Tag: 2024

PRESS RELEASE : UK and EU science chiefs urge British researchers and businesses work together with European colleagues through Horizon, and apply for grants to boost jobs, growth and scientific breakthroughs [February 2024]
The press release issued by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology on 12 February 2024.

European Commissioner for research joins UK Science and Technology Secretary to make joint commitment to maximising UK Horizon Europe success.
- European Commissioner for Research Iliana Ivanova joins UK Science and Technology Secretary Donelan in London to make joint commitment to maximising UK Horizon Europe success for businesses, scientists and researchers
- Horizon Europe is the world’s largest programme of research collaboration, and UK firms are already benefitting from funding
- Communications campaign set to launch in Italy and Spain, emphasising the opportunities for European firms and researchers to collaborate with the tens of thousands of UK companies eligible for Horizon Europe grants – which are worth £450,000 to a business on average
The European Commissioner for Research and Innovation Illiana Ivanova, and the UK Science and Technology Secretary Michelle Donelan, will meet leaders from across the UK’s science, business and research communities today (Monday 12 January) to make a united call for UK innovators and researchers to seize the opportunity of Horizon Europe funding – as well as the avenues it opens for collaboration with some of the brightest minds from across Europe and beyond.

Horizon Europe is the world’s largest collaborative programme of research collaboration, which the UK is a part of after the Prime Minister secured a bespoke deal, last year, which increased the benefits of association to UK scientists as well as value for money for the UK taxpayer.

Secretary of State Donelan and Commissioner Ivanova will set out how both the UK and EU are determined to make a success of the UK’s Horizon Europe association, at a joint event being held at the Royal Society for decisionmakers from across the academic and business sectors. The event is targeted towards groups who have not previously heavily engaged in Horizon, such as SMEs, as well as businesses and scientists across Europe who could stand to benefit from collaboration with UK researchers through the programme. UK firms already benefitting from Horizon funding include Nova Innovation, whose consortium won over £17 million to develop tidal energy in Orkney, and South Yorkshire tech firm The Floow who are part of a project awarded just under £3 million, looking into road safety.

Horizon Europe is worth around £80 billion in total, and with the average Horizon grant worth £450,000 to a UK business or researcher, it offers an enormous opportunity for anyone doing R&D to secure backing for vitally important research benefitting all our lives, from health to the environment. Horizon Europe is also truly international, giving researchers the opportunity to work confidently alongside colleagues from across the EU, New Zealand, Canada and Israel. This enormous potential for opening up access to new markets and clients will be the focus of a new communications campaign, set to launch shortly across Italy and Spain, setting out how partnering with the UK’s brightest minds through Horizon can benefit some of Europe’s most innovative researchers.

Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology Michelle Donelan said:

“The UK’s bespoke deal on Horizon has opened up a whole world of opportunity for our researchers, from the £80 billion funding that’s available, to the vast benefits that come from working hand-in-hand with colleagues from Europe to Canada to New Zealand.

“From grants to support UK applicants to our Horizon comms blitz, we are determined to do all we can together with our European colleagues to seize this moment, and all it could do to help our brightest minds deliver jobs, growth, and breakthroughs that will make life better for us all.”

European Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth Iliana Ivanova said:

“My message to British researchers and innovative businesses is simple and clear: Apply! Thousands have succeeded before, joining forces with European partners, advancing science, boosting academic careers and business growth. I look forward to seeing many more UK beneficiaries in the Horizon Europe programme in the years to come.”

Aside from events at the Royal Society, today will also see further conversations take place on how the UK and EU can work together to make UK association to the programme a success including on how to enable UK and EU researchers to work closely together on new and emerging technologies, which have the potential to radically change how we live and work, for the better. The UK’s best-in-class science pedigree will be in full view when Commissioner Ivanova is joined by AI Minister Viscount Camrose on a tour of London’s Crick Institute, the world-leading biomedical lab, earlier in the day.

The UK is already established as a world leader in this area, having hosted the first-ever AI Safety Summit last year, and with landmark strategies to cement the country’s best-in-class position on quantum and engineering biology.

Today’s UK-EU event is the first in a series of moments that will take place throughout 2024, aimed at ensuring the message about Horizon reaches businesses of all kinds, who might not have previously considered applying, as well as researchers and academics in every part of the country. It comes hot on the heels of the launch of a new UK-facing multi-channel communications campaign, shining a light on the real-world benefits of Horizon to businesses and researchers with advertising across social media, podcasts, digital displays and more. The new European communications push will take this message even further, showing the value of Great British businesses, scientists and researchers as partners in some of the most promising fields, from life sciences to robotics.

All of this builds concrete support already being made available to encourage UK bids for Horizon funding, such as ‘pump priming’ grants of up to £10,000 already being offered in partnership with the British Academy to support the applications of selected UK researchers and businesses to help them create better applications. The aim is for this funding to encourage those researchers who have not previously had experience, including next generation researchers, to apply to Horizon – and the scheme remains open for a second round of bids until 21 February.

Science, innovation and technology will be critical to the future of the UK. By leading the way in these fields, we can grow the economy, one of the Prime Minister’s five priorities, as well as unlock breakthroughs that could improve everyone’s quality of life.

We know from recent history that the UK can be a leader in this area. We have four of the top ten universities in the world, and the second-highest number of Nobel prize winners. A quarter of projects in which the UK participated, funded through Horizon’s predecessor, were UK-led.

Horizon Europe is built around three main pillars – excellent science (Pillar 1), global challenges and industrial competitiveness (Pillar 2), and innovative Europe (Pillar 3). Horizon’s Pillar 2 has the largest budget, and supports research that is aimed at tackling some of the biggest problems facing society, from improving people’s health to tackling climate change. The average Horizon grant from Pillar 2 is worth £450,000 to a UK business.

Further information, including practical support on how to apply is available on Innovate UK’s website also host regular events that help guide businesses and researchers through the opportunities on offer and the application process.

Encouraging smaller businesses to pitch for, and win, Horizon and Copernicus funding supports DSIT’s aim to help the UK’s promising science and tech firms scale-up and grow.
February 24, 2024
PRESS RELEASE : UK sanctions extremist settlers in the West Bank [February 2024]
The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 12 February 2024.

The UK announces new sanctions against extremist Israeli settlers who have violently attacked Palestinians in the West Bank.
- new sanctions will target extremist Israeli settlers who have violently attacked Palestinians in the occupied West Bank
- sanctions will impose financial and travel restrictions, in a bid to tackle continued settler violence which threatens West Bank stability
- Foreign Secretary commits to “hold to account those who undermine prospects for peace”
The Foreign Secretary has announced sanctions on 4 extremist Israeli settlers who have committed human rights abuses against Palestinian communities in the West Bank.

There have been unprecedented levels of violence by extremist settlers in the West Bank over the past year. Some residents of illegal Israeli settlements and outposts have used harassment, intimidation and violence to put pressure on Palestinian communities to leave their land.

Two of the individuals designated today – Moshe Sharvit and Yinon Levy – have in recent months used physical aggression, threatened families at gunpoint, and destroyed property as part of a targeted and calculated effort to displace Palestinian communities. One illegal outpost, set up by Zvi Bar Yosef, has been described by local Palestinian residents as a “source of systematic intimidation and violence.”

Today’s measures put strict financial and travel restrictions on those who commit these acts. These sanctions follow the announcement by the Foreign Secretary in December that the UK plans to ban those responsible for settler violence from entering the UK to make sure our country cannot be a home for people who commit these unacceptable acts.

Foreign Secretary Lord Cameron said:

Today’s sanctions place restrictions on those involved in some of the most egregious abuses of human rights. We should be clear about what is happening here. Extremist Israeli settlers are threatening Palestinians, often at gunpoint, and forcing them off land that is rightfully theirs. This behaviour is illegal and unacceptable. Israel must also take stronger action and put a stop to settler violence. Too often, we see commitments made and undertakings given, but not followed through.

Extremist settlers, by targeting and attacking Palestinian civilians, are undermining security and stability for both Israelis and Palestinians.

Those now subject to a UK asset freeze, travel and visa ban include:
- Moshe Sharvit: an extremist settler who has threatened, harassed and assaulted Palestinian shepherds and their families in the Jordan Valley. In October 2023, one community of 20 families fled after Sharvit attacked the residents and told them they had 5 hours to leave
- Yinon Levy: leader of the ‘Meitarim Farm’ outpost, founded in 2021, whose settlers have used physical violence and the destruction of property to displace Palestinian communities including Zanuta in October 2023
- Zvi Bar Yosef: a settler leader who, since setting up the ‘Zvi’s Farm’ outpost in 2018, has used intimidation and violence against local Palestinians, including twice threatening at gunpoint young families having a picnic
- Ely Federman: involved in multiple incidents against Palestinian shepherds in the South Hebron Hills
Violence in the West Bank reached record levels in 2023 (United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs). Israel’s failure to act has led to an environment of near total impunity for settler extremists in the West Bank.

The UK government has continued to call for Israel to take action against those responsible for settler violence, release frozen funds to the Palestinian Authority and halt settlement expansion. The Prime Minister has raised this with Prime Minister Netanyahu on a number of occasions, and in December, the UK and 13 partners released a statement calling on Israel to take immediate and concrete steps to tackle record high settler violence in the occupied West Bank.

The measures taken today are part of wider UK efforts to support a more stable West Bank, which is vital for the peace and security of both Palestinians and Israelis. The UK will consider additional actions, including further sanctions, as necessary.

The UK continues to work with allies and partners, including across the region, to find a path towards a sustainable ceasefire and permanent peace.
February 24, 2024

PRESS RELEASE : Change of British High Commissioner to Rwanda: Alison Thorpe [February 2024]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 12 February 2024.

Ms Alison Thorpe has been appointed British High Commissioner to the Republic of Rwanda.

Ms Alison Thorpe has been appointed British High Commissioner to the Republic of Rwanda in succession to Mr Omar Daair OBE, who will be transferring to another Diplomatic Service appointment. Ms Thorpe will take up her appointment during September 2024.

Curriculum vitae

Full name: Alison Heather Thorpe

Place of birth: Lichfield, Staffordshire, UK

Year	Role
2022 to present	Head of Africa Department Central and Southern and Special Envoy to the Great Lakes
April 2022 to August 2022	FCDO, Director Transformation
2020 to 2022	FCDO, Deputy Director for Culture and Engagement
2019 to 2020	FCO, Deputy Director, Prosperity Fund Global Trade and Business Environment Programme
2018 to 2019	FCO, Deputy Director Africa Strategy
2014 to 2018	FCO, Africa Directorate, Head of Africa Strategy and Network Unit
2010 to 2014	Stockholm, Deputy Head of Mission
2006 to 2009	Skopje, Deputy Head of Mission
2005 to 2006	Maternity leave
Jan 2005 to Sept 2005	FCO, Counter Terrorism Department, Head of Al Qaeda, Middle East and Africa Section
2003 to 2004	FCO, Assistant Private Secretary/Minister for the Middle East
2002	FCO, PS to the Political Director
1998 to 2001	Beirut, Third Secretary Political
1997 to 1998	Geneva, UK Mission, Assistant Desk Officer

February 24, 2024

PRESS RELEASE : £3 billion affordable housing boost to deliver 20,000 new homes [February 2024]

The press release issued by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities on 12 February 2024.

The expansion of government-backed loan scheme will support thousands of new homes.

20,000 new affordable homes will be built across the country, helping more people realise the dream of owning their own home, thanks to a £3 billion increase in a government-backed loan fund opening today (12 February 2024).

The expansion of the Affordable Homes Guarantee Scheme, which provides low-cost loans to housing providers, will support thousands of new homes. For the first time, the scheme can also be used to upgrade existing properties, making them warm and decent for tenants.

Providers will be able to apply for loans to carry out vital building safety works, such as the removal of dangerous cladding.

Backed by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, the now £6 billion fund will help housing providers access low-cost loans so they can expand their business, build more affordable homes and upgrade their existing stock.

Housing Minister Lee Rowley said:

We know getting cost-effective loans can be a stumbling block for many developers building more affordable homes or upgrading their existing stock, so it is of the quality tenants deserve.

This new round opening today will not only improve the lives of those already living in homes, but help thousands of families benefit from new, high-quality, affordable housing.

Launched in 2020, the scheme, delivered by ARA Venn, is already helping 12 providers to deliver 6,290 new homes, with thousands more to be built in the coming years.

Among the beneficiaries of the scheme is Watford Community Housing. They first accessed the scheme back in November 2021 and it helped them build 200 new homes, including the firm’s first modular development.

As part of a second funding application made in December, they are set to build a further 100 affordable homes.

Watford Community Housing Deputy Chief Executive Paul Richmond said:

We were delighted to work with ARA Venn for a second time under the current Affordable Homes Guarantee Scheme. The funding represents excellent value for the sector and offers best value for fixed rate debt for our organisation.

The benefit of using the Affordable Homes Guarantee Scheme in terms of pricing over our 30-year plan is worth nearly 100 additional homes being delivered into our local community. This has significant commercial benefit to us but more importantly has a direct impact on the wider need to build more housing across the country.

Richard Green, Portfolio Manager for AHGS20 and Partner at ARA Venn said:

We are delighted that we will be able to provide low-cost loans to private registered providers across England to now facilitate investment in existing homes, in addition to new ones.

We look forward to continuing and building on the success of the Affordable Homes Guarantee Scheme, that has already proved a key source of funding for the sector.

This timely expansion of the scheme allows us to support the sector’s balancing of investment priorities between providing new homes and ensuring the quality and energy efficiency of existing homes.

The government is making good progress and is on track to meet its manifesto commitment to build 1 million homes this Parliament and the target to deliver 300,000 homes a year remains. This work is being supported by £10 billion investment to boost housing supply since the start of this Parliament. This is alongside the £11.5 billion affordable homes programme, which will unlock £38 billion in additional private investment.

Further information

The Affordable Homes Guarantee Scheme 2020 provides low-cost, flexible and long-term loans to help fund investment in new and existing affordable homes across England, including those for social rent, affordable rent and shared ownership.

As part of the scheme, providers will be able to apply for loans to help make homes fit for the future. These energy upgrades, such as solar panels, could potentially save tenants hundreds of pounds on their energy.

The loans are funded by a capital markets bond programme that has the benefit of a guarantee from the Department for Levelling up, Housing and Communities.

Eligible registered providers who would like further information about the scheme, the scheme rules, and how to apply should contact ARA Venn at ahgs@ara-venn.com

ARA Venn is part of ESR Group, who have managed the Affordable Homes Guarantee Scheme 2020 since its launch in 2020.

February 24, 2024
PRESS RELEASE : Government cracks down on bonuses for water company bosses [February 2024]
The press release issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 11 February 2024.

Water bosses are set to be banned from receiving bonuses if a company has committed serious criminal breaches, the Environment Secretary has announced today.
- Environment Secretary tells water companies that no-one should profit from illegal behaviour
- Calls on water company bosses to take responsibility for inexcusable breaches damaging the environment
Water bosses are set to be banned from receiving bonuses if a company has committed serious criminal breaches, the Environment Secretary has announced today.

Ofwat will be taking forward a consultation to define the criteria for a ban. That could include successful prosecution for a Category 1 or 2 pollution incident – such as causing significant pollution at a bathing site or conservation area – or where a company has been found guilty of serious management failings.

The ban would apply to all executive board members and Chief Executives and would be expected to come into effect later this year, subject to consultation. If taken forward, Ofwat would implement the measures by changing the conditions of water company licences. For water companies in England this would be done using the powers given to the regulator through the Environment Act 2021.

Last year 10 water bosses received bonuses, totalling £2.5 million.

The measures form part of the government’s long-term strategy to tackle pollution, clean up British waters and ensure a plentiful supply for the future.

Environment Secretary Steve Barclay said:

No-one should profit from illegal behaviour and it’s time that water company bosses took responsibility for that.

Tougher action is needed to address poor performance by water companies, which is why I am pleased Ofwat is going further today on bonus payments. In cases where companies have committed criminal breaches there is no justification whatsoever for paying out bonuses. It needs to stop now.

I will shortly be setting out more detail on further steps to clean up our waters, including reducing the reliance on water company self-monitoring in order to hold them to account and drive the improvements we all need to see.

The change follows the Environment Secretary’s recent meeting with water company chief executives where he set out his expectations on performance – and also builds on Ofwat’s announcement last year to tighten restrictions on bonuses.

The policy would be expected to apply to FY24/25 bonuses from April onwards – but the government is clear that companies should follow these proposed new criteria for FY23/24 bonuses on a voluntary basis.
February 24, 2024
PRESS RELEASE : Museums to benefit from £24 million investment to fund major infrastructure projects [February 2024]
The press release issued by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on 10 February 2024.

More than £86 million overall to be invested to develop world-class culture.
- 67 projects across England have already benefited from the scheme
- Fourth round of the Museum Estate and Development Fund launched
Museums are set to benefit from £24 million of funding as part of the Government’s ongoing commitment to supporting world-class culture in all corners of the country.

Museums across England which are accredited by Arts Council England are encouraged to apply for a share of £23.8 million funding in the latest round of the Museum Estate and Development Fund (MEND), which has been launched today by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.

The fund is part of the Government’s long-term plan to support local economic growth and will support capital projects at museums, fund important repairs, and improve the visitor experience with grants being available from £50,000 to £5 million to ensure local history has a home for years to come.

Since it was launched in 2021, 67 projects have received a total of more than £40 million, with funding having already benefited a wide variety of museums. Among the successful applicants were Scarborough’s Rotunda Museum, where it has funded stonework repairs, and the Framework Knitters Museum in Nottingham, where it supported urgent repairs to its roof, chimneys, windows and gutters.

Arts and Heritage Minister Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay said:

Museums across the country form the heart of their community, helping people to learn about our shared heritage, and attracting tourists to the local area.

Over the past two years I’ve been delighted to see how this fund has provided vital support to museums across the country, enabling them to improve their buildings and share their wonderful collections with a wider audience.

The additional funding we are announcing today will mean that even more museums can fund major infrastructure projects, demonstrating the Government’s strong commitment to supporting culture and making sure that everyone has access to brilliant arts and heritage, no matter where they live.

Previous projects which have benefited from the Museum Estate and Development (MEND) Fund include the following:
- Warwick District Council was awarded £2.3 million in 2022 to deliver vital maintenance to Leamington Spa Art Gallery & Museum, based in the town’s Grade II-listed Royal Pump Rooms. Works include replacing the roof, improving environmental conditions within the gallery and allowing previously closed galleries to reopen, replacing rooflights, and repairing ceilings and walls.
- Derby Museum and Art Gallery, a landmark building in the heart of the city which dates from 1879, received £750,000 in 2021 for a project to undertake the replacement of roofs, address rainwater problems, install accessible toilets and handrails, and make improvements to lighting levels.
- The London Transport Museum, the world’s leading museum of urban transport, has a collection including famous design icons such as the Tube Map, the black cab, and the Routemaster bus, as well as a world-leading collection of poster art and urban design. It received £277,093 in 2021 for essential upgrades to its visitor lifts, making them safer, more energy efficient and more reliable.
- The Grade I-listed Harewood House in West Yorkshire boasts interiors by the designer and architect Robert Adam and furnishings and fittings designed by Thomas Chippendale. Its £497,474 grant, awarded in 2022, is working to address the deterioration of the external joinery, including roof lanterns, windows and doors. Further masonry repairs will protect the fabric of the house from water ingress.
- Bletchley Park, the museum and former top-secret Second World War code-breaking centre near Milton Keynes, was given £468,000 in 2021 to pay for essential maintenance works to its electrical and water service.
- Scarborough’s Rotunda Museum, one of the world’s first purpose-built museums, which was designed to showcase William Smith’s geological collections in the early 19th Century, received a grant of £256,054 through the first round of the fund in 2021 for stonework repairs to the facade of the Grade II listed building.
- The Framework Knitters Museum in Nottingham, which tells the story of early mechanical sewing and how it gave birth to Nottingham’s lace industry, was awarded £62,925 in 2021 for urgent repairs to roofing, chimneys, windows and gutters on its historic building.
The successful applicants to the third round of funding launched last year worth £22.6 million are due to be announced in the spring.

Darren Henley, Chief Executive of Arts Council England, said:

Museums bring huge benefits to towns and cities across England and the people who live in them. By investing in the infrastructure they need, we can make sure our museums are fit for the future, and can make an even greater contribution to their local economies and communities.

We’re excited to continue delivering the programme on behalf of the Department for Culture, Media & Sport, and look forward to seeing the impact of the projects it supports.

This funding builds on £15.2 million of support from the Government’s Cultural Development Fund which was announced last month. Both the Museum and Estate Development Fund and the Cultural Development Fund form part of the Cultural Investment Fund, along with the Libraries Investment Fund. Through the first two rounds of the Cultural Investment Fund, 134 organisations across the country have received a share of £106.8 million.

Notes to editors:

Arts Council England delivers this fund on behalf of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS). Guidance has been published today by Arts Council England to provide further information for accredited museums considering making an application.

The online portal to register Expressions of Interest opens on 4th March 2024.
February 24, 2024
PRESS RELEASE : Privy Council appointment [February 2024]

The press release issued by the 10 Downing Street on 9 February 2024.

The King has been pleased to approve that Michael Tomlinson KC MP be sworn of His Majesty’s most Honourable Privy Council.

February 24, 2024
PRESS RELEASE : Political Peerages [February 2024]
The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 9 February 2024.

The King has been graciously pleased to signify His intention of conferring the following Peerages of the United Kingdom for Life.
Nominations from the Leader of the Conservative & Unionist Party:

Charles Banner KC – Barrister at Keating Chambers and interim chair of the Joint Nature Conservation Committee.

Peter Booth – Design and Retailing businessman and National Chairman of the Conservative National Convention.

Cllr John Fuller OBE – Leader of South Norfolk Council and Chairman of Brineflow Limited.

Paul Goodman – Journalist and former MP for Wycombe. Former Shadow Minister for Communities and Local Government.

Cllr James Jamieson – Councillor on Central Bedfordshire Council and Former Leader. Former Local Government Association Chairman.

Stuart Marks CBE – Technology entrepreneur, philanthropist, and Senior Treasurer of the Conservative Party.

Rosa Monckton MBE – Founder of Tiffany & Co in the UK, and of the learning disability charity Team Domenica.

Franck Petitgas – Former President of Morgan Stanley International. Special Adviser to the Prime Minister on Business and Investment.

Nominations from the Leader of the Labour Party:

John Hannett OBE – General Secretary of the Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers and a member of ACAS.

Ayesha Hazarika MBE – Political commentator and broadcaster. Former special adviser to Gordon Brown, Harriet Harman and Ed Miliband.

Jane Ramsey – Chair of the Young Epilepsy. Formerly Senior Adviser on Standards and Ethics to the Labour Party.

Gerald Shamash – Partner at Edwards Duthie Shamash’s Parliamentary, Electoral and Media Law practice and solicitor to the Labour Party.

Nominations from the Leader of the Plaid Cymru:

Carmen Smith – Public Affairs Adviser. Former Chief of Staff for the Welsh Senedd group
February 24, 2024
PRESS RELEASE : Ministerial Appointment [February 2024]
The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 9 February 2024.

The King has been pleased to approve the following appointment:
- Donald Cameron MSP as a Parliamentary Under Secretary of State in the Scotland Office.
- His Majesty has been pleased to confer a peerage of the United Kingdom for Life on Donald Cameron.
February 24, 2024
PRESS RELEASE : Scotland boosting UK with more than £2 billion spend in defence annually [February 2024]
The press release issued by the Ministry of Defence on 9 February 2024.

Defence spending with UK industry by the Ministry of Defence in Scotland is currently £2.09 billion, official statistics have revealed.

The statistics highlight the UK Government’s commitment to continually improving the defence sector, while supporting the economy and creating hundreds of thousands of jobs across the country.

An average of £380 is being spent on defence for each person living in Scotland, higher that the UK average of £370, with this figure staying consistent in recent years, and showing the level of spending that helps keep the nation protected.

Latest figures also show 12,200 Scottish jobs are directly supported through the MOD’s expenditure with the Scottish defence industry.

Defence Secretary, Grant Shapps said:

As threats increase across the globe, it’s crucial that investment in our Armed Forces matches that picture.

That’s why we’re spending more than £50 billion annually on helping equip our military with cutting-edge capabilities, so they can continue to protect our freedoms around the clock.

These statistics demonstrate how all parts of the UK are playing their part in that crucial work, delivering through our fantastic defence industry and boosting local prosperity.

Scottish Secretary Alister Jack said:

Nothing is more important than defending our country and these figures show the enormous contribution Scottish skills, expertise and innovation make to the UK’s defence industry.

As well as playing a crucial role in the security of the UK, defence also contributes significantly to delivering high-skilled jobs and investment in Scotland. The UK Government is committed to growing our economy, including by working with the defence industry to support its success in the UK and in exporting overseas.

Scotland is home to the Royal Navy’s Type 26 and Type 31 frigate building programme, spanning shipyards on the Clyde and Rosyth, supporting thousands of skilled jobs into the next decade. Some of the MOD’s highest level strategic assets, such as the Continuous At Sea Deterrent at HMNB Clyde and the P-8 Poseidon and Quick Reaction Alert Typhoon aircraft at RAF Lossiemouth are also base in Scotland, investing in multi-million-pound support contracts which have created thousands of jobs.

Further information
- The stats published on Thursday 8 February regarding spend with UK industry can be found here.
- The latest figures on jobs supported through UK industry can be found here.
February 22, 2024