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Tag: 2025

  • PRESS RELEASE : Rare Iron Age harness brooch at risk of leaving the UK [January 2025]

    PRESS RELEASE : Rare Iron Age harness brooch at risk of leaving the UK [January 2025]

    The press release issued by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on 10 January 2025.

    An export bar has been placed on a Sutton Scotney Iron Age brooch that is at risk of leaving the United Kingdom

    • The harness brooch has been valued at £18,500
    • The export bar is to allow time for a UK museum, gallery or institution to acquire the brooch

    An export bar has been placed on an Iron Age harness brooch, which was discovered near Sutton Scotney in Hampshire.

    The brooch is one of only ten such brooches known to have survived for two millennia in the ground and is thought to be a component of the harness from a horse drawn vehicle designed to connect the straps to fabric on the horse’s back.

    Unusually the brooch includes both a hinged pin and strap loops on the back, a combination not found on brooches worn by people at this time. Its decoration with intricate curved shapes and basket weave texture links it with designs found on other metal objects from that time found in Britain and across Europe.

    It exhibits the best casting achievable in the pre-mechanised period, and  is in good condition in comparison to similar brooches from the period, the majority of which are incomplete.

    The brooch was discovered in Sutton Scotney, Hampshire and provides valuable new evidence for the use of horse-drawn vehicles in the nearby Iron Age hillforts towards the end of the first millennium BC.

    Arts Minister Sir Chris Bryant said:

    “This harness brooch, dating back to the Iron Age, is a rare artefact that is of major importance to the local history of Hampshire.

    “I hope by placing an export bar on this rare brooch, it will continue to benefit the UK public and researchers in the study of the horse harness, chariotry, and crafting of metalwork, enriching our understanding of our country’s history.”

    Committee member, Tim Pestell said:

    “For Britons in the late Iron Age, horsemanship and charioteering were prized skills both socially and in warfare, as noted by the Roman invaders. This pride led people to decorate their horses with ornate tack and fittings, one of the rarest forms being so-called horse brooches of which only ten are known in Britain, most of them fragmentary.

    “With its exceptional preservation, intriguing basket-weave pattern and outstanding aesthetic design, the Sutton Scotney Brooch is a remarkable survival. Now a bar has been placed upon its export, I hope that a museum will be able to acquire this two-thousand-year-old testament to the British love of horses for public benefit.”

    The Minister’s decision follows the advice of the Reviewing Committee on the Export of Works of Art and Objects of Cultural Interest. The Committee made its recommendation on the basis that the brooch met the first, second, and third Waverley criteria for its outstanding connection with our history and national life, its outstanding aesthetic importance, and its outstanding significance to the study of the horse harness, chariotry, the crafting of metalwork and textiles.

    The decision on the export licence application for the brooch will be deferred for a period ending on 9th March 2025 inclusive. At the end of the first deferral period owners will have a consideration period of 15 Business Days to consider any offer(s) to purchase the brooch at the recommended price of £18,500 (plus VAT of £3,700 which can be reclaimed by an eligible institution). The second deferral period will commence following the signing of an Option Agreement and will last for three months.

    Offers from public bodies for less than the recommended price through the private treaty sale arrangements, where appropriate, may also be considered by the Minister. Such purchases frequently offer substantial financial benefit to a public institution wishing to acquire the item.

    Notes to editors:

    1. Organisations or individuals interested in purchasing the brooch should contact the RCEWA on 02072680534 or rcewa@artscouncil.org.uk.
    2. Details of the brooch are as follows: A copper alloy harness brooch, also known as a horse brooch or pony brooch, dating from the Late Iron Age in southern Britain. Being an object from the later prehistoric period, the maker and precise date of manufacture are unknown but an approximate date range of c.50 BC to AD 100 is estimated from comparison to finds from known archaeological contexts. This object is in excellent condition. Length: 68.9mm; Height: 8.3mm; Width: 55.2mm; Weight 31.31g.
    3. Provenance: Found at Sutton Scotney, Hampshire. Recorded on Portable Antiquity Scheme no.SUR-738A17. Lot 568, Ancient Coins and Antiquities Auction, 5 December 2023. Noonans Auctions.
    4. The Reviewing Committee on the Export of Works of Art and Objects of Cultural Interest is an independent body, serviced by Arts Council England (ACE), which advises the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport on whether a cultural object, intended for export, is of national importance under specified criteria.
  • PRESS RELEASE : Statement Commemorating the 20th Anniversary of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement in South Sudan [January 2025]

    PRESS RELEASE : Statement Commemorating the 20th Anniversary of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement in South Sudan [January 2025]

    The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 10 January 2025.

    Joint statement from the Governments of Norway, the United Kingdom, Germany, Canada, the Netherlands, and the United States on a peace agreement in South Sudan.

    The 9th of January marked the 20th anniversary of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA).  Our governments welcomed this historic agreement, including its provision for a referendum in which the people of what is today South Sudan would determine their own future.  The CPA was signed amidst great hope that the South Sudanese people would be able to enjoy peace, human rights, and a government responsive to their needs.

    Sadly, this hope has gone unfulfilled.  Despite South Sudan’s tremendous natural resources, the country’s wealth continues to benefit only a small elite.  For years, the transitional government has failed to use public revenue transparently to pay public sector salaries, ensure access to basic health and education services, or create an enabling environment for sustainable development.  Corruption and mismanagement of natural resources are rampant.

    The transitional government has not taken the steps necessary to create the conditions for peaceful and credible elections, including fostering the civic and political space needed to give the people of South Sudan a voice in their country’s future.  We renew our call on the transitional government to act with urgency to meet its long overdue commitments so that South Sudan can finally realise the CPA’s promise of peace and prosperity for all its citizens.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Keir Starmer call with President Stubb of Finland [January 2025]

    PRESS RELEASE : Keir Starmer call with President Stubb of Finland [January 2025]

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

    The Prime Minister spoke to Finnish President Alexander Stubb this morning.

    The leaders discussed the subsea cable damage that took place on Christmas Day and the Prime Minister welcomed Finland’s response and praised the success of the operation. The two agreed to share findings on the source and intent of this incident and to work together with NATO Allies to prevent sabotage activity against undersea cables in future.

    They agreed that collaboration between allies in the region would continue to be vital, including through the work of the Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF), and underscored the importance of respecting international law.

    The two discussed their ironclad support for Ukraine and their hopes for a path towards peace on Ukraine’s terms.

    Finally, the leaders discussed the UK’s EU reset, and talked about ambitions for closer economic and security ties between the UK and the EU.

    They looked forward to speaking again soon.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Keir Starmer call with Prime Minister Michal of Estonia [January 2025]

    PRESS RELEASE : Keir Starmer call with Prime Minister Michal of Estonia [January 2025]

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

    The Prime Minister spoke to Prime Minister of Estonia Kristen Michal this morning.

    They discussed recent damage to subsea cables and Estonia’s response, and the Prime Minister underscored the UK’s commitment to security in the Baltic Sea region. On a related point, they raised concerns about the potential environmental impact of the Russian Shadow Fleet and the risk of oil spills. They agreed upon the importance of continued collaboration.

    The Prime Minister thanked Prime Minister Michal for hosting the Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) Summit in December. The two reflected on how they welcomed their visit with UK troops in the region together during the Prime Minister’s visit to Estonia.

    The leaders went on to discuss their commitment to ensuring Ukraine is in the strongest possible position and reaffirmed their commitment to the country’s future membership of NATO.

    They also reflected on ambitions for an even stronger relationship through the UK’s reset with the EU.

    The two looked forward to seeing each other again soon.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Environment Agency continues to urge caution following recent flooding [January 2025]

    PRESS RELEASE : Environment Agency continues to urge caution following recent flooding [January 2025]

    The press release issued by the Environment Agency on 10 January 2025.

    The Environment Agency is continuing to urge people to remain vigilant following the recent flooding, as, while there is an improving picture, combined rainfall and snowmelt could see river flooding continue in some parts of the country.

    Minor flooding along the River Trent is expected to continue on Friday, while new impacts are possible but not expected along rivers in parts of the Yorkshire and the Humber regions on Monday and Tuesday.

    People in affected areas should follow advice from emergency services and take caution, particularly while travelling.

    Environment Agency teams remain on the ground supporting the public and are still operating flood defences and basins to manage possible impacts.

    As of 10:15 on Friday 10 January, there are 24 flood warnings, meaning flooding is expected, and 72 flood alerts, meaning flooding is possible, live across the country.

    Heavy rainfall over the New Year also saw significant river flooding across Greater Manchester, Cheshire, Merseyside, Lancashire and Yorkshire, with the highest river levels on record being reached on the Mersey in Stockport and South Manchester. In total, more than 77,000 properties have been protected from flooding and approximately 1,400 properties have flooded across England since New Year’s Eve.

    Environment Secretary Steve Reed visited Quorn in Leicestershire on Thursday afternoon to see first-hand the impact of recent flooding and meet with Environment Agency teams who are leading on the response.

    Alongside Environment Agency Chief Executive Philip Duffy, he spoke with responders who have been out on the ground, operating flood defences, issuing flood warnings and supporting the community.

    The Environment Agency continues to monitor the forecast and impacts on river levels. Its message to the public remains to check their flood risk, sign up for free flood warnings and keep up to date with the latest situation.

    Environment Secretary Steve Reed said:

    My thoughts go out to all those homes, businesses and farms that have been flooded in recent days, including those in Leicestershire.

    I pay tribute to the emergency services and first responders across the region for their tireless work around the clock to keep communities safe.

    There is much more work needed to be done to protect homes, including those in Quorn. That is why we are investing £2.4 billion over the next two years to build and maintain flood defences, protecting homes and businesses across the country.

    Daniel Bond, Flood Duty Manager at the Environment Agency, said:

    Minor river flooding is expected to continue along the River Trent today, while combined rainfall and snowmelt means there is a very low likelihood of minor river flooding across parts of the Yorkshire and Humber region on Monday and into Tuesday.

    Environment Agency teams continue to be out on the ground, operating flood defences, taking action to reduce the impact of flooding, issuing flood warnings and supporting those communities affected.

    We urge people to remain vigilant over the next few days, advise anyone travelling to be careful and urge people to stay away from swollen rivers and not to drive through flood water as just 30cm of flowing water is enough to move your car.

    People should search check my flood risk, sign up for free flood warnings, and keep up to date with the latest situation at @EnvAgency on X.

    Floods Minister Emma Hardy has met with Environment Agency Chief Executive Philip Duffy to discuss the nation’s response to the recent flooding events. During the meeting, the Floods Minister was briefed on the current situation on the ground, and the response being led by the Environment Agency and the emergency services. Together, they discussed how to continue to support the collective efforts of the Environment Agency, emergency services, and local authorities in responding to flooding.

    Floods Minister Emma Hardy said:

    I have met with the Environment Agency about the ongoing flooding and my sympathies go out to the people, businesses and communities impacted by the recent flooding across the country.

    I want to express my heartfelt thanks for the vital work that the Environment Agency and emergency services are doing to keep people safe. People must continue to follow their advice and sign up for flood warnings.

    This Government is working at pace to accelerate the building of flood defences through our new Floods Resilience Taskforce and investing £2.4 billion, so we can continue to protect people and their homes.

    Lessons learned from these floods will be fed directly into the new Floods Resilience Taskforce to speed up the development of flood defences and bolster the nation’s resilience to extreme weather.

    The Taskforce brings together the Secretary of State and Minister Hardy with representatives from Defra, MHCLG, Home Office, Cabinet Office, the Environment Agency, the Met Office, Local Resilience Forums, Mayoral Offices, emergency responders and the National Farmers Union, among others.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Families to receive £126 million in early years support [January 2025]

    PRESS RELEASE : Families to receive £126 million in early years support [January 2025]

    The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 10 January 2025.

    Thousands of parents and children across England will be able to give their child the best start in life thanks to a £126 million government funding boost.

    • £126 million boost for families to give every child the best start of life and deliver on Plan for Change.
    • Funding will go to areas with high levels of deprivation to provide a range of support to parents, including on mental health and infant feeding.

    Thousands of families and children across England will be able to access pregnancy support, infant feeding advice, parenting classes and other support to give their child the best start in life, following a £126 million government funding boost – delivering on the government’s Plan for Change.

    Around £57 million will be made available to 75 local authorities with high levels of deprivation in 2025-26. This will provide a raft of support through Start for Life services to families with babies, from pregnancy up to the age of two. The £57 million for Start for Life services will be given to local authorities and consists of:

    • £36.5 million to improve mental health support for families and promote positive early relationships between babies and caregivers;
    • £18.5 million to improve infant feeding services and provide support with breastfeeding;
    • £2 million to ensure families can access and understand their local Start for Life services and support parents and carers to bring their valuable insight into service design.

    It comes on top of the £69 million announced in the Budget for a network of family hubs, which act as a one-stop-shop for families to get help with infant feeding advice, parenting classes and perinatal mental health support, among other areas.

    Children’s early years are crucial to their development, health and life chances. Antenatal classes, health visitors, parenting support, baby and toddler groups and access to affordable, high-quality early education and childcare – all are vital to guiding parents and supporting child development. Yet over 80% of parents have said they struggled to access services.

    This lack of support in early years can act as a barrier to development and contributes to too many children not being ready to start school, with over a third of children unable to dress independently and 90% of reception teachers saying they have at least one child in the class not toilet trained.

    That’s why, as part of our Plan for Change, we’re committed to strengthening and joining up family services to improve support through pregnancy and early childhood and improve long term outcomes for children – including through today’s investment in family hubs and the Start for Life programme.

    By delivering accessible, integrated maternity, baby and family support services, and high-quality early education and childcare, today’s announcement delivers on the government’s mission to break down barriers to opportunity and set every child up for the best start in life.

    To achieve the government’s overall mission objective of closing the opportunity gap, the government has set a milestone as part of the Plan for Change of a record proportion of children starting school ready to learn. Progress will be measured through 75% of five-year-olds reaching a good level of development in the early years foundation stage assessment by 2028 – and today’s announcement marks a first step to delivering this milestone.

    It also delivers on our mission to build an NHS fit for the future by shifting from hospital to community and bringing care closer to where people live. By offering parents extra support, including access to midwifery and health visitor services closer to their home, it will help tackle wider social causes of ill-health, address inequalities and ultimately help ease pressure on hospitals and waiting lists.

    Andrew Gwynne, Minister for Public Health and Prevention, said:

    This crucial investment provides a strong foundation to deliver our commitment to raise the healthiest generation of children ever, by giving parents the support they need to ensure their baby has the best start in life.

    The first two years of a child’s life lay the building blocks for their physical and emotional wellbeing into adulthood. That’s why we are investing in early years, as part of our Plan for Change, to improve access to services in deprived areas to ensure no-one is left behind.

    Minister for Children and Families, Janet Daby said:

    Investment in these crucial services will break down barriers to opportunity, support families and get a record proportion of children ready for school.

    Through our Plan for Change, we’ll ensure tens of thousands more children are hitting key early learning goals on personal, social and physical development as well as communication, literacy and maths. That’s because children growing up in our country deserve the best start in life – nothing less.

    The Family Hubs and Start for Life programme is jointly run by the Department of Health and Social Care and the Department for Education. There are over 400 family hubs in England, covering half of all upper-tier councils. The hubs offer a range of services tailored to the local community, including midwifery and health visiting.

    The Department for Education also funds parenting and Home Learning Environment programmes. These services support parents to form strong bonds with their babies and develop better home environments which boost children’s social, emotional and cognitive development.

    Staff at family hubs can connect families to a range of health and education services. This includes helping families access information and advice around debt and welfare, housing, domestic abuse, nutrition, and oral health. They have a universal offer while targeting disadvantaged families or those who would benefit most.

    People can get support from a family hub if they are an expectant parent or carer, a parent or carer of a child aged 0 to 19 – or 25 with special educational needs or a disability – or a young person up to the age of 19, or up to 25 with special educational needs or a disability.

    Cllr David Fothergill, Chairman of the Local Government Association’s Community Wellbeing Board, said:

    We are pleased government has continued investment in Family Hubs and Start for Life services, which play a crucial role in supporting families and giving children the best start in life.

    Long-term, sustainable funding is essential to ensuring all councils can meet local needs effectively and invest in vital staff such as health visitors.

    We look forward to continuing to work with the Government to deliver on its ambition to create the healthiest generation of children.

    Anna Feuchtwang, Chief Executive of the National Children’s Bureau, said:

    The National Children’s Bureau supports the government’s ambition to raise the healthiest generation of children ever, and its mission to increase the number of 5-year-olds reaching a good level of development by the end of the Early Years Foundation Stage, before the next General Election.

    That is why we warmly welcome today’s announcement that funding for the Start for Life programme will be extended until March 2026. This compliments commitments in October’s Budget to fund Family Hubs, improve the quality of early education and childcare, and provide £250 million for local authorities to develop a new Family Help offer for those struggling with the greatest adversity.

    The funding announced today is a much needed down-payment that must pave the way for greater investment in the multi-year Spending Review, so that Start for Life can reach all parts of the country.

    Estimates indicate £45.5 billion could be generated for the national economy by investing in early childhood. Creating the healthiest generation of children ever will increase the number of years individuals spend in good health as adults, generating significant improvements to population health.

    NOTES TO EDITORS

    The 75 local authorities receiving family hubs and Start for Life programme funding are as follows, categorised by region:

    • East of England: Bedford; Luton; Norfolk; Peterborough; Thurrock
    • London: Barking and Dagenham; Brent; Camden; Croydon; Enfield; Greenwich; Hackney; Haringey; Hounsow; Islington; Lambeth; Lewisham; Newham; Southwark; Tower Hamlets; Waltham Forest
    • South East: East Sussex; Isle of Wight; Kent; Medway; Portsmouth; Southampton
    • North East: County Duram; Gateshead; Hartlepool; Middlesborough; Newcastle upon Tyne; Northumberland; Redcar and Cleveland; South Tyneside; Sunderland
    • North West: Blackburn with Darwen; Blackpool; Bolton; Halton; Knowsley; Liverpool; Manchester; Oldham; Rochdale; Salford; St. Helens; Tameside
    • Yorkshire and The Humber: Barnsley; Bradford; Calderdale; Doncaster; Kingston upon Hull, City of; North East Lincolnshire; North Lincolnshire; Rotherham; Sheffield; Wakefield
    • East Midlands: Derby; Leicester; Lincolnshire; North Northamptonshire; Nottingham
    • West Midlands: Birmingham; Coventry; Dudley; Sandwell; Stoke-on-Trent; Telford and Wrekin; Walsall; Wolverhampton
    • South West: Bristol, City of; Cornwall; Plymouth; Torbay

    The Autumn Budget announced £69 million from the Department for Education for a network of family hubs. Of this, the department will provide approximately £53 million in grant payments to the 75 local authorities on the family hubs and Start for Life programme, consisting of:

    • £22.4m for Family Hubs programme and capital funding to consolidate and enhance family hubs and services;
    • £20m for parenting support services to enhance support for expectant parents and those with babies aged 0-2, focusing on promoting bonding and attachment;
    • £10.7m for Home Learning Environment (HLE) services to train practitioners in evidence-based interventions, helping parents create rich home learning environments to support early child development;
    • The remaining approximately £16 million will be used to support the delivery of a network of family hubs.
    • The Start for Life programme has embedded this multicomponent approach to improve infant feeding services. Local authorities are using programme investment to strengthen existing support and introduce new offers to help parents access face-to-face and virtual infant feeding support whenever they need it and in a location that suits them.
    • This includes one-to-one support in hospital wards; proactive offer of support in the immediate post-natal period; peer support in the community and virtually; and training staff to identify complex issues like tongue-tie early.

    The figures below are provisional funding allocations that the 75 programme local authorities will be eligible to receive for the financial year 2025-26. Final figures will be confirmed in due course.

    Local Authority Total
    Hartlepool £939,800
    Middlesbrough £1,102,500
    Redcar and Cleveland £1,010,100
    Halton £1,007,900
    Blackburn with Darwen £1,131,800
    Blackpool £1,038,900
    Kingston upon Hull, City of £1,375,500
    North East Lincolnshire £1,056,700
    North Lincolnshire £1,071,500
    Derby £1,338,300
    Leicester £1,637,100
    Nottingham £1,460,300
    Telford and Wrekin £1,159,300
    Stoke-on-Trent £1,357,600
    Bristol, City of £1,718,900
    Plymouth £1,251,600
    Torbay £965,700
    Peterborough £1,290,600
    Luton £1,402,900
    Thurrock £1,209,000
    Medway £1,415,000
    Portsmouth £1,177,300
    Southampton £1,280,800
    Isle of Wight £956,600
    County Durham £1,684,300
    Cornwall £1,716,500
    Bedford £1,168,000
    Northumberland £1,281,300
    North Northamptonshire £1,519,400
    Bolton £1,474,000
    Manchester £2,115,300
    Oldham £1,381,400
    Rochdale £1,311,300
    Salford £1,423,900
    Tameside £1,251,800
    Knowsley £1,130,600
    Liverpool £1,769,900
    St. Helens £1,115,800
    Barnsley £1,257,000
    Doncaster £1,419,300
    Rotherham £1,322,100
    Sheffield £1,911,100
    Newcastle upon Tyne £1,376,200
    South Tyneside £1,034,200
    Sunderland £1,294,000
    Birmingham £3,664,300
    Coventry £1,583,700
    Dudley £1,441,000
    Sandwell £1,619,700
    Walsall £1,449,400
    Wolverhampton £1,422,800
    Bradford £2,134,200
    Calderdale £1,166,600
    Wakefield £1,505,200
    Gateshead £1,129,100
    Barking and Dagenham £1,417,600
    Brent £1,576,400
    Camden £1,143,000
    Croydon £1,709,000
    Enfield £1,535,700
    Greenwich £1,472,500
    Hackney £1,385,700
    Haringey £1,330,600
    Hounslow £1,443,400
    Islington £1,177,200
    Lambeth £1,342,400
    Lewisham £1,440,400
    Newham £1,744,100
    Southwark £1,379,100
    Tower Hamlets £1,486,800
    Waltham Forest £1,476,800
    East Sussex £1,686,800
    Kent £4,099,400
    Lincolnshire £2,103,000
    Norfolk £2,343,500
  • PRESS RELEASE : Compensation – New Orleans terror attack [January 2025]

    PRESS RELEASE : Compensation – New Orleans terror attack [January 2025]

    The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 10 January 2025.

    How to apply for compensation if you were a victim of the terrorist attack in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA, on 1 January 2025.

    The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office has designated the attack in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA, on 1 January 2025 as an act of terrorism for the purpose of the Victims of Overseas Terrorism Compensation Scheme 2012.

    People injured and the families of those killed in the attack can apply to the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA) for compensation.

    You may be eligible to claim if you have been directly injured or bereaved by the incident and you are a British, EU, EEA or Swiss citizen who was ordinarily resident in the UK, member of the UK armed forces (or a close relative or family member).

    Other criteria also apply. Our guide to the Scheme has more information on eligibility.

    You can apply using our online form.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Reappointment of Commissioners to the Criminal Cases Review Commission [January 2025]

    PRESS RELEASE : Reappointment of Commissioners to the Criminal Cases Review Commission [January 2025]

    The press release issued by the Ministry of Justice on 10 January 2025.

    His Majesty the King, on the recommendation of the Prime Minister, has approved the reappointments of Zahra Ahmed, Joanne Fazakerley and Nicola Cockburn as Commissioners of the Criminal Cases Review Commission.

    The reappointments are for 5 years from 1 June 2024 to 31 May 2029.

    The Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC) was established by the Criminal Appeal Act 1995 and commenced operation in 1997. The CCRC considers – on application – cases in England, Wales and Northern Ireland where a miscarriage of justice is alleged or suspected. The CCRC decides if there is any new evidence or new argument which raises a real possibility that an appeal court would quash a conviction or reduce a sentence.

    The appointment of CCRC Commissioners is regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments and recruitment and reappointment processes comply with the Cabinet Office Governance Code on Public Appointments.

    Appointments of CCRC Commissioners are made by His Majesty the King on the recommendation of the Prime Minister, who receives advice from the Lord Chancellor.

    Biographies

    Zahra Ahmed is a practising barrister with specialist experience in regulatory, public law, immigration and criminal law, and the court of protection. She has been ranked in the Legal 500 (2024) (category: professional discipline).

    Joanne Fazakerley is a consultant solicitor practising in family and childcare law. She is a member of the Law Society’s Children Panel and represents both parents and children in public and private law matters. She has been involved in cases heard in the High Court and regularly appears as an advocate within the Family Court. She has recently been appointed a Deputy District Judge in Family and Civil.

    Nicola Cockburn currently sits as a Judge of the First-tier Tribunal, Immigration and Asylum Chamber, and as a Deputy District Judge (Civil). She qualified as a Solicitor, in 2005, and practised primarily in the not-for-profit sector, specialising in immigration and asylum law.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Top bosses join forces to get thousands of offenders into work [January 2025]

    PRESS RELEASE : Top bosses join forces to get thousands of offenders into work [January 2025]

    The press release issued by the Ministry of Justice on 10 January 2025.

    Top UK business leaders will spearhead a major new drive to get thousands of offenders into stable jobs and away from a life of crime.

    • New Employment Councils to bring probation, prisons and local businesses together
    • Household UK names including the Co-op and Oliver Bonas backing new initiative
    • Scheme aims to get more offenders into work to cut crime as part of Plan for Change

    Bosses from household names including Greggs, Iceland and COOK will be among those to sit on new Employment Councils supporting offenders serving their sentence in the community into work.

    They will build on the success of prison Employment Advisory Boards, which were created by Lord Timpson before he became a government minister. These have brought local business leaders into jails to improve education and prisoners’ ability to get work when released.

    The new regional Employment Councils will expand this model out to the Probation Service and the tens of thousands of offenders serving their sentences in the community.

    Each council will also have a representative from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to help improve links with local job centres.

    The initiative was a manifesto commitment and will play a crucial role in the Government’s mission to make streets safer by tackling reoffending under the Plan for Change.

    Around 80% of all crime is reoffending but latest data shows offenders employed six weeks after leaving prison had a reoffending rate around half of those out of work.

    Alongside breaking the cycle of crime, getting offenders into work helps employers fill vacancies, build their businesses, plug skill gaps and boost the UK economy.

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

    Getting former offenders into stable work is a sure way of cutting crime and making our streets safer. That’s why partnering with businesses to get more former offenders into work is a win-win.

    The Employment Advisory Boards I spear-headed have made huge progress and now these Employment Councils will expand that success to steer even more offenders away from crime as part of our Plan for Change.

    Employment Councils will provide support to frontline probation staff already involved in getting offenders into work. They will provide them with a greater understanding of the local labour market and help build better relationships with suitable employers.

    Further support from the DWP will help link offenders with work coaches placed at job centres throughout the country.

    These coaches will be on hand to get offenders job-ready through mock interviews, CV advice and by sharing tips on how to secure further training opportunities in the community.

    DWP Lords Minister, Baroness Maeve Sherlock, said:

    As well as making our streets safer, helping offenders into work will enable employers to fill vacancies and plug our skills gaps.

    This work is vital in our Plan for Change as we begin our task of fixing the fundamentals of the social security system and progress with wider work to reduce poverty, put more money in people’s pockets and keep our streets safe.

    That’s why I am pleased that DWP staff will also be a part of the new regional Employment Councils to directly connect them with the frontline support delivered every day by Jobcentre staff across the country – offering work experience and access to our employment programmes.

    Research from the Ministry of Justice shows that 90% of businesses that employ ex-offenders agreed that they are good attenders, motivated and trustworthy

    Rosie Brown, co-CEO of COOK, said:

    A job provides a key way to help people restore their lives and relationships following a stretch in prison.

    In return, we get committed, loyal team members to help us build our business.  Re-offending is reduced, and families, communities, and society as a whole wins.

    Employment Councils will serve as the successor to regional Employment Advisory Boards and will officially bring together probation, prisons, local employers and DWP under one umbrella for the first time, with a renewed focus on broadening support to offenders in the community.

    The Boards will continue at 93 individual prisons but the addition of regional Employment Councils will help prison leavers look for work across an entire region, not just the immediate vicinity of the last prison they were in.

    Notes to editors

    • The latest data shows offenders unemployed six weeks after leaving prison had a reoffending rate more than double of those in work (35.3% vs 16.8%).
    • Over 90 percent of businesses that employ ex-offenders agreed they are motivated, reliable, good at their job and trustworthy, according to a survey by Kantar Public commissioned by the Ministry of Justice. Total sample size 114 businesses that employ ex-offenders. Fieldwork undertaken between 18-24 March 2022. Online self-completion survey.
    • Employment Councils will be set up in 11 different regions, encompassing all of England and Wales. The regional breakdown is as follows: Bedfordshire, Cambridge & Norfolk and Hertfordshire, Essex & Suffolk; Cumbria & Lancashire; Devon & North Dorset and Avon & South Dorset; East, North & West Midlands; Kent, Surrey & Sussex; Greater Manchester, Merseyside & Cheshire; London; the North East; South Central; Wales; Yorkshire.
  • PRESS RELEASE : Plan to tackle greedy ticket touts and give power back to fans [January 2025]

    PRESS RELEASE : Plan to tackle greedy ticket touts and give power back to fans [January 2025]

    The press release issued by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on 10 January 2025.

    A new cap on the price of resold tickets for concerts, live sport and other events are among measures that have been announced by the government today.

    • Consultation will look at new measures to prevent consumers being fleeced by ticket touts as part of government’s Plan for Change
    • Announcement puts music, theatre, comedy and sports fans back at the heart of live events and delivers plan for change to keep more money in the pockets of working people
    • Pricing practices in the live events sector – including so-called ’dynamic pricing’ – also under the spotlight to ensure ticketing works for fans

    A new cap on the price of resold tickets for concerts, live sport and other events are among measures that have been announced by the government today, as part of plans to clamp down on ticket touts fleecing the public.

    It comes amid a concerning increase in fans wanting to get tickets for popular tours and events coming up against professional touts hoarding tickets and reselling at heavily inflated prices, while others have been caught out by a lack of transparency over the system of dynamic pricing.

    According to analysis by the Competition and Market Authority (CMA), typical mark-ups on tickets sold on the secondary market are more than 50 per cent and investigations by Trading Standards have uncovered evidence of tickets being resold for up to six times their original cost. According to research by Virgin Media O2, ticket touts cost music fans an extra £145 million per year.

    The CMA has estimated the value of tickets sold in 2019 through secondary ticketing platforms to be about £350 million, with around 1.9 million tickets sold on these platforms. 1.9 million tickets accounted for around 5 to 6% of the number of primary tickets sold in 2019.

    That’s why the government has today launched a public consultation which sets out a range of measures in the ticket resale market that aim to better protect fans, improve access to live events and support the growth of the UK’s world leading live events sector.

    The consultation will explore a range of options to make ticket resales fairer and more transparent, which include:

    • Introducing a cap on the price of ticket resales – with the consultation seeking views on a range from the original price to up to a 30 per cent uplift, and limiting the number of tickets resellers can list to the maximum they are allowed to purchase on the primary market. These measures would prevent organised touts reselling a large number of tickets at vastly inflated prices and disincentivise industrial scale touting.
    • Increasing the accountability of ticket resale websites and apps – creating new legal obligations so that they are held responsible by Trading Standards and the Competition and Market Authority for the accuracy of information they provide to fans.
    • Strengthening consumer enforcement – review of existing legislation to bring it up to date, including stronger fines and a new licensing regime for re-sale platforms to increase enforcement of protections for consumers. Trading Standards can already issue fines of up to £5,000 for ticketing rule breaches. The consultation will look into whether this cap should be increased.

    These measures come as part of the Government’s Plan for Change, with these plans aimed at saving money for consumers and keeping more money in the pockets of hardworking people.

    Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds said:

    From sports tournaments to Taylor Swift – all too often big events have been dogged by consumers being taken advantage of by ticket touts.

    These unfair practices look to fleece people of their hard-earned income, which isn’t fair on fans, venues and artists.

    Fans enjoying themselves in the moment are what make concerts and live events the thrilling experiences that they are, which is why as part of our Plan for Change, we are putting them back in control.

    Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said:

    The chance to see your favourite musicians or sports team live is something all of us enjoy and everyone deserves a fair shot at getting tickets – but for too long fans have had to endure the misery of touts hoovering up tickets for resale at vastly inflated prices.

    As part of our Plan for Change, we are taking action to strengthen consumer protections, stop fans getting ripped off and ensure money spent on tickets goes back into our incredible live events sector, instead of into the pockets of greedy touts.

    Musician and DJ Fatboy Slim said:

    Great to see money being put back into fans pockets instead of resellers. Fully behind this effort to make sure more people can enjoy incredible arts and music events across the country without being ripped off. It is part of the change this government were elected to make.

    Rocio Concha, Which? Director of Policy and Advocacy, said:

    For far too long, fans have faced an uphill battle to find face value tickets to see their favourite artist perform or sports team play live so it’s absolutely right the government wants to make ticketing fairer for consumers.

    In recent years, touts have been allowed to charge fans hundreds of pounds extra for secondary tickets, it has been very difficult for resale platforms to be held to account for poor practices and consumers have had to watch out for scam tickets circulating online. The recent Oasis ticket sales also highlighted the flaws of so-called dynamic pricing in this market – with some customers queuing for hours for tickets only to find that prices had risen dramatically and were no longer affordable.

    The government must use this consultation to regulate the industry properly, ensure ticket resales don’t exploit fans and decide when the use of dynamic pricing is unfair and shouldn’t be allowed.

    Jon Collins, chief executive of LIVE, the live music trade body, said:

    LIVE welcomes this positive step to put fans back at the heart of live music by tackling ticket touting. We have been a long-term and vociferous advocate for regulation of the secondary market, supporting the great work of the FanFair Alliance, and are pleased to see government delivering on its manifesto commitment in this area.

    We are delighted that measures which permit responsible and fair fan-to-fan resale, while eliminating third-party profiteering, will be brought forward. This will reduce the incentive for touts to squeeze fans out of the primary sale and highlights the need to set the cap on resales at or near the original price.

    We look forward to continuing to work with government to ensure fans can enjoy our world-class live music sector.

    Alongside the consultation, ministers have launched a call for evidence into pricing practices in the live events sector, such as dynamic pricing. Dynamic pricing adjusts ticket prices based on demand, time, and availability, which can lead to increased costs for popular events or prices being brought down where there is increasing availability or reduced demand.

    Often this is done to sell unsold tickets and fill seats but, in some cases, a lack of transparency has meant customers being caught unawares by last minute price rises for high demand events.

    The call for evidence will seek views on how the ticketing system in the live events sector is working for fans and whether the current system provides sufficient protection from unfair practices. It will consider whether there is potential for new harms to consumers to arise from emerging business trends including the use of new technologies and dynamic pricing.

    The ticket resale market plays a valuable role for consumers and needs to work better for fans. It can provide a legitimate and safe way to transfer unwanted tickets to help more people to attend events. It can also ensure revenues flow back to the creative and live events sector, without fans facing inflated prices due to touts. These measures would apply to a range of events covering sport, music, theatre, comedy and beyond.

    Major events and tours are key cultural moments, which is why it is important that consumers experience openness and transparency when buying tickets, allowing a fair process for fans looking to see their favourite artists or sporting stars.

    The move delivers on a manifesto commitment to address the problem of consumers finding it difficult and expensive to attend live events because of ticket touting. The government pledged to put fans back at the heart of events by introducing new consumer protections on ticket resales.

    Naomi Pohl, General Secretary Musicians’ Union said:

    This consultation is very welcome and addresses key issues that affect fans, the artists they love and the wider music industry. Secondary ticketing diverts money away from artists and makes it harder for them to tour and ultimately to make new music. Unfair ticketing pricing and practices can also damage the relationship between artist and fan.

    We believe that the money fans pay for tickets should always go to fund their favourite artists’ careers and the wider music ecosystem; not into the pockets of touts.

    UK Music Chief Executive Tom Kiehl said:

    UK Music welcomes this move to support music fans and a music industry which generates £7.6 billion a year for the economy and supports 216,000 jobs.

    Music lovers have been exploited for too long by a secondary ticketing market which is driven by greedy touts and automated bots charging rip-off prices and sucking money out of our sector.

    This announcement should pave the way for greater transparency over ticketing for live events and ensure music fans can see their favourite acts at an affordable price.

    We want to see an end to speculative selling with a clear price cap that means tickets can only be resold under a fair and reasonable system of resale.

    There needs to be far tougher controls on the secondary market and the use of digital bots to protect genuine music fans and put them first to restore the integrity of ticket sales for live events.

    We look forward to continuing to work with the Government to ensure every part of the UK music industry’s eco-system benefits from these changes so we can ensure our sector continues to grow and thrive.