Tag: 2024

PRESS RELEASE : Prime Minister launches new clamp down on criminal and violent disorder [August 2024]

The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 1 August 2024.

Criminals intent on causing violence and unrest on our streets will be stopped in their tracks thanks to a new National Violent Disorder Programme, the Prime Minister has announced today.

At a meeting of police chiefs in Downing Street this afternoon, he offered his clear backing to forces up and down the country – pledging that the government will work in direct partnership with them to stamp out the violent disorder seen in recent weeks.

Following the meeting, he has announced the immediate creation of the new programme, which will bring together the best policing capabilities from across the country to share intelligence on the activity of violent groups so the authorities can swiftly intervene to arrest them.

Local insight and data will be used to gain a national understanding of where these criminals are operating, including the British Transport Police alerting where they see a spike in train ticket sales that could be linked to organised violent disorder.

It will also consider how we can deploy facial recognition technology, which is already used by some forces, more widely across the country. This will mean criminals can be targeted, found and brought to justice quickly.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer said this afternoon:

“I’ve just held a meeting with senior police and law enforcement leaders where we’ve resolved to show who we are. A country that will not allow understandable fear to curdle into division and hate in our communities and that will not permit, under any circumstances a breakdown in law and order on our streets.

“Because let’s be very clear about this. It’s not protest. It’s not legitimate. It’s crime and violent disorder. An assault on the rule of law and the execution of justice.

“And so, on behalf of the British people who expect their values and their security to be upheld, we will put a stop to it.”

The programme will also support the swift deployment of surge teams to forces who need them, for example, when they’re faced with intelligence that suggests organised violence in a particular area.

The tragic events in Southport on Monday shone a light on the heroism of our emergency services and the work they do to keep the public safe. However, this was exploited by a criminal minority who directly targeted the police in a shocking display of aggression later that day which left fifty officers injured.

The Prime Minister was clear that criminals will never be allowed to hide behind the legitimate right to protest in order to wreak havoc and intimidation in our communities.

The plans form part of the government’s mission to take back our streets by halving serious violent crime and raising confidence in the police and criminal justice system.

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said:

“Southport suffered a horrific attack that no community should ever have to face. But instead of being shown respect for their grief, the community had to endure violent disorder and thuggery.

“For the emergency services who responded with bravery to save lives on Monday to then face attack themselves on Tuesday is disgraceful and it only adds to the trauma when we should be thinking of the families of the little girls, and making sure they can get justice.

“Communities have a right to feel safe without deliberate organised violence or thuggery in our streets. Criminals need to face the full force of the law and today we made clear that the police have our strong support in keeping the streets safe. We will work with senior police officers across the country to make sure there is rapid intelligence sharing and swift action to stop violent disorder and make sure criminals pay the price.”

Chief Constable Gavin Stephens, NPCC Chair said:

“I would like to thank all the officers and first responders involved for their bravery and unity. At times like these it is encouraging to see the way forces come together to support each other, as well as the wider public.

“All of us in public leadership or in positions of influence have a responsibility to use our platform to help bring people together. It is more important than ever for us to call out disinformation, highlight harmful practices, report and condemn criminal and work together for a better society.”

“We welcome any support which helps us to strengthen our policing capability to deal with these types of incidents. We look forward to working with government and receiving more details on the creation of a National Violent Disorder Programme and further work on tools such as Live Facial Recognition.”

Chief Constable Sir Andy Marsh, CEO at the College of Policing, said:

“My thoughts remain firmly with the families of the little girls killed in Southport and the other people who are still recovering. I cannot begin to comprehend the extent of their grief and trauma at this time.

“This violence, from thugs who are hijacking the terrible grief felt across the country, is despicable, unacceptable and will not be tolerated. The same police officers who run towards harm to protect us are now being pelted with bricks, bins and fireworks. I’m grateful to the prime minister for extending his support to my colleagues as they deal with this criminality.

“Tonight, and over the weekend, police officers will be out in large numbers to protect us and our families. The College of Policing is making sure public order commanders have the support and guidance to utilise the full extent of the law and the tactics available to us.

“I say clearly to anyone who is seeking to bring further violence to our streets that your thuggish behaviour is not acceptable and not welcome in our communities. Police are already tracking down those involved in violence and anyone else thinking of joining in should know they will face the full force of the law.”

August 18, 2024
PRESS RELEASE : Scottish Secretary hosts a reception for Edinburgh’s festivals [August 2024]

The press release issued by the Office of the Secretary of State for Scotland on 1 August 2024.

The Secretary of State for Scotland, Ian Murray, hosted a reception as the Edinburgh Festivals get underway this week.

The event, which was hosted in Queen Elizabeth House, the UK Government’s flagship building in Edinburgh, was attended by representatives from Edinburgh’s 11 Festivals. Scotland Office Minister Kirsty McNeill also attended.

There was a performance from Ryan Corbett, a classical accordionist from Glasgow.

The UK Government is supporting artists bringing work to the Fringe Festival through its ‘Keep it Fringe’ fund, an initiative launched in 2023. Supported by £1 million from the UK Government over two years (2024 and 2025), there are 180 recipients of £2,500 bursaries this year.

The UK Government is also helping to fund a central premises for the Edinburgh Fringe Society to house staff and provide a venue for visitors throughout the year.

Speaking at the event, Mr Murray said:

“For three weeks in August, the city of Edinburgh becomes the global epicentre of culture as we welcome an explosion of creative energy. Artists and performers take to hundreds of stages all over the city to present shows for every taste.

“It is of course not only a cultural and social asset, but a huge contributor to our economy, generating around £360m and supporting around 7000 jobs each year. The creative industries are the fastest growing part of our economy and we should nourish and support this growth.

“They are all a key part of Brand Scotland, and I am determined the Edinburgh festivals form part of our plan to attract international investment to Scotland, so that they can be enjoyed by future generations.

“I would like to thank everyone involved in the festivals whose hard work helps make this success story possible.”

August 18, 2024
PRESS RELEASE : Change to the Plan 2, Plan 5 and Plan 3 (“Postgraduate (PG)”) student loan interest rates announcement [August 2024]

The press release issued by the Department for Education on 1 August 2024.

The Department for Education (DfE) and the Welsh Government has today confirmed a change to the maximum Plan 2, Plan 5 and PG loan interest rate which will be 8% in August 2024.

The applicable rate of RPI to student loans from 1 September 2023 to 31 August 2024 is 13.5%. This means that the maximum interest rate applicable to Plan 2 loans and the interest rate for PG loans is 16.5%, and the interest rate applicable to Plan 5 loans is 13.5%. However, as the comparable prevailing market rate (PMR) is lower than this, an interest rate cap of 8% will be applied to all Plan 2, Plan 5, and PG student loans in August 2024.

Plan 2, Plan 5, and PG student loan interest rates are reviewed monthly and, if required, capped for the duration of the calendar month.

The level of the cap is determined by taking the average interest rate for comparable unsecured personal loans across a 12-month period ending three months prior to the month the cap comes into force.

This is action is taken where necessary to ensure that the maximum interest rates applicable to Plan 2, Plan 5 and PG student loans are either below or equal to PMR.

August 18, 2024
PRESS RELEASE : Secretary of State for Northern Ireland extends backdating period for the Troubles Permanent Disablement Payment Scheme [August 2024]
The press release issued by the Northern Ireland Office on 1 August 2024.

The Secretary of State has extended the current backdating period deadline by two years from 31 August 2024 to 31 August 2026.

As part of the UK Government’s review of the Troubles Permanent Disablement Payment Scheme, the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Rt Hon Hilary Benn MP, has today [01 August 2024] extended the current backdating period deadline by two years from 31 August 2024 to 31 August 2026.

The scheme was opened in August 2021 to provide acknowledgement payments to individuals who were permanently injured in Troubles-related incidents.

Following concerns raised by a number of individuals and organisations, including groups who represent victims and survivors of the Troubles, that some potential applicants could lose out on backdated payments, the Secretary of State has moved to ensure all potential beneficiaries of the scheme have sufficient time to consider making an application.

This extension will allow anyone deemed eligible in the five-year lifespan of the scheme to avail of a payment backdated to 2014.

Explaining his decision to extend the backdating period of the scheme, Hilary Benn, Secretary of State for Northern Ireland said:

“Approximately 40,000 people were injured during the Troubles, and it is essential that we recognise the great hurt that was caused during this dark period in our history.

“The Troubles Permanent Disablement Payment Scheme, overseen by the Victims Payments Board, has made progress in making acknowledgement payments to permanently injured victims of the Troubles.

“But with the deadline approaching, there was a risk that some potential applicants would miss out on backdated payments. I have therefore decided to extend the period for which backdated payments are available by a further two years.

“I hope this will assist both those who have suffered and are applying to the scheme, and those who are supporting applicants.”

Notes to editor:
- The UK Government, in the absence of the NI Executive, made Regulations for this scheme in January 2020. These Regulations established ‘The Troubles Permanent Disablement Payment Scheme’ (the scheme) and provisions for the ‘Victims’ Payments Board’ (the Board). This scheme is a devolved matter and is delivered by the Victims Payments Board.
- The purpose of the Troubles Permanent Disablement Payment Scheme (TPDPS) is to provide acknowledgement payments to individuals who were permanently injured in Troubles related incidents. It has been open since August 2021.
- The Regulations make it clear that payments to eligible applicants will be backdated to the date of the Stormont House Agreement (December 2014) for the first three years of the scheme’s operation. The scheme will close for new applications in August 2026, 5 years after it opened.
- The Secretary of State has the power to extend either of these dates, and both of these issues were considered as part of the Secretary of State’s review of the scheme. The full report on the review will be published before the deadline imposed by the Regulations, which is August 31st 2024.
August 18, 2024
PRESS RELEASE : Government scheme helps UK chip start-ups raise £10 million – from new fertility treatments to improving the efficiency of AI, British semiconductor innovators are reshaping global technology [August 2024]
The press release issued by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology on 1 August 2024.

Eleven semiconductor start-ups working on chips that make AI more efficient and create new lifesaving healthcare tech have joined a government-backed support service to help turn their research into business realities.
- Backing for firms will make chips to help phone batteries last longer, and train AI models with less energy
- second round of companies to receive support also announced, including chip designers to make more efficient AI systems, and make wearable hormone monitoring patches for fertility treatment
- government-backed chip support service helped semiconductor start-ups close over £10 million of funding from private investors and grants, with a total of nearly £20 million in commitments
Eleven semiconductor start-ups working on chips that make AI more efficient and create new lifesaving healthcare tech have joined a government-backed support service to help turn their research into business realities.

Semiconductor chips are fundamental to the technology that we interact with daily, underpinning everything from smartphones to AI and advanced medical devices.

The companies will be the second group to go through ChipStart, an incubator programme launched in October 2023 with £1.3 million of backing to nurture a new generation of chip designers and crowd in investment totalling nearly £20 million in commitments from private investment and grants to help drive economic growth.

POM Health is among the companies joining the second round of the programme. It is pioneering the use of semiconductors to create a wearable patch for continuous hormone monitoring. This technology could transform healthcare by enhancing fertility treatments, offering women precise, real-time insights into their hormonal health.

HeronIC, another new joiner to the programme, has developed a software design tool that quickly creates custom chips for AI applications, boosting their energy efficiency and increasing performance for complex tasks.

Minister for Science, Patrick Vallance said:

Innovation in semiconductors can underpin technological advancements in every field, from AI to consumer devices and healthtech. British researchers across the country are leading in R&D in this essential field and the support we are delivering through ChipStart is helping their ideas become reality.

As well as the commercial success of the first cohort, the innovations ChipStart is supporting could help to change lives, from helping to develop new fertility treatments to optimising AI and extending the battery life of devices we use every day. We are making sure British science leadership converts to help address critical global challenges and drive economic growth.

Following a first round that saw participants close over £10 million of funding from private investors and grants, with a total of nearly £20 million in commitments being finalised, ChipStart will continue to provide these early-stage semiconductor companies with:
- access to commercial design capability: Including the full Silicon Catalyst ecosystem, design tools, IP, and prototyping capability
- commercial expertise and mentorship: Startups receive guidance from experienced semiconductor industry executives and connections to Silicon Catalyst’s global network
- exposure to private capital: Access to over 270 Silicon Catalyst advisors, Strategic Partners, and an extensive network of investment groups
On completion, the pilot will provide the UK’s semiconductor industry with a pipeline of new startups that have an innovative product, route to market, and are a foundation for future growth, including routes to future seed funding.

Sean Redmond, Managing Partner, Silicon Catalyst UK said:

ChipStart UK is leveraging the UK’s position as a global centre of semiconductor research to transform academic innovations into market-ready technologies.

Nine of the eleven firms in the next group come from UK universities and are set to build on the success of the first cohort, which secured a strong position in the international semiconductor supply chain through private funding and global partnerships. After nine months of rigorous training, ChipStart has created over thirty new UK semiconductor executives, ready to scale their businesses towards global success.

Dorian Haci, CEO and Co-Founder, MintNeuro said:

The ChipStart UK programme, along with the Silicon Catalyst ecosystem, has equipped MintNeuro with essential design and manufacturing tools and a network of semiconductor-focused mentors and advisors, crucial for our go-to-market strategy.

Since joining the programme, we have secured additional funding and formed key partnerships. These developments accelerate the commercialisation of our pioneering neural implant technologies, aimed at improving the lives of millions suffering from neurological conditions.

After receiving this support over the last year, Vaire Computing raised $4.5 million to develop their revolutionary chips that use nearly no power at all. This innovation in energy efficiency has the potential to significantly extend smartphone batter life. With Vaire’s semiconductors, smartphones could soon only need charging once a month.

Another cohort member, Wave Photonics, closed an early funding round at £4.5 million for their tool which simplifies the design of highly complex photonic chips, chips that use light instead of electricity, meaning they operate at much faster speeds and use much less power. This technology could transform a wide range of industries by enabling faster, more energy-efficient communications, improving diagnostic capabilities in healthcare, and enhancing data processing in everything from data centres to autonomous vehicles.

Rodolfo Rosini, cofounder and CEO, Vaire Computing said:

As any founder will tell you, building a company in one of the most dynamic technology industries requires a tremendous amount of grit, ingenuity and support.

The networking opportunities provided by the Silicon Catalyst.UK ChipStart programme enabled us to execute on our vision and helped to set our company on a trajectory for long-term success. I strongly believe that expanding the program’s role in the near term would be extremely beneficial for the UK chip industry.

James Lee, CEO, Wave Photonics said:

Having raised funding during the programme, Wave Photonics is now deploying its technology to enable an explosion of integrated photonics applications beyond datacoms, including biosensing and quantum computing.

The ChipStart programme, run by semiconductor industry experts from Silicon Catalyst UK, helped us to learn from the development of the semiconductor industry and apply these lessons to the young, but growing, integrated photonics industry. The individual mentors and in-kind partnerships gave us easy access to expertise and tooling that would be difficult to find elsewhere.

Notes to editors

Companies that were members of the first cohort include:
- Blueshift Memory
- Finchetto
- HIDRA Vision
- HyperCIM
- Literal Labs
- MintNeuro
- RED Semiconductor
- SECQAI
- Singular Photonics
- Vaire Computing
- Wave Photonics
Companies that have joined the second cohort include:
August 18, 2024
PRESS RELEASE : Top apprenticeship employers celebrated [August 2024]
The press release issued by the Department for Education on 1 August 2024.

Large and small companies recognised for their apprenticeship programmes, creating opportunities and driving growth.
- Public and private sector employers celebrated for boosting career opportunities as government launches Skills England
- 100 large employers and 50 SMEs across the country recognised for the quality of their apprenticeship programmes
- Over 44,000 apprenticeships were started with employers ranked in the 2024 Top 100 and Top 50 SME lists
Employers up and down the country have been recognised by the government for their outstanding commitment to apprenticeships.

Apprenticeships support businesses of all sizes to develop the skilled workforce they need to grow, while helping people of all ages and backgrounds to earn while they learn and get ahead in their chosen career. The Top 100 Apprenticeship Employers and Top 50 Small and Medium Employers (SMEs) league tables showcase the very best apprenticeship programmes over the past 12 months.

Employers are ranked not just on the number of apprentices they take on, but for their commitment to diversity and apprenticeship achievements. Their dedication to delivering high-quality apprenticeships plays a crucial role in boosting the skills and career opportunities of people from all backgrounds and helping the economy to grow.

For the fourth time, the British Army has been named the country’s number one apprenticeship employer for 2024. The accountancy and business advisory group, DJH, has been named this year’s top SME apprenticeship employer.

The celebration follows the launch of Skills England, which aims to unite businesses, trade unions, mayors, and training providers to address national and local skills needs and boost opportunity while driving economic growth.

Skills are crucial to growth, with a third of productivity gains in the past two decades attributed to improved skills. Under Skills England, reforms to the apprenticeship levy will allow businesses more flexibility to use levy funds on necessary training for skills. This will protect apprenticeships, ensuring opportunities for young people and lifelong upskilling and retraining for workers.

Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said:

Congratulations to all the employers across the country which have been recognised for their brilliant apprenticeship programmes.

Apprenticeships provide opportunities for people from all walks and the employers ranked in this list are crucial to our plans in supporting people to get better jobs and grow the economy.

With the launch of Skills England, we will bring together businesses with trade unions, mayors and training providers to ensure we have the highly trained workforce needed to deliver the national, regional and local skills needs.

First compiled in 2020, the Top 100 Apprenticeship Employers celebrates England’s outstanding apprenticeship employers, recognising their commitment to creating new apprenticeships, the diversity of their apprentices, and the number of apprentices who successfully achieve their apprenticeships.

Over 71,000 apprenticeships were started at employers that entered for the 2024 rankings, accounting for more than a fifth of all starts in England, helping to fill skills gaps and create a future talent pipeline.

The employers in this list represent a range of industries & business sectors, from professional services, health and social care and retailing, to construction, technology and manufacturing.

Chief of the General Staff, General Sir Roly Walker KCB DSO ADC Gen, and head of the British Army, said:

We’re proud of our apprentices and the recognition we’ve received. Apprenticeships offer people the chance to earn while they learn, gaining skills and confidence that benefit them beyond their time in the army.

Our soldiers are not just in the British Army; they are the British Army! Everything we can do to upskill them makes us a better Army, which is what the nation would expect.

DJH was the frontrunner in the Top 50 SMEs. This category was introduced to credit the essential work of smaller businesses in providing apprenticeship opportunities, particularly to young people and those from more disadvantaged backgrounds.

Chris Rawlinson, Head of Learning and Development at DJH said:

We are proud to be recognised as the number one SME Employer of Apprentices – this ranking is a testament to our commitment to learning and development, and our ongoing investment in the future.

We are dedicated to recruiting and nurturing trainees from locals schools, colleges and universities, recognising that these individuals are the future of the business.

We ensure that our apprentices not only gain the necessary technical skills but also develop vital soft skills, helping our apprentices to reach their full potential and build successful careers within the industry.

Over the past three years, more than 1,500 apprenticeship employers from a wide range of industries and business sectors have entered for the Top 100 Apprenticeship Employers and Top 50 SME Apprenticeship rankings.

The Top 10 Apprenticeship Employers for 2024 are:
1. The British Army
2. BT
3. Royal Navy
4. Royal Air Force
5. London Ambulance Service
6. BAE Systems
7. The Go-Ahead Group
8. Mitchells & Butlers
9. Tops Day Nurseries
10. PwC
The Top 5 SME Apprenticeship Employers for 2024 are:
1. DJH
2. Roe Brickwork
3. LB Group
4. Lee Marley Brickwork
5. Rosedene Nurseries
August 18, 2024
PRESS RELEASE : Health and Social Care Secretary visits hospital staff in Epping [August 2024]
The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 1 August 2024.

Wes Streeting’s visit was part of a series of planned engagements across regions in England.
- Health and Social Care Secretary, Wes Streeting, visited St Margaret’s Hospital in Epping, West Essex, as part of an ongoing series of engagements with NHS trusts across England
- Integrated teams of NHS, social care and voluntary sector staff demonstrated their work to bring acute care into the community through the use of virtual ‘hospital at home’ wards and a specially equipped ‘falls car’
- Following the visit, Wes Streeting also visited a GP surgery in Harlow before holding a town hall event with health leaders in the region
The Health and Social Care Secretary today (1 August 2024) visited St Margaret’s Hospital in Epping to see how NHS staff are using innovative technology to monitor patients at home and prevent unnecessary hospital admissions. He was also joined by NHS Chief Executive, Amanda Pritchard.

Prior to the tour of the hospital, Wes Streeting met the trust’s falls response team, which travels in a specially equipped ‘falls car’ to patients who have fallen at home – preventing visits to A&E. They ensure an emergency care package is put in place if needed before leaving the patient, and will also make a follow-up call 48 hours after visiting.

During his visit, Mr Streeting met staff from the hospital’s Care Coordination Centre and the ‘hospital at home’ hub, which reduces unnecessary A&E admissions and helps people to be discharged home quickly and safely. Different teams within the department work together to decide whether out-of-hospital care could be more appropriate for a patient’s needs, further reducing the pressures on A&E.

Mr Streeting then visited the Ross Practice GP surgery in Harlow to meet with staff following the government’s announcement to recruit hundreds of newly qualified GPs as part of immediate action to fix the front door of the NHS.

The visit to Epping was part of a series of planned engagements across regions in England over the coming weeks, with today’s visit focused on the government’s ambition to bring care back into the community.

Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting said:

The NHS is broken but it’s not beaten. The new government can’t fix it alone, we need to work together with frontline NHS staff to turn it around. It was great to visit St Margaret’s Hospital and the Ross Practice today to see what’s working well, so we can take the best of the NHS to the rest of the NHS.

We recognise the scale of the challenge and know there is a lot more to do, and we continue to work closely with trusts to address the biggest issues gripping our health services.

Amanda Pritchard, NHS Chief Executive, said:

It was great to meet staff at St Margaret’s Hospital and the Ross GP Practice today to hear about the vast range of work they are doing to improve patient care.

Helping more people to stay well at home needs strong and well-connected health and care services in every community, and our visit today provided a valuable insight as we develop a 10-year plan to make the NHS fit for the future.

Dr Jane Halpin, Chief Executive of the Hertfordshire and West Essex integrated care board (ICB), said:

We were delighted to welcome the new Health and Social Care Secretary to Epping today. He was able to meet the dedicated teams of health, social care and voluntary sector staff, all working together in innovative ways to ensure patients get the expert care they need at the right time and in the right place.

We are proud of our groundbreaking approach which supports often frail or elderly patients and their families through a mixture of face-to-face care in their own homes, the latest health monitoring technology and the practical help they need to recover.

Paul Scott, Chief Executive of Essex Partnership University NHS foundation trust, said:

We were delighted to meet the new Health and Social Care Secretary and share with him our work with a range of partners in West Essex to deliver safe, hospital equivalent care at home.

Putting patients at the heart of everything we do is central to our approach, and our integrated teams work closely together to give them the holistic, personalised care they need to get well and maintain their independence.

During the staff engagement at St Margaret’s Hospital, the Health and Social Care Secretary had the chance to speak to a junior doctor, following the new pay deal that was announced on Monday. If accepted, this offer will deliver an additional pay rise of between 3.71% and 5.05%, averaging 4.05%, on top of their existing pay award for 2023 to 2024. This will be backdated to April 2023.

The Health and Social Care Secretary has made it a top priority since taking up his role to reach an agreement to bring an end to strike action – speaking to the BMA junior doctors committee (JDC) on his first day in government and meeting with them regularly over the last 3 weeks.

Mr Streeting added:

Strikes have cost patients 1.4 million cancelled appointments and taxpayers £1.7 billion. That’s why I’ve been speaking to junior doctors since I became Health Secretary and our newly agreed pay offer that paves the way for an end to the industrial action that has affected so many people. We cannot have any more disruption and cancelled appointments.

I’m committed to resetting the relationship between junior doctors and their government, so we can work together to rebuild our NHS.

Closing off the visit, Mr Streeting held a town hall event at Harlow College with health leaders across the region.

Today’s visit is the latest example of the government’s determination to get to the bottom of the issues facing our broken health service. The Health and Social Care Secretary has already ordered a full investigation by Lord Ara Darzi to uncover the state of the NHS and recently announced a full review of the New Hospital Programme, which he stated was ‘unfunded’ and ‘set to a fictional timeline’. The government has committed to producing infrastructure improvements that are fully costed and deliverable.

The Health and Social Care Secretary’s engagement with staff and patients across the NHS will help shape the government’s 10-year plan to fix the NHS, due to be published next year.
August 18, 2024
PRESS RELEASE : Government to restore stability for farmers as confidence amongst sector low [August 2024]
The press release issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 1 August 2024.

Government commits to address low confidence and provide stability for the farming sector as figures show confidence remains poor.

The government has announced its commitment to introduce a new deal for farmers to address low confidence and provide stability for the farming sector.

Figures released by the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs, show confidence remains poor.  The data indicates that half of farmers don’t feel positive about their future in farming. Of those farmers saying they are making changes, a quarter of plan to reduce the size of their businesses and 14% plan to leave farming in the next 3-5 years.

The results make clear the need for the end of farmers being rocked by the chop and change of farming schemes, optimising Environmental Land Management schemes so they work for all farmers including those who have been too often ignored such as small, grassland, upland and tenanted farms, and action by the new government to restore stability and confidence in the sector.

They follow the negative trend seen across the past few years. This is a complex problem, with several factors contributing to this persistent trend. Farmers have been struggling with extreme weather events like flooding and sudden huge rises in energy costs and been undermined by damaging trade deals.

The latest Farming Opinion Tracker for England gives a snapshot of the views and opinions of the sector between end of April and beginning of June. The latest results show that trade agreements with other countries were a factor for 29% of farmers who made changes to their business.

Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Steve Reed said:

Confidence amongst farmers is extremely low.

The new Government will restore stability and confidence in the sector introducing a new deal for farmers to boost rural economic growth and strengthen food security alongside nature’s recovery.

We will protect farmers from being undercut in trade deals, make the supply chain work more fairly, prevent shock rises in bills by switching on GB Energy, better protect them from flooding through a new Flood Resilience Taskforce and use the Government’s own purchasing power to back British produce.

The work of change has now begun.

The government is introducing a new deal for farmers to boost Britain’s food security and drive rural economic growth. This will include:
- Optimising Environmental Land Management schemes so they produce the right outcomes for all farmers – including those who have been too often ignored such as small, grassland, upland and tenanted farms – while delivering food security and nature recovery in a just and equitable way.
- Seeking a new veterinary agreement with the European Union to cut red tape at our borders and get British food exports moving again.
- Protecting farmers from being undercut by low welfare and low standards in trade deals.
- Using the government’s purchasing power to back British produce
- Setting up a new British Infrastructure Council to steer private investment in rural areas including broadband rollout in our rural communities.
- Speeding up the building of flood defences and natural flood management schemes, including through a new flood resilience taskforce to protect our rural homes and farms.
- Introducing a land-use framework which balances long-term food security and nature recovery
August 18, 2024
PRESS RELEASE : Over 1,000 more GPs to be recruited this year [August 2024]
The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 1 August 2024.

The government will recruit more than 1,000 newly qualified GPs thanks to action to remove red tape.
- Government acts to fix front door to NHS and deliver more appointments
- Slashing burdensome red tape to boost capacity in surgeries and hire over 1,000 more newly-qualified doctors
- Government listening to sector to help end scandal of patients struggling to see a doctor
More than 1,000 newly qualified GPs will be recruited thanks to government action to remove red tape currently preventing surgeries from hiring doctors.

Bringing back the family doctor is central to the government’s plan to rebuild the health service, and the changes being made to cut through the current rules will help more patients get access to GPs and ensure more GPs are able to find roles, so that people in communities across England will receive the timely care they deserve this year.

Currently, under a scheme known as the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme, primary care networks (PCNs) can claim reimbursement for the salaries (and some on-costs) of 17 new roles within the multidisciplinary team – meaning more specialists are available to treat patients.

They are selected to meet the needs of the local population, but are currently prevented from using this to recruit additional GPs. The changes announced today (1 August 2024) mean that newly qualified GPs can quickly be recruited into the NHS through this scheme in 2024 to 2025.

It’s thought hundreds of newly qualified GPs could be without a job this summer in England. But thanks to this intervention, they will be able to be hired by the end of the year.

The government is listening to GPs, and this has been hard fought by the British Medical Association (BMA), the Royal College of General Practitioners and many other groups who petitioned for it, receiving over 11,000 signatures.

It comes as the government accepts recommendations of the pay review bodies in full, increasing GPs’ pay by 6% – their first meaningful pay rise in years.

Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting said:

It is absurd that patients can’t book appointments while GPs can’t find work.

This government is taking immediate action to put GPs to work, so patients can get the care they need.

This is a first step, as we begin the long-term work of shifting the focus of healthcare out of hospitals and into the community, to fix the front door to the NHS.

I want to work with GPs to rebuild our NHS, so it is there for all of us when we need it.

Dr Amanda Doyle, National Director for Primary Care and Community Services, said:

With hard-working GP teams delivering millions more appointments a month compared to before the pandemic, it is vital they are given the resources to manage this increase in demand.

Adding GPs to the scheme is something that the profession has been calling for in recent months to make it easier for practices to hire more staff – so I welcome this measure which is an important first step to increasing GP employment in the long term.

We will continue to work with GPs, the BMA and the government to avert any potential action, but in the meantime the NHS has a duty to plan for any possible disruption to ensure services continue to be provided for patients – so the public should continue to come forward for care in the normal way if collective action does go ahead.

This is an emergency measure for 2024 to 2025 to ensure patients are able to access GPs and GPs are able to find roles, while the government works with the profession to identify longer-term solutions to GP unemployment and general practice sustainability as part of the next fiscal event.

The government will ensure the NHS has the funding it needs to deliver this, paid for by £82 million from the existing department budget.

In expanding general practice capacity, the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme improves access for patients, supports the delivery of new services and widens the range of offers available in primary care.
August 17, 2024
Mohammad Yasin – 2024 Speech on the Economy, Welfare and Public Services

The speech made by Mohammad Yasin, the Labour MP for Bedford, in the House of Commons on 22 July 2024.

It is a pleasure to speak in support of the King’s Speech under a Government committed to putting country before party to improve lives in this country. That is what I pledged to the people of Bedford and Kempston, whom I thank for putting their faith in me again to work hard for them and to restore their faith in politics as a force for positive change.

The last Government reduced our public services to a shadow of their former selves. In 2019 a study jointly funded by Bedford borough council and the NHS found that Bedford borough was 40% under-provided for in the primary care estate, despite a rapid growth in population since 2011. HMP Bedford has been in and out of special measures, so I am pleased that the Government have already taken action to improve the crisis in prisons.

I am also pleased to see early priority given to strengthening community policing by increase numbers of officers and giving them greater power to deal with the antisocial behaviour that blights our communities. I hope this Government succeed where the last Government failed in implementing a fairer funding formula for Bedfordshire police. Wrongly funded as a rural force, it is one of the lowest-funded forces in the UK despite a £10 million year-on-year increase to £156 million for 2024-25.

The housing crisis is causing untold misery to many of my constituents, so I am pleased that building houses will be a priority for our Government. It is indefensible that I know of parents who are beginning the summer holidays living in hotel rooms without access even to a fridge or a microwave to prepare food for their children because no suitable social housing properties are available. Even food bank vouchers are not helping when basic staples such as UHT milk cannot be kept fresh once opened.

More than 15,000 children and 17,000 adults are on waiting lists for mental health treatment in the area covered by the NHS Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes integrated care board. For years the NHS provider has had the capital funds to bring in desperately needed in-patient mental health facilities, but the previous Government consistently refused to provide the capital expenditure cover so that we could have those facilities in Bedford. I hope the new Government’s plan to get the NHS back on its feet includes an overhaul of how new projects are funded, because the existing capital departmental expenditure limits are not working.

Many of my constituents will be very happy to see planned legislation to bring rail back into public ownership and to reform bus services and franchises, including by allowing local control and supporting public ownership, but one of the most significant transport issues in my constituency is East West Rail. Bedford is uniquely adversely impacted by the East West Rail project, because the preferred six-track route requires the demolition and blighting of homes. Residents have been in limbo for more than five years in unsellable homes. The proposed planning and infrastructure Bill will speed up planning decisions for major infrastructure and house building and seek to reform compulsory purchase compensation rules to ensure that the compensation paid to landowners is fair. The statutory consultation stage is imminent, and I hope the Government will listen to the concerns expressed by my constituents and will not leave people in limbo while decisions are made without their knowledge, as has happened before. If we want to restore faith in politics, we have to ensure that our communities come with us on plans to affect their lives.

The Universal Studios plan to build a park near Kempston is exciting, and I look forward to working with the Government to make sure we get this potentially huge investment opportunity for Bedford and Britain over the line.

August 16, 2024