Tag: 2025

PRESS RELEASE : New public procurement rules to drive growth, opportunities for small businesses and exclude suppliers that fail to deliver [February 2025]
The press release issued by the Cabinet Office on 25 February 2025.

A new public procurement regime under the Procurement Act 2023 is now in force.
- Procurement Act 2023 now in force, delivering growth, driving value for money, and giving small businesses greater access to nearly £400billion of yearly spend.
- Strong new powers to exclude and debar suppliers from contracts on grounds of national security or poor performance.
- Public can scrutinise procurement decisions on new Central Digital Platform.
New laws putting growth, small businesses and transparency at the heart of public contract awards are now in force, as part of a transformation of the government’s commercial landscape that delivers on the Plan for Change.

A more open public procurement regime driving value for money is now in place through the Procurement Act 2023, which sets rules that all public bodies must follow when they buy goods and services.

The Act will boost growth by slashing red tape for small and medium sized businesses applying for government contracts – combining multiple regulations into one simple set, and publishing procurement data in a standard, open format on a Central Digital Platform.

It is bolstered by a new National Procurement Policy Statement (NPPS) that sets out this government’s Mission-led priorities which the public sector must have regard to in its procurement activity.

The changes open up opportunities for small businesses to bid for public sector contracts, helping deliver growth and opportunity across the UK. It ends late payments that put small businesses at risk, introducing a mandate of 30-day payment terms for all public sector contracts.

Costs for both business and the public sector will be reduced through simple new processes that drive innovation, offering greater flexibility for buyers to tailor procurement to their exact needs. For example, providing public bodies more opportunities to negotiate with suppliers, and using built-in stages to procurement cycles such as demonstrations and testing prototypes.

Cabinet Office Minister Georgia Gould said:

Public sector procurement can now fully deliver on the Plan for Change – unleashing local growth, opening up opportunities and embedding transparency and accountability.

The Procurement Act, supported by our new National Procurement Policy Statement, will tear down barriers that stop small businesses from winning government work, giving them greater opportunity to access the £400 billion spent on public procurement every year, investing in home-grown talent and driving innovation and growth.

Shirley Cooper, Crown Representative for Small Businesses, said:

This once–in-a-generation change to public procurement laws will provide enormous opportunities for small businesses to take a greater share of contracts.

The Act, which goes live alongside our bold new National Procurement Policy Statement, will drive economic growth and deliver on the Government’s Missions and the Plan for Change.

I thank the public sector for the considerable amount of work done to prepare for and understand these new rules, and how they can fully benefit both businesses and the taxpayer.

To deliver on this, a Central Digital Platform is now in operation which will streamline processes and cut red tape, allowing suppliers to register their details and see all bidding opportunities in one place. This will encourage more suppliers to bid for government work, increasing competition and in turn supporting economic growth.

Citizens can also scrutinise public procurement data published on this platform, as part of the Act’s rules for greater transparency.

The Government will also use tough new powers to investigate supplier misconduct, including underperforming suppliers and those that pose security risks to supply chains, with the ability to debar or exclude them from contracts.

The Procurement Review Unit (PRU) and National Security Unit for Procurement (NSUP), now operational as dedicated resources in the Cabinet Office, will carry out this work. The NSUP will take robust action against any organisation, actor or entity which presents a national security threat.

ADDITIONAL QUOTES

Emma Jones CBE, founder of Enterprise Nation, said:

Accessing public sector work can act like a growth accelerator for SMEs. Government contracts are solid and reliable and pay within 30 days. They help SMEs develop and invest in new processes, products and efficiencies, as well as take on more staff in their local community.

By seeing Government procurement through this lens, opening up contracts to more diverse and community-based businesses will be a powerful way to deliver economic growth.

My organisation has already been busy readying SMEs for this moment. This legislation is the beginning of the next step in the journey to increasing government spend with SMEs and boosting the economy.

Terry Corby, founder and CEO of Good Business Pays, said:

The public sector spends around £300 billion every year and represents a huge opportunity to drive growth in the UK. Buying more from SMEs, making it easier for them to tender for work and get paid faster will help drive growth in our communities across the UK.

The commitment to pay all suppliers through the supply chain in under 30 days is important. If implemented well, the new Procurement Act will represent the biggest step-change towards best practice payment culture. I founded Good Business Pays five years ago, and provide a great example for all commercial organisations to follow.
March 11, 2025
PRESS RELEASE : Prime Minister sets out biggest sustained increase in defence spending since the Cold War, protecting British people in new era for national security [February 2025]
The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 25 February 2025.

The Prime Minister has today (Tuesday 25 February) set out his commitment to increase spending on defence to 2.5% of GDP from April 2027.
- Defence spending to increase to 2.5% of GDP from April 2027, with an ambition to reach 3% in the next parliament.
- Reinvigorated approach to defence industry will drive economic growth and create jobs across the UK, while bolstering national security and protecting borders.
- Commitment will see the biggest investment in defence spending since the Cold War as the UK enters era of intensifying geopolitical competition and conflict.
As the UK faces a period of profound change, with conflicts overseas undermining security and prosperity at home, the Prime Minister has today (Tuesday 25 February) set out that his commitment to increase spending on defence to 2.5% of GDP from April 2027.

He has also set an ambition to spend 3% of GDP on defence in the next parliament, as economic and fiscal conditions allow, in order to keep the British people safe and secure for generations to come.

As set out in the Plan for Change, national security is the first duty of the government. In recent years, the world has been reshaped by global instability, including Russian aggression in Ukraine, increasing threats from malign actors, rapid technological change, and the accelerating impacts of climate change.

The Prime Minister has today set out how the UK will be stepping up to meet this generational challenge with a generational response.

The announcement comes the day after the third anniversary of Russia’s barbaric illegal war in Ukraine and shows that the UK will step up and meet this pivotal moment of global instability head-on, with a commitment that will see the biggest sustained increase in defence spending since the Cold War.

The Prime Minister knows that the working people of Britain have paid the cost of malign actors abroad, whether through increased energy bills, or threats to British interests and values. He is committed to making the country safer, more secure, and increasingly resilient against these interconnected threats.

Today’s announcement demonstrates the UK’s global leadership in this space. In calls with foreign leaders over the weekend, the Prime Minister reiterated the UK’s commitment to securing a just and enduring peace in Ukraine and the need for Europe to step up for the good of collective European security.

The investment in defence will protect UK citizens from threats at home but will also create a secure and stable environment in which businesses can thrive, supporting the Government’s number one mission to deliver economic growth.

The increased spending will sustain our globally competitive industry, supporting highly skilled jobs and apprenticeships across the whole of the UK. In 2023-24, defence spending by the UK Government supported over 430,000 jobs across the UK, the equivalent to one in every 60.

68% of defence spending goes to businesses outside London and the South East, bolstering regional economies from Scotland to the North West.

Through the upcoming Defence Industrial Strategy, this substantial investment will drive R&D and innovation across the UK, including developing technologies such as AI, quantum and space capabilities.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer said:

It is my first duty as Prime Minister to keep our country safe. In an ever more dangerous world, increasing the resilience of our country so we can protect the British people, resist future shocks and bolster British interests, is vital.

In my Plan for Change, I pledged to improve the lives of people in every corner of the UK, by growing the economy. By spending more on defence, we will deliver the stability that underpins economic growth, and will unlock prosperity through new jobs, skills and opportunity across the country.

As we enter this new era for national security, Britain will once again lead the way.

In addition to our plan to reach 2.5%, the Prime Minister also announced that the definition of defence spending will be updated to recognise what our security and intelligence agencies do to boost our security, as well as our military. This change means that the UK will now spend 2.6% of GDP on defence in 2027.

This shift recognises that the activities of our intelligence increasingly overlap and complement that of our Armed Forces, emphasising the need for total deterrence against the modern hybrid threats we face, from cyber-attacks to sabotage.

The increase in defence spending will be funded by reducing Overseas Development Assistance (ODA) from 0.5% to 0.3% of GNI and reinvesting it into defence.

This difficult choice reflects the evolving nature of the threat and the strategic shift required to meet it whilst maintaining economic stability, a core foundation of the Plan for Change. Meeting the fiscal rules is non-negotiable, and the government will take the tough but necessary decisions to ensure they are met.

The UK remains fully committed to making the world a safer and more prosperous place. In the current geopolitical environment, the Prime Minister is clear that the best way to do that is by deterring and preventing conflict and targeting our aid more effectively. For example, we have delivered an increase of £113m in humanitarian funding for people in Sudan and those who have fled to neighbouring countries, which will help to reduce migration flows to the UK and help address one of the major humanitarian crises of our era.

The government remains committed to reverting spending on overseas aid to 0.7% of Gross National Income, when the fiscal conditions allow.

This comes alongside an ongoing review into ODA spend which will ensure that every pound of development assistance is spent in the most impactful way.

This increase in defence investment will help us build a modern and resilient Armed Forces. It will accelerate the adoption of cutting-edge capabilities that are vital to retain a decisive edge as threats rapidly evolve. Targeted investment will reverse the hollowing out of recent decades and rebuild stockpiles, munitions, and enablers depleted after a period focused on international terrorism and global crises.

This modernisation will be supported through improved productivity, efficiency, and financial discipline across defence.

The Prime Minister has also committed to publishing a single new national security strategy, bringing together all reviews into one document and reflecting the decisions on resource set out today. This will be published following the Spring Statement next month and ahead of the NATO Summit in June.

The new commitment on spending comes ahead of Prime Minister’s visit to Washington DC this week, where he will tell President Trump that he wants to see the UK-USA bilateral relationship strengthened and deepened even further, to secure the prosperity and security of both nations for decades to come.

The government has already significantly increased investment in its national security capabilities, increasing spending on defence by nearly £3 billion in this year alone at the Budget. In addition to growing the defence budget, spending on the Single Intelligence Account was increased by around £340 million between 2023-24 and 2025-26, ensuring that our world-leading intelligence agencies maintain their cutting-edge capabilities.

Notes to editors

Defence spending benefits every nation and region of the country – 68% of defence spend with UK businesses goes outside of London and the South East. In 2023-2024, the MOD spent the following across the UK:
- £7.1bn in the South East
- £6.9bn in the South West
- £3.8bn in the North West
- £2.1bn in Scotland
- £2.1bn in London
- £1.6bn in the West Midlands
- £1.5bn in the East of England
- £1.4bn in the East Midlands
- £910m in Wales
- £630m in Yorkshire and the Humber
- £380m in the North East
- £240m in Northern Ireland
This spending supported a breadth of industry specialisms across the country. Early work on the Defence Industrial Strategy suggests that the following UK sub-sectors have the highest growth potential: AI, autonomous systems, combat air, cyber, missiles, nuclear submarines, quantum, shipbuilding design and space.
March 11, 2025
Keir Starmer – 2025 Remarks At Ukraine Reception

The remarks made by Keir Starmer, the Prime Minister, on 24 February 2025.

It’s a privilege to welcome you all here to Downing Street this afternoon.

This, of course, is not only my office and the centre of our government but it is also my home. So it is appropriate that I throw open the doors to my home to you and make you feel welcome in this building, which is where you should be.

And particularly fitting that you are here in my home today as we recognise people who have been welcomed into homes across the country, and I know there are many of you here.

I’ve just had the privilege and the opportunity to talk with a number of you who have been here some for some little time now and often with children. There are people here who have come, people here who have opened their doors and there are many others across the country.

We are really proud of the people who have opened their doors, opened their hearts as well – because it’s not just a shelter, it’s opening hearts and making you feel welcome particularly in this time of conflict and uncertainty.

And I said to the people I was talking to just now, I would love to be able to get you all together here again on a future occasion that isn’t an anniversary of an awful conflict because that is, of course, what it is today.

Because in the face of that conflict, I do think the bond between our two countries has got stronger and stronger. I think it was a good strong bond anyway, but it has got much stronger and that’s happened across the kitchen tables up and down the nation, as well as the meeting tables.

And of course, I have had the privilege of meeting President Zelenskyy very many times now, on a number of occasions in different places, including here in Downing Street and, of course, in Kyiv.

I’ve actually been to Kyiv four times. I went twice before the conflict, because before I was a politician, I was the chief prosecutor and we were working with criminal justice colleagues in Kyiv. And so I have seen Kyiv in peace – a brilliant, fantastic city – and I’ve seen it twice, once as leader of the opposition and just a few weeks ago as Prime Minister, in this terrible conflict.

When I was there just a few weeks ago, I was able to express our solidarity and support, and I was struck again by the resilience and strength of the Ukrainians, because that sense of civic duty, going and doing everyday work, and treating it as work for the nation was very, very strong.

When I was there four weeks ago, I went to the burns unit at one of the hospitals and saw for myself some of those who have been on the frontline who were being treated in hospital with terrible burns from blasts, really life-changing injuries, and civilians as well who had been caught up in blasts.

In one sense, it’s obvious when you’re in conflict you are going to see things like that but when you’re there and you see it right there, the human impact is huge.

Because this isn’t just about discussions of defence and security in Europe, although it is that, it isn’t just about sovereignty and it is that, it is about the impact on human beings.

When I was there I met children in a school in Kyiv, they were primary-school age so they were 8, 9, 10-years-old, living under the threat of bombardment all of the time. It’s what they are growing up with and I met some of them who had already lost their parents on the frontline at that tender age. That is really humbling, it really brought home to me the human impact of all of this.

Politics is about the decisions you make but it is also about who you have in your mind’s eye when you make your decisions. And I think it is very important that we have you in our mind’s eye.

When I was there with President Zelenskyy just a few weeks ago, we then went to have our discussion as two leaders and at that point a drone – a Russian drone – was up in the sky and had to be shot down right above the presidential palace, which for me was just a real reminder of what it is like to live in Kyiv and to have that threat every day now with the drones going up. It brought home to me the uncertainty and the fear – not just obviously for yourselves and the people living in the conflict, but all of their loved ones, and your family and extended family, and friends, and communities who are there and must be in your mind’s eye all of the time. And for your children and your country in the years to come.

So, amongst my messages here this afternoon is you are not alone.

We stand with you, and we have stood with you throughout this conflict and we will walk with you through this conflict, and we will continue to do so for as long as is necessary.

I am proud that we opened our homes; I’m proud of our NHS workers in the hospital I went to Kyiv, who had gone out there with their skills to try and work with those working in the hospitals; the soldiers that are training Ukrainian troops.

This is incredibly humbling work. I went to see it for myself down in Salisbury. Not only the professionalism of our troops who are doing the training but also the Ukrainian civilians, as they were, who had come to do the training. Through interpreters I talked to a number of them and they had been plumbers, they had been architects, working in local government, and here they were training to go to the frontline. And it was training that would normally take months being truncated into weeks. It was a real sense of what it is like to go through this awful conflict.

Because we know that this fight is about Ukraine – it is about you, your communities – but it is also about us. This is bigger than Ukraine – it is, of course, about Ukrainian sovereignty but it not just Ukrainian sovereignty. It is about our way of life, our freedoms, about security and defence in Europe, and security and defence here in the United Kingdom, and the values that we hold dear.

That’s why last time I was there I signed a 100-year partnership with Ukraine which is to signal the ongoing relationship that we want to build over many, many decades to come.

It’s why we are sending £4.5 billion in military aid to Ukraine this year – that’s more than ever before. And working with our international partners to guarantee the security of Ukraine for generations to come.

Because I strongly believe that whatever happens next, Ukraine must be in the strongest possible position. We must, we must, we must get peace through strength.

The temptation is always there to think that it is job done, or something is about to happen. We have got to make sure that we continue with our full support, whether that is capability, whether that is money, whether that’s training – all the other support that we can put in. And that’s my constant message in the discussions I am having with international leaders

We also need to be really clear as there are lots of discussions at the moment about negotiations: we can’t negotiate about Ukraine without Ukraine – you just can’t – and we must be absolutely clear about this.

After everything you and your people, your country has been through, all the suffering and hardship – this is about the future of Ukraine and Ukraine must be at the table. It’s an absolute pre-condition.

And we must work for a lasting peace. One of my biggest fears is that there is a ceasefire which is a temporary reprieve but simply gives Putin the space to come again and that would be the worst of outcomes.

It must be a lasting peace for you, your children and your children’s children, so that you can live as you should be able to live, in a proud, safe and sovereign Ukraine; able to make sovereign decisions as a country about the alliance that Ukrainians want to make; the partnerships that Ukrainians want to make, and the way of life that Ukrainians want.

So we will not falter in our support.

We will not stop our efforts to end this war.

And we will not rest until the people of Ukraine can live peacefully and safely in their own country.

So thank you for being here; I do hope that I can have the privilege of seeing you here or elsewhere on an occasion where we are not celebrating another anniversary of this conflict but genuinely celebrating freedom and peace for Ukraine and for Europe.

Thank you very much.

Slava Ukraini.

March 11, 2025
PRESS RELEASE : Government to increase Higher Level Stewardship payments and re-open Capital Grants Offer [February 2025]
The press release issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 25 February 2025.

The government is increasing payment rates for those in existing Higher Level Stewardship and confirming the ELM standalone Capital Grants offer worth £45m in 2025/26 will re-open in the summer.

Farmers and land managers who have been at the forefront of nature-friendly farming in England will see an uplift to Higher Level Stewardship (HLS) payment rates, the government has announced today (Monday 24 February).

The increased payment rates, which will apply for agreement holders across a range of HLS options will provide a boost for farmers – often living and working in upland areas – who have been the pioneers of nature-friendly farming.

It will bolster support for farmers delivering high-quality environmental outcomes to maintain species-rich grasslands, managing our most important habitats and delivering a range of high-quality environmental outcomes.

In a further boost for nature recovery and the environment, the popular standalone ELM Capital Grants scheme will re-open in the summer, worth around £45 million in 2025/26.

The Rural Payments Agency is now processing the remaining 4,000 applications held when the scheme paused. These agreements will be worth £120 million over their lifetime.

We are also supporting farmers to improve productivity and protect the environment with a £110 million investment in equipment and technology grants.

The newly designed grant competitions launching this spring will focus on helping the sector transition to net zero and unlock opportunities from the Precision Breeding Act.

Minister for Food Security and Rural Affairs Daniel Zeichner said:

This government’s focus is on ensuring farming becomes more profitable and businesses are viable for the future – delivering the long-term food security this country needs.

Investing in innovation and technology will help farmers produce food more sustainably and profitably, and get the equipment they need to help their bottom line.

And with nature being so crucial to long-term food security, we’re rewarding the pioneers of nature-friendly farming – including many upland farmers.

Our £110 million investment in innovation, equipment, technology includes:
- The launch of one round of the Farming Equipment and Technology (FETF) Fund in the spring, providing grants of between £1,000 and £25,000.
- New Farming Innovation Programme (FIP) grants worth more than £42.5 million, including competitions focussed on unlocking the benefits of precision breeding and supporting the net zero transition.
- Our new ADOPT fund will provide £20 million of additional funding for farmer-led trials that bridge the gap between new technologies and their real-world application, giving farmers the confidence investments in tech will deliver the returns they need.
Alongside these grants, we are also extending the Farming in Protected Landscapes (FiPL) programme to continue to support and improve England’s most precious areas of natural beauty, and improving animal health and welfare through government funded vet visits.

Through the Animal Health and Welfare Pathway farmers will be able to apply for visits to cover every eligible species they have from this week, and from summer they will also be able to apply for a visit for every eligible herd or flock of the same species.

Additionally, the recruitment campaign for the Commissioner for Tenant Farming Sector role is now live. The Commissioner will encourage behaviour in the sector to meet standards set out in the Agricultural Landlord and Tenant Code of Practice for England.

As part of the government’s Plan for Change, we are delivering on the Government’s New Deal for Farmers, with the first steps set out by the Secretary of State at the Oxford Farming Conference.

We will work with the sector to boost profitability through fair competition across the supply chain, use planning reforms to support food production and monitor food currently bought in the public sector and where it is bought from.

We will help farmers diversify income streams and make additional money from selling surplus energy from solar panels and wind turbines by accelerating connections to the grid.

We are going further to develop a 25-year farming roadmap to make the sector more profitable in the decades to come.
March 11, 2025
PRESS RELEASE : Government announces raft of new policies and major investment to boost profits for farmers [February 2025]
The press release issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 25 February 2025.

Environment Secretary to announce reform package to boost farmers’ profitability as part of the Plan for Change.

New reforms to make farming more profitable will be announced today by the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Steve Reed.

Speaking to farmers at the NFU conference in Westminster, Steve Reed will reveal new plans to deliver a profitable farming sector, while reaffirming Government’s cast iron commitment to food production, and unlocking rural growth.

The speech will announce a raft of new policies to put money into the pockets of British farmers including:
- Extending the Seasonal Worker visa route for five more years giving farms a pipeline of workers and certainty to grow their businesses. Annual quota reviews will ensure we strike the right balance – supporting farms while gradually reducing visa numbers as we develop alternative solutions.
- Back British produce: British farmers handed a major boost under new requirements for government catering contracts to favour high-quality, high-welfare products that local farms and producers are well placed to serve. The move marks a major leap in achieving the government’s ambition for at least 50% of food supplied into the £5 billion public sector catering contracts to be from British producers or those certified to higher environmental standards.
- £110 million investment in technology: The Farming Innovation Programme which supports research and development of agri-technology for farmers, for example the chemical free cleaning for integrated milking equipment, which lowers energy costs and chemical use. The Farming Equipment and Technology Fund provides grants of up to £25,000 to buy new equipment such as electric weeders to reduce chemical use.
- Protecting farmers in trade deals: The government will uphold and protect our high environmental and animal welfare standards in future trade deals.
- Strengthening Britain’s biosecurity: Setting up a new National Biosecurity Centre to transform the Animal and Plant Health Agency animal health facility at Weybridge, investing £200 million to improve our resilience against animal disease to protect farmers and food producers.
Speaking about profitability, Steve Reed, Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs is expected to say:

The underlying problem is that farmers do not make enough money for the hard work and commitment they put in.

I will consider my time as Secretary of State a failure if I do not improve profitability for farmers across the country.

My focus is on ensuring farming becomes more profitable because that’s how we make your businesses viable for the future. And that’s how we ensure the long-term food security this country needs.

This builds on the commitments made at the Oxford Farming Conference, where the Environment Secretary set out the government’s vision for farming including:
- Using planning reforms to support food production: Ensuring our reforms make it quicker for farmers to build the buildings, barns and other infrastructure they need on their farms to boost food production.
- Diversifying income streams: Helping farmers make additional money from selling surplus energy from solar panels and wind turbines by accelerating connections to the grid, supporting them during difficult harvests and supply shocks.
- A fair supply chain: Boosting profitability through fair competition across the supply chain. New rules for the pig sector will come this spring, ensuring contracts clearly set out expectations and changes can only be made if agreed by all parties. Similar regulations for eggs and fresh produce sectors will follow with the government ready to intervene with other sectors if needed.
March 11, 2025
PRESS RELEASE : Professor Sir Ian Chapman appointed next CEO of UK Research and Innovation with renewed focus on economic growth [February 2025]
The press release issued by the Department of Science, Innovation and Technology on 25 February 2025.

Sir Ian will lead the team at UKRI in backing thousands of researchers and innovators in developing solutions which improve people’s lives and help grow the economy.

Professor Sir Ian Chapman will become the next CEO of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), leading a refreshed mission that puts economic growth at the heart of public investment in R&D, helping to fulfil the potential of science and technology in improving lives, Science Minister Lord Vallance has announced today (Tuesday 25 February).

UKRI is the country’s largest public research funder, with a budget of £9 billion per year, giving it a central role in ensuring public funding is invested in ambitious, pioneering research that will benefit the whole of the UK and provide a clear return on investment for hardworking taxpayers.

Its work in recent years includes backing the Oxford-AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine, which has saved countless lives and the construction of the world’s most advanced wind turbine test facility, helping the UK to become a clean energy superpower. It has also been a major contributor to the £1 billion of UK public investment in AI R&D so far so the UK captures the technology’s opportunities to enhance growth and productivity as the third largest AI market in the world.

Sir Ian will lead its team in supporting thousands of bright researchers and innovators in developing solutions from life-saving medicines to protecting our environment – ultimately making a visible, positive difference to people’s lives and supporting the missions at the heart of the Government’s Plan for Change.

His experience will be a major asset in drawing on the UK’s world-leading research talent, facilities, universities and businesses, as drivers of R&D which will kickstart economic growth, make Britain a clean energy superpower and build an NHS fit for the future.

During his time as CEO of the UK Atomic Energy Authority, Sir Ian has led the transition from an organisation rooted in deep R&D excellence, to one that is now also delivering a major infrastructure project to design and build a prototype powerplant; driving inward investment and economic growth; and enabling development of a skilled workforce and supply chain.

Science Minister, Lord Vallance, said:

“Growing the economy is this government’s number one mission and taking full advantage of the innovative ideas, talent and facilities across our country is key to reaching that goal and improving lives across the UK.

“Sir Ian’s leadership experience, scientific expertise and academic achievements make him an exceptionally strong candidate to lead UKRI in pursuing ambitious, curiosity-driven research, as well as innovations that will unlock new benefits for the UK’s people and drive our Plan for Change.

“We also thank Dame Ottoline Leyser ahead of her stepping down this summer, recognising her pivotal work in guiding UKRI through challenging times, notably during the Covid pandemic and through the UK’s return to participation in Horizon Europe.”

Incoming UKRI CEO, Professor Sir Ian Chapman, said:

“I am excited to be joining an excellent team at UKRI focussed on improving the lives and livelihoods of UK citizens.

“Research and innovation must be central to the prosperity of our society and our economy, so UKRI can shape the future of the country.

“I was tremendously fortunate to represent UKAEA, an organisation at the forefront of global research and innovation of fusion energy, and I look forward to building on those experiences to enable the wider UK research and innovation sector.”

Through our world-class universities and institutes, UKRI develops and nurtures future talent who can maintain the UK’s position as a global hub of research, development and deployment in the long term while collaborating with partners around the world so that scientific and technological advances driven in the UK can benefit lives at home and around the world.

UKRI plays a key part in driving up UK participation in the world’s largest research programme, Horizon Europe, helping to build a more efficient and joined-up approach to research funding and unleashing the power of UK research and innovation.

UKRI will also play an increasing role in steering our long-term industrial strategy, removing barriers to growth and building on the UK’s strategic advantage in its fundamental science capability.

UKRI Chairman, Sir Andrew Mackenzie, said:

“The board and I are delighted that Ian will become UKRI’s next CEO in the summer.

“Research and Innovation are fundamental to UK growth. Ian has the skills, experience, leadership and commitment to unlock this opportunity to improve the lives and livelihoods of everyone. We look forward to working with him on the next phase of UKRI’s development and our stewardship of the UK’s innovation culture and systems.

“We thank Ottoline for an outstanding five years as UKRI’s CEO. She has delivered a step-change in operational effectiveness and cross-discipline work through collective and inclusive leadership and secured more social and commercial impacts from our investments.”

Climate Minister Kerry McCarthy said:

“I’d like to thank Sir Ian for his many years of dedicated service at UK Atomic Energy Agency, the last nine as CEO. In that time, he has transformed the organisation into a world leading hub for fusion energy commercialisation and driven the UK and global strategy for fusion development forward.

“I am delighted that the UK will continue to benefit from his drive and expertise in his new role. We will shortly begin recruiting a new UKAEA CEO to lead the UK’s world-class fusion programme into the next decade.”

Notes to editors
- Established in 2018, UKRI is a non-departmental public body that combines the strengths of nine distinct research and innovation funders:
- Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC)
- Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC)
- Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC)
- Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC)
- Innovate UK (IUK)
- Medical Research Council (MRC)
- Natural Environment Research Council (NERC)
- Research England (RE)
- Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC)
- Sir Ian – who currently sits on UKRI’s Board – will take up the post in the summer, bringing strong leadership experience from his role as CEO of the UK Atomic Energy Authority since 2016 and links to academia. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society, the Royal Academy of Engineering, and the Institute of Physics, and a visiting Professor at Durham University.
- With a background in fusion and firm grasp of the part that ambitious and targeted R&D can play in improving lives, he has published over 100 journal papers and received several awards for his research.
- His appointment follows an open recruitment process launched in August 2024, after Professor Dame Ottoline Leyser announced her intention to stand down as UKRI’s CEO from June 2025.
- Having held the post since 2020, Dame Ottoline leaves a strong foundation to build on, from navigating the continued delivery of research through the pandemic to supporting the UK’s return to participation in Horizon Europe – putting UKRI in a strong position to bolster its role as an engine for delivering pioneering research to improve lives and grow our economy.
- The UKAEA Board has provisionally agreed that Tim Bestwick (UKAEA deputy CEO) will take over as interim CEO of UKAEA after Sir Ian leaves, whilst a permanent replacement is appointed.
March 11, 2025
PRESS RELEASE : Shortlist Of Design Teams Announced For National Memorial For Queen Elizabeth II [February 2025]
The press release issued by the Cabinet Office on 25 February 2025.

The Government is pleased to announce the shortlisted design teams for the national memorial to Queen Elizabeth II.

The shortlisted design teams include:
- Foster + Partners with Yinka Shonibare and Michel Desvigne Paysagiste
- Heatherwick Studio with Halima Cassell, MRG Studio, Webb Yates and Arup
- J&L Gibbons with Michael Levine RDI, William Matthews Associates, Structure Workshop and Arup
- Tom Stuart-Smith with Jamie Fobert Architects, Adam Lowe (Factum Arte) and Structure Workshop
- WilkinsonEyre with Lisa Vandy and Fiona Clark, Andy Sturgeon Design, Atelier One and Hilson Moran
The finalists were shortlisted following the first stage of a two-stage open competition. Designers were required to submit examples of previous projects relevant to the vision for the memorial set out by the Queen Elizabeth Memorial Committee, alongside details of the unique skills of their multi-disciplinary teams. The competition attracted a wide range of excellent creative talent from across the UK and internationally. The shortlisted teams will be required to submit their design concepts later in the Spring.

The winning design team will be announced in Summer 2025 after the Selection Panel reviews the five shortlisted teams’ concepts. Design teams have been asked to create a memorial masterplan that celebrates Queen Elizabeth II’s extraordinary life of service and provides a space for pause and reflection. The designs will also be assessed against wider criteria, including value for money, placemaking and visitor experience.

The team that is ultimately selected following the competition will add, in discussion with the Queen Elizabeth Memorial Committee, an artist or sculptor for the figurative representation of Her Late Majesty, and this appointment will be announced in Summer 2025.

The site for the new national Queen Elizabeth II Memorial will include the area of St James’s Park adjacent to The Mall at Marlborough Gate, and land surrounding the pathway down to the lake, including the Blue Bridge. The site was chosen because of its proximity to the ceremonial route of The Mall, its historical and constitutional significance and personal connection to Queen Elizabeth.

The final design will be formally announced in April 2026, to coincide with what would have been Queen Elizabeth’s hundredth birthday year.

The Queen Elizabeth Memorial Committee was established by the UK Government and Royal Household in 2023 and comprises eight senior figures from across British public life, selected for their expertise, and chaired by The Late Queen’s former Private Secretary Lord Robin Janvrin.

The Committee is also continuing its work to develop proposals for a UK-wide legacy programme to commemorate Queen Elizabeth.
March 11, 2025
PRESS RELEASE : Emergency homelessness fund boosted to £60 million [February 2025]
The press release issued by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government on 25 February 2025.

An extra £30 million has been confirmed for the Winter Pressures Funding this year.
- Urgent homelessness funding, previously tripled, has now been increased sixfold for this year to reach more people
- Extra cash boost will see thousands of struggling people avoid homelessness, with councils stepping in early to help prevent evictions and secure accommodation
- Builds on the government’s Plan for Change to deliver the biggest increase in tenant protections and affordable housing in decades, ensuring safe and secure housing for all
Thousands on the brink of homelessness will receive lifechanging support to remain in their homes, thanks to new emergency funding of £30 million for homelessness services announced today.

Today’s funding is targeted at 295 areas that are facing the highest risks of homelessness through housing costs and rent arrears. The cash will be specifically given to councils to step in early and keep people in their homes before eviction notices are served, or support people off the streets into accommodation – a lifeline for thousands to regain financial stability, stay in their communities and maintain access to local GPs and support networks.

For councils, this emergency funding means fewer people reaching crisis point and ending up on the streets which will free up resources and ease demand on social services, healthcare, and emergency housing teams.

Last year alone, 146,360 households turned to their council for help, with many on the brink of eviction through no fault of their own, whether from a sudden job loss, a health emergency, an unexpected bill, or a relationship breakdown.

It brings the total Winter Pressures Funding for homelessness and rough sleeping to £60 million this year, with this extra £30 million to bolster resources at councils to act fast when negotiating with landlords, covering emergency rent shortfalls, and making sure people can get on with living their lives in safe and secure housing. This builds on the largest-ever investment in homelessness prevention services of almost £1 billion.

Minister for Homelessness, Rushanara Ali said:

“No one should be forced live in constant fear of losing their home and too many people are being pushed to the brink of homelessness as a direct consequence of the system we’ve inherited.

“That’s why I’m providing an extra £30 million in emergency support for councils– taking real, immediate action to stop people falling through the cracks, stay in their homes, and help them rebuild their lives.

“Our Plan for Change is tackling the worst housing crisis in a generation by delivering the biggest boost in social and affordable housing in a generation, fixing the broken rental market and getting us back on track to end homelessness once and for all.”

The Deputy Prime Minister has personally directed the Ministry of Housing to prioritise remaining departmental funds towards homelessness support. This comes as her dedicated Inter-Ministerial Group is developing a long-term strategy – with ministers across government – to tackle the root causes of rough sleeping and get the country back on track to ending homelessness for good.

This comes as the government’s landmark Renters’ Rights Bill remains on track to become law this year that will abolish one of the leading causes of homelessness, Section 21 ‘no fault’ evictions. This is alongside stopping rental bidding wars for tenancies and empowering tenants to challenge unreasonable rent increases, providing much-needed stability for millions of working people and families.

Today’s emergency cash injection is just one branch of the government’s Plan for Change to raise living standards for working people and families, strengthen rights and protections for tenants, and drive forward the biggest overhaul of the private rented sector in over 30 years.

The government recently announced a further £20 million to ensure rough sleepers have a safe, warm place to stay with hot meals and specialist care. This is on top of the £10 million announced before Christmas, providing additional resources for emergency accommodation and targeted interventions aimed at getting people off the streets and into stable housing.

As part of long-overdue reforms to the Right to Buy scheme, councils can now keep all receipts from sales to invest in building and buying more homes. On top of this, councils received an additional £450 million last year to secure and create housing for families at risk of homelessness.

Government investment in housing has now increased to £5 billion for this year, including a top-up of £800 million for the existing Affordable Homes Programme, which is supporting efforts to build tens of thousands of affordable and social homes across the country.

Further information

Last year, the government launched an emergency £10 million package for rough sleepers, with a further £20 million in January.

A full breakdown of funding allocations for each council is available here.
March 11, 2025
David Lammy – 2025 Article on Defence Spending

The article written by David Lammy, the Foreign Secretary, on 25 February 2025. The article was published in the Guardian newspaper and released as a press release by the Government.

There are moments in history when everything turns, but the extent of change is not perceived until later when the fog has cleared. These are hinge points that require clear leadership and bold action. In the late 1940s, my Labour predecessor and hero Ernie Bevin, alongside Clement Attlee, saw through the fog when they led Britain into Nato and the UN, and secured the development of Britain’s nuclear deterrent.

In the 1960s, Harold Wilson saw through the paranoia of the cold war, refusing Lyndon Johnson’s request to send British troops to Vietnam. In the 1990s, Tony Blair understood that unless we stopped the president of Serbia, Slobodan Milošević, there would be no peace in the Balkans.

Three years into Vladimir Putin’s brutal war, this is again a hinge point for Britain. Keir Starmer’s commitment to dramatically raise defence spending in both this and the next parliament shows his leadership through the fog. Putin’s Russia is a threat not only to Ukraine and its neighbours, but to all of Europe, including the UK.

Over successive administrations, our closest ally, the US, has turned increasingly towards the Indo-Pacific, and it is understandably calling for Nato’s European members to shoulder more of the burden for our continent’s security. Around the world, the threats are multiplying: from traditional warfare to hybrid threats and cyber-attacks.

The first duty and foundation of this government’s Plan for Change – GOV.UK is our national security. Seven months ago, the public gave us this responsibility, and we hold it with a profound sense of duty. Under the Conservatives, the foundations of our defence were weakened. The UK has not reached a defence spending level of 2.5% of GDP since Labour was last in government. And it falls to a Labour government to restore those foundations once again. We will deliver the biggest sustained increase in defence spending since the cold war because we are the party of defence. So we will hit our 2.5% promise in 2027 and, subject to economic conditions, go further, with defence spending rising to 3% during the next parliament. This is a pledge to safeguard our future – and act as a pillar of security on our continent – in a world plagued by more active conflicts than at any time since the second world war.

To make this commitment, and stick within our fiscal rules, we have had to make the extremely difficult decision to lower our spending on international development. As the Prime Minister said, we do not pretend any of this is easy.

This is a hard choice that no government – let alone a Labour government – makes lightly. I am proud of our record on international development. It helps address global challenges from health to migration, contributes to prosperity, and supports the world’s most vulnerable people.

It grows both our soft power and our geopolitical clout, while improving lives. For all of those reasons, this government remains committed to reverting spending on overseas aid to 0.7% of gross national income when the fiscal conditions allow.

But we are a government of pragmatists not ideologues – and we have had to balance the compassion of our internationalism with the necessity of our national security.

As we reduce the overseas aid budget, we will protect the most vital programmes in the world’s worst conflict zones of Ukraine, Gaza and Sudan. But there can be no hiding from the fact that many programmes doing vital work will have to be put on hold. The work of making further tough choices about programmes will proceed at pace over the weeks and months ahead, but our core priorities will remain the same.

My vision for a reformed Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office fit for this more contested and dangerous world, in which diplomacy is more important than ever, remains paramount. We are working closely with the Treasury to ensure our diplomatic, intelligence and development footprint will align with our priorities. In a tough fiscal environment, all our spending must be laser-focused on delivering the maximum possible impacts for our national security and growth, equipping the FCDO to deliver the government’s plan for change internationally.

At the height of the cold war, defence spending fluctuated between about 4% and 7% of GDP. At this moment of fiscal and geopolitical flux, not meeting the moment on defence would mean leaving Britain ill-prepared for a more dangerous world, potentially requiring even tougher choices down the line.

I have written previously about this government’s foreign policy being founded on progressive realism. Being clear about our values, but treating the world as it is, not as we would wish it to be. These are the principles that guide our choices through these dangerous times. We will always do what is necessary to keep the public safe.

March 11, 2025
PRESS RELEASE : Powers for landlords to collect rent from benefit payments to be re-examined [February 2025]
The press release issued by the Department for Work and Pensions on 25 February 2025.

A controversial system that automatically approves landlord requests to deduct tenants’ benefits to pay rent arrears and ongoing rent payments is being re-examined, Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall announced today.
- Work and Pensions Secretary pledges to “right the wrongs” of controversial benefit deduction system.
- Follows decision by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) not to appeal court judgement which found one claimant’s landlord payments were unfair.
- Action is part of wider plans to make the benefits system fairer and protect people from falling into debt.
It comes amid concerns that the system – aimed at helping people avoid issues with their landlords such as eviction – may actually be pushing the poorest into debt.

Currently, a computer program automatically approves landlord requests to deduct up to a fifth of someone’s monthly Universal Credit payments for outstanding rent repayments without them being consulted by either their landlord or DWP.

The department will now look at this process and consider better ways of ensuring landlords get the rent they are owed in a fair and proportionate way while benefit claimants are protected from falling into debt.

It comes as part of wider efforts by the Work and Pensions Secretary to fix the broken welfare system to make it fairer and ensure it improves living standards which will unlock economic growth – a key commitment in the government’s Plan for Change.

Work and Pensions Secretary, Rt Hon Liz Kendall MP, said:

I am determined to right the wrongs that have persisted in the benefits system for too long. The automatic approval of landlords’ requests for tenants’ benefits to be deducted is one of these.

As well as urgently reviewing this system, I am bringing forward major changes to the health and disability benefits system so that it works for everyone, underpinned by the biggest employment reforms in a generation.

We will continue to listen to people’s concerns, and transform our benefits system to one of fairness, not punishment.

This decision comes in response to a high-profile legal challenge in January, which was won by Nathan Roberts whose benefits were deducted and automatically paid to his landlord to cover alleged rent arrears and ongoing rent payments – despite a dispute about repairs to the property. The Work and Pensions Secretary has confirmed DWP will not appeal this decision.

Minister for Social Security and Disability, Rt Hon Sir Stephen Timms MP, said:

The benefits system needs urgent reform and we are taking action across the board to do this – whether that’s tackling the huge accumulation of debt by Carer’s Allowance recipients through no fault of their own, or this automatic deduction of benefits purely at the request of a landlord.

Combined with our efforts to Get Britain Working and our upcoming health and disability benefits reform, all of this will lead to better support for those who need it, and open doors for those who can work.

This comes ahead of a manifesto commitment to deliver a wider review of Universal Credit to ensure it is getting people into work, making work pay and tackling poverty.

In April, the Universal Credit Fair Repayment Rate will also come into force, reducing the cap on how much can be deducted from someone’s benefits from 25% to 15%. This means approximately 1.2 million households will keep more of their Universal Credit payment each month, with households expected to be better off by £420 a year on average.
March 11, 2025