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Tag: 2024

  • PRESS RELEASE : The UK welcomes the new, inclusive, Libyan-led plan for a sustainable and prosperous future – UK statement at the UN Security Council [December 2024]

    PRESS RELEASE : The UK welcomes the new, inclusive, Libyan-led plan for a sustainable and prosperous future – 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 Libya.

    Colleagues, the briefers have given us a stark assessment of the fragile stalemate in Libya. The current situation is unsustainable, with some Libyan actors pursuing their own interests, only benefiting a handful of Libya’s elites. The Libyan people deserve political stability in a unified country with peace, security and prosperity.

    I would like to make three points today.

    First, we welcome the successful first phase of municipal elections in Libya, marking the first time Libyans have gone to the polls in over a decade. We must build on this success, and we call on Libyan authorities to provide the necessary resources and leadership for the second phase.

    Second, we welcome the plan DSRSG Koury has outlined today for a new, inclusive, Libyan-led effort to lead the country towards elections and a sustainable, secure, prosperous future.

    The UN plan provides a framework, but the solutions can only come from Libyans themselves. We encourage Libya’s leaders to engage with the UN process in good faith and with the spirit of compromise, for the benefit of all Libyans.

    We stress our continued support to UNSMIL and DSRSG Koury in the implementation of her plan to achieve a long-term political solution and to enable elections.

    Third, we welcome the Panel of Experts recent report and recommendations. We share their concerns around the continued ineffectiveness of the arms embargo, the increasing smuggling of diesel, and the violations and abuses of human rights.

    We look forward to working with Council members to renew the sanctions regime and panel of expert’s mandate next month.

    Finally, President, we encourage the UN to appoint a new Special Representative as soon as possible.

    President, with international unity and the engagement of Libya’s leaders, we can work together to find political solutions and enable a better future for the Libyan people. The UK fully supports the efforts of the UN and DSRSG Koury in achieving this.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Keir Starmer meeting with Prime Minister Støre  of Norway [December 2024]

    PRESS RELEASE : Keir Starmer meeting with Prime Minister Støre  of Norway [December 2024]

    The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 16 December 2024.

    The Prime Minister met Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre in Bergen, Norway, today to sign a new Strategic Partnership.

    Norway was one of the UK’s closest allies and an important defence and security partner, and a critical supporter of European security, the Prime Minister said.

    Turning to the situation in Ukraine, the Prime Minister said he was focused on putting the Ukrainians in the strongest possible position going into 2025. That included using mechanisms such as economic sanctions and the shadow fleet initiative to crack down on critical revenue sources funding Putin’s war machine.

    The UK and Norway’s steadfast support for Ukraine was amplified throughout the Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF), a grouping made up of some of Ukraine’s strongest and most ardent supporters, the leaders agreed.

    Both Prime Ministers underscored the importance of the JEF, which was vital to supporting security in the North Atlantic and the Nordic and Baltic regions.

    Discussing the need to outpace evolving threats, including in the cyber domain, the leaders agreed on the importance of working closely with NATO allies in all areas of defence and security.

    The leaders also discussed the important cultural and education ties between the UK and Norway and welcomed the new North Sea University Partnership between the two countries. It was a further signal of the strong friendship between the two countries, the leaders said.

    They looked forward to the JEF Summit later this evening.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Conference on Artificial Intelligence in the Holocaust education, research and remembrance sector – Lord Pickles’ speech [December 2024]

    PRESS RELEASE : Conference on Artificial Intelligence in the Holocaust education, research and remembrance sector – Lord Pickles’ speech [December 2024]

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

    International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance Chair Lord Pickles spoke about the impact of artificial intelligence on Holocaust education and remembrance.

    Welcome to Lancaster House. It may seem very familiar to those who have watched the Crown or Sherlock Holmes. Lancaster House is often used to portray Buckingham Palace. Personally, I think Lancaster House is a much nicer, more comfy house. I am pleased you could all come today. I know it is a Sunday, but I think you will find it worthwhile.

    Within the IHRA, we have been very aware of the impact of AI on Holocaust Education and Remembrance. And that should not come as a surprise to anyone. After all, we are a global community of governments and experts who focus on promoting, strengthening, and advancing Holocaust education, remembrance, and research.

    Over the past 2 and a half decades, IHRA has safeguarded sites and challenged distortive narratives. Our experts are the backbone of everything we do. They fearlessly tackle complacency and warped misinformation. Coming to terms with AI should be no different.

    One of the most graphic examples of this false narrative is the use of AI tools to create deepfakes.

    As this decade progresses, the number of survivors who witnessed the Holocaust as children will move from contemporary memory into history. In anticipation of this, much effort is being made to secure testimony and protect archives. The very depth of this knowledge might be our Achilles’ heel.

    You don’t need programming skills to create a deepfake. You can make it for free in less than 30 seconds using many free deepfake applications. We live in an era in which “seeing is no longer believing”.

    The consequences of cheap, widespread fakery are likely to be profound. It is possible to imagine Holocaust survivor testimony being manipulated.

    We may see Holocaust survivors with false words put into their mouths: the concentration camps were “not that bad”, “we had plenty of food”, and such like.

    How do we meet this challenge?

    The first thing we need to understand is that AI is here to stay and that governments will always be playing catch up to cheap, widely used AI.

    The second thing is: we ourselves will use AI. We will use it to improve our archives, and to find links and connections. We will use it to improve training and teaching.

    There are perhaps as many opportunities for us to embrace, as there are pitfalls. But we need to enhance AI literacy and research skills so that users know how to verify AI-produced texts. Today provides a valuable opportunity to deepen our understanding.

    We have gathered a range of experts in their field to discuss AI. While some of the speakers will speak of the dangers and the need for caution, others will focus on ethics. There will also be those that say AI is here to stay and we need to embrace it. That AI can be a force for good.

    There will be plenty of time for questions and discussion. I hope this conference will kickstart a discussion on AI within the working groups and committees.

    Let today mark a new chapter in our efforts – one where we confront the realities of AI with the same resolve and collaboration that define IHRA’s work.

    I wish you all the very best.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Huge increase in migration returns and illegal working arrests [December 2024]

    PRESS RELEASE : Huge increase in migration returns and illegal working arrests [December 2024]

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

    The government is on track to deliver highest number of returns for 5 years as nearly 13,500 removed from the UK since election.

    The Home Secretary has pledged a step change in tackling exploitative and illegal working in the UK, with new technology to be deployed to frontline officers to stop abuse of the system.

    The intervention comes as almost 13,500 people with no right to be here have been removed since the new government came to office and surged the capacity of removal teams, as the department is on track to deliver its pledge to have the highest rate of returns since 2018 in their first 6 months.

    Yesterday (Sunday 15 December), Yvette Cooper set out a new crackdown on illegal working to address the promise of illegal jobs that are used by criminal smuggling gangs to sell spaces in small boats crossing the Channel.

    New figures show illegal working operations and arrests since the new government came into power are up by almost a third on the same period last year. Six employers have also been charged for employing illegal workers in the last 5 months, compared to just 4 in the 2 and a half years before the election.

    To further drive this crackdown, the Home Secretary will boost the capability of Immigration Enforcement by introducing new technology to bolster arrests and prosecutions. Some £5 million will be spent to rollout body worn cameras to over 1,200 frontline officers next year to strengthen the evidence that can be collected on illegal working raids, increase prosecutions and action against exploitative employers, and prevent delays.

    £3 million will also be invested in new fingerprint kits for all enforcement officers which will enhance identity checks and enable officers to better identify high-risk individuals.

    The measures are part of this government’s plan to rip apart the business models of smuggling gangs and restore order to the asylum system, by processing claims and returning people swiftly while preventing people from making these dangerous journeys in the first place.

    It comes as the Home Office launches new ‘upstream communications campaigns’ aimed at exposing the lies told by criminal smuggling gangs. This activity will include warnings to prospective migrants about the exploitative practices of employers and the dire and inhumane living conditions some of those found to be working illegally face, based on real testimonies.

    The announcement is being made as the Home Secretary visited Rome on Saturday 14 December to meet her counterpart, Italian Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi, to drive action against people smuggling gangs, including looking at action to take down the money networks being used by organised immigration crime.

    Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said:

    Illegal working is a blight on our economy. It is deeply exploitative and undercuts those employers who do the right thing and play by the rules. Since the election, we have intensified our efforts to crackdown on exploitation and illegal working – the number of operations and arrests are up, and we are on track to meet our target of increasing removals to the highest level for five years.

    I am boosting the capabilities of our immigration enforcement officers to make sure they have the tools they need to further crack down on illegal working and shine a light on the hidden economy and false promises that criminal smuggling gangs are using to encourage people to cross the Channel in small boats. If you employ people illegally, you will face consequences. The rules must be respected and enforced.

    Border Security is one of the foundations that underpin the government’s mission-driven “plan for change”, and the new government immediately redeployed 1,000 additional people into immigration enforcement. This has supported the delivery of the four biggest returns flights in the UK’s history, carrying more than 800 people. Thirty-three bespoke charter flights have taken off returning migrants to countries across Europe, Asia, Africa and South America.

    Enforced returns are up 25% compared to the same period last year as a programme of regular charter flights returns those with no right to be here to countries across the world.

    In 2 cases, these were the first returns charter flights to those countries in several years, as the new government’s work to boost international collaboration strengthens our capability to return those with no right to be here.

    More than 2,100 foreign criminals have been removed since 5 July 2024, a 20% increase on the same period last year – moving foreign offenders out of taxpayer-funded prisons and back to their home countries. Those removed were convicted of drug offences, theft, rape and murder.

    Body worn video will support operational teams build cases against those working illegally in the UK or unscrupulous businesses employing them.

    Immigration officers have encountered situations where there is clear illegal working or exploitation but because they do not have photographic evidence, people have been able to evade justice.

    1,200 officers will be given body worn video in 2025 to improve evidence gathering.

    More biometric fingerprinting kits will be deployed to the frontline as well, allowing immigration enforcement officers to check those they apprehend in illegal working raids against police databases on the spot, rather than having to take them to local police stations.

    Last week, the Home Secretary co-hosted the Calais Group with Germany, hosting Interior Ministers from Belgium, France and the Netherlands. She also signed a deal with Germany to break the business model of people smuggling gangs and save lives, with Germany confirming intention for future law change to tackle smuggling and supply chains.

  • PRESS RELEASE : UK statement in response to BBC suspension in Niger [December 2024]

    PRESS RELEASE : UK statement in response to BBC suspension in Niger [December 2024]

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

    The UK has issued a statement in response to the suspension of the BBC in Niger.

    An FCDO spokesperson said:

    We are deeply concerned about the temporary suspension of the BBC, and other media outlets, and restrictions placed on journalists in Niger.

    Freedom of expression and the media are essential qualities of any society. Societies are strengthened by well-informed publics and expressions of opinion, informed by a free media.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Appointment of Chairman of the Crown Nominations Commission for Canterbury [December 2024]

    PRESS RELEASE : Appointment of Chairman of the Crown Nominations Commission for Canterbury [December 2024]

    The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 16 December 2024.

    The Prime Minister has appointed The Lord Evans of Weardale KCB DL to be the Chairman of the Crown Nominations Commission for Canterbury. The Crown Nominations Commission is the Church of England committee that nominates the candidate to be the next Archbishop of Canterbury to succeed the Most Reverend and Right Honourable Justin Welby.  Archbishop Welby has announced that he will complete his duties on 6th January 2025.

    Notes for Editors

    Jonathan Evans has been a Crossbench member of the House of Lords since 2014. Until October 2023 he was Chair of the Committee on Standards in Public Life. He is currently Chair of the HALO Trust, the anti-landmine charity, and of the Public Interest Committee at KPMG UK. He is a former Director-General of the Security Service, MI5. He is an active and communicant member of his local parish church.

    The Church of England’s standing orders state that the Chair of the Crown Nominations Commission for Canterbury is appointed by the Prime Minister and must be an actual communicant lay [i.e. not ordained] member of the Church of England.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Change of British High Commissioner to Zambia – Rebecca Terzeon [December 2024]

    PRESS RELEASE : Change of British High Commissioner to Zambia – Rebecca Terzeon [December 2024]

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

    Ms Rebecca Terzeon has been appointed British High Commissioner to the Republic of Zambia in succession to Mr Nicholas Woolley. Ms Terzeon will take up her appointment during January 2025.

    Curriculum vitae

    Full name: Rebecca Terzeon

    Year Role
    2021 to present FCDO, Deputy Director, West Africa Department
    2020 to 2021 FCO, Deputy Director, Africa Directorate (Africa Strategy)
    2019 to 2020  DFID, Head of Director General’s Office (Policy, Research and Humanitarian)
    2015 to 2019 DFID, Head of Gender Equality Team
    2011 to 2015 Mogadishu, Deputy Head of DFID Office
    2008 to 2011  HMG Stabilisation Unit, Head of Stabilisation Planning Team
    2006 to 2008 DFID, Head of Humanitarian Policy Team
    2005 to 2006  Addis Ababa, DFID Programme Manager
    2004 to 2005 DFID, Deputy Head of Director’s Office (Asia)
    2003 to 2004 Kinshasa, Deputy Head of DFID Office
    2003 Brussels, European Commission, Stagiaire
    2002 to 2003 DFID, EU Coordinator (Western Balkans)
    2001 to 2002   DEFRA, Policy Manager
  • PRESS RELEASE : ‘Devolution by default’ to create new era of local power [December 2024]

    PRESS RELEASE : ‘Devolution by default’ to create new era of local power [December 2024]

    The press release issued by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government on 16 December 2024.

    Landmark English Devolution White Paper set to unleash power from Whitehall back into local communities that know their areas best.

    • Devolution Revolution to be set out in landmark English Devolution White Paper – unleashing power from Whitehall back into local communities that know their areas best
    • Mayors will be equipped to drive growth and improve living standards as part of government’s Plan for Change
    • Greater devolution is a key way to kickstart economic growth, put more money in people’s pockets and put politics back in the service of working people

    Significant plans to make devolution the default setting across a range of government policy areas, as part of the English Devolution White Paper, will be announced today (16 December) by the Deputy Prime Minister.

    In a speech to an audience of regional mayors, local government and business leaders, the Deputy Prime Minister will say that the proposals in the English Devolution White Paper will put England’s regions centre stage and deliver on the government’s mission to grow the economy and our milestone of building 1.5 million homes and will boost opportunity across the country.

    Measures expected to be announced later today include plans for new powers for mayors across strategic planning – giving them the ability to guide infrastructure and development projects across areas, housing, transport and skills.

    This is part of the government’s longstanding commitment to devolution – pushing more powers out of Westminster and into the hands of people with skin in the game, who know their areas best.

    At a launch event later today Deputy Prime Minister and Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government Angela Rayner, is expected to say:

    “Our English Devolution White Paper will be a turning point when we finally see communities, people and places across England begin to take back control over the things that matter to them.

    “When our proud towns and cities are once again given the powers they need to drive growth and raise living standards as part of our Plan for Change.

    “It’s a plan for putting more money in people’s pockets, putting politics back in the service of working people and a plan for stability, investment and reform, not chaos, austerity and decline, that will deliver a decade of national renewal.

    “Devolution will no longer be agreed at the whim of a Minister in Whitehall, but embedded in the fabric of the country, becoming the default position of government.”

    The measures are expected to include proposals to create ‘strategic authorities’ across England, bringing together councils over areas that people live and work in, to avoid duplication and give our cities and regions a bigger voice.

    The English Devolution White Paper has been anticipated following the government’s clear intentions to transfer power out of Whitehall. Since being in office, the government has already approved devolution deals in Greater Lincolnshire, Hull & East Yorkshire, Devon & Torbay, and Lancashire.

    The full proposals will be set out in the white paper, due to be published in Parliament today.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Appointments and reappointment of Parole Board members [December 2024]

    PRESS RELEASE : Appointments and reappointment of Parole Board members [December 2024]

    The press release issued by the Ministry of Justice on 16 December 2024.

    The Secretary of State has approved the appointments of 78 Parole Board Members and the reappointment of one member.

    Appointment of Independent members

    The following members have been appointed for a 5-year term from 12 May 2025 until 11 May 2030:

    • Suzette Allcorn
    • Victoria Allison
    • Christina Anand
    • Kenneth Armstrong
    • Anna Backhouse
    • Catherine Banks
    • Claire Bentley
    • Naomi Bentley-Walls
    • Sophie Buck
    • Martine Cotter
    • Chris Dyke
    • Jennifer Ferrario
    • Stefan Fox
    • Michael Garland-Irvine
    • Paramjit Giddy
    • Joanna Godfrey
    • Sandra Hainsworth
    • James Hall
    • Zoe Harding
    • Fiona Hay
    • Debbie Hill
    • Victoria Holbrook-Hughes
    • Catherine Holmes
    • John Holmes
    • Zahir Hussain
    • Kathryn Jamieson-Sinclair
    • Tim Johnson
    • Charlotte Johnson
    • Angus Jones
    • Sukhveer Kandola
    • Eva Katsani
    • Emma Kent
    • David Lancaster
    • Heidi Leavesley
    • Kirsty Madden
    • Ruth Mann
    • Patrick Mulligan
    • Louise (Carole) Newman
    • Matthew Nicholls
    • Pulcherie Norbert Dit Imbs
    • Alice North
    • Roxanne O’Brien
    • Niamh O’Maolain
    • Nicola Robinson
    • Rakesh Sharma
    • Katherine Showunmi
    • Justine Skeats
    • Justin Taylor
    • Christopher Taylor
    • Rachel Thomas
    • Lesley Took
    • Andrew Tyler
    • Peggy Vance
    • Sue Williams
    • Miranda Winram

    The following members have been appointed for a 5-year term from 4 November 2025 until 3 November 2030:

    • Jasmine Basnyet
    • Rachelle Broadley
    • Kerensa Butcher
    • Ewan Duncan
    • Paul Froud
    • Ruth Glazzard
    • Deborah Jago
    • Verity Lundy
    • Andrew Macnamara
    • Zaiba Malik
    • Lisa Murphy
    • Emma Stranack

    The following members have been appointed for a 5-year term from 20 January 2026 until 19 January 2031:

    • Matthew Henson
    • Michaela Jones
    • Geraldine O’Hare
    • Farhana Rahman-Cook
    • Bethany Smith
    • Katie Stevens
    • Alan Tallentire
    • Hanna Van den Berg

    Appointment of Independent members with Law Enforcement experience

    The following members have been appointed for a 5-year term from 12 May 2025 until 11 May 2030:

    • Richard Tucker
    • Martyn Underhill
    • Peter White

    Reappointment of an Independent member

    The following member has been reappointed for a further term of 5 years from 1 December 2024 until 30 November 2029:

    • Wendy Poynton
  • PRESS RELEASE : Protected landscapes to be strengthened with new legislation and guidance to protect nature [December 2024]

    PRESS RELEASE : Protected landscapes to be strengthened with new legislation and guidance to protect nature [December 2024]

    The press release issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 16 December 2024.

    National Parks and National Landscapes empowered to deliver more for people and nature with new legislation pledged.

    • This marks the 75th anniversary of the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act, which created our National Parks and National Landscapes
    • This move comes amid the Government’s push to promote access to nature, as part of the wider Plan for Change

    New powers are to be granted to the country’s iconic National Parks and National Landscapes to boost nature’s recovery and access to the outdoors.

    New legislation and guidance will give National Parks and National Landscapes a clear mandate to widen the public’s access to nature through strengthened purposes and make changes to improve their governance that will allow for greater innovation and collaboration to prepare them for the future.

    The changes announced today will see more trees planted, more peat restored and more habitat created, supporting Protected Landscapes to play a leading role in meeting Net Zero, Environment Act targets and the commitment to protect 30% of land for nature by 2030 as part of our Plan for Change.

    Covering a quarter of England’s land area, improving the state of nature in our National Parks and Landscapes is vital to the health of our ecosystems. Our Protected Landscapes are home to nationally important habitats and our most iconic species – yet many are in a poor condition with the wildlife that lives within their boundaries in steep decline and the waterways that give many of these landscapes their magic now sadly polluted.

    The measures will include a general power of competence for National Park Authorities, which will clarify their legal framework, removing restrictions which prevent an entrepreneurial approach, and cutting through bureaucracy to remove barriers to achieving more for people and nature.

    The package will also strengthen the role that public bodies, including water companies, must play in delivering better outcomes for nature, water, climate and access to nature in these special places, through new regulation that will support public bodies and Protected Landscape organisations to work more closely together.

    Refining the purpose and powers of National Parks and National Landscapes will promote access to nature for the millions of people who visit these iconic landscapes each year, helping them to support a thriving rural economy and enable people to reap the benefits of spending time in greener and wilder places.

    These changes will empower Protected Landscapes to deliver more for nature and tackle climate change over the next 75 years and beyond. This reflects their vital importance to the nation – from protecting us from flooding, to celebrating our heritage and restoring our health and wellbeing.

    This comes amid celebrations of the 75th anniversary of the creation of our Protected Landscapes through the 1949 National Parks and Access the Countryside Act – a visionary piece of legislation that paved the way for our iconic National Landscapes, Parks and Trails.

    Environment Secretary Steve Reed said:

    “It’s seventy-five years since our National Parks and National Landscapes were created, and they have done incredible work protecting some of our most treasured and beautiful landscapes.

    “But so much of our countryside and wildlife is in decline so we must do more to protect it. To mark this anniversary the Government will introduce new laws to boost protections for the natural world, strengthen our National Parks and National Landscapes and increase opportunities for millions of people to enjoy the great outdoors.”

    With less than 40% of rivers in National Parks in good ecological status, the government will also develop new regulations to ensure public bodies operating in these beautiful areas including water companies, deliver better environmental outcomes. As an immediate step, new guidance is being published today that will help public bodies work together to make these special places greener, wilder and more accessible.

    Natural England Chair Tony Juniper said:

    “The 1949 National Parks Act laid the foundations for modern nature conservation, enshrining in law the means to protect dozens of exceptional landscapes and thousands of our best wild places while bringing joy to millions of people across multiple generations.

    “Despite the achievements, however, these legal protections have not been sufficient to prevent Nature’s continuing decline. And whereas in decades past the challenge was about conservation, today we must not only hang on to what is left, but to also invest in Nature’s recovery.

    “The reforms announced today are important steps that can help to turn the tide.”

    Our countryside and green spaces are a source of great national pride, and today’s announcement is a further example of this government’s commitment to delivering on nature, increasing access, planting three new National Forests, creating nine new National River Walks and empowering communities to create new parks and green spaces in their communities with a new Community Right to Buy.

    This Government is committed to restoring nature across the country, which is why we have wasted no time in announcing a rapid review of the Environmental Improvement Plan, which thriving Protected Landscapes will be essential to delivering. This will set out pathways to clean up our waterways, reduce waste across the economy, plant millions more trees, improve air quality and halt the decline in species by 2030.  A healthy natural environment is crucial to the nation’s health and prosperity, which is why nature recovery is an integral part of the Governments Plan for Change to create a decade of national renewal.

    ENDS

    Notes to editors:

    • Protected Landscapes – the collective term for National Parks and National Landscapes – range from lowland landscapes, such as the Cotswolds and the Norfolk Coast, to uplands such as the North Pennines and the Lake District.
    • Protected Landscapes contain half of England’s priority habits and Sites of Special Scientific Interest, 60% of deep peat and around 88% of heather and acid grassland habitats. Restoring our Protected Landscapes will be essential to protecting 30% of the UK’s land and sea by 2030.
    • Further information on the Protected Landscapes Duty can be found here: The Protected Landscapes duty – GOV.UK