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Tag: 2025

  • PRESS RELEASE : Parents to receive day one right to neonatal care leave and pay [January 2025]

    PRESS RELEASE : Parents to receive day one right to neonatal care leave and pay [January 2025]

    The press release issued by the Department of Business and Trade on 20 January 2025.

    Thousands of working families with babies in neonatal care will be entitled to additional time off as a day one right.

    • New right to neonatal care leave and pay confirmed from 6 April, expected to benefit around 60,000 new parents.
    • Measures ensure employed parents can focus on supporting their new family without worrying about choosing between keeping their job and spending time with their baby.
    • The Government is delivering our Plan for Change by supporting working families and protecting working people’s payslips

    Thousands of working families with babies in neonatal care will be entitled to additional time off as a day one right, the government has confirmed today (Monday 20 January).

    Currently, many working families across the UK are having to return to work while their babies are sick in hospital, and these measures aim to address some of the difficulties that thousands of parents face when their baby is in neonatal care.

    The Government is committed to providing the support families need to allow them to be by their child’s side without having to work throughout or use up their existing leave.

    Neonatal Care Leave will apply to parents of babies who are admitted into neonatal care up to 28 days old and who have a continuous stay in hospital of 7 full days or longer. These measures will allow eligible parents to take up to 12 weeks of leave (and, if eligible, pay) on top of any other leave they may be entitled to, including maternity and paternity leave.

    The government has today laid regulations to implement the change, which subject to Parliamentary approval, will take effect from 6 April 2025 and follows the passing of the Neonatal Care (Leave and Pay) Act in 2023.

    This measure comes alongside the Employment Rights Bill and delivers on the government’s commitment to support families and protect the payslips of working people as part of the Plan for Change.

    Employment Rights Minister Justin Madders said:

    Parents of children in neonatal care have more than enough to worry about without being concerned about how much annual leave they have left or whether they’ll be able to make ends meet.

    This entitlement will deliver certainty to them and their employers, setting baseline protections that give them the peace of mind to look after the one thing that matters most – their newborn baby.

    Like many measures included in the government’s other employment rights reforms, neonatal care leave will be a day one right, meaning that it will be available to an employee from their first day in a new job.

    Alongside the leave entitlement, Statutory Neonatal Care Pay will be available to those who meet continuity of service requirements and a minimum earnings threshold.

    Founder of The Smallest Things, Catriona Ogilvy, said:

    The Smallest Things is delighted to see Neonatal Leave and Pay move one step closer to being available to thousands of parents whose babies are born sick or premature.

    The stress and trauma experienced by families during a neonatal stay cannot be underestimated. In an instant, their world is turned upside down. No parent or carer should be sitting beside an incubator worrying about pay or work.

    This much-needed additional leave and pay means parents and carers can be with their baby or babies in hospital. We know the journey doesn’t end when it’s time to go home. The new law will give families essential time at home to bond, begin to recover from trauma and to care for a fragile baby or babies without the pressure of finances or returning to work too soon.

    This legislation is long-overdue and The Smallest Things is overjoyed that – after tirelessly campaigning for 10 years to bring the power of parent voices to change-makers – we are finally on the brink of seeing this vital support become a reality.

    Chief Executive at Bliss, Caroline Lee-Davey, said:

    At Bliss we know just how important it is that babies born premature or sick have both parents at their side in neonatal care during their challenging first weeks and months of life, playing a hands-on role in their care. By contrast, the lack of additional parental leave rights for parents to date has forced many to make the unimaginable choice to return to work in order to pay their bills while their baby is desperately ill in hospital. That is why Bliss is so proud to have led campaigning for the introduction of the Neonatal Care (Leave & Pay) Act, which will provide thousands of employed parents every year with the assurance that they can take the time to be with their sick baby when they need it most.

    We are delighted that the Act will be implemented from 6 April this year and look forward to working with the Government and employers to ensure that all parents who are eligible know about this new entitlement, as well as the wider information and support that they can access from Bliss throughout their neonatal journey.

    Since coming to power, this Government has introduced the Employment Rights Bill to upgrade workers’ rights across the UK, tackle poor working conditions and benefit businesses and workers alike. This includes bringing forward 28 individual employment reforms, from ending exploitative zero hours contracts and fire and rehire practices to establishing day one rights for paternity, parental and bereavement leave for millions of workers.

    The Government is also bringing forward measures to help make the workplace more compatible with people’s lives, with flexible working made the default where practical, large employers required to create action plans on addressing gender pay gaps, support for employees through the menopause, and strengthened protections against dismissal for pregnant women and new mothers.

  • PRESS RELEASE : UK firms boosted by new qualifications agreement with Switzerland [January 2025]

    PRESS RELEASE : UK firms boosted by new qualifications agreement with Switzerland [January 2025]

    The press release issued by the Department for Business and Trade on 20 January 2025.

    UK-qualified professionals to find it easier to work in Switzerland, as new permanent agreement ensures professional qualifications can be recognised.

    • New agreements make it easier for UK-qualified people in professions from law and veterinary to ski instructing to work in Switzerland
    • Agreement comes into force ahead of Business Secretary flying to Davos to promote UK as one of the world’s top investment destinations for global firms
    • Talks continue on an upgraded UK-Switzerland trade deal to further strengthen services trade, already worth £27 billion a year.

    UK-qualified businesspeople will now find it easier to work in Switzerland and vice versa, as a new permanent agreement ensures professional qualifications can be recognised in both countries, supporting businesses to grow oversees and driving forward economic growth.

    The UK-Switzerland Recognition of Professional Qualifications Agreement, which replaces the now expired arrangements under the Citizens’ Rights Agreement, will ensure UK-qualified professionals in regulated sectors have a smooth and transparent route for their qualifications to be recognised in Switzerland.

    This will help to put money back in working people’s pockets by making it easier for employers to work between both countries, increasing trade and strengthening economies on both sides.

    The agreement applies to over 200 UK professions ranging from lawyers and auditors to driving instructors and cabin crew, and also includes anaesthetists for the first time.

    For regulated professions, the ability to sell services overseas is often dependant on their qualifications being recognised by foreign regulators. The agreement could therefore help boost UK-Swiss trade, already worth £46 billion a year, particularly in professional and business services, worth £8 billion.

    Business and Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds said:

    As a former trainee solicitor, I know the challenges faced by UK professionals when working abroad and innovative agreements like this will make a real difference to our world-class services sectors.

    As a resolutely pro-business Government, we want to make it as seamless as possible for UK businesses to operate abroad. With the UK and Switzerland being two global leaders in services trade, this agreement is testament to our unwavering commitment to economic growth.

    The agreement also includes a bespoke route to recognition for certain legal professionals, so lawyers can become qualified in the other country after practising for three years. This is vital as Switzerland is one of the largest and most important export markets for UK legal services in Europe.

    It will make it easier for businesses to deploy their qualified staff between UK and Swiss locations and safeguard the autonomy of UK and Swiss professional regulators to set standards and decide who is fit to practise the profession.

    A separate recognition of qualifications deal has also been signed making it easier for UK-qualified ski instructors to work in Switzerland, one of the world’s leading snowsports destinations, thanks to the work of the British Association of Snowsports Instructors and Swiss Snowsports.

    This welcome news comes as negotiations continue at pace on an enhanced UK-Swiss Free Trade Agreement, aimed at further strengthening UK-Swiss ties in services, investment and digital trade and delivering economic growth and jobs across the UK.

    Justice Minister Sarah Sackman KC said:

    Our lawyers are some of the best in the world and this agreement will provide exciting opportunities for them to work and practice in Switzerland.

    Legal services contributed £37 billion to the UK economy in 2023 and this positive step builds on that, strengthening the UK’s legal ties around the globe and boosting our economy.

    RIBA President Muyiwa Oki said:

    We’re pleased to see this agreement come into effect. Close trading ties with our European neighbours are crucial to British architecture’s global success and this agreement helps smooth the path for practices to export their professional services and expand beyond borders.

    By exchanging talent, expertise and ideas, both countries have much to gain. We hope to see architects based in the UK and Switzerland make the most of this opportunity.

    Financial Reporting Council CEO Richard Moriarty:

    Securing mutual recognition agreements with global partners is good for the future skills and resilience of the UK audit profession which plays an important role in supporting UK growth.

    This UK-Switzerland Recognition of Professional Qualifications Agreement will support UK audit firms to export their services and enhance the profession’s ability to trade across the globe.

    Notes to editors

    • UK-Switzerland services trade was worth £27 billion in the 12 months to June 2024 .
    • UK professional and business services exports were worth £8 billion in the 12 months to June 2024.
  • PRESS RELEASE : Emergency cash tripled for rough sleepers this winter [January 2025]

    PRESS RELEASE : Emergency cash tripled for rough sleepers this winter [January 2025]

    The press release issued by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government on 20 January 2025.

    The government is tripling the Rough Sleeping Winter Pressures Funding from £10 million to £30 million.

    • Winter funding tripled to protect more rough sleepers from cold weather
    • An extra £20 million for over 280 councils to provide warm beds for those sleeping rough long term
    • Supporting the government’s Plan for Change to deliver safe and secure housing for all

    More rough sleepers will be helped off the streets and provided warm beds this winter thanks to new emergency funding given to local councils today.

    The Rough Sleeping Winter Pressures Funding, a government scheme to increase the use of emergency accommodation for rough sleepers, will be tripled from £10 million to £30 million. The cash will go directly into areas with record levels of rough sleeping, ultimately saving lives and supporting thousands of vulnerable people in society facing the cold weather.

    Those experiencing homelessness or rough sleeping are 8 to 12 times more likely to die prematurely, particularly from chronic cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, and those sleeping rough during winter are at even greater risk of ill health and long-term sickness.

    Over 280 councils, including all London boroughs, will now have extra resources at their disposal to support frontline workers providing vital services on the ground, which will see more people sleeping rough into safe and secure accommodation with warm beds, hot meals and medical treatment.

    The new funding will also continue supporting specialist programmes for vulnerable groups sleeping rough including veterans, care leavers and victims of domestic abuse. This is alongside giving lifechanging support to people who have slept rough long-term, with critical outreach staff helping to address substance abuse and provide employment opportunities.

    Minister for Homelessness, Rushanara Ali said:

    “Behind every sad rough sleeping statistic, there is a person who has been let down by the system for far too long. This government is more determined than ever to turn the tide on years of failure to properly invest in our frontline services.

    “That is why I am tripling the emergency funding from £10 million to £30 million for councils to help the most vulnerable into safe and secure housing with warm beds, hot meals, and specialist care.

    “Through our Plan for Change we are already taking urgent action to tackle the worst housing crisis in living memory, delivering the biggest boost in social and affordable housing in a generation and getting us back on track to end homelessness for good.”

    A sharp rise in rough sleeping in recent years represents a complete failure in the housing crisis inherited by the government, with almost 360,000 households approaching their council for help with homelessness over the last year.

    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, deliver the biggest boost in affordable and social housing in a generation, and strengthen rights and protections for tenants.

    It builds on the largest-ever investment in homelessness prevention services of almost £1 billion for this year, including over £185 million for the Rough Sleeping Prevention and Recovery Grant, so councils can better prioritise when providing warm beds and shelter for people at risk, or experiencing, rough sleeping.

    This is alongside more than £37 million for the Rough Sleeping Accommodation Programme that will cover ongoing costs to help rough sleepers into longer term housing and secure more specialist staff supporting their mental health and substance abuse problems.

    A new dedicated Inter-Ministerial Group is also bringing together ministers to develop a long-term strategy across the healthcare, justice and education systems, as part of the government’s wider drive to tackle the root causes of rough sleeping and get the country back on track to ending homelessness for good.

    One of the leading causes of homelessness, Section 21 ‘no fault’ evictions, will be abolished for new and existing tenancies through the landmark Renters’ Rights Bill which is now another step closer to becoming law following last week’s third reading.

    Through overdue reforms to the Right to Buy scheme councils can now retain all receipts from sales to build and buy more homes as well as receiving an additional £450 million last year to secure and create homes for families at risk of homelessness.

    Government investment in housing has now increased to £5 billion for this year, including an extra £500 million for the existing Affordable Homes Programme to build tens of thousands of affordable homes across the country.

    Further information

    The government previously announced an emergency £10 million package for the Rough Sleeping Winter Pressures Funding last November.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Government push to inform victims of their rights [January 2025]

    PRESS RELEASE : Government push to inform victims of their rights [January 2025]

    The press release issued by the Ministry of Justice on 20 January 2025.

    Young adults who fall victim to crime will be better supported through a new Government campaign.

    • Government launches new Victims’ Code campaign – ‘Understand Your Rights’
    • Push targeted at young adults who are at greatest risk of crime – ensuring they get support where and when they need it
    • New drive key part of delivering on Government’s Plan for Change to create safer streets and support victims

    The Victims’ Code sets out in clear and simple language what victims can expect from the criminal justice system, including the level of support they are entitled to.

    Research shows that while young adults are more likely to be victims of violent crime, too many are unaware of their rights – with just one in five victims aware of the Victims’ Code.

    The new push launched today will bolster confidence in the criminal justice system and the level of support victims can expect to receive – underpinning the Government’s Plan for Change to create safer streets.

    Minister for Victims and Violence Against Women and Girls, Alex Davies-Jones, said:

    Seeking the support of the law can be daunting if you’re a victim of crime. It is vital that we ensure victims understand their rights and what they can expect from the criminal justice system.

    Through this campaign, we will reach every corner of England and Wales so that everyone knows they can turn to the Victims’ Code, whatever the crime and whoever they are.

    Organisations that work with victims, like the Police and Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), are responsible for ensuring that victims’ rights are upheld.

    Commenting on the campaign, the Victims’ Commissioner, Baroness Newlove, said:

    The Victims’ Code explains the rights that everyone is entitled to receive as a victim of crime: respectful treatment, clear information, and access to support.

    Yet, awareness of these rights remains low – and that is why this campaign is so important.

    Agencies too often fall short in upholding victims’ rights, and that must change. Raising awareness is a crucial step, empowering victims to stand up for themselves and hold agencies accountable.

    Today’s news comes ahead of bolstered measures to strengthen the Victims’ Commissioner’s powers to increase accountability for delivery of the Victims’ Code.

    The Government will also be consulting on the Victims’ Code in early 2025 in order to further strengthen standards for victims.

    Further Information

    • The ‘Understand Your Rights’ Victims’ Code campaign raises awareness of the Victims’ Code and highlights that it is there for every victim, whatever the crime. The campaign directs users to understand their rights
    • If you want to support the campaign, or gain access to campaign materials, please email VictimsCodeComms@justice.gov.uk
    • The Crime Survey for England and Wales (CSEW) showed that in year end to March 2024, a higher percentage of younger people were a victim of violence with or without injury, with the highest rate of victimisation among those aged 16 to 24 years where the perpetrator was a stranger (2.2%) or an acquaintance (1.3%). In addition, the 2023 survey showed that the highest prevalence of victimisation by age group was in those aged 16 to 24 years (19.5%), with levels generally falling as age increased
  • PRESS RELEASE : New sentencing approach to cut drug-fuelled crime [January 2025]

    PRESS RELEASE : New sentencing approach to cut drug-fuelled crime [January 2025]

    The press release issued by the Ministry of Justice on 20 January 2025.

    A new report shows how drug-fuelled crime is being tackled through tough community sentences to get offenders with addiction issues back on straight and narrow.

    • Intensive Supervision Courts tackling root causes of offending to cut crime and create safer streets, as part of our Plan for Change
    • New approach to reduce drug taking by offenders with severe addictions
    • Offenders who do not comply face strict consequences like being sent to prison

    The innovative approach of Intensive Supervision Courts means offenders regularly meet with the same judge to track their progress, face random drug testing, and have access to more support from the Probation Service to stop reoffending.

    Those who fail to comply face strict consequences including increased drug testing or being sent to prison.

    Over a third of offenders in the community have a drug problem and this pilot is designed for offenders with addiction issues, to tackle the drug and alcohol dependence that is fuelling their crimes.

    Despite significant addiction issues at the start of the sentence, offenders tested negative for drugs over two thirds of the time, and less than a quarter of offenders needed to be sanctioned for any bad behaviour.

    Prisons, Probation and Reducing Reoffending Minister, James Timpson said:

    Drug and alcohol-driven crimes make our streets less safe. This report shows there’s a different, more effective way to stop prolific offenders on a never-ending cycle of crime.

    These tough, new intensive supervision sentences cuts criminal behaviour and makes our streets safer.

    This approach has seen positive results across the world in cutting crime, with other countries seeing a 33% decrease in further arrests compared to people on a standard sentence. Combining many of the successful components already tested across the world, the Ministry of Justice pilot launched in 2023 with three courts in Liverpool, Teesside, and Birmingham.  In June 2024, a court in Bristol was added to the pilot.

    Over 150 offenders across the country have now been given this new form of sentence.

    Probation staff, the judiciary and local services like drug treatment providers have reported that offenders’ drug and alcohol use has reduced and those requiring help with their mental health were now receiving the right support, some for the very first time, to help cut their offending.

    The latest offender statistics show that over half (55.5%) of offenders who served a prison sentence of less than 12 months went on to commit another crime within 12 months. For those serving suspended sentence orders with requirements, the figure was just 24%.

    Serving his sentence at an Intensive Supervision Court, ‘Luke’ (not his real name) discussed how this helped him understand his offending history and made him feel like he did not need to turn to crime in the future.

    Offender Luke said:

    Being on the Intensive Supervision Court has completely flipped my life around and given me the opportunity to be a positive role model for my two kids and a brighter future with potential jobs.

    I had been a cannabis user since I was 11 and it has been one the main reasons behind my offending behaviour. This community sentence hasn’t been easy but now that I have finished, I can proudly say it’s been one year and two weeks since I have touched the drug.

    Revolving Doors, the national charity dedicated to breaking the cycle of crime, helped provide insight for the report.

    Pavan Dhaliwal, Chief Executive of Revolving Doors said:

    What we know for sure is that prison sentences rarely work for people caught in cycles of crisis and crime and come at a huge financial and societal cost. The evidence shows that using problem-solving approaches in courts and looking to address root causes such as problematic substance use and poor mental health are the best ways to help people turn their lives around.

    It is promising to see early results showing the pilot in England has been able to divert people from custody and into tailored support. We look forward to seeing how it can be widened out into a more mainstream approach to reducing reoffending and preventing more people becoming trapped in the revolving door.

    Intensive Supervision courts are delivered by a multiagency team who provide wraparound support, monitoring and treatment services for offenders. To help equip offenders with the necessary tools to reduce reoffending this team includes judges, court staff, the probation service, police, treatment providers and the local authority.

  • Keir Starmer – 2025 Statement Ahead of President Trump’s Inauguration

    Keir Starmer – 2025 Statement Ahead of President Trump’s Inauguration

    The statement made by Keir Starmer, the Prime Minister, on 19 January 2025.

    On behalf of His Majesty’s Government and the United Kingdom, I would like to send my warmest congratulations to President Donald Trump on his inauguration as the forty-seventh President of the United States.

    For centuries, the relationship between our two nations has been one of collaboration, cooperation and enduring partnership. It is a uniquely close bond. Together, we have defended the world from tyranny and worked towards our mutual security and prosperity.

    With President Trump’s longstanding affection and historical ties to the United Kingdom, I know that depth of friendship will continue. The United Kingdom and United States will work together to ensure the success of both our countries and deliver for people on both sides of the Atlantic.

    Since our first meeting in September, the President and I have spoken about the need to deepen and invest in the transatlantic relationship. We will continue to build upon the unshakeable foundations of our historic alliance as we tackle together the global challenges we face and take our partnership to the next level focused on shared opportunities ahead for growth.

    I look forward to our next meeting as we continue our shared mission to ensure the peace, prosperity and security of our two great nations. The special relationship between the United Kingdom and United States will continue to flourish for years to come.

  • David Lammy – 2025 Statement on the Release of Three Hostages in Gaza

    David Lammy – 2025 Statement on the Release of Three Hostages in Gaza

    The statement made by David Lammy, the Foreign Secretary, on 19 January 2025.

    We welcome the release of three hostages in Gaza, including British national Emily Damari, and thank Qatar, Egypt and the US for their support in bringing these individuals’ and their families’ horrific ordeal to an end.

    Our thoughts are also with those still waiting to be reunited with their loved ones, including the families of UK linked hostages Eli Sharabi, Oded Lifshitz and Avinatan Or.

    We are clear the deal must be implemented in full; all hostages be returned and aid be allowed to flow into Gaza now.

    This ceasefire must lead to a credible pathway towards a two-state solution in which Israelis and Palestinians can live side by side in peace.

  • Keir Starmer – 2025 Statement on the Release of Three Hostages in Gaza

    Keir Starmer – 2025 Statement on the Release of Three Hostages in Gaza

    The statement made by Keir Starmer, the Prime Minister, on 19 January 2025.

    The release of three hostages today is wonderful and long-overdue news after months of agony for them and their families. Among them is British citizen Emily Damari, who will now be reunited with her family, including her mother Amanda who has never stopped her tireless fight to bring her daughter home.

    I wish them all the very best as they begin the road to recovery after the intolerable trauma they have experienced. We stand ready to offer assistance and support.

    However, today also represents another day of suffering for those who haven’t made it home yet – so while this ceasefire deal should be welcomed, we must not forget about those who remain in captivity under Hamas.

    We must now see the remaining phases of the ceasefire deal implemented in full and on schedule, including the release of those remaining hostages and a surge of humanitarian aid into Gaza. The UK stands ready to do everything it can to support a permanent and peaceful solution.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Archaic tech sees public sector miss £45 billion annual savings [January 2025]

    PRESS RELEASE : Archaic tech sees public sector miss £45 billion annual savings [January 2025]

    The press release issued by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology on 19 January 2025.

    Public sector workers are being held back by archaic technology according to a new report set to be published on Tuesday.

    • Public sector workers are being held back by archaic technology – crippling productivity and slashing public satisfaction in services, according to a new report set to be published on Tuesday.
    • Inheritance from previous government shows an overreliance on contractors sending costs rocketing and how outages and cyber-attacks are putting NHS and public services in jeopardy.
    • Comes ahead of ambitious reforms and new tech putting AI and digital technology to work for the public sector, delivering on the AI Opportunities Action Plan and saving taxpayers billions while improving public services to deliver across Plan for Change.
    • New AI tools ‘Connect’ and ‘Scout’ also announced to help speed up clean power connections and keep mega-projects running to time, driving growth and lowering energy bills in the long term.

    Taxpayer funded services from the NHS to local councils are missing out on £45 billion in productivity savings – more than enough to pay for every primary school in the UK for a full year – because they are too often dependent on old and outdated technology.

    With nearly half of public services unable to be accessed online, people are spending too much time applying for support in person, including time on hold or travelling to council offices. Public sector workers are also wasting time sifting through physical letters. This means response times are unnecessarily long with British citizens paying the price and wasting valuable time on government admin.

    Examples highlighted in a new report set to be published this Tuesday show the shocking state the previous government left public technology. It includes outdated examples including the need to register a death in person, which demands time from people unnecessarily as they are mourning the death of a loved and the pointless burdens placed on small businesses, like forcing firms to put an advert in their local paper when they want to buy a lorry – getting in the way of growth.

    Some departments manage over 500 paper-based services and a lack of information sharing between departments further hampers citizens, often the most vulnerable. For example, patients with long term health conditions can be forces to speak to over 40 different services to access the care and support they need and are entitled to, with these different public bodies rarely sharing information, leaving people to repeat themselves time and again.

    To tackle these issues, the Technology Secretary will use digital tools, AI and common sense to overhaul public sector technology – so it saves money, treats people with respect, and just makes sense. He will set out a wholesale reshaping of how services use technology, reaching across local government, the NHS, and more, in a bid to modernise the state.

    The changes due to be announced could save taxpayers billions by making public services more productive, as well as freeing up public servants and doctors to spend more time helping the people they serve. The changes will also make it easier for people to access government services and drive economic growth by supporting businesses get the approvals they need more quickly – delivering on multiple aims of the Government’s Plan for Change.

    Just over a week after the AI Opportunities Action Plan, the changes will deliver on key recommendations by transforming citizens’ experiences of government services, improving productivity and strengthening the foundations from how data is used, to boosting skills, and attracting talent.

    Technology Secretary Peter Kyle said:

    Technology that sits at the foundation of our country has been left to wither and decay under the hands of the previous government, too often grinding to a halt and stalling essential public services – racking up a huge bill for the taxpayer.

    It doesn’t have to be this way – and it won’t be with our Plan for Change. There is a £45 billion jackpot for the public sector if we get technology adoption right, that’s twice the size of the black hole we faced when we took office, and it’s not an opportunity we can let pass us by.    The new findings are also expected to show government departments have been pushed towards bringing in contractors and consultants to complete basic technological tasks instead of full-time staff. This trend was driven by weak salaries and headcount restrictions that stopped departments. This is despite them costing three times more than civil servants and eating up £14.5 billion in taxpayer money a year.

    Findings will show that over one-in-four digital systems used by central government were found to be outdated. In the worst cases, this figure almost tripled (70%). This outdated technology can rack up huge maintenance costs, ultimately resulting in the taxpayer paying out three-to-four times more than if the technology was kept up to date.

    A growing number of these outdated systems are “red-rated” for reliability and security risk. The report found that NHS England alone saw 123 critical service outages last year, often meaning appointments are missed and patients can’t get the care they need because staff were forced back to using paper-based systems.

    Among the reforms to be announced later this week, a new offering from an expanded Government Digital Service will search for vulnerabilities across the public sector that hackers could use to shut down essential services and stop citizens accessing critical support. Support will then help different organisations fix these issues and make the UK more resilient to cyber attacks.

    Energy AI tool – ‘Connect’

    The Government is also today unveiling new AI tools that will help to speed up the queue to connect clean energy projects to the national grid, helping to reduce energy bills and power the AI economy amid plans to boost the UK’s computing power to drive growth, as part of the Plan for Change.

    Connect, developed by AI experts in Whitehall, is an AI tool under development that could help to reduce delays large-scale energy generation projects, like wind and solar farms, are facing to get a connection to the electricity grid. New sources of clean, renewable energy will not only protect billpayers from unstable fossil fuel markets, but boost the UK’s wider energy security ambitions – freeing us up from relying on foreign sources of power and breaking the energy monopoly which countries like Russia currently control.

    The technology will also support the work of the newly announced AI Energy Council, bringing together energy producers and big tech companies to understand the power demands of AI and the Government’s ambition to expand compute capacity by twenty times.

    Over the last five years, the grid connection queue has grown tenfold and now contains over four times the amount of energy generation the UK is predicted to need by 2050. Many of these projects are speculative or do not have the necessary funding or planning permission to progress, causing delays for viable projects behind them.

    Added to this, the ‘first-come, first-served’ connection process, and much-needed upgrades to the grid’s capacity, are contributing to energy developers facing delays of up to 10 years to get new renewable electricity flowing into the grid.

    With input from the Department for Energy, Security and Net Zero, Ofgem and the National Energy System Operator, the team behind ‘Connect’ are exploring how this work – powered by AI – could be applied to better match energy generation projects – like ready-to-go large scale wind farm projects stuck in a queue – to grid capacity where it is available.

    Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said:

    This innovative use of AI could help us clean up the queue and slash waiting times to hook important energy projects up to the electricity grid, which is key to delivering our clean power by 2030 mission.

    The sooner we can get more homegrown renewable energy onto the grid, the quicker we can deliver on our Plan for Change and homes and businesses can benefit from a new era of clean electricity.

    Infrastructure AI tool – ‘Scout’

    “Scout” is another tool developed by the team, which will help officials make sure major multi-billion-pound projects are delivered on time and to budget – whether that’s a new motorway or a mid-sized hospital. It does this by automatically analysing thousands of documents to help detect problems earlier, enabling timely interventions that keep critical projects on track.

    The tool replaces manual processes where up to 150 reports and documents are reviewed, leading to crucial details being glossed over and opportunities to prevent problems missed. It will help civil servants to be more efficient, and improve the government’s ability to run multi-billion-pound projects to time and budget, fixing the foundations of our economy as we drive ahead in delivering economic growth.

    In the tool’s analysis, it follows stringent guidelines set by the Infrastructure and Projects Authority,  and cuts manual processing time from hours in five minutes.

    These tools are being announced following Matt Clifford’s AI Opportunity’s Action plan, where the Government accepted his recommendation to scale successful AI pilot projects within government. The wider plan looks to unleash AI to drive economic growth across the UK and deliver the Prime Minister’s Plan for Change.

    Notes to editors:

    • The State of Digital Government Report, with support from Bain & Company, is based on insights from over 500 leaders across 120 organisations, data from 100+ entities, and input from 65 stakeholders across public, private, and third sectors. It will be published next week in full.
  • PRESS RELEASE : Joint Statement between the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and the Prime Minister of Poland [January 2025]

    PRESS RELEASE : Joint Statement between the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and the Prime Minister of Poland [January 2025]

    The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 18 January 2025.

    This joint statement was released following the meeting between Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Prime Minister Donald Tusk in Warsaw on 17 January 2025.

    Joint Statement following the meeting of the British and Polish Prime Ministers in Warsaw on 17 January 2025.

    We met in Warsaw to discuss our close partnership and shared vision for our bilateral and international cooperation.

    Today we reaffirmed our unshakeable support for NATO. We discussed a broad range of shared global challenges, including how to shore up European security in the face of an increasingly aggressive Russia. We agreed to continue joint support to Ukraine, including military support, training and reconstruction. Together we will work to tackle Russia’s hybrid attacks, including in cyberspace, take joint action to counter information manipulation, and deepen collaboration on extending sanctions against Putin’s regime. We are committed to holding Russia accountable for the crimes and damages perpetrated on Ukrainian territory.

    We welcomed the start of the Polish presidency of the Council of the European Union in the first half of this year and discussed the Presidency’s priorities for the next six months. Together, we underlined the importance of a close partnership between the UK and the EU, including in the security and economic spheres. We looked forward to the UK joining the informal European Council meeting in February.

    Here in Warsaw, we agreed to launch negotiations on a new Defence and Security Treaty between the UK and Poland. Building on the 2017 Defence Treaty, the new agreement will provide the framework and ambition for the deepest cooperation across the full range of external and internal security threats, and our shared determination to defend and promote peace and security in Europe together with our allies.

    We expressed our strong support for the important and growing defence industrial relationship between the UK and Poland. A new Polish-British Joint Programme Office in the UK, planned to be established in the middle of this year, will give strong support to this work. It will focus on the £4bn bilateral agreement for the next generation of the short range air defence system NAREW. We also discussed Poland’s East Shield project to further strengthen its border, and the UK’s support to the project.

    Together we underlined the imperative of tackling irregular migration, and agreed to establish a strategic border security and migration dialogue, to focus initially on tackling the threat from migrant smuggling networks and increased data sharing. We discussed the risks to Poland’s borders of the instrumentalisation of migrants through Belarus and Russia, and agreed to share best practice to address this challenge. We expressed our support for the role of sanctions as one of the tools for tackling irregular migration and organised immigration crime.

    We celebrated our close trade and investment relationship, with growing bilateral trade, creating jobs and growth for the people of both countries.  We agreed our governments would deepen bilateral dialogue on energy security and transition. We also agreed to explore a new forum between relevant ministers to address the shared challenges and opportunities, to be announced in the coming months.

    The friendship between our countries lies in our close people to people links. We recognised the breadth of our cooperation, including co-operation on science and education. Looking ahead to 2025, we underlined the value of UK-Poland cultural co-operation, and looked forward to the UK-Poland Season of Culture 2025.