Tag: 2024

PRESS RELEASE : The Syrian people have our full support as they build a new future – UK statement at the UN Security Council [December 2024]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 17 December 2024.

Statement by Ambassador James Kariuki, UK Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN, at the UN Security Council meeting on Syria.

Colleagues, this is a moment of hope and a new chapter for the Syrian people. They have suffered enormously under the Assad regime’s cruel grip.

It is a moment to mourn and seek accountability for those that have been lost and a chance to ensure that the nation handed down to future generations is one built on democracy, stability and peaceful co-existence.

I will focus on three points addressing the transitional period, humanitarian support and accountability.

First, the transition period.

We cannot underestimate the challenge ahead. The UK, alongside the UN and our Arab, US and EU partners has been clear that the Syrian people have our full support as they proceed with the momentous task of building their future.

We call on the new interim authorities to support an inclusive political dialogue on Syria’s future governance, protect the rights of all individuals, respect international humanitarian law and develop a process of equitable justice and accountability. We will judge them by their actions. The world is watching.

Of course, the fall of Assad does not mean that security in Syria will automatically improve. We must remain seized of the threat of a Daesh resurgence, and the UK is fully committed to supporting Syria’s fight against terrorism.

Respect for Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity is crucial for the peace and security of the region. We call on all parties to cease hostilities in Syria.

Second, humanitarian support.

This is an opportunity to end the suffering that Syrians have endured for far too long. We welcome the positive engagement that the Emergency Relief Coordinator has had in Syria with the new interim authorities.

We have seen millions of Syrians displaced from their homes, without proper access to food, medicine, basic services or an education for their children.

For those returning home and seeking to rebuild their lives, the international community must stand together to support their immediate needs.

In the past week the UK has announced an additional $78 million aid package to support the most vulnerable Syrians, including Syrian refugees across the region.

Third, accountability.

We stand with the hundreds of thousands of Syrians who were arbitrarily detained, tortured and murdered at the hands of the regime. We also remember the men, women and children of Ghouta, Douma and Khan Shaykhun, victims of Assad’s horrific use of chemical weapons.

We, the international community, must continue to pursue accountability for these atrocities, including the preservation of records, alongside full implementation of Resolution 2118.

The UK has provided a further $150,000 to the OPCW Syria missions to help rid Syria of its chemical weapons stockpile once and for all.

President, as we look to 2025 and beyond, we call on the international community to come together and support Syria as it seeks the future it has waited for. The future it has fought for. And the future it deserves.

January 3, 2025
PRESS RELEASE : UK consults on proposals to give creative industries and AI developers clarity over copyright laws [December 2024]
The press release issued by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology on 17 December 2024.

This consultation seeks views on how the government can ensure the UK’s legal framework for AI and copyright supports the UK creative industries and AI sector together.
- new proposals seek to bring legal certainty to creative and AI sectors over how copyright protected materials are used in model training, supporting innovation and boosting the growth of both sectors crucial to our Plan for Change
- a balanced package of proposals aims to give creators greater control over how their material is used by AI developers, and enhance their ability to be paid for its use
- the proposals will also seek greater transparency from AI firms over the data used to train AI models alongside how AI-generated content is labelled
- AI developers would have wide access to material to train world-leading models in the UK, and legal certainty would boost AI adoption across the economy
The UK has today launched a consultation on plans to give certainty to the creative industries and AI developers on how copyright material can be used to train AI models. Supporting the UK Government’s Plan for Change, the move will help drive growth across both sectors by ensuring protection and payment for rights holders and supporting AI developers to innovate responsibly.

Both sectors are central to the Government’s Industrial Strategy, and these proposals aim to forge a new path forward which will allow both to flourish and drive growth. Key areas of the consultation include boosting trust and transparency between the sectors, so right holders have a better understanding of how AI developers are using their material and how it has been obtained.

The consultation also explores how creators can license and be remunerated for the use of their material, and how wide access to high-quality data for AI developers can be strengthened to enable innovation across the UK AI sector.

These proposals will help unlock the full potential of the AI sector and creative industries to drive innovation, investment, and prosperity across the country, driving forward the UK government’s mission to deliver the highest sustained growth in the G7 under its Plan for Change.

Currently, uncertainty about how copyright law applies to AI is holding back both sectors from reaching their full potential. It can make it difficult for creators to control or seek payment for the use of their work, and creates legal risks for AI firms, stifling AI investment, innovation, and adoption. After previous attempts to agree a voluntary AI copyright code of practice proved unsuccessful, this government is determined to take proactive steps with our creative and AI sectors to deliver a workable solution.

To address this, the consultation proposes introducing an exception to copyright law for AI training for commercial purposes while allowing rights holders to reserve their rights, so they can control the use of their content. Together with transparency requirements, this would give them more certainty and control over how their content is used and support them to strike licensing deals. This would also give AI developers greater certainty about what material they can and cannot use and ensure wide access to material in the UK.

Before these measures could come into effect, further work with both sectors would be needed to ensure any standards and requirements for rights reservation and transparency are effective, accessible, and widely adopted. This would allow for smooth application by AI developers and right holders alike, ensuring rights holders of all sizes can reserve their rights and that any future regime delivers our objectives. These measures would be fundamental to the effectiveness of any exception, and we would not introduce an exception without them.

The consultation also proposes new requirements for AI model developers to be more transparent about their model training datasets and how they are obtained. For example, AI developers could be required to provide more information about what content they have used to train their models. This would enable rights holders to understand when and how their content has been used in training AI.

Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, Peter Kyle, said:

The UK has an incredibly rich and diverse cultural sector and a ground breaking tech sector which is pushing the boundaries of AI. It’s clear that our current AI and copyright framework does not support either our creative industries or our AI sectors to compete on the global stage.

That is why we are setting out a balanced package of proposals to address uncertainty about how copyright law applies to AI so we can drive continued growth in the AI sector and creative industries, which will help deliver on our mission of the highest sustained growth in the G7 as part of our Plan for Change.

This is all about partnership: balancing strong protections for creators while removing barriers to AI innovation; and working together across government and industry sectors to deliver this.

Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, Lisa Nandy, said: 

This government firmly believes that our musicians, writers, artists and other creatives should have the ability to know and control how their content is used by AI firms and be able to seek licensing deals and fair payment. Achieving this, and ensuring legal certainty, will help our creative and AI sectors grow and innovate together in partnership.

We stand steadfast behind our world-class creative and media industries which add so much to our cultural and economic life. We will work with them and the AI sector to develop this clearer copyright system for the digital age and ensure that any system is workable and easy-to-use for businesses of all sizes.

Licensing is essential as a means for creators to secure appropriate payment for their work, and these proposals lay the groundwork for rights holders to strike licensing deals with AI developers when rights have been reserved. For example, a photographer who uploads their work onto their internet blog could reserve their rights, with confidence that their wishes will be respected and generative AI developers will not use their images unless a licence has been agreed. This would support the creative and media industries’ control, and their ability to generate revenue from the use of their material and provide AI developers with certainty about the material they can legally access.

This combined approach is designed to strengthen trust between the two sectors, which are increasingly interlinked, clearing the way for developers to confidently build and deploy the next generation of AI applications in the UK, in a way that ensures human creators and rights holders have a shared stake in AI’s transformative potential.

The government welcomes licensing deals that have already been agreed, including by major firms in the music and news publishing sectors. But it is clear that many more creatives and right holders have not been able to do so under the current copyright regime. The creative industries, and businesses of all sizes, need more help to control their content and strike licensing deals. The government is determined to make it easier for them to do this.

The consultation also recognises issues related to the protection of personality rights in the context of digital replicas, such as deepfake imitations of individuals, and will seek views on whether the current legal frameworks are sufficiently robust to tackle the issue.

As AI continues to develop at a rapid pace, the UK’s response must evolve alongside it. The government welcomes all stakeholder views on these proposals and is committed to making progress by collaborating with creators, rights holders, and AI developers to co-design the right copyright and AI framework for the UK, which will allow both sectors to thrive.
January 3, 2025
PRESS RELEASE : Capture victims to receive redress [December 2024]
The press release issued by the Department for Business and Trade on 17 December 2024.

Government publishes its response to the independent Kroll report on Capture software.
- Following independent Kroll report, government commits to redress for postmasters who have suffered losses as a consequence of Capture errors
- Work to be completed quickly with those affected to determine appropriate redress for those without criminal convictions
- Government confirms £37.5 million subsidy to support Post Office network as company sets out £20 million boost for postmasters
Today the government has officially recognised Capture, the software which preceded Horizon, could have created shortfalls affecting postmasters. It has asked the Post Office to urgently review its files and evidence so the CCRC and SCCRC can ensure no one was wrongfully convicted of a Horizon-style injustice.

Responding to the independent Kroll report into the software, the Business Secretary has promised to provide redress for postmasters who suffered losses as a result of Capture. The government will work swiftly with victims to determine its form and scope, alongside eligibility criteria, by Spring 2025.

The Capture accounting system was rolled out across some Post Office branches from 1992 before it was replaced by Horizon in 1999. The government commissioned the independent report following postmasters coming forward publicly in January indicating they had faced detriment due to the Capture system. In its report, Kroll concluded Capture could have created shortfalls.

The response comes as the government marks £499 million paid to more than 3,300 Horizon victims. We are delivering on our promise to ensure swift and fair redress to postmasters, more than doubling the amount of redress paid out since coming into government 5 months ago.

Business and Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds said:

It is thanks to testimony of postmasters that this has been brought to light and failings have been discovered.

We must now work quickly to provide redress and justice to those who have suffered greatly after being wrongly accused.

I’d like to encourage anyone who believes they have been affected by Capture to share their story with us so we can put wrongs to right once and for all.

Post Office Minister Gareth Thomas said:

It’s taken a long time to reach this point which is why my priority now is to deliver justice and redress to postmasters as swiftly as possible.

We will do everything we can to correct the mistakes of the past and ensure they are not repeated.

Postmasters have raised concerns with me that their income has not kept up with inflation over the past decade. The Government therefore welcomes that the Post Office is going to make a one-off payment to postmasters to increase their remuneration.

Due to the length of time which has passed since the Capture system was in use several issues have complicated the investigation including:
- Far greater timescales, meaning a greater population of the users may have sadly died
- Loss or destruction of relevant evidence for example relating to shortfalls, suspensions, terminations, prosecutions, and convictions
- At least 19 different operational versions of the Capture software during the period
- Ambiguous number of users during this period
Unlike Horizon, it is currently uncertain how many criminal prosecutions were based on Capture evidence. These challenges also mean it will be difficult for claimants to corroborate their claims with evidence.

The Post Office has indicated it holds further information on convictions and prosecutions during the Capture period. The government has asked them to carry out their review of these records urgently and send information to the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC) and Scottish Criminal Cases Review Commission (SCCRC).

Ensuring postmasters receive the justice they deserve is an immediate priority for this government. The Kroll report does not take a view whether any possible convictions were unsafe. We will continue to facilitate the provision of information to the CCRC and SCCRC, alongside the Post Office, in connection with the review of cases involving the use of Capture as the approach to redress is developed at pace.

Minister Thomas will also announce the government is supporting the Post Office network with a further £37.5 million subsidy. It comes as the Post Office today announces a £20 million boost for postmasters to address their concerns that their income has not kept up with inflation over the past decade.

Under the Plan for Change, this government will make public services deliver for working people once more. The Post Office is an important British institution at the heart of local communities, but for too long neglect has enabled significant issues to take root. We will strengthen the Post Office network – pledged in our manifesto – so the people’s trust can be restored.
January 3, 2025
PRESS RELEASE : Government buys back 36,347 military homes to improve housing for forces families and save taxpayers billions [December 2024]
The press release issued by the Ministry of Defence on 17 December 2024.

A major deal to bring the Armed Forces housing estate back into public ownership has been agreed by the government.
- Landmark deal struck to bring military housing estate back into public hands.
- Major deal unlocks new-build housing projects for military families plus essential refurbishments.
- End to huge annual rental bill to save around £230 million per year.
Billions of pounds will be saved by the deal over the next decade, delivering savings for taxpayers and enabling additional investment into homes for military families. The landmark move reverses a sale undertaken by the Government in 1996.

The Defence Secretary describes today’s announcement as a “decisive break” with the failed approach of the past, which will enable the first steps to be taken to fix the long-term decline in housing for military families and deliver homes fit for heroes. He will also commit to using the deal to help achieve the Government’s milestones on kickstarting economic growth and boosting housebuilding across the country.

Today’s deal will bring to an end to an arrangement which has seen the taxpayer spend billions of pounds on rental payments for military housing while still being liable for rising maintenance costs and handing back billions of pounds worth of military properties.

Under the agreement, the Ministry of Defence (MOD) will buy back 36,347 houses, making major redevelopment and improvements possible. The deal is part of the Government’s drive to boost military morale, tackle recruitment and retention challenges and renew the nation’s contract with those who serve.

The MOD, supported by UK Government Investments, and Annington have formally agreed that the MOD will reacquire the service family estate sold in 1996, which is now valued at £10.1 billion when not subject to leases, and is being purchased for £5,994,500,000, representing excellent value for money.

The new deal will see the immediate saving of more than £600,000 of taxpayers’ money each day, with the current annual bill of £230 million in rent being eliminated. These savings to the defence budget will help to fix “deep-set problems” in military housing, and support the development of a high-quality new homes for military families.

The announcement comes as the Government kickstarts work on a new military housing strategy, to be published next year. Key principles of the strategy will include: a generational renewal of Armed Forces accommodation; new opportunities for forces homeownership; and better use of MOD land to support the delivery of affordable homes for families across Britain.

The first steps in the strategy will include the rapid development of an action plan to deliver on the “once in a generation” opportunities unlocked by today’s deal. This work will involve independent experts, forces families and cross-government input.

This will support the Government’s Plan for Change, which is built on the strong foundation of national security. It also comes alongside the Prime Minister’s Homes for Heroes pledge to exempt veterans from rules requiring a connection to a local area before accessing social housing.

Defence Secretary, John Healey MP, said:

This deal shows our government is determined to deliver homes fit for our heroes. This is a once in a generation opportunity, not only to fix the dire state of military housing but to help drive forward our economic growth mission, creating jobs and boosting British housebuilding.

Our armed forces and their families make extraordinary sacrifices: theirs is the ultimate public service. It is shameful that in the lead up to Christmas, too many military families will be living with damp, mould and sub-standard homes – issues which have built up over the past decade.

We are determined to turn this around and renew the nation’s contract with those who serve. These important savings to the defence budget will help fix the deep-set problems we inherited. I thank the teams who have helped us reach this landmark deal at pace – another example of this government delivering for defence.

There is still a lot of work to do to deliver the homes our military families deserve, and these problems will not be fixed overnight. But this is a decisive break with the failed approach of the past and a major step forward on that journey.

Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Darren Jones said:

This is a landmark deal that will start saving the taxpayer money immediately, all while driving forward our mission to create growth across the country.

Not only does it open the door to major development and improvements across the military housing estate, but most important of all, it will help us on our mission to build more houses and deliver our service personnel the homes they deserve.

The original agreement did not strike an appropriate balance of risk and reward, and it is estimated the taxpayer is nearly £8 billion worse off as a result. Money which should have been better spent on maintaining and improving our service family homes.

Eliminating the liabilities associated with the leases creates budgetary headroom to partially fund this purchase, meaning that the public expenditure impact of this measure, and the impact on net financial debt, is confined to £1.7 billion.

The 1996 sale saw 55,000 houses sold for an average of just £27,000 each property. In buying these houses back, the government will control properties worth almost ten times that average value and will no longer be paying £230 million annually in rent.

Other areas of the deal that have cost taxpayers money or prevented improvements to the estate include:
- Annually handing back hundreds of empty properties to Annington, totalling more than 18,000 properties since 1996 – worth an estimated £5.2 billion by today’s valuations.
- Although the deal included a discount from market rent rates, the MOD – and therefore the taxpayer – have been responsible for all maintenance on all properties.
- If the MOD spent money improving a property for service families, in some circumstances this could incur greater rental costs under the terms of the deal.
- Despite most of the properties having been built in the 1950s and 1960s, the deal has prevented the MOD from being able to demolish properties or build additional houses for Service Families.
Chief of the Defence Staff, Admiral Sir Tony Radakin said:

Housing provision is a constant part of life for Service Personnel and their families, who support them closely throughout their military careers. We understand the importance placed on this for people’s morale and decisions on whether to continue in the Armed Forces long-term.

This deal is a crucial step in being able to deliver meaningful change for those who serve – an opportunity to regain control of the estate and move forward with substantial redevelopment and refurbishment. This work will provide military families the higher-quality houses they fully deserve. It is very significant and very welcome.

Following today’s deal, the MOD can start work on substantive redevelopment and improvements. The agreement frees up our ability to build on the Service Family Accommodation estate with a more modern estate, helping reduce maintenance costs and, as part of work facilitated by the deal, programmes to build new houses are being accelerated.

Planning applications will be submitted in the coming days for 265 new houses and apartments at RAF Brize Norton, and further plans will be submitted in the Spring for around 300 new houses at Catterick Garrison.

The potential for improvements to the estate can already be seen where family housing is being provided outside of the 1996 deal. At Imjin Barracks in Gloucestershire 176 modern homes are being built, which include low-carbon heating systems and solar panels, reducing energy costs for military families and improving sustainability.

The landmark deal to repurchase the estate from Annington follows the MOD’s comprehensive success in the High Court last year. The agreement brings the properties back to public ownership and delivering long term value for money for current and future taxpayers.

Since July, the Government has slashed recruitment red tape to make the process more straightforward for those wanting to join the military, announced the largest Armed Forces pay increase for 22 years and recently the Armed Forces Commissioner Bill passed its Second Reading in the House of Commons.

Background

The estimated overall budgetary impact of the agreement over the next 10 years – if no deal had been agreed – would be around £5.9 billion in rent payments and capital charges, as well as additional properties currently valued at around £1.3 billion being handed back to Annington.

Taxpayers being £8 billion worse off as a result of the deal:
- £4.3 billion spent in rent.
- 18,000 properties handed back to Annington – with an estimated current market value of £5.2 billion.
- £1.7 billion income generated in 1996 for the taxpayer as part of the original deal.
- Total – £7.8 billion worse off.
January 3, 2025
PRESS RELEASE : Government outlines new action to tackle radicalisation [December 2024]

The press release issued by the Home Office on 17 December 2024.

The Home Secretary has announced a package of measures to better protect the public and young people from youth radicalisation.

The public and young people will be better protected from the growing issue of youth radicalisation through new enforcement tools, extra police funding and improvements to Prevent – the UK’s programme which diverts people away from radicalisation, the Home Secretary has announced.

In recognition of the increasingly complex national security environment – including the threat from terrorism – the government is increasing funding for counter-terror police by £140 million next year, and for the UK intelligence community by £499 million, taking their funding to a record level.

With the proportion of young people in counter-terrorism casework increasing, the government will also bolster the tools available to tackle terrorist risk in these cases with the creation of new youth diversion orders.

Unlike existing counter-terrorism risk management tools, youth diversion orders will be specifically designed for young people to better manage cases which require intervention beyond Prevent. They will reduce the risk of further involvement with the criminal justice system – a key aim of the government’s Safer Streets Mission and the Plan for Change – by enabling the police to intervene earlier, working with partner agencies, before a young person’s activity risks escalating to the level at which a prosecution becomes necessary.

Youth diversion orders build upon a recommendation from the Independent Reviewer of Terrorism Legislation, Jonathan Hall KC. The measures that are imposed will be subject to judicial oversight and will allow the police to impose both risk management and rehabilitative conditions, such as Prevent interventions or restrictions to online activity. Youth diversion orders will better enable the counter-terrorism system to divert young people involved in activity of terrorism concern online and in our communities.

Home Secretary, Yvette Cooper, said:

National security is one of the government’s foundations and fundamental to our Plan for Change, which is why we are putting in record levels of funding to our security partners.

For some time now, law enforcement and intelligence agencies have been warning about the rapid increase in youth radicalisation, driven in large part by online activity. Today we are setting out new powers to tackle this and making major improvements to the Prevent programme to recognise the complex range of threats we face.

I am determined that we bring in the changes needed to move young people away from these dangerous ideologies and make the whole system more effective.

While Islamist terrorism remains the primary threat, followed by extreme right-wing terrorism, the overall threat picture is changing to include a growing cohort of young people radicalised online who do not align with any particular ideology and instead have fixations with violence. Recent Prevent statistics showed most referrals were for individuals with a vulnerability but no ideology or counter-terrorism risk.

To address this, the Home Secretary also outlined reforms to strengthen Prevent, the UK’s programme which diverts people away from radicalisation.

These will ensure that the programme keeps pace with the increasingly complex and evolving terrorist threat, stopping people from being drawn towards dangerous and extremist ideologies, carrying out acts of terrorism or supporting terrorism. The measures include:

conducting an end-to-end review of Prevent thresholds, and updating policy and guidance, including on repeat referrals, to ensure they reflect the full range of threats we see today
broadening the interventions available to people supported by the Channel early intervention programme – in addition to ideological mentoring, we will seek to reflect the increasingly diverse drivers of radicalisation, by exploring options to support at-risk individuals with cyber skills, family interventions, or practical mentoring
undertaking a strategic policy review to identify and drive improvements in how individuals referred into Prevent who are neurodivergent or suffer from mental ill-health are supported and managed
strengthening our approach to the monitoring and oversight of referrals that do not meet Prevent thresholds, by launching a pilot in January to test new approaches to cases that are transferred to other services to ensure there is proper monitoring and requirements in place
A new permanent independent Prevent commissioner will also be recruited with the specific remit of reviewing the programme’s effectiveness, identifying gaps and problems before they emerge.

The independent commissioner will oversee the implementation of the new measures outlined by the Home Secretary.

Security Minister, Dan Jarvis said:

There has been a serious emerging trend of increased youth radicalisation across the country, with the proportion of MI5 investigations into under-18s surging threefold in the last 3 years.

Our first duty will always be to keep the public safe, and the measures we’ve set out today will help ensure the Prevent programme keeps pace with the threats we face and has the tools it needs to succeed.

The government will continue to take every possible step to counter dangerous ideologies and stop people from becoming terrorists or supporting terrorism.

January 3, 2025
PRESS RELEASE : Government launches Industrial Strategy Advisory Council to boost growth and living standards [December 2024]
The press release issued by the Department for Business and Trade on 17 December 2024.

The government has announced the members of the Industrial Strategy Advisory Council, as the government looks to deliver long-term growth in key sectors.
- Government partners with private sector to grow the economy and bring good jobs to every part of the UK.
- Members of the Industrial Strategy Advisory Council unveiled as the government looks to deliver long-term growth in key sectors.
- Members include Dame Anita Frew, Chair of Rolls-Royce and Greg Jackson CBE, CEO of Octopus Energy.
- Bringing together experts from businesses, academia and trade unions from across the UK, the Council will inform the development of a new modern Industrial Strategy.
Business leaders from across the UK have been brought together to offer government independent advice and recommendations as it develops a new, modern Industrial Strategy to support the growth mission.

The strategy will help maintain a pro-business environment to capture a greater share of internationally mobile investment and motivate domestic business to boost their investment and scale up their growth. It will channel support to sectors and geographical clusters that have the highest growth potential for the next decade.

This government wants the UK to be a prime investment opportunity for business. The Industrial Strategy, and the Industrial Strategy Advisory Council, will be key to giving investors the solid foundation on which to build.

An integral part of the government’s Plan for Change to kickstart economic growth, the Industrial Strategy will focus on promoting the UK’s key growth-driving sectors.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves and Business and Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds will attend the inaugural Industrial Strategy Advisory Council meeting to hear from its members as it meets for the first time today [Tuesday 17 December].

Hosted at Lloyds Insurance in London, members will use the first meeting to discuss investment, innovation, and breaking down barriers to growth in key sectors as well as some emerging themes in responses to October’s Industrial Strategy Green Paper.

The government is determined to go for growth and to work in partnership with business, civil society, trade unions, local leaders and devolved governments to invest in Britain’s future so we can make every part of the country better off.

Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves said:

Driving long-term economic growth requires ambition and collaboration.

With the Industrial Strategy Advisory Council, we’re bringing together the brightest minds to inform our Industrial Strategy and deliver growth that will improve living standards and that can be felt across every corner of the UK.

Focusing on growth-driving sectors, our highest potential city regions and clusters, and how the pro-business environment can help them thrive, the Council will also monitor and evaluate impact, with data and analysis central to this mission.

Following today’s meeting, Council members will embark on an extensive programme of engagement to take account of views from businesses, academia, devolved governments and local leaders across the UK, building on the more than 3,000 consultation responses received in response to October’s Green Paper.

Business and Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds said:

The UK is one of the most connected places in the world to do business, and investors should be in no doubt that Britain is back on the global stage, helping attract investment into the most productive parts of the UK economy.

Whether it is investment into new film studios, cutting-edge technologies, or green energy, the expertise and work of the Industrial Strategy Advisory Council will be key to giving investors the solid foundation on which to build, helping to support local skilled jobs and raising living standards in communities across the UK.

The Council will be an independent body, reporting to the Chancellor and the Business and Trade Secretary. In the King’s Speech the government committed to putting the Council on a statutory footing – giving it powers and responsibilities and ensuring it will be permanent and independent.

Chaired by Clare Barclay, President, Enterprise & Industry for EMEA, Microsoft, the Council will inform and monitor both the development and delivery of the Industrial Strategy over the long term, ensuring policy interventions are informed by a broad and high-quality evidence base. Membership of the Council includes ex-officio members providing cross-government join up on the government’s key missions.

Clare Barclay, President, Enterprise & Industry, EMEA and Chair of the Industrial Strategy Council said:

I’m delighted to join together with members of the Industrial Strategy Advisory Council today for our inaugural meeting.

Our mission is to provide a clear, independent voice on behalf of business, nations, regions, and trade unions, as we look to inform the development of the Industrial Strategy, helping to create a strong business environment which will help our growth-driving sectors thrive.

The Industrial Strategy is at the heart of the government’s Plan for Change with investment and reform to deliver growth, putting more money in people’s pockets, rebuilding Britain and securing our borders in a decade of national renewal.

Full list of Industrial Strategy Advisory Council members:
- Clare Barclay, President, Enterprise & Industry, EMEA, Microsoft (Chair)
- Professor Dame Nancy Rothwell DBE, former Vice Chancellor of the University of Manchester (Deputy Chair)
- Kate Bell, Assistant General Secretary of the Trades Union Congress
- Rt Hon Greg Clark, Executive Chair, University of Warwick Innovation District
- Professor Dame Diane Coyle, Bennett Professor of Public Policy, University of Cambridge
- Dame Anita Frew DBE, Chair, Rolls-Royce Holdings
- Chris Grigg, Chair of the National Wealth Fund (ex officio)
- Greg Jackson, CEO, Octopus Energy
- Sir John Kingman, Chair, Legal & General and Chair, Barclays UK
- Tunde Olanrewaju, Senior Partner, McKinsey
- Professor Henry Overman, Professor of Economic Geography, LSE
- Henrik L. Pedersen, CEO, Associated British Ports
- Richard Pennycook, interim Chair, Skills England (ex officio)
- Dr Aislinn Rice, Non-Executive Director, Software NI
- Roy Rickhuss, General Secretary, Community Trade Union
- Baroness Shriti Vadera, Chair, Prudential plc and Chair, The Royal Shakespeare Company
January 3, 2025
PRESS RELEASE : Prime Minister announces new sanctions and £35 million of emergency support for Ukraine as Russia continues to attack critical national infrastructure [December 2024]
The press release issued by Downing Street on 17 December 2024.

The UK has provided £35 million of emergency support to help Ukraine repair its energy grid and support the most vulnerable through a third winter of war, the Prime Minister has announced today.
- Ukraine’s hand to be further strengthened with fresh sanctions on 2Rivers DMCC and 2Rivers PTE LTD and 20 shadow fleet vessels carrying Russian oil.
- UK, Denmark, Sweden, Poland, Finland and Estonia agree new partnership to challenge suspected shadow vessels along the Baltic route
- Prime Minister also announces emergency support for Ukraine as Russia tries to starve Ukrainians of heat, light and warmth.
The UK has provided £35 million of emergency support to help Ukraine repair its energy grid and support the most vulnerable through a third winter of war, the Prime Minister has announced today.

It comes as the UK also reinforces its iron-clad support for Ukraine by launching fresh sanctions targeting Russia’s energy sector. Today’s sanctions target 20 shadow fleet ships carrying illicit Russian oil, including Ocean Faye, Andaman Skies and Mianzimu, which have each carried more than four million barrels of Russian oil in 2024.

Key lynchpins in enabling the trading of Putin’s precious oil, 2Rivers DMCC and 2Rivers PTE LTD have also been slapped with sanctions. These new measures will further drain Putin’s war chest, by clamping down on the oil revenues he so desperately needs to fuel his illegal war and put those who enable Russia’s oil exports on notice.

The UK has now sanctioned over 100 ships for transporting Russian energy, including 93 oil tankers, more than any other nation. Due to sustained efforts to lead the charge against the shadow fleet, its ships are left idling uselessly outside ports, which is costing Putin and his war effort millions in wasted funds.

As the UK continues to bear down on the Kremlin, we are also working to protect against shadow fleet activity in the Baltic and North Sea. The UK has already spearheaded new action to challenge suspected shadow vessels passing through the English Channel to provide proof of insurance.

It comes as Denmark, Sweden, Poland, Finland and Estonia, alongside the UK, have now agreed to work together to challenge suspected shadow vessels in the same way along the Baltic route, and in doing so hold shadow vessels and their enablers to account for the risks they pose and the support they provide to Russia’s war machine.

This new drive for an international crack down on Putin’s illicit oil shipping delivers on the Prime Minister’s commitment to tackle the shadow fleet at the EPC earlier this year.

It follows the worst period of Russian missile attacks since the start of the full-scale invasion, with an attack last month believed to have left a million Ukrainians without electricity.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer said:

As Putin’s oil revenues continue to fuel the fires of his illegal war, Ukrainian families are enduring cold, dark nights, often without heating, light or electricity, targeted by Russia’s relentless missile attacks.

But these systematic attacks on Ukraine’s infrastructure will not grind Ukraine down. It will only deepen our resolve and support.

These sanctions will add further pressure to Putin’s stalling war economy, just as we strengthen Ukraine’s hand with new funding for emergency support to meet its humanitarian needs and for vital repairs to the energy system, to help Ukrainians living through the third winter of Russia’s illegal full-scale invasion.

The package of funding support includes a £20 million uplift to support emergency energy needs, as well as support for carrying out vital repairs to the electricity transmission network and providing further power generation capacity and critical protection for energy infrastructure.

This includes a project to generate an additional 20MW of power supply, enough to provide power to up to 20,000 homes.

A further £15 million will provide lifesaving humanitarian support to the most in need as temperatures in Ukraine plummet, while £5m will go to UNICEF to provide basic necessities. The UK is also reinforcing its iron-clad support for Ukraine by launching fresh sanctions targeting Russia’s energy sector today.

£10 million will be delivered through UNHCR to provide more than 21,000 families with rapid thermal kits, shelter repairs, and additional cash payments for winter, as well as generators and support to local winterisation of collective centres housing vulnerable people who have been displaced from their homes by Russian aggression.

Russia has launched 11 large scale attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure in 2024. Since the start of the full-scale invasion, at least two thirds of power generation has been damaged or destroyed. As winter bites, Ukrainians are suffering without power, lacking light and heating in sub-zero temperatures and dark evenings.

More than 14.6 million Ukrainians require humanitarian assistance, as months of attacks force more and more people from their homes. The UK’s funding will support communities to stem displacement.

More than two thirds of Ukraine’s energy generation capacity has been occupied, damaged or destroyed.

Notes to editors:
- The UK’s support to Ukraine is detailed here: UK support to Ukraine: factsheet – GOV.UK
- The Nordic-Baltic 8+ joint statement detailing a coordinated approach to requesting proof of insurance from suspected shadow vessels can be found here: Joint statement on further action to counter Russia’s ‘shadow fleet’
- Sanctioned today are:
  - 2Rivers DMCC
  - 2Rivers PTE LTD
  - IMO 9296822 (“SAGITTA”)
  - IMO 9408205 (“FAST KATHY”)
  - IMO 9248801 (“MU DAN”)
  - IMO 9321689 (“OCEAN FAYE”)
  - IMO 9318539 (“SWIFTSEA RIDER”)
  - IMO 9282479 (“MINERVA M”)
  - IMO 9288693 (“ANDAMAN SKIES”)
  - IMO 9257022 (“LACONIA”)
  - IMO 9253325 (“NURKEZ”)
  - IMO 9292981 (“SAGAR VIOLET”)
  - IMO 9292503 (“BULL”)
  - IMO 9288746 (“MARATHON”)
  - IMO 9281011 (“MOTI”)
  - IMO 9258868 (“ASHER”)
  - IMO 9332781 (“LANG YA”)
  - IMO 9323986 (“GARASAN”)
  - IMO 9255660 (“PONTUS I”)
  - IMO 9271951 (“FACCA”)
  - IMO 9299666 (“MIANZIMU”)
  - IMO 9293155 (“JUNIA”)
January 3, 2025
PRESS RELEASE : Russia must cease its reckless attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure – UK statement at the UN Security Council [December 2024]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 16 December 2024.

Statement by Ambassador James Kariuki, UK Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN, at the UN Security Council meeting on Ukraine.

President, it is a tragedy and an outrage that once again we are having to address the appalling impacts of Russia’s illegal invasion. I would like to make three points.

First, the humanitarian cost of Russia’s barbaric war has been immense. This year, 14.6 million people, 40 per cent of Ukraine’s population, required humanitarian assistance.

At least 10,000 civilians have been killed and over 18,500 injured. 6 million Ukrainian refugees are registered across Europe and 3.6 million people are internally displaced in Ukraine.

This winter, following a total of 12 major strikes on their energy system in 2024, Ukrainians face limited access to power, water and heating. The most recent of these came last Friday.

Over the course of these attacks, all three of Ukraine’s operating nuclear power plants have been forced to reduce generation and millions have been left without power.

The targeting of substations providing electricity to nuclear plants directly threatens the safety of Ukraine and the wider region.

In this regard, we welcome the resolution adopted by the IAEA’s Board of Governors last week.

Russia’s suggestion to the IAEA that the solution to the threat, that Russia itself is causing, is to put the affected power stations into cold shut down.

This cynically ignores the further humanitarian impact this would have on the civilian population.

The solution is simpler. Russia should cease these reckless attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, and adhere to the IAEA DG’s “Seven Pillars for Nuclear Safety and Security.”

Second, President, recent Russian operations have triggered significant displacement in the east including of the elderly and less mobile, and people with disabilities requiring specialised assistance. People are hiding in basements, with no access to services.

The humanitarian operating environment remains increasingly difficult. Russia continues to block meaningful access for humanitarian organisations to occupied areas.

Over the past two months, the number of security incidents directly impacting aid delivery has significantly increased.

Third, the UK is providing $126 million in humanitarian aid this year, bringing our total contribution to over $576 million.

We have also contributed over $80 million to the Ukraine Energy Support Fund since the start of the full-scale invasion and committed nearly $467 million in grants and loans overall to the energy sector.

Continued provision of air defence to defend Ukraine against Russian strikes remains vital.

In conclusion, we call on the Russian Federation to uphold its commitments under the UN Charter by withdrawing its troops from Ukraine and ending this brutal war.

January 3, 2025
PRESS RELEASE : ‘Devolution Revolution’ forges ahead with more powers for Mayors [December 2024]
The press release issued by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government on 16 December 2024.

Raft of new powers will enable Mayors to drive economic growth, raise living standards and deliver better services across England.

Mayors will get unprecedented powers to drive growth, turbocharge housebuilding and improve transport in a transformative ‘devolution revolution’.

Setting out its plan to give those with skin in the game the tools they need to make a difference, the government published its English Devolution White Paper today (16 December). It puts England’s regions centre stage in the government’s Plan for Change missions to grow the economy, deliver the 1.5 million homes and infrastructure we need, and boost opportunity across the country.

Under proposals set out in the White Paper, Mayors will take a more direct role in plans for their areas than ever before, equipped with a range of new powers across strategic planning, housing, transport and skills. And they will be handed the tools they need to deliver on the ambitious Plan for Change in their regions.

Mayors in Greater Manchester, the West Midlands, South Yorkshire, West Yorkshire, Liverpool City Region and the North East will be the first to receive new integrated funding settlements, covering housing, regeneration, local growth, transport, skills, retrofit and employment support.

The White Paper lays out an ambitious new devolution framework, hardwiring Mayors into the fabric of government in a new deal for local people, giving our communities a proper say over their own futures. It also sets out a strong preference to see Mayors in place across the whole of England – making it the default status for regions across England.

Devolution is a tried and tested model for delivering accountability and economic growth. But devolution in England lags behind other developed nations. The English Devolution Bill, which is expected next year, will change this.

With two new mayoral and six non-mayoral devolution agreements confirmed since the summer, devolution will now be extended and deepened across England, giving all communities the opportunity to take back control. The government’s ambitions are shared by communities across the country and it will shortly set out its Devolution Priority Programme aiming to deliver inaugural mayoral elections in May 2026. The Government has had productive discussions with Cheshire and Warrington, Norfolk and Suffolk, and others and will confirm places on the Priority Programme in January.

Deputy Prime Minister and Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government Angela Rayner said:

“Devolution is about delivering fundamental change at every level. It’s about giving local leaders the tools – and the trust – they need to forge their areas’ futures.

“It’s about raising living standards, improving public services and building the homes we so desperately need – all key aspects of our Plan for Change. It cuts across every aspect of government.

“We have an economy that hoards potential and a politics that hoards power. So our devolution revolution will deliver the greatest transfer of power from Whitehall to our communities in a generation, empowering those communities to realise their potential. And nobody is more excited about it than I am.”

Key to this transformation will be the government’s ambition for all of England to have Strategic Authorities – larger than individual councils and covering the wider areas people recognise and work in. Many places already have the Combined Authorities that will serve this role. Elsewhere, the government will work at pace with areas that want to create new Authorities, and will also legislate to allow for the creation of Strategic Authorities where local leaders have, after due time has been allowed, not been able to make progress.

Minister of State for Local Government and English Devolution Jim McMahon said:

“At its core, this White Paper sets out how the Government will strengthen and widen the mayoral model of devolution across England. It will shift power, decision making and money away from Westminster as part of a completely new way of governing, equipping more mayors working hand in glove with confident and stable local councils with a stronger set of levers to drive growth in their communities.

“It will empower them through integrated funding settlements, a direct role in the rail network, greater control over strategic planning and housing funding and skills training, so that they can deliver tangible change on a local and regional level.

“To do this we will rebuild and reform local government as the foundation for devolution, a reset in the relationship between central and local government, and give communities stronger tools to shape the future of their local areas.”

The White Paper will give Mayors power over:
- Planning and housing, putting our regions at the centre of the drive to build 1.5 million homes in this Parliament;
- Transport, to drive a locally integrated transport network that truly works for their communities and supports local economic growth, with improved train services and better travel to and from rail stations, by bus, tram and active travel
- Skills and employment support to so everyone has the opportunities they deserve and can access good jobs;
- Local Growth Plans to accelerate regional growth and productivity, setting a long-term vision for the next decade, and a roadmap for how this will be achieved – driving the government’s central mission of economic growth and putting more money in people’s pockets
- Too often, Mayors’ hands are tied by Whitehall – even when it comes to allocating their own budgets. The government will create a clear and transparent route for all Mayoral Combined Authorities to receive an Integrated Settlement, so they can move resources between projects in line with local need.
The White Paper also lays out the government’s plans to rebuild local government after 14 years of mismanagement and decline. This means providing multi-year financial settlements, shifting to a fairer system which matches funding with need, and a proper partnership between central and local government. It also announces an ambitious programme of local government reorganisation, working with councils to create simpler and more stable structures, tackling waste, improving accountability with fewer local politicians, and ensuring better outcomes for local people through sustainable, high-quality public services.

The landmark English Devolution Bill will deliver these changes to the law to make the devolution framework a reality and ensure local leaders across the country have the levers they need to make a difference.

For more information:

Devolution has already been enacted or is underway in the following areas:

Existing MCA/MCCAs
- North East
- Tees Valley
- York & North Yorkshire
- West Yorkshire
- South Yorkshire
- Greater Manchester
- East Midlands
- Liverpool City Region
- West Midlands
- Cambridge & Peterborough
- Greater London
- West of England
MCA/MCCAs in the process of being established (confirmed since election)
- Greater Lincolnshire
- Hull & East Yorkshire
Non-mayoral institutions in the process of being established (confirmed since election)
- Lancashire
- Devon & Torbay
Single Local Authority non-mayoral agreements in the process of being established (confirmed since election)
- Cornwall
- Surrey
- Buckinghamshire
- Warwickshire
January 3, 2025
PRESS RELEASE : Skills for growth top agenda for business leaders and government [December 2024]

The press release issued by the Department for Education on 16 December 2024.

Education Secretary and Business Secretary host call with business leaders from a range of key sectors to outline how the Plan for Change will deliver for them.

The government will enlist the help of business to help it develop skills opportunities to meet the government’s mission to kickstart economic growth under the Plan for Change, the Education Secretary has said today (16 December 2024).

In a conference call with leaders from over 80 businesses including Mace, Siemens and Disney, Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson and Business and Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds outlined the importance of engaging with employers to drive growth and put the economy on firm foundations.

Both ministers set out their priorities to reform the fragmented post-16 skills system and to establish Skills England to support key sectors driving growth in local areas.

It follows the Department for Education’s announcement that the government has unlocked £140 million of funding from industry, including £100m from the National House Building Council (NHBC), to set up 32 Homebuilding Skills Hubs. This will make more than 5,000 apprenticeship places available per year in key construction roles.

The conference was attended by three major construction firms: Balfour Beatty, Berkley Group and Mace. Their engagement coupled with these pioneering Homebuilding Skills Hubs will help the government to meet its ambitious target to build 1.5 million new homes in this parliament.

Employers will be at the heart of the government’s skills reforms such as our new levy-funded growth and skills offer. This will introduce greater flexibility to employers and learners in England, creating routes into good, skilled jobs in growing industries, aligned with the government’s Industrial Strategy.

It will also support the pipeline of new talent that employers will need, by rebalancing opportunities towards young people.

The Education Secretary also set out how businesses can help the government to achieve its mission to break down the barriers to opportunity, through offering high-quality apprenticeships or industry placements to ensure everyone has the chance to succeed no matter who they are, where they’re from, or how much their parents earn.

Education Secretary, Bridget Phillipson, said:

If we are to deliver on our Plan for Change and achieve our number one mission to grow the economy, we must develop the skills this country needs.

To do that, we need to take skills seriously again as a country, rebuilding our fragmented and broken system into one that’s rigorous, responsive and puts employers at its centre.

That’s why we are establishing Skills England to help identify the skills we need to drive economic growth. We will create a clear and coordinated strategy for post-16 education and skills, making sure it works with employers to meet the needs of the future.

Today’s call gave me the chance to reiterate this government’s commitment to giving businesses the stability and confidence to enable them to invest in developing skills.

Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds said:

British workers are some of the most skilled and talented in the world but far too many people are not getting the opportunities they deserve, while businesses are failing to get the staff they need because the system isn’t working.

Through listening to the needs of business and aligning Skills England with our Industrial Strategy, we’re helping employers overcome barriers to invest in skills that will help deliver this government’s Plan for Change and improve living standards.

Bridget Phillipson urged employers to drive up their investment in training, working with government to counter the downward trend since 2011.

The call comes after the Department for Education recently announced that qualifications that will be key to the government’s growth mission in key subjects like manufacturing and engineering that were previously scheduled for defunding will remain until replacements become more established, putting learners first and supporting the transition to T Levels as the large technical qualification of choice.

The government will also introduce more flexibility for industry placements, ensuring even more students can take advantage of the opportunities available from high-quality T Level qualifications.

January 3, 2025