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Tag: 2024

  • PRESS RELEASE : Plan revealed for dozens of new bathing water sites [February 2024]

    PRESS RELEASE : Plan revealed for dozens of new bathing water sites [February 2024]

    The press release issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 26 February 2024.

    Government to consult on largest ever rollout of new bathing water sites.

    • Government to consult on largest ever rollout of new bathing water sites
    • Members of the public are invited to have their say before the consultation closes on 10 March

    Plans to designate the largest ever number of new bathing water sites have been set out by the Water Minister today (26th February), as part of the government’s plan to improve water quality across the country.

    Subject to a two-week consultation, the Environment Agency will create 27 new designated swimming spots across England. If designated, sites will receive regular water monitoring from the Environment Agency, who will investigate pollution sources and identify steps to be taken in response, which could include actions by water companies, farmers and others.

    Last year, 96% of bathing waters in England met minimum standards and 90% of bathing waters in England were rated as ‘good’ or ‘excellent’, up from 76% in 2010, despite the classification standards becoming stricter in 2015. The government also updated its guidance last year to make the application process clearer and easier to follow.

    All residents, bathers, businesses, and organisations are invited to have their say before the consultation closes on 10 March.

    Water Minister Robbie Moore said:

    Many people enjoy spending time in our rivers, lakes, and coastal beaches, and I am very aware of the value they bring in terms of social, health and wellbeing benefits.

    I want to continue to improve the quality of our bathing waters, which is why we are taking action across the board to drive up standards and hold water companies to account.

    I encourage all local communities and organisations with an interest to take part in this consultation and have their say.

    Currently, when selecting new sites, Defra considers how many people bathe there and if the site has suitable infrastructure and facilities, such as toilets. All applications are assessed against these factors and only those that meet these factors are taken forward to public consultation.

    The sites being considered for designation are:

    • Church Cliff Beach, Lyme Regis, Dorset
    • Coastguards Beach, River Erme, Devon
    • Coniston Boating Centre, Coniston Water, Cumbria
    • Coniston Brown Howe, Coniston Water, Cumbria
    • Littlehaven Beach, Tyne and Wear
    • Manningtree Beach, Essex
    • Monk Coniston, Coniston Water, Cumbria
    • River Avon at Fordingbridge, Hampshire
    • River Cam at Sheep’s Green, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire
    • River Dart Estuary at Dittisham, Devon
    • River Dart Estuary at Steamer Quay, Totnes, Devon
    • River Dart Estuary at Stoke Gabriel, Devon
    • River Dart Estuary at Warfleet, Dartmouth, Devon
    • River Frome at Farleigh Hungerford, Somerset
    • River Nidd at the Lido Leisure Park in Knaresborough, North Yorkshire
    • River Ribble at Edisford Bridge, Lancashire
    • River Severn at Ironbridge, Shropshire
    • River Severn at Shrewsbury, Shropshire
    • River Stour at Sudbury, Suffolk
    • River Teme at Ludlow, Shropshire
    • River Tone in French Weir Park, Taunton, Somerset
    • Wallingford Beach, River Thames, Berkshire
    • Derwent Water, Crow Park, Keswick, Cumbria
    • River Wharfe at Wetherby Riverside, West Yorkshire
    • Goring Beach, Worthing, West Sussex
    • Worthing Beach House, Worthing, West Sussex
    • Rottingdean Beach, Rottingdean, East Sussex

    This consultation will build on recent improvements the government has delivered to the water environment, including:

    • Announcing a ban on bonuses for water company executives whose firms have committed serious criminal breaches – subject to Ofwat consultation.
    • Quadrupling the Environment Agency’s regulatory capacity – allowing them to carry out 4,000 water company inspections by the end of the next financial year.
    • Requiring companies to monitor 100% of storm overflows in England – providing a complete picture of when and where sewage spills happen.
    • Removing the cap on civil penalties for water companies and broadening their scope so swifter action can be taken against those who pollute our waterways.
    • Requiring the largest infrastructure programme in water company history – £60 billion over 25 years – to revamp aging assets and reduce the number of sewage spills by hundreds of thousands every year.
    • Increasing protections for coastal and estuarine waters by expanding the Storm Overflow Discharge Reduction Plan, prioritising bathing waters, sites of special scientific interest and shellfish waters.
    • Providing £10 million in support for farmers to store more water on their land through the Water Management Grants to support food production and improve water security.
    • Speeding up the process of building key water supply infrastructure, including more reservoirs and water transfer schemes.
  • PRESS RELEASE : Deputy Chair of the Boundary Commission for England appointed [February 2024]

    PRESS RELEASE : Deputy Chair of the Boundary Commission for England appointed [February 2024]

    The press release issued by the Ministry of Justice on 26 February 2024.

    The Lord Chancellor has announced the appointment of The Honourable Mr Justice Swift as Deputy Chair of the Boundary Commission for England (BCE).

    Mrr Justice Swift is appointed from 16 February 2024 to 15 February 2027.

    Appointments and reappointments are regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments, and have been made under Section 3(a) of Schedule 1 of the Parliamentary Constituencies Act 1986, and are in line with the Governance Code on Public Appointments.

    The Boundary Commission for England is required by the Parliamentary Constituencies Act 1986 to review the parliamentary constituencies in England every 5 years.

    The BCE is an advisory non-departmental public body sponsored by the Cabinet Office.

    Biography

    Mr Justice Swift grew up in Essex and was educated at Southend-on-Sea High School for Boys. He studied law at New College, Oxford and Emmanuel College, Cambridge. He was called to the Bar (Inner Temple) in 1989; and called to the Northern Ireland Bar in 2008. He has been a High Court judge since 2018, and sits in the King’s Bench Division. Since March 2020 he has been Judge in Charge of the Administrative Court. Before his appointment to the bench he was a barrister in chambers at 11 King’s Bench Walk. Between 2007 and 2014 he was First Treasury Counsel.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Local leaders to receive £4.7 billion to transform transport across the North and Midlands [February 2024]

    PRESS RELEASE : Local leaders to receive £4.7 billion to transform transport across the North and Midlands [February 2024]

    The press release issued by the Department of Transport on 26 February 2024.

    Unprecedented transport budget targeted at smaller cities, towns and rural areas will fund projects that matter most to local communities.

    • £4.7 billion of reallocated HS2 funding invested directly into the North and Midlands through the Local Transport Fund to improve local connections
    • local leaders in smaller cities, towns and rural areas empowered for the first time to invest in transport upgrades that matter the most to their communities
    • comes alongside £8.3 billion to resurface roads across the country, £1 billion to improve bus services in the North and Midlands, and £200million to extend the £2 bus fare cap across England – all from reallocated HS2 funding
    • comes as Prime Minister hosts Cabinet meeting in Yorkshire and the Humber

    Millions of people in the North and the Midlands will benefit from better public transport, reduced congestion and upgraded local bus and train stations thanks to the new £4.7 billion Local Transport Fund announced today (Monday 26 February).

    Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Transport Secretary Mark Harper have confirmed that the North will receive £2.5 billion and the Midlands will receive £2.2 billion from April 2025 to improve local transport connections that so many people rely on every day, particularly across smaller cities, towns, and rural areas.

    This investment – announced as part of Network North – will deliver an unprecedented long-term funding uplift across the North and Midlands over seven years. It’s the first transport budget of its kind that’s specifically targeted at smaller cities, towns and rural areas and empowers local people and local leaders to invest in the transport projects that matter most to their communities – helping create jobs, grow the economy, and level up the country.

    Over the 7 years as a whole this funding will be on average at least 9 times more than these local authorities currently receive through the local integrated transport block which is the current mechanism for funding local transport improvements in their areas.

    The Local Transport Fund will be made available from 2025 to give local authorities enough time to develop their funding plans and prepare to hit the ground running to ensure they are delivered as soon as possible.

    It comes as the Prime Minister is set to chair a Cabinet meeting in Yorkshire today where he is expected to call on ministers and MPs to hold local authorities to account to ensure the funding is used appropriately and that the voices of local people are heard when decisions are made on where this funding goes and how this funding is spent.

    Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said:

    We have a clear plan to level up our country with greater transport links that people need and deliver the right long term change for a brighter future.

    Through reallocating HS2 funding, we’re not only investing billions of pounds directly back into our smaller cities, towns and rural areas across the North and Midlands, but we are also empowering their local leaders to invest in the transport projects that matter most to their communities – this is levelling up in action.

    The Local Transport Fund will deliver a new era of transport connectivity. This unprecedented investment will benefit more people, in more places, more quickly than HS2 ever would have done, and comes alongside the billions of pound worth of funding we’ve already invested into our roads, buses and local transport services across the country.

    This investment will give local authorities long term certainty to invest in transformative and ambitious transport improvements from 2025 through to 2032 including:

    • building new roads and improving junctions
    • installing or expanding mass transit systems
    • improving roads by filling in potholes and better street lighting for personal safety
    • improving journey times for car and bus users by tackling congestion
    • increasing the number of EV chargepoints
    • refurbishing bus and rail stations
    • improving our streets so they are safer to walk children to school and increasing accessibility for all

    To ensure local authorities can make the most of this unprecedented funding, the department will publish advice for local councils and transport authorities to help them develop ambitious plans to improve local transport infrastructure in their areas.

    Councils will work with local MPs and will be held to account by the government as well as their communities to make sure the money is spent promptly and effectively. Local councils will be expected to publish their delivery plans for which projects they wish to invest in.

    The funding comes as devolution deals now cover nearly 34 million, or 60% of the English population – up from 41% since the first major levelling up plan 2 years ago, as the government continues to empower local leaders.

    Transport Secretary Mark Harper said:

    Today’s £4.7 billion investment is truly game-changing for the smaller cities, towns, and rural communities across the North and the Midlands and is only possible because this government has a plan to improve local transport and is willing to take tough decisions like reallocating funding from the second phase of HS2.

    This funding boost will make a real difference to millions of people, empowering local authorities to drive economic growth, transform communities, and improve the daily transport connections that people rely on for years to come.

    Today’s funding is directed to the North and Midlands because the majority of HS2 savings are specifically from those regions. The Local Transport Fund is also specifically for communities in the North and Midlands which are outside City Regions which receive City Region Sustainable Transport Settlements (CRSTS).

    The new funding allocations means neighbouring authorities who were not eligible for CRSTS can now drive forward similar infrastructure improvements, and all local authorities in the North and Midlands will now have long-term settlements from Network North to boost local transport.

    The North East is separately receiving £3.7 billion from CRSTS from now until 2032, which includes an uplift of more than £1 billion from Network North, boosting local transport across the Tees Valley and the North East.

    Lord Patrick McLoughlin, Chair of Transport for the North, said:

    We welcome this funding for our local transport areas as a sign of progress towards transforming the north to a more inclusive, sustainable and better-connected region. By having greater clarity on the funding that’s available, and consolidating funding streams, it helps remove inertia and accelerates delivery on the ground.

    TfN look forward to working with government and local leaders, because we know that the travelling public will get better results the more locally the decisions are made on how those services should be provided.

    Maria Machancoses, Chief Executive of Midlands Connect, said:

    This funding represents a significant investment in our region’s infrastructure. The Midlands contributes more than £90billion to the UK economy, and to boost that even more, we need reliable transport networks and investment in new technology.

    We welcome this announcement and the improvements it will bring for our communities and businesses across the Midlands, and we will continue to work with government and support our local authorities, to ensure these vital Network North transport upgrades are delivered.

    This investment demonstrates our commitment to reinvest all of the £19.8 billion from the Northern leg of HS2 in the North and all of the £9.6 billion from the Midlands leg in the Midlands, while the £6.5 billion saved through the new approach at Euston will be spread across every other region in the country.

    As part of Network North, we have also committed to delivering the Midlands Rail Hub by increasing investment to £1.75 billion to improve journey times, capacity and frequency of services across the East and West Midlands. We will also enable the West Yorkshire Mayor to take forward a £2.5 billion mass-transit metro in West Yorkshire.

    We’ve committed £12 billion towards better connecting Manchester to Liverpool. This would allow the delivery of Northern Powerhouse Rail as previously planned, including high-speed lines. But we will work with local leaders to agree whether they wish to suggest other ways to achieve the objectives with that £12 billion.

    £100 million will also be shared across the North and Midlands to support the development and rollout of contactless and smart ticketing, supporting seamless travel by enabling contactless or smartcard payment.

    Savings at Euston ensure the rest of the country receives extra transport investment too from our decision to cancel HS2 Phase 2. Every part of the country is set to benefit from the decision to reallocate funding from HS2. We’re already delivering the biggest ever increase in funding for local road improvements with an extra £8.3 billion, enough to resurface more than 5,000 miles of local roads across England, with the first tranche of funding already being delivered right from this financial year. As part of this, we’re providing an additional £2.8 billion to resurface roads in the East, South-East and South-West England and London.

    We’ve also invested over £200 million to extend the £2 bus fare cap in England outside London until the end of 2024 and will spend £1 billion to improve bus services in the North and the Midlands, with £150 million delivered from April this year. Since the £2 bus fare cap was introduced across England on 1 January 2023, millions of passengers have benefited from lower fares.

    Taken together, these investments are all part of the government’s plan to build a brighter future for generations to come by levelling up transport infrastructure across the country.

  • PRESS RELEASE : 10th anniversary of the Russian annexation of Crimea – UK statement [February 2024]

    PRESS RELEASE : 10th anniversary of the Russian annexation of Crimea – UK statement [February 2024]

    The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 26 February 2024.

    The UK government gave a statement on the 10th anniversary of the Russian annexation of Crimea.

    A Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) spokesperson said:

    Ten years ago Russia illegally, and unacceptably sought to annex Crimea. An action which, eight years later was used to launch its full-scale invasion into Ukraine.

    Today, Russia continues to deprive Ukrainians in Crimea of their liberty, waging a brutal and systematic campaign of human rights abuses and violations. This is unacceptable, and Russia must be held to account.

    We want to be clear that the UK will never recognise Russia’s illegal claims to the region, or to any Ukrainian territory and that we will continue to do all we can to stop Putin’s war machine, and support Ukraine in their fight, for as long as it takes.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Trade Secretary fights for free and fair trade at global summit [February 2024]

    PRESS RELEASE : Trade Secretary fights for free and fair trade at global summit [February 2024]

    The press release issued by the Department for Business and Trade on 26 February 2024.

    UK Trade Ministers attend World Trade Organization’s Conference to defend free and fair trade and protect UK businesses from increasing global trade barriers.

    • Trade Secretary Kemi Badenoch flies to Abu Dhabi for 13th WTO conference to meet international counterparts and defend free trade
    • UK using negotiations to maintain tariff-free digital trade, and protect British businesses from potential costly increases in global trade barriers and protectionism
    • Secretary Badenoch joined by Trade Minister Greg Hands – as both will use event to meet Gulf Ministers and progress talks on a UK-Gulf trade deal

    Trade Secretary Kemi Badenoch today arrives in Abu Dhabi to defend free and fair trade and protect UK businesses from increasing global trade barriers.

    She is attending the World Trade Organization’s (WTO) Thirteenth Ministerial Conference (MC13) – where over 150 of the world’s trade ministers will gather for a week to negotiate global rules of trade that affect tariffs, regulations and how businesses sell their goods and services abroad.

    Attending the Conference, Trade Secretary Kemi Badenoch said:

    Free trade creates jobs, opportunities for businesses, and puts money in people’s pockets.

    We want to see more barriers torn down, not new ones being put up. This is why it’s important the UK is here at MC13, to secure meaningful outcomes for companies and consumers back home and around the world as part of the Government’s plan to grow the economy and boost opportunities for our young people. I look forward to working with Members this week to make that happen.

    The WTO sets the rules that underpin free and fair trade and has helped trade to boom around the world. Over the period 2000 to 2016, the average WTO member saw trade costs fall equivalent to a 15% reduction in tariffs.

    Agreements through the WTO can help to address barriers to trade and reduce costs – savings that can be passed on to businesses and consumers – and decide to what extent countries can subsidise their industries.

    The UK will be heavily involved in negotiations, and wants to see MC13 agree to:

    • Keep the costs of online trade down by extending the e-commerce moratorium, a global agreement that avoids taxes on online transactions – from e-mails to music or TV downloads,
    • Ensure countries can defend themselves against unfair trading practices by other countries by helping to restore the WTO’s dispute settlement mechanism,
    • Protect our oceans and fish stocks which so many vulnerable fishing communities depend on by ending subsidies for fleets that catch fish in unsustainable numbers,
    • Help developing countries to benefit from free trade and global investment by securing agreements such as the Investment Facilitation for Development Agreement which will help grow developing economies by creating a more transparent, efficient, and predictable climate for investment.

    Trade Policy Minister Greg Hands said:

    From preventing digital products like emails being taxed, to ensuring countries can challenge unfair trading practices, the UK joins this conference with a clear mission: to be the world’s leading voice for Free Trade.

    It’s good to be back at the Ministerial Conference of the WTO, alongside the Trade Secretary, to help drive negotiations and secure the right outcomes for businesses and consumers around the world and in the UK.

    Free trade has played a vital role in lifting more than a billion people out of extreme poverty globally since 1990, which is why development is at the heart of the UK’s trade and investment policy.

    The UK leads the way in championing the needs of least developed countries and has played an active role in negotiations on the Investment Facilitation for Development Agreement (IFDA). This agreement streamlines burdensome processes for potential investors and improves transparency, which is set to benefit developing countries the most.

    An additional 1 million Swiss Francs of funding will be made to the WTO’s Enhanced Integrated Framework, the only fund exclusively dedicated to helping Least Developed Countries trade. The UK has been the second largest donor to the Fund, contributing nearly $35m across two decades.

    Minister for Development Andrew Mitchell said:

    Trade is a proven route to prosperity. That is why the UK is pushing robustly for outcomes at the WTO’s MC13 in Abu Dhabi that support developing countries to reap the benefits of free trade and global investment.

    We are proud to have introduced the Developing Country Trading Scheme – one of the most generous schemes available to developing countries. This conference is an opportunity to further improve the global trading system to ensure all countries benefit from the transformational impact of trade and no one is left behind.

    Following the recent conclusion of the sixth round of talks on a UK-Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Free Trade Agreement, UK ministers will also meet with all six GCC counterparts to progress the deal – the first time Kemi Badenoch has met all six Ministers at once.

    A deal would help unlock even more opportunities for investment and exports between the UK and countries of the GCC. With at least £19 billion already invested in each other’s economies and total trade worth £59 billion, both sides are building on a strong foundation.

    UK Ministers will also meet with representatives from the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) member countries at the Conference ahead of the UK’s ratification and entry into force of the agreement expected later this year. The UK’s inclusion will make the CPTPP a truly global deal.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Support for tech entrepreneurs will boost livelihoods [February 2024]

    PRESS RELEASE : Support for tech entrepreneurs will boost livelihoods [February 2024]

    The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 26 February 2024.

    New UK funding for innovative mobile phone technology will help change lives in the poorest countries around the world.

    • entrepreneurs receive new support to develop innovative mobile technology to help tackle development challenges around the world
    • previous funding through scheme has helped develop artificial intelligence (AI) to provide advice to farmers in remote areas
    • the programme brings the mobile industry and development community together to boost livelihoods

    New UK funding for innovative mobile phone technology will help change lives in the poorest countries around the world, Development Minister Andrew Mitchell will announce today.

    Harnessing AI technology to provide real-time agricultural advice to farmers in Nigeria and pay-as-you-go solar powered fridges are just some of the ways UK-funded mobile technology is improving livelihoods globally.

    At a speech at the Mobile World Congress today, Minister Mitchell will announce the UK is providing £37.3 million of new support for the Mobile for Development Programme, to help more people access mobile and digital technologies to find new opportunities and boost their livelihoods.

    The programme, which the UK funds in partnership with UK-based mobile industry association GSMA and the private sector, has already benefitted more than 94 million people and focuses on women and girls, climate change mitigation, adaptation and resilience and scaling up innovative solutions.

    Minister for Development and Africa Andrew Mitchell said:

    Mobile technology has the potential to revolutionise the lives of the poor by helping tackle the effects of climate change, creating jobs and boosting opportunities for women.

    The Mobile for Development programme has already benefitted more than 100 million people, and the UK’s new announcement aims to up the ambition, reaching 110 million additional people, including 60 million women.

    Together the worlds of development and mobile tech giants can be a powerful force to unlock opportunities and prosperity, and meet the UN Global Goals.

    UK funding has previously helped scale up a digital hub in Pakistan, BaKhabar Kissan (BKK), which provides accurate weather forecasting data to farmers to help them make critical farming decisions such as the timing of seed sowing, irrigation, and fertilisation. With the help of this programme, BKK has almost doubled users from 6.6 million to 12.4 million.

    Another innovative business, Ensibuuko, is providing digital skills training to help community savings groups in rural Uganda keep up with the latest digital products and services where previously they relied on paper record-keeping. Since gaining funding, Ensibuuko has benefited over 236,000 members of rural savings groups, 60% of whom are women, providing them with digital skills training.

    John Giusti, President of the GSMA Mobile for Development Foundation, said:

    For more than a decade, the FCDO and the GSMA Mobile for Development Foundation have worked closely in partnership to drive socio-economic and climate impact for the most underserved populations through digital innovation, and to date our partnership has improved the lives of more than 127 million people.

    Today’s renewal of our partnership will further amplify our joint impact by leveraging the power of digital and emerging technologies to support innovation, improve access to opportunities for women, and tackle the effects of climate change for the most vulnerable.

    With the increase in climate crises around the world, the need for new solutions to help vulnerable countries adapt is growing and mobile technology can make a big difference to people’s lives.

    At the Mobile World Congress, GSMA will announce the grantees for its Climate Resilience and Adaptation Fund which is funded by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. This fund is designed to test and scale up new technology to combat the effects of climate change in countries throughout Africa and Asia.

    Some of the projects being funded include one using AI-powered satellite imagery to help smallholder farmers increase their yields and another to reduce food waste via an online grocery platform.

  • PRESS RELEASE : UK Minister for Armed Forces visits Mogadishu [February 2024]

    PRESS RELEASE : UK Minister for Armed Forces visits Mogadishu [February 2024]

    The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 26 February 2024.

    Minister for Armed Forces, James Heappey, met President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and UK troops delivering training and capacity building to Somali Security Forces.

    • UK Minister for Armed Forces visited Mogadishu to strengthen the UK-Somalia partnership.
    • The Minister met President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud at Villa Somalia, as well as UN Special Representative Catriona Laing and other international partners.
    • The Minister also visited UK troops delivering training and capacity building to Somali Security Forces.

    UK Minister for Armed Forces, James Heappey MP, visited Mogadishu on 25 February in order to reaffirm the UK’s commitment to defence and security cooperation with Somalia.

    His visit offered the opportunity to engage the Federal Government of Somalia following the launch of the UK Somalia Strategic Partnership in November 2023. Minister Heappey spent time with Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud at Villa Somalia, where the pair discussed how to further strengthen bonds between the two countries, particularly to help improve security in the country and prepare for the ATMIS transition process.

    The Minister also met British soldiers delivering training to the Somali Security Forces and discussed options for further support to Somali efforts to counter al-Shabaab.

    James Heappey, UK Minister for Armed Forces, said:

    Somalia is a key partner for the UK and is vital to security and stability across the region. My visit enabled me to see first hand the impact of UK-Somalia security cooperation, as well as encourage greater collaboration and deconfliction with key international partners, including the UN, US and EU.

    The challenges facing Somalia are complex, but we remain steadfast supporters of the efforts of the Federal Government to take the fight to al-Shabaab, take greater control of domestic security and deliver a secure and stable future for the Somali people.

    Meetings with key international partners provided an opportunity for the Minister to emphasise the need for continued cooperation and to ensure effective and efficient support is provided to the Federal Government of Somalia.

    Minister Heappey will continue his regional visit with engagements in Kenya, demonstrating the vital importance of the region to the UK.

  • PRESS RELEASE : UK condemns confirmed Daesh use of chemical weapons in Syria [February 2024]

    PRESS RELEASE : UK condemns confirmed Daesh use of chemical weapons in Syria [February 2024]

    The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 26 February 2024.

    Minister Lord (Tariq) Ahmad gave a statement after publication of an OPCW report that found Daesh responsible for a 2015 sulphur mustard attack in Marea, Syria.

    The Minister of State for the Middle East, South Asia, UN and the Prime Minister’s Special Representative on Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict, Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon has condemned Daesh use of chemical weapons in Syria. An Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) report found that Daesh fighters are responsible for a chemical weapons attack using sulphur mustard in Marea in the Syrian Arab Republic in September 2015.

    We commend the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW)’s Investigation and Identification Team (IIT) for its expert and independent analysis which has found Daesh was responsible for the use of chemical weapons on civilians in Marea in 2015. The IIT have shown consistent resilience and professionalism in attributing responsibility in cases of both state and non-state actors use in Syria. They have our full support.

    This report adds to the shocking track record of Daesh use of chemical weapons. The OPCW–UN Joint Investigative Mechanism previously found Daesh responsible for 3 other attacks in Marea in 2015 and in Umm Hawsh in 2016. We condemn all use of chemical weapons during the Syrian conflict perpetrated by Daesh and the Assad regime. UN and OPCW mandated investigations have found the Assad regime responsible for at least 9 chemical weapons attacks including using sarin and chlorine.

    The international community should be gravely concerned about the threat of non-state actors developing, acquiring, and using chemical weapons. The proliferation risk in Syria has only been exacerbated by instability in the region. We urge all States Parties to the Chemical Weapons Convention to cooperate to implement the Decision on ‘Addressing the Threat from Chemical Weapons Use and the Threat of Future Use’ adopted in November 2023, which expressed concern about use by state and non-state actors in Syria.

    This is the fourth report by the OPCW’s Investigation and Identification Team (IIT) into chemical weapons attacks in Syria (PDF, 1.5 MB). Following a rigorous and independent analysis of the evidence, the OPCW’s report has concluded that there are reasonable grounds to believe that units of Daesh were the perpetrators of a chemical weapons attack using sulphur mustard on Marea on 1 September 2015 in the Syrian Arab Republic.

    Previous reports from the OPCW’s IIT had found the Assad regime responsible for attacks on Saraqib and Douma in 2018 using chlorine, and 3 separate attacks with sarin and chlorine in Ltamenah in March 2017. All use of chemical weapons is prohibited under international law.

    The United Kingdom is determined that those responsible for chemical weapons attacks should be identified and held to account. As well as our support to the OPCW, the UK has imposed sanctions under the UK’s Syria Sanctions regime and Chemical Weapons Sanctions regime on 32 individuals and 7 entities previously identified for their involvement in Syria’s chemical weapons programme. Designated persons are subject to asset freezes and travel bans.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Rishi Sunak to host Cabinet meeting in Yorkshire and the Humber [February 2024]

    PRESS RELEASE : Rishi Sunak to host Cabinet meeting in Yorkshire and the Humber [February 2024]

    The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 25 February 2024.

    Prime Minister Rishi Sunak will chair Cabinet meeting in Yorkshire and the Humber on Monday, confirming unprecedented transport funding package for areas in the North and Midlands.

    • Prime Minister to chair Cabinet meeting in Yorkshire & the Humber on Monday
    • Comes as Transport Secretary set to confirm unprecedented transport funding package for small cities, towns, and rural areas in the North and Midlands
    • Transport investment in the North and Midlands made possible by reallocated HS2 funding
    • New funding part of plan to ensure local people have their voices heard on what transport projects to invest in

    The Prime Minister is set to chair a Cabinet meeting in the Yorkshire & Humber region tomorrow (Monday 26 February).

    It comes as the Transport Secretary is set to announce the funding allocations of the Local Transport Fund across the North and Midlands which empowers local authorities to invest in the transport projects that matter most to their communities.

    This investment package has been made possible through reallocated HS2 funding and will deliver an unprecedented long term transport funding uplift across the North and Midlands.

    At Cabinet, the Prime Minister will call on ministers and MPs to hold local authorities to account to ensure the funding is used appropriately and that the voices of local people are heard when decisions are made on where this funding goes and how this funding is spent.

    The Transport Secretary is expected to update Cabinet on the delivery of Network North and how the Government is sticking to the plan to better connect communities through improved transport infrastructure across the country.

    The Prime Minister, Cabinet Ministers and ministers across government will also meet with communities, businesses, and organisations across the North and Midlands to discuss their priorities for the Local Transport Fund and how their area can best benefit from the funding.

    Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said:

    Local transport is at the heart of connecting our communities and this government has a clear plan to level up our country with greater transport links that people need right across the UK.

    The long term decision to reallocate funding from HS2 marked a step change in how we invest in transport infrastructure across the country. It gave us the opportunity to put £36 billion into projects that will make a real difference – benefiting more people, in more places, more quickly.

    Tomorrow marks a historic moment for the North and Midlands. We are investing billions directly across the region through the first of its kind Local Transport Fund – which fully empowers local people to invest in the transport priorities that matter most to them and their communities.

    Whether it’s repaired roads, or refurbished train and bus stations – it will be local leaders who decide what transport projects to invest in based on local needs. This is part of our long-term plan to build a brighter future for generations to come.

    Transport Secretary Mark Harper said:

    Tomorrow’s multi-billion-pound investment is unprecedented and will be transformational for smaller cities, towns, and rural communities across the North and the Midlands. This funding increase is only possible because this government is willing to take tough decisions like reallocating funding from the second phase of HS2.

    We are sticking to our plan to level up communities with greater transport links right across the country. This investment is going to make a real difference to millions of people for years to come, empowering local authorities to drive economic growth, level up communities, and improve the daily transport connections that people rely on.

    This investment demonstrates our commitment to reinvest all of the £19.8 billion from the Northern leg of HS2 in the North and all of the £9.6 billion from the Midlands leg in the Midlands, while the £6.5 billion saved through the new approach at Euston will be spread across every other region in the country.

    This government recognises that investing in the right transport projects in the right places is key to spreading opportunity across the country.

    We have a clear plan to better connect the country and we’re already making progress by delivering the biggest ever increase in funding for local road improvements with an extra £8.3 billion, enough to resurface more than 5,000 miles of local roads across England, with the first tranche of funding already delivered from this financial year.

    We’ve also invested over £200 million to extend the £2 bus fare cap in England outside London until the end of 2024 and £1 billion to improve bus services in the North and the Midlands, with £150 million delivered from April this year. Since the £2 bus fare cap was introduced across England on 1 January 2023, millions of passengers have benefitted from lower fares.

    Taken together, this shows that the Government is delivering on our plan to improve local transport and drive better connectivity across the country – building a brighter future for generations to come.

  • PRESS RELEASE : UK steps up health support for women and girls in Gaza [February 2024]

    PRESS RELEASE : UK steps up health support for women and girls in Gaza [February 2024]

    The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 25 February 2024.

    £4.25 million in UK aid will help ensure UNFPA, the United Nations sexual and reproductive health agency, can provide life-saving support to vulnerable women and girls.

    • Foreign Secretary David Cameron announces £4.25 million in aid to support sexual and reproductive healthcare in Gaza
    • support expected to help UN agency UNFPA reach more than 110,000 women with community midwives, menstrual hygiene kits and clean birth delivery kits
    • women and girls in Gaza increasingly at risk of disease, pregnancy complications and gender-based violence

    The Foreign Secretary has announced new funding to tackle the sexual and reproductive healthcare crisis in Gaza. The £4.25 million in UK aid will help ensure UNFPA, the United Nations sexual and reproductive health agency, can provide life-saving support to vulnerable women and girls.

    This support is expected to reach about 111,500 women, around 1 in 5 of the adult women in Gaza. It will support up to 100 community midwives, the distribution of around 20,000 menstrual hygiene management kits and 45,000 clean delivery kits.

    Foreign Secretary David Cameron confirmed the additional funding in response to a UN flash appeal for the Occupied Palestinian Territories.

    Women and girls are particularly at risk from disease, pregnancy complications and gender-based violence in Gaza currently, with 85% of people displaced and currently just 13 out of the 36 hospitals partially functional, with one specialist maternity hospital functioning.

    Foreign Secretary David Cameron said:

    Women are bearing the brunt of the desperate humanitarian situation in Gaza today. Many thousands of women are currently pregnant and will be worrying about delivering their babies safely.

    This new UK funding will help make giving birth safer and improve the lives of mothers and their new-born babies.

    We need to see an immediate pause in the fighting so we can secure the safe release of hostages, get more aid in, and allow organisations like UNFPA to do their vital work effectively.

    UNFPA Executive Director, Dr Natalia Kanem, said:

    In Gaza, the reality for women and girls is horrific – and getting worse each day. They have little to no access to essential health services and menstrual supplies, and many are forced to give birth in unsafe conditions that put their lives and those of their babies at risk.

    The support of the United Kingdom and other partners is vital to get lifesaving resources directly to women and girls in desperate need.

    UNFPA is providing life-saving reproductive health supplies for women and girls in Gaza. Since the most recent crisis began, UNFPA has provided nearly 74,000 adolescents and children with psychosocial support and financial support for over 2,000 vulnerable women at risk of gender-based violence to purchase essential menstrual and hygiene items.

    There were an estimated 50,000 pregnant women in Gaza at the start of the crisis, with more than 180 births occurring each day and over 5,500 women expected to deliver in the next month.

    The UK has trebled our aid commitment to the Occupied Palestinian Territories this financial year and we are doing everything we can to get more aid in and open more crossings, including calling for an immediate pause to get aid in and hostages out.

    Israel must take steps, working with other partners including the UN and Egypt, to significantly increase the flow of aid into Gaza including allowing prolonged humanitarian pauses, opening more routes into Gaza and restoring and sustaining water, fuel and electricity.