipment is specifically deployed across 19 police force areas – roughly half of England and Wales – so that burglars, robbers and thieves that have served a prison sentence of 90 days or more are tagged on release. Their whereabouts will be monitored by GPS satellites for up to 12 months. It is part of a trial to evaluate how tags can help deter and detect crime with over 10,000 criminals expected to be tagged by 2025.

Alcohol tags are another part of the government’s £183 million investment over the next 3 years, with roughly 12,000 offenders expected to be given an alcohol tag to wear during this period.
January 19, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : There is mounting evidence of war crimes committed by Russian forces – UK statement to the OSCE [January 2023]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 18 January 2023.

Ambassador Neil Bush says that the sheer destruction and dire humanitarian impact caused by Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine is both shocking and appalling.

Thank you Mr. Chair. I would also like to share with Ukraine the UK’s sincere condolences following the tragic helicopter crash yesterday morning.

I also want to share our condolences regarding the horrific loss of life caused by the Russian missile attack in Dnipro on Saturday. Russia has no qualms and no conscience about using such devastating and inaccurate weapons in residential areas. That is unforgiveable.

As Russia continues to strike Ukraine’s cities, civilians and critical infrastructure, we cannot forget those suffering along the front line and in the temporarily Russian-controlled territories. Reminiscent of images from mainland Europe a century before, the sheer destruction and dire humanitarian impact caused by Russia’s illegal invasion is both shocking and appalling and we hoped had been consigned to history.

In Bakhmut, around 60% of the city has been completely destroyed, with more than 90% of the population believed to have fled. Of those remaining, many are extremely vulnerable and without access to basic services or humanitarian support. The damage in neighbouring Soledar is reportedly even more severe. It will take decades for these areas to recover from the devastation Russia has wrought upon them.

The situation for those temporarily living under Russian control remains extremely difficult. Limited access for international organisations prevents the full picture of Russia’s atrocities and human rights violations from emerging. Insidious policies to ‘Russify’ the population of these regions persists, with land and property confiscated from Ukrainian citizens, whilst Russian nationals such as teachers, administrators and military families, are brought in. Opportunities for Ukrainians to leave these regions and travel west are rapidly diminishing. Many risk having to go through Russia, facing filtration and for those who pass through being unable to leave Russia once across the border.

Basic human rights for those in the Russian-controlled territories continues on a depressingly downward trend, with a lack of access to basic services – including clean water and reliable energy supplies. Access to basic healthcare is woefully inadequate. Humanitarian aid is a vital life line for survival amongst the population – but it cannot reach everyone. The deteriorating conditions in these regions only highlights the ineptitude, corruption and disarray of the self-proclaimed Russian administrations.

Across recently liberated areas of Ukraine, there is mounting evidence of war crimes committed by Russian forces whilst under their control. We have seen hundreds of pages of evidence from organisations such as ODHIR, UNOCHA and UNICEF detailing Russia’s severe human rights violations and abuses: the use of sexual violence; forced movement of children; arbitrary detention; torture; etc; etc; etc.

In addition – we categorically condemn the apparent theft and misuse of OSCE vehicles, which are being reportedly used by Russia in the Donbas. As stated by the OSCE, the organisation has no personnel or vehicles deployed in eastern Ukraine – a fact Russia is well aware of. Russia should provide a full explanation. We also remember our Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) colleagues currently in Russian detention. And we call again on Russia for their immediate release, and to cease intimidation and threats directed at former SMM personnel.

Finally, the UK announced this week an accelerated package of support for Ukraine, to aid them in their fight for freedom, democracy and victory. We will ensure our Ukrainian friends have the resources needed to stop Russia’s aggression, to end the pain and misery being inflicted upon Ukrainians and to halt the impacts of Russia’s illegal invasion being felt around the globe – once and for all.

January 19, 2023
Rishi Sunak – 2023 Comments on the Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill

The comments made by Rishi Sunak, the Prime Minister, in the House of Commons on 18 January 2023.

Stephen Flynn (Aberdeen South) (SNP)

To promise is ae thing, to keep it is another. Well, the Scottish Government kept their manifesto promise to the people and, thanks to support from Members of all political parties in Holyrood, the Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill was passed. Surely in that context, the Prime Minister must recognise that it is a dangerous moment for devolution when both he and, indeed, the Leader of the Opposition seek to overturn a promise made between Scotland’s politicians and Scotland’s people.

The Prime Minister

Let me be crystal clear: the decision in this case is centred on the legislation’s consequences for reserved matters. This is laid out in the Scotland Act 1998, which established the Scottish Parliament—the hon. Gentleman talks about that and, at the time, it was supported by the SNP. This Bill would have a significant adverse effect on UK-wide equalities matters, so the Scottish Secretary, with regret, has rightly acted.

Stephen Flynn

Let me be crystal clear—[Hon. Members: “Ooh!”] This is the Conservative party seeking to stoke a culture war against some of the most marginalised people in society, and Scotland’s democracy is simply collateral damage. On that issue of democracy, let us reflect, because on Monday the UK Government introduced legislation to ban the right to strike, against the express wishes of the Scottish Government; on Tuesday, they introduced legislation to overturn the GRR Bill, against the express wishes of the Scottish Government; and this evening they will seek to put in place legislation that rips up thousands of EU protections, against the express wishes of the Scottish Government. Are we not now on a slippery slope from devolution to direct rule?

The Prime Minister

No, of course we are not. This is simply about protecting UK-wide legislation and ensuring the safety of women and children; it is not about the devolution settlement. I urge the hon. Gentleman and his party to consider engaging with the UK Government on the Bill, as we did before the legislation passed, so that we can find a constructive way forward in the interests of the people of Scotland and the United Kingdom.

January 19, 2023