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Tag: 2023

  • PRESS RELEASE : Prime Minister sets ambition of maths to 18 in speech [January 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : Prime Minister sets ambition of maths to 18 in speech [January 2023]

    The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 4 January 2023.

    In his first speech of 2023, the Prime Minister will set out his priorities for the year ahead and ambition for a better future for Britain.

    The PM will commit to taking the necessary action to deliver for the long term on issues such as low numeracy rates.

    As part of this, he will set a new ambition of ensuring that all school pupils in England study some form of maths to the age of 18.

    The Prime Minister is expected to say in a speech today:

    This is personal for me. Every opportunity I’ve had in life began with the education I was so fortunate to receive.

    And it’s the single most important reason why I came into politics: to give every child the highest possible standard of education.

    Thanks to the reforms we’ve introduced since 2010, and the hard work of so many excellent teachers, we’ve made incredible progress.

    With the right plan – the right commitment to excellence – I see no reason why we cannot rival the best education systems in the world”.

    Recognising the practical challenges involved, the PM will acknowledge that reform on this scale won’t be easy. He will commit to starting the work of introducing maths to 18 in this Parliament and finishing it in the next.

    Around 8 million adults in England have the numeracy skills of primary school children. Currently only around half of 16-19 year olds study any maths at all and the problem is particularly acute for disadvantaged pupils, 60% of whom do not have basic maths skills at age 16.

    Despite these poor standards, the UK remains one of the only countries in the world to not to require children to study some form of maths up to the age of 18. This includes the majority of OECD countries, including Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Finland, Japan, Norway and the USA.

    The Prime Minister will commit to take action to reverse these trends by introducing maths to 18 for all pupils in England. He will say:

    One of the biggest changes in mindset we need in education today is to reimagine our approach to numeracy.

    Right now, just half of all 16–19-year-olds study any maths at all. Yet in a world where data is everywhere and statistics underpin every job, our children’s jobs will require more analytical skills than ever before.

    And letting our children out into the world without those skills, is letting our children down”.

    Maths to 18 will equip young people with the quantitative and statistical skills that they will need for the jobs of today and the future. This includes having the right skills to feel confident with finances in later life, including finding the best mortgage deal or savings rate.

    The government’s focus on literacy since 2010, including phonics, has led to significant improvements in standards. In 2012, only 58% of 6-year-olds were able to read words fluently. By 2019, the figure had risen to 82%. Our renewed focus on numeracy will aim to match this achievement.

    The government does not envisage making maths A-Level compulsory for all 16-year-olds. Further detail will be set out in due course but the government is exploring existing routes, such as the Core Maths qualifications and T-Levels, as well as more innovative options.

    The ambition is the PM’s first major intervention on education since entering office and reflects his mission to ensure that more children leave school with the right skills in numeracy and literacy.

    At the Autumn Statement, the government announced that it will invest an additional £2bn in schools next year and £2bn the year after, taking school funding to its highest ever level.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Rishi Sunak call with President Zelenskyy of Ukraine [3 January 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : Rishi Sunak call with President Zelenskyy of Ukraine [3 January 2023]

    The press release issued by Rishi Sunak, the Prime Minister, on 3 January 2023.

    The Prime Minister spoke to the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, this afternoon.

    The leaders discussed the abhorrent drone attacks on Ukraine in recent days, and the Prime Minister said the thoughts of the UK were with the Ukrainian people as they continued to live under such bombardment.

    The Prime Minister said Ukraine could count on the UK to continue to support it for the long term, as demonstrated by the recent delivery of more than 1000 anti-air missiles.

    Work was also underway to provide further equipment in the coming weeks and months to secure Ukraine’s victory on the battlefield, the Prime Minister added.

    Discussing the Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) summit in Latvia last month, the Prime Minister thanked the President for joining virtually and said the UK and JEF partners were working closely to provide the vital equipment requested.

    The leaders agreed to stay in close touch in the coming weeks.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Almost 5.7 million customers still to file their tax return [January 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : Almost 5.7 million customers still to file their tax return [January 2023]

    The press release issued by HM Treasury on 3 January 2023.

    There is less than one month for around 5.7 million Self Assessment customers to file their tax return or they may face a penalty, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) said.

    More than 12 million customers are expected to file a tax return for the 2021 to 2022 tax year by 31 January 2023. HMRC has revealed that 129 customers submitted theirs on 1 January between 00:00 and 00:59, joining those customers who have already met their obligations.

    More than 42,500 customers chose to see in the new year by submitting their return on 31 December and 1 January:

    New Year’s Eve: 25,043 tax returns were filed. The peak time for filing was between 14:00 and 14:59, when 2,713 returns were received.
    New Year’s Day: 17,571 tax returns were filed. The peak time for filing was between 15:00 and 15:59, when 1,697 returns were received.
    Myrtle Lloyd, HMRC’s Director General for Customer Services, said:

    There is less than one month for customers to submit their tax returns and my message to those yet to start is: don’t delay, do it online. HMRC provides lots of useful information to help you get started. Visit GOV.UK and search ‘Self Assessment’.

    HMRC is warning customers that the deadline to submit a paper return has passed and tax returns can only be submitted online. Anyone who files after 31 January may face a penalty.

    HMRC will treat those with genuine excuses leniently, as it focuses on those who persistently fail to complete their tax returns and deliberate tax evaders. Customers who provide HMRC with a reasonable excuse before the 31 January deadline can avoid a penalty after this date. The penalties for late tax returns are:

    an initial £100 fixed penalty, which applies even if there is no tax to pay, or if the tax due is paid on time
    after 3 months, additional daily penalties of £10 per day, up to a maximum of £900
    after 6 months, a further penalty of 5% of the tax due or £300, whichever is greater
    after 12 months, another 5% or £300 charge, whichever is greater
    There are also additional penalties for paying late of 5% of the tax unpaid at 30 days, 6 months and 12 months.

  • Wes Streeting – 2023 Comments on the NHS

    Wes Streeting – 2023 Comments on the NHS

    The comments made by Wes Streeting, the Shadow Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, on Twitter on 2 January 2023.

    The NHS is buckling under pressures that staff have been raising the alarm about for months and months. The Royal College of Emergency Medicine warns of hundreds of deaths each week. Where is the Government?!

  • Nicola Sturgeon – 2022 Comments on Fire in Perth

    Nicola Sturgeon – 2022 Comments on Fire in Perth

    The comments made by Nicola Sturgeon, the Scottish First Minister, on Twitter on 2 January 2023.

    This has been a sad and shocking incident in Perth today. My deepest condolences are with the bereaved and my thoughts with all those involved. I am also hugely grateful to the firefighters who responded and to our other emergency services.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Millions of low-income households to get new Cost of Living Payments from Spring 2023 [January 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : Millions of low-income households to get new Cost of Living Payments from Spring 2023 [January 2023]

    The press release issued by the Department for Work and Pensions on 3 January 2023.

    Millions of the lowest-income households across the UK will get up to £1,350 from the Government in 2023/4 to help with the cost of living.

    • Millions will receive new cost of living support from Spring 2023, following up to £1,200 in support for over eight million low-income households in 2022
    • £900 Cost of Living Payment for means-tested benefit claimants will go direct to bank accounts in three payments over the financial year
    • Extra cash support for disabled people and pensioners will see some households receive extra cash

    The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has today announced more detail on the payment schedule for the next round of cost of living support unveiled in the Chancellor’s Autumn Statement, building on payments made to over eight million people in 2022.

    The new £900 cash boost for over eight million eligible means-tested benefits claimants, including those on Universal Credit, Pension Credit and tax credits, starts in Spring and will go direct to bank accounts in three payments over the course of the financial year. There will also be a separate £150 for over six million disabled people and £300 for over eight million pensioners on top of their Winter Fuel Payments.

    Exact payment windows will be announced closer to the time, but are spread across a longer period to ensure a consistent support offering throughout the year. They will be broadly as follows:

    • £301 – First Cost of Living Payment – during Spring 2023
    • £150 – Disability Payment – during Summer 2023
    • £300 – Second Cost of Living Payment – during Autumn 2023
    • £300 – Pensioner Payment – during Winter 2023/4
    • £299 – Third Cost of Living Payment – during Spring 2024

    Work and Pensions Secretary, Mel Stride said:

    We are sticking by our promise to protect the most vulnerable and these payments, worth hundreds of pounds, will provide vital support next year for those on the lowest incomes.

    The government’s wider support package has already helped more than eight million families as we continue to deal with the global consequences of Putin’s illegal war and the aftershocks of the pandemic.

    Chancellor of the Exchequer, Jeremy Hunt added:

    I know these are tough times for families across the UK who are struggling to meet rising food and energy costs, driven by the aftershocks of Covid and Putin’s war in Ukraine.

    That’s why we’re putting a further £900 into the pockets of over 8 million low income households next year. These payments are on top of above inflation increases to working-age benefits and the Energy Price Guarantee, which is insulating millions from even higher global gas prices.

    Tackling inflation is this government’s number one priority and is the only way to ease the strain of high prices, drive long term economic growth and improve living standards for everyone.

    If individuals are eligible they will be paid automatically, and there will be no need to apply. Claimants who are eligible for any of the Cost of Living Payments and receive tax credits, and no other means-tested benefits, will receive payment from HMRC shortly after DWP payments are issued.

    These payments build on the Government’s extensive support package to help households tackle the globally rising cost of living stemming from the pandemic and the war in Ukraine.

    The Government’s Energy Price Guarantee continues to cap energy costs, saving the average household around £900 this winter and a further £500 in 2023/24. Benefits, including working age benefits and the State Pension, will also rise in line with inflation from April 2023, ensuring they increase by over 10%. April will also see the biggest ever cash rise to the National Living Wage, bringing it to £10.42 an hour, and a further year-long extension of the Household Support Fund in England and associated devolved nation funding worth £1 billion in total.

    This comes on top of the 2022 support package, which included:

    • A £650 Cost of Living payment for means-tested benefit claimants, split into two payments, each of which supported over eight million households
    • Further £300 and £150 payments, which reached over eight million pensioners and over six million disabled people respectively
    • A £150 Council Tax rebate for all households in Council Tax bands A-D
    • A £400 energy bill discount for all households, which will continue to run through March
  • Mark Drakeford – 2023 New Year’s Message

    Mark Drakeford – 2023 New Year’s Message

    The new year’s message from Mark Drakeford, the First Minister of Wales, on 1 January 2023.

    Blwyddyn Newydd Dda

    Happy New Year to you all.

    I hope you had a merry and peaceful Christmas.

    As 2022 draws to a close, many will be glad to see the end of what has been a difficult year.

    This was the year that Russia launched a cruel war in Ukraine, killing thousands and forcing millions to flee their homes.

    And in the last 12 months, the deepening cost-of-living crisis has made it more difficult to make ends meet.

    But even in these hard times, we have seen the willingness of people to help others.

    We have seen real strength and warmth.

    People have opened their homes to thousands from Ukraine seeking safety and sanctuary here in Wales.

    And we have once again seen communities rally together to support each other through this cost-of-living crisis – just as they did during the pandemic.

    A New Year is a new start and I’m sure we all have ambitions and hopes for the year ahead.

    Let’s hope for a peaceful 2023 and brighter and happier times ahead.

    Blwyddyn Newydd Dda i chi i gyd.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Cash-strapped ambulance services left with almost £70 million in spiralling fuel costs [January 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : Cash-strapped ambulance services left with almost £70 million in spiralling fuel costs [January 2023]

    The press release issued by the Liberal Democrats on 1 January 2023.

    Ambulance services are set to face a huge £70m fuel bill this year, a Freedom of Information (FOI) request from the Liberal Democrats has revealed.

    The FOI asked ambulance services for their spending on fuel in the last 3 financial years and their projected spending for the 2022/23 year.

    All nine of the ten ambulance services in mainland England that responded have said that they are expecting to pay more than a million pounds or more in fuel over the next year.

    The hardest hit is the Yorkshire Ambulance service which is set to pay an extra £2.3million by the end of the financial year. Meanwhile, the service with the highest projected amount was the West Midlands at a staggering £9.5 million in projected spending.

    Overall ambulance services across the country are set to pay an extra £14 million over the next year compared to 2021/22, up to £69 million from £54 million in the year prior.

    In light of the news, the Liberal Democrat Health Spokesperson Daisy Cooper MP is now calling for all ambulance services to have universally discounted rates on fuel costs paid for by oil and gas giants.

    Commenting Liberal Democrats Health Spokesperson Daisy Cooper MP said: 

    “Right across the country, our ambulance services are on the brink. And now, every ambulance service is being hit by a hugely inflated fuel bill, stretching vital funds even further.

    “The Conservative Government is to blame: on their watch, fuel bills have sky-rocketed. But the public shouldn’t have to saddle the bill for their failure.

    “Our ambulance service is in dire need of any kind of support it can get, reducing these soaring fuel bills by properly taxing the big oil and gas companies should be a priority.”

  • Ed Davey – 2023 New Year’s Message

    Ed Davey – 2023 New Year’s Message

    The new year’s message made by Ed Davey, the Leader of the Liberal Democrats, on 1 January 2023.

    Happy New Year!

    There’s a lot to look back on fondly in 2022.

    The wonderful Jubilee street parties that brought communities together after so long kept apart by Covid.

    The Lionesses brought football home at Wembley, and the men’s team put on a brilliant run at the World Cup too.

    And another fantastic by-election victory for the Liberal Democrats!

    But it has been a very difficult year too:

    Vladimir Putin’s appalling war that has claimed the lives of thousands of brave Ukrainians.

    Political chaos in the Conservative party, inflicting economic chaos on the rest of us.

    And, of course, the very sad passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth.

    The end of a truly magnificent reign.

    The New Year is an opportunity to turn the page and look ahead. And although things are tough for millions, I sense change is possible – so I look to the New Year with hope and optimism.

    In 2023, we can look forward to a truly historic and joyful occasion for our family of nations: the coronation of our new King.

    Another chance for people to come together and celebrate in our communities and – hopefully – under clear skies.

    So for 2023, I wish you and your family all the best.

    Let’s hope it’s a year of fresh starts – in more ways than one.

  • Ben Price – 2023 Interview on the Norwich Western Link

    Ben Price – 2023 Interview on the Norwich Western Link

    The interview with Ben Price, the Leader of the Green Party group at Norfolk County Council, on 2 January 2023.

    (i) Do you agree with the council’s suggestion that the road is essential for economic growth or do you feel that there are alternatives? What would the Green Party’s solution be to improving transport links in the county and also ensuring that there is economic growth?

    The Green party does not agree with the idea that building this road will create the sustainable economic growth that Norfolk is crying out for. We need to transition our local economy to create the jobs and industry of tomorrow. Norfolk can be a world leader in renewable energy and clean hydrogen production, and the eco house building and retrofitting industries, if only there was the vision and strength of character in council leaders and local MP’s to seize the opportunity.

    (ii) Is the suggested need for the Norwich Western Link simply a legacy of an inadequate public transport system in the county?

    Norfolk has been largely ignored by Westminster. Having Conservative MPs dominate the region clearly hasn’t helped change that approach. The underfunding and systematic dismantling of a national public transport system by central government is felt more acutely here in this large rural county, than most other places across England. All the scientific research is pointing towards a change in how people live and work. How we travel, and why we travel is changing. The rate of change has only increased since the Covid pandemic. Most countries that are currently experiencing economic growth understand that you need to build and maintain a good, cheap and reliable public transport system, that integrates rail, bus and bike seamlessly. Public transport underpins sustainable economic growth and transition. The Western Link is an expensive and highly damaging folly. It’s yesterday’s solution, and will not solve the issues of tomorrow.

    (iii) Do you think a tipping point has been reached where the building of new roads is difficult to justify given the push for Government to take increasingly environmentally conscious decisions?

    Looking at the scientific evidence, the tipping point was some years ago. The UK Government is only now slowly catching up. Under the new carbon neutrality commitments, road building is absolutely prohibitive. We need to reduce the damage to the natural environment. You can’t just plant trees to excuse large carbon generating projects. Going forward with projects like The Western Link, with the knowledge of the damage it will cause, and understanding the commitments we have made to reducing carbon, can only be described as ecocide. These types of projects need to be challenged in court, and there is no way that they can be reasonably justified. History will judge the actions of today.