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Tag: 2025

  • PRESS RELEASE : Civil Service staff networks to only meet outside working hours and have all events signed off by senior managers [September 2025]

    PRESS RELEASE : Civil Service staff networks to only meet outside working hours and have all events signed off by senior managers [September 2025]

    The press release issued by the Cabinet Office on 23 September 2025.

    • New rules issued to all Civil Service staff networks to ensure they remain impartial and represent the Civil Service.
    • All events will need to be signed off by a senior civil servant and must take place outside of working hours
    • New guidance introduces strict controls to crackdown on recent examples of inappropriate events hosted by networks.

    New rules have been issued to all Civil Service staff networks to ensure their activities remain within the Civil Service Code. 

    Civil Service staff networks can support staff in a number of areas and support a productive working environment. 

    However, Ministers and Civil Service leaders have been concerned by recent reports of inappropriate events being conducted by some networks in the Civil Service. 

    The new guidance states that all events must now be signed off by a senior civil servant before preparations even begin. The changes also make clear that events should always take place outside working hours, unless they directly benefit the organisation, such as learning and development – in these instances sign off from an individual’s line manager is required to attend the event.

    The rules also re-confirm that all networks must remain impartial at all times and must not attempt to influence government policy in any way – as already set out in the Civil Service Code.

    Any employees who breach the Civil Service Code, including in relation to network activity, may be subject to disciplinary action. Under the guidance, network activity may be suspended or ceased if networks do not comply with the new rules

    Minister for the Cabinet Office, Nick Thomas-Symonds, said:

    We are taking action to prevent inappropriate uses of networks in the Civil Service.

    While the vast majority of networks and their events are run within the rules, this new guidance delivers clarity. It will ensure all network members and leaders are aware of the need to remain impartial at all times and fulfil the expected behaviours set out in the civil service code.

    Alongside new rules on events, the guidance provides further clarity to all networks to ensure any activities, communications or meetings comply with the Civil Service Code. The code sets out that all civil servants must act impartially and with integrity – putting the obligations of public service above any personal interests.

    The guidance also provides further clarity for Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) networks specifically. Including the need to promote all view points equally, and ensure their role – to promote equality and inclusion in the Civil Service for everyone – is not lost in pursuit of a particular issue.

    The new guidance ensures that all networks have a better understanding of their obligations under the Civil Service Code, ensuring they can continue to operate effectively, and fulfil their intended purpose.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Water saving plans to reduce bills and unblock new homes [September 2025]

    PRESS RELEASE : Water saving plans to reduce bills and unblock new homes [September 2025]

    The press release issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 23 September 2025.

    Strengthened Water Efficiency Standards will boost housebuilding and keep more money in families’ pockets.

    Simple water-saving measures could save families in new homes over £100 a year on bills, while supporting a wave of new housing across Britain – delivering on the Plan for Change.

    The government’s new efficiency rules will tackle water shortage bottlenecks and unblock stalled developments in areas of water scarcity helping to deliver the pledge of building 1.5million homes by 2030.

    A consultation launched today will propose small changes to Building Regulations that could see new homes fitted with water-saving features such as aerated taps and showerheads, and dual flush toilets.

    The change to the design standard will make new build housing more water efficient, equivalent to 20 litres per person per day. Analysis has shown this could save £111 a year on energy and water bills in new homes.

    The small measures will also help the environment by reducing the amount that needs to be taken from rivers, lakes, and delicate chalk streams for public supply.

    Environment Secretary, Emma Reynolds, said:

    We are getting Britain building faster, and a key element to growth is smarter water consumption.

    Removing the water shortage barriers that have stalled development for too long will mean unlocking thousands of new homes while saving families money.

    Not only will this make customer bills cheaper; it will protect the environment and unlock thousands of new homes as part of our Plan for Change.

    The 12-week consultation looks to amend the current Building Regulations 2010 Part G2, which are insufficient to meet the parallel challenges of housing delivery and water conservation.

    A reduction of 20 litres per person per day could see an additional 1,000 new homes unlocked for every 5,250 homes built. This is particularly helpful in areas like Cambridge and north Sussex where planning has previously been blocked because water demand outstripped supply.  

    The measures will support the government’s commitment to reduce water usage in England by 20% per person per day by 2038. It also puts us on track to use just 110 litres per head of the population by 2050.

    Future innovations, such as using harvested rainwater to flush home toilets, are also being considered in a call to evidence that is running alongside the consultation.

    England has seen seven consecutive months of below-average rainfall, with five areas in drought and more expected to follow soon despite the recent rain. Climate change and increased water demand means the nation needs to become more efficient with the water it has.  

    Defra has worked closely with the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) to develop the consultation and ensure it supports housebuilding goals.

    Dr. Tom Dollard, Chair, Good Homes Alliance welcomed the consultation saying: 

    Our membership is facing real challenges in delivering new homes due to a lack of water capacity in their areas.  

    If we are to meet the Government housing delivery targets and unlock economic growth then we must start building more ‘water smart’ homes and neighbourhoods.  

    We would like to see a refreshed Part G that is aligned to the water neutrality hierarchy, and a fittings-based approach combined with a water labelling scheme that would deliver water efficient homes at scale across the UK.  

    We encourage all stakeholders from across industry to respond to this important consultation.” 

    Ed Lockhart, CEO of Future Homes Hub:

    Water shortages are already constraining housing growth and the water supply shortfall at national and regional levels will widen without concerted action.

    To sustain delivery of new homes at the levels required for everyone to have a decent home, homes need to become progressively more water efficient, alongside largescale investment in water infrastructure and demand management in other sectors.

    That is why the Future Homes Hub proposed a water efficiency roadmap for the new homes sector in the 2024 Water Ready report. We therefore welcome the Government consulting on proposed efficiency measures and look forward to working with the Government to ensure water efficiency can be implemented affordably at scale whilst delivering on customer expectations.” 

  • PRESS RELEASE : After two years of bloodshed, I believe the world is united in wanting this awful war to end: UK Statement at the UN Security Council [September 2025]

    PRESS RELEASE : After two years of bloodshed, I believe the world is united in wanting this awful war to end: UK Statement at the UN Security Council [September 2025]

    The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 23 September 2025.

    Statement by The Rt Hon Yvette Cooper, Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, at the UN Security Council meeting on the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

    Yesterday, alongside other ministers here in New York this week, I hosted a session to hear from doctors who have recently returned from Gaza, and the stories they told will stay with me forever.

    One told of the screams of toddlers. And a scream of a toddler who she had operated on without full anaesthetics, and how she hoped and prayed that he would not feel pain.

    Another told of the seriously malnourished pregnant women, affecting their babies.

    And they talked about doctors and nurses whose family members were killed, but who still came back to work in hospitals in unimaginable conditions to help others.

    And they told of how the absolute basics of modern medicine, like antibiotics and anaesthetics, things that we around this Council table take for granted for ourselves and our loved ones, were unavailable. Blocked and denied.

    And we say the words “humanitarian crisis,” but this is what it means: the pain and the screams of a toddler who cannot get the basic health care that they need. 

    And only 18 out of 36 hospitals in Gaza now remain open – all of them struggling to operate amidst severe shortages of fuel, medicine, equipment, and staff.

    Over 1,700 healthcare workers have been killed in Gaza, more than 300 detained. This is what the catastrophic collapse of Gaza’s healthcare system looks like. 

    And as we are gathered here, Israeli forces are escalating the conflict in Gaza City, pounding more homes into rubble, sending frightened families scattering. 

    It is incomprehensible. It is inhumane. It is utterly unjustifiable. And it must end. 

    All that this action from the Israeli Government will do is make a catastrophic humanitarian situation worse.

    More healthcare in crisis.

    Harder than ever to get desperately needed aid to those who need it.

    More innocent children enduring a man-made famine.

    More civilians killed.

    But making it harder to get the remaining hostages out.

    Hostages who are still being held, who were seized by Hamas on the barbaric terrorist attack of October 7th  and are still being held in the most horrendous conditions, prolonging the anguish for their families, and I reiterate our condemnation of Hamas and that barbaric terrorism on October 7th. 

    I met with some of the UK-linked hostage families again last week. Their ask of all of us is to keep the hostages at the forefront of our minds, to do everything we can, to give their loved ones the chance of coming home, and to achieve a ceasefire that gives them the chance to do that.

    And that must be our task.

    We know what needs to be done. We need a ceasefire now. We need the release of all the hostages. We need the immediate restoration of aid and support for medical care. And we need a broader framework for the lasting peace. 

    And I welcome and support mediation efforts being made by the United States, Qatar and Egypt to seek an end to conflict and to seek peace. 

    We know too that Gaza cannot be seen in isolation from the West Bank. The Israeli government is tightening its stranglehold on the Palestinian economy and continuing to approve illegal settlement construction, including just recently in the E1 area of East Jerusalem, which is a further blow to the viability of the two-state solution, and we urge Israel to reverse these plans.

    After two years of bloodshed, I believe the world is united in wanting this awful war to end.

    United in wanting all the hostages released.

    United in rejection of any role for Hamas in the future of Gaza or the future of a Palestinian state.

    United in wanting Israel to unblock aid and end the humanitarian catastrophe.

    And united in wanting a better and more peaceful future for the region, with the reconstruction of Gaza, the dignity for its people, and a new era of relations to support their collective security.

    And that future must be based on a two-state solution.

    The UK’s historic recognition of the state of Palestine this week is part of our commitment to peace.

    Part of acting to protect the viability of the two-state solution as the only path to a just and lasting peace and to security for Palestinians and Israelis alike. 

    Part of rejecting extremist ideas on all sides, which involve too often fantasies of the destruction of the State of Israel or expulsion of the Palestinian population, we reject both of those.

    And part of our wider effort to work with partners on a long-term peace, not just to halt the immediate crisis but an advance a pragmatic plan for what comes next.

    None of this can happen without an immediate ceasefire, and that is where all of this has to start. 

    One of the doctors yesterday described the impact on children of growing up in trauma and devastation. And those will be the consequences on generations to come if we do not act now. 

    We owe it to all of those children growing up in Gaza, across Palestine, across Israel. 

    We owe it to all of them to build a better future.

    The time for peace is now.

  • PRESS RELEASE : UN Human Rights Council 60: Syria Core Group Statement for the Item 4 General Debate [September 2025]

    PRESS RELEASE : UN Human Rights Council 60: Syria Core Group Statement for the Item 4 General Debate [September 2025]

    The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 23 September 2025.

    Syria Core Group Statement for the Item 4 General Debate. Delivered by the UK’s Human Rights Ambassador, Eleanor Sanders.

    Mr President,

    This statement is made on behalf of six countries.

    In April, this Council renewed the mandate of the Commission of Inquiry on Syria by a landmark consensus. The Commission continues to fulfil an important role to document human rights violations and abuses across the country. We appreciate the Syrian government’s facilitation and welcome the Commission’s report on the violence in the coastal region.

    We welcome positive steps made by the government. Their investigation into the coastal violence, and the establishment of the Commissions on Transitional Justice and Missing Persons, are important steps towards justice and reconciliation.

    However, challenges remain. The violence in Suwayda in July was horrific; attacks that threaten the peace, stability and territorial integrity of Syria are unacceptable. We welcome the establishment of an investigatory committee and the efforts to develop a roadmap to address the crisis in Suwayda as agreed by Syria, Jordan and the United States. 

    Transparent and tangible action against all perpetrators is required. The justice system must serve all Syrians, regardless of their religious or ethnic background. We note the role that the OHCHR, the IIIM and IIMP can play, and encourage further cooperation to complement national efforts. 

    We reaffirm our strong commitment to the full respect of the sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity of Syria. Now is the time to take the steps for an inclusive political process, which brings accountability and justice to all.

    Thank you.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Border Force outsmarts criminal gangs to seize one tonne of cocaine [September 2025]

    PRESS RELEASE : Border Force outsmarts criminal gangs to seize one tonne of cocaine [September 2025]

    The press release issued by the Home Office on 23 September 2025.

    Border Force has seized £72 million worth of cocaine following a tense operation that risked a huge compensation bill had their search proved unsuccessful.

    Criminal gangs had hidden more than one tonne of deadly drugs from South America inside two industrial generators valued at £720,000.

    The seizure, which took place at London Gateway, shows how organised crime groups are using ever more sophisticated methods to evade detection.

    Smugglers would have known Border Force faced paying out hundreds of thousands of pounds had they damaged the combined 40 tonnes of equipment without detecting anything.

    Despite these increasingly common tactics, experienced officers acted on strong intelligence to strike a significant blow against the criminal networks.

    Home Office Minister Mike Tapp said:

    Vile drug smugglers thought the threat of a huge damages bill would scare Border Force off intercepting this deadly cocaine haul.

    Our first-class officers were one step ahead, using their experience and nous to cost criminal gangs £72 million.

    Under our Plan for Change, we continue to work with international partners to secure our borders and prevent dangerous drugs from inflicting misery on our streets.

    Following Border Force’s seizure earlier this year, the National Crime Agency investigated the case and a suspect has since been charged. 

    The prosecution comes as cocaine-related deaths in England and Wales rose by 31% between 2022 and 2023 and is just one recent example of criminals using fear of financial sanctions to deter law enforcement.

    On 29 August, a shipment of highly valuable solar water heaters weighing over a tonne arrived from Mexico. Upon inspection officers seized over 100kg of methamphetamine with a street value of £8 million. Drugs have also been found hidden in crane arms.

    Despite the smuggling gangs’ new tactics, Border Force is set for another record-breaking year for cocaine seizures – with officers using intelligence and technology more than ever.

    In June, officers seized 2.4 tonnes of cocaine worth £100 million from a vessel travelling from South America. This was the sixth largest detection on record.

  • PRESS RELEASE : £45 million saved for pension schemes thanks to Government reforms [September 2025]

    PRESS RELEASE : £45 million saved for pension schemes thanks to Government reforms [September 2025]

    The press release issued by the Department for Work and Pensions on 23 September 2025.

    The Pension Protection Fund has today (23rd September) confirmed that it will not charge a levy to pension providers, saving £45 million across 5,000 Defined Benefit (DB) pension schemes.

    • Pension Protection Fund (PPF) will not charge a levy this year unlocking £45 million of savings for 5000 pension schemes
    • The savings can be used to boost the economy through investments or top up pension pots
    • This was made possible by the Government’s Pension Schemes Bill which is removing barriers to growth as part of our Plan for Change

    Growth is at the heart of the Government’s Plan for Change and these significant savings could now be used for investments to boost the UK economy, or to strengthen the security of members benefits.

    This decision is a direct result of the reforms set out in the Government’s Pension Schemes Bill, demonstrating how our plans to modernise the pension system are already delivering for the public and the UK economy.

    Minister for Pensions, Torsten Bell said:

    Rigid rules currently leave pension schemes paying millions into the Pensions Protection Fund even when extra funding is not required.

    The Pension Schemes Bill will sweep away those constraints. This will support better funded pension schemes and greater investment by firms.

    The PPF levy is a charge on eligible pension schemes that pays into a central reserve – which currently sits at a £14 billion surplus – used to protect employees’ pensions if their employer collapses. Regulations currently operate a use it or lose it mechanism, limiting increases to 25% and preventing a zero levy from being invested if it were ever needed.

    The Pension Schemes Bill, which has received wide-ranging support, rewrites the rules around the levy making it easier for the PPF to adjust it year on year and without risking losing the power to charge if it drops to zero. This allows for greater flexibility freeing up money in times of high surpluses while ensuring that it can be altered if needed to protect the future of schemes and safeguard pensioners.

    Kate Jones, PPF Chair said:

    I’m pleased that we’re able to save DB schemes £45m this year. The legislative changes we’ve needed to further reduce the levy have made good progress, giving us the confidence to act decisively for this year’s levy.

    As we reach this significant milestone on our journey to financial self-sufficiency, we recognise the invaluable contribution levy payers have made over the past 20 years. We couldn’t have delivered the protection and peace of mind to members without them.

    This new approach to setting the levy to zero demonstrates the Government’s dedication to ensuring the sustainability of the pension system while reducing the financial burden on employers and pension schemes. The move comes as a result of the fund’s robust financial position allowing them to balance the interests of levy payers and its members.

    Alongside this, the Pension Schemes Bill will boost workers’ pension pots by £29,000 through hoovering up small pension pots worth £1,000 into one place, protecting savers from underperforming schemes and creating Defined Contribution megafunds so bigger and better pension schemes can drive down costs and invest in a wider range of assets.

    Furher information

    • The Board of Pension Protection Fund collects a levy from eligible defined benefit occupational pension schemes.
    • The Pension Protection Fund has a reserve of more than £14 bn. In view of its strong financial position, the Pension Protection Fund announced that they would more than halve the 2024/25 levy to £45m for the financial year 2025/26. They have now confirmed that the levy will be reduced to zero, without risking its ability to pay its members’ benefits.
    • Restrictions in the legislation prevent the levy from being significantly reduced even to zero and raised back up again within a reasonable timeframe. It was announced in the Pension Schemes Bill that the Government intends to remove this restriction and enable the Pension Protection Fund to reduce the levy to zero or a low amount.
  • PRESS RELEASE : Jessica Brady’s legacy inspires new life-saving GP safety rule [September 2025]

    PRESS RELEASE : Jessica Brady’s legacy inspires new life-saving GP safety rule [September 2025]

    The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 23 September 2025.

    Patients with a potentially deadly illness will be diagnosed sooner thanks to a new life-saving patient safety initiative called Jess’s Rule.

    • GPs across England to take ‘3 strikes and rethink approach’ after 3 appointments – as Jess’s Rule rolled out nationwide to prevent avoidable deaths
    • Move will save lives and help catch serious, deadly conditions earlier, particularly in young people
    • Named after Jessica Brady, who tragically died of cancer aged 27 after 20 appointments at her GP surgery failed to diagnose her condition

    Patients with a potentially deadly illness will be diagnosed sooner through a new life-saving patient safety initiative called Jess’s Rule that is being rolled out across the NHS in England today (23 September 2025).

    Jess’s Rule is named in memory of Jessica Brady, who died of cancer in December 2020 at the age of 27, and will help avoid tragic, preventable deaths as GPs are supported to catch potentially deadly illnesses sooner. 

    In the 5 months leading up to her death, Jessica had more than 20 appointments with her GP practice but eventually had to seek private healthcare. She was later diagnosed with stage 4 adenocarcinoma. With such an advanced disease there was no available treatment. She was admitted into hospital where she died 3 weeks later.

    The new initiative will ask GPs to think again if, after 3 appointments, they have been unable to offer a substantiated diagnosis, or the patient’s symptoms have escalated.

    While many GP practices already use similar approaches in complex cases, Jess’s Rule will make this standard practice across the country, aiming to reduce health inequalities and ensuring everyone – no matter their age or background – receives the same high standard of care.

    Designed in collaboration with the chair of Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) and NHS England, Jess’s Rule will help to catch serious conditions earlier and support GPs with guidelines that bolster their clinical judgement, while encouraging them to reflect, review and rethink if they are uncertain about a patient’s condition.

    Jess’s mum Andrea Brady said:

    Jess lived for just 3 short weeks following her terminal cancer diagnosis. Despite her shock and devastation, she showed unfailing courage, positivity, dignity and love. Jess was determined that people should understand how desperately she had tried to advocate for herself and seek a resolution for her declining health.

    In the bleak weeks following the loss of Jess, I realised it was my duty to continue what she had started. It has taken nearly 5 years to bring about Jess’s Rule. I would like to dedicate this initiative to all the young people who have been diagnosed too late.

    It has only been made possible because of the people who have listened – politicians, medics and the nearly half a million who supported the campaign.

    Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting said:

    Jessica Brady’s death was a preventable and unnecessary tragedy. I want to thank her courageous family, who have campaigned tirelessly through unimaginable grief to ensure Jessica’s legacy helps to save the lives of others.  

    Patient safety must be the bedrock of the NHS, and Jess’s Rule will make sure every patient receives the thorough, compassionate and safe care that they deserve, while supporting our hardworking GPs to catch potentially deadly illnesses.

    I don’t want any family to endure the pain Jessica’s family have been through. This government will learn from such tragedies and is taking decisive action to improve patient safety.

    Jess’s Rule could support GPs to ensure continuity of care for patients with persistent health concerns. This could involve arranging face-to-face consultations if previous appointments were remote, conducting thorough physical examinations, or ordering additional diagnostic tests.

    It also encourages GPs to review patient records comprehensively, seek second opinions from colleagues, and consider specialist referrals when appropriate.

    Research shows that younger patients and those from ethnic minority backgrounds often face delays in diagnosis of serious conditions, as their symptoms may not match typical presentation patterns seen in older or White patients.

    A report from the Nuffield Trust and the Health Foundation on cancer diagnosis in younger people and people of minority ethnicities found that half of 16 to 24 year olds required 3 or more interactions with a healthcare professional from a GP practice before being diagnosed with cancer, compared to 1 in 5 across the whole population. 

    Jess’s Rule emphasises the need to remain alert to symptoms that might suggest serious conditions, regardless of a patient’s age or ethnicity, thereby reducing health inequalities.

    Dr Claire Fuller, National Medical Director at NHS England, said:

    I am very humbled by the efforts of Andrea and Simon Brady, who have campaigned for this important initiative which will undoubtedly save lives by avoiding missed or delayed diagnoses and ensuring patients receive the right treatment at the right time.

    Many clinicians already apply a version of ‘3 strikes and rethink’ in their routine practice, but Jess’s Rule formalises this instinctive approach, providing a consistent structure to support reflection and timely action for patients.

    Professor Kamila Hawthorne, Chair of RCGP, said:

    No GP will ever want to miss signs of serious illness, such as cancer. Ensuring a timely diagnosis often means better outcomes for patients – but many conditions, including many cancers, are challenging to identify in primary care because the symptoms are often similar to other, less serious and more common conditions. Alternative diagnoses are often more likely, particularly when considering risk factors such as age.

    If a patient repeatedly presents with the same or similar symptoms, but the treatment plan does not seem to be making them better – or their condition is deteriorating – it is best practice to review the diagnosis and consider alternative approaches. We hope that by formalising this with Jess’s Rule, it will remind GPs to keep this at the forefront of their minds. The college has also worked with Jess Brady’s family and the Jessica Brady CEDAR Trust to develop an educational resource for GPs on the early diagnosis of cancer in young adults, based around the principles of Jess’s Rule.

    Jessica Brady’s legacy will ensure that patient voice is at the heart of healthcare – a key commitment in the government’s 10 Year Health Plan.

    This initiative, targeting primary care, builds on the recent rollout of Martha’s Rule to every acute hospital in England, which empowers patients, families and carers to request urgent clinical reviews if they are concerned about deteriorating conditions not being adequately addressed.

    Jess’s Rule is just one of the ways the government is supporting GPs to provide world class healthcare for patients as part of the Plan for Change.

    This includes recruiting over 2,000 extra GPs in a year, providing vital cash for over 1,000 GP surgeries to create additional space to see more patients, and securing a record funding boost for practices – over £1 billion in 2025 to 2026. Public satisfaction with GP services is finally on the rise, with 73.6% of patients describing their GP experience as “good” according to recent ONS statistics, up 6.2% since July 2024.

    By catching illnesses at earlier stages, Jess’s Rule will help reduce hospital backlogs, improve outcomes for patients and save lives.

    Jess’s Rule is an initiative overseen by NHS England, the Department of Health and Social Care and endorsed by RCGP. 

  • PRESS RELEASE : Allison Ogden-Newton and Dan Corry appointed to Defra Board [September 2025]

    PRESS RELEASE : Allison Ogden-Newton and Dan Corry appointed to Defra Board [September 2025]

    The press release issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 23 September 2025.

    With strong backgrounds in public policy and social entrepreneurship, the new appointees will provide strategic and corporate leadership for the department.

    Allison Ogden-Newton OBE and Dan Corry have been appointed as Non-Executive Directors to the board of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra).

    Dan and Allison bring a wealth of experience in public policy and social entrepreneurship. Allison has been the Chief Executive of environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy since 2015, while Dan is Chief Economist at the Future Governance Forum and recently completed a review of environmental regulation for Defra. Their appointments will last for one year. 

    Non-executive board members are senior figures from outside government, appointed to provide challenge to government departments.

    The Defra Board provides strategic, corporate leadership to the department and has particular responsibility for monitoring performance and delivery. 

    Biographies

    Allison Ogden-Newton

    Allison Ogden-Newton OBE is an experienced charity professional and social entrepreneur, having worked as Chief Executive at World Child Cancer and Social Enterprise London. She was founder of breakthrough social value think-tank The Transition Institute.

    Since becoming Chief Executive of environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy in 2015, Allison has led a transformation of the charity, including the introduction of the country’s biggest mass-action environmental campaign, the Great British Spring Clean, and raising its profile through regular media appearances and large-scale behaviour change campaigns.

    Allison has a master’s degree from Warwick Business School and is a graduate of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development. She has acted as an equal value advisor to the then Equal Opportunities Commission and served as a member of the government’s Department of Innovation and Skills, Women’s Enterprise Taskforce.

    She is a fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and a board member of the British Cleaning Council and Wildlife and Countryside Link.

    Allison was awarded an OBE in the New Year Honours 2019/20 for her services to the environment and social enterprise.

    Dan Corry

    Dan Corry is Chief Economist at the Future Governance Forum. He brings extensive experience in public policy and economics from roles across government, think tanks and the private sector.

    Dan recently completed 13 years as Chief Executive of New Philanthropy Capital, a think tank and consultancy that works to improve the impact of the social sector. From 2007 to 2010, he served as Head of the Number 10 Policy Unit and Senior Adviser to the Prime Minister on the Economy. He has also held roles as Chair of the Council of Economic Advisers in the Treasury and as a special adviser to Secretaries of State at the Department for Education, as well as the then Department for Trade and Industry, Department for Transport, Local Government and Regions, and Department for Communities and Local Government.

    Earlier in his career, Dan was Director in the Economics segment of FTI Consulting and ran the New Local Government Network think tank (now New Local) from 2002 to 2005. He worked as Senior Economist at the IPPR in the 1990s and began his career as a civil service economist in the Employment Department and the Treasury.

    Dan chairs the Carers Trust charity, which supports a network of 130 local charities helping unpaid carers. He is also a trustee of homelessness charity St Mungo’s. His previous roles include membership of the What Works Centre for Wellbeing, the Research Committee of the ESRC, the Greater Manchester Economic Advisory Panel and the Financial Advisory Committee of the Football Association.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Joint G7 Foreign Ministers’ Statement [September 2025]

    PRESS RELEASE : Joint G7 Foreign Ministers’ Statement [September 2025]

    The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 23 September 2025.

    The G7 Foreign Ministers met on the margins of High-Level Week at the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

    We, the G7 Foreign Ministers of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States of America and the High Representative of the European Union, met on the margins of High-Level Week at the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

    We expressed concerns around Russia’s most recent airspace violations in Estonia, Poland and Romania, which are unacceptable and risk undermining international security. We underscored our ongoing commitment to work together to achieve a durable peace and a strong, independent, sovereign and prosperous Ukraine, by continuing to coordinate with the United States to provide Ukraine with robust and credible security guarantees. We discussed imposing further economic costs on Russia, including taking action against third country enablers.  We welcome ongoing discussions between G7 Finance Ministers on further leveraging Russian Sovereign Assets to support Ukraine.

    We welcomed the U.S. and Panama proposal to establish a UN Support Office for Haiti and transition the Multinational Security Support Mission into a new force, with a mandate to dismantle gangs, secure critical infrastructure, and re-establish security in Haiti together with the Haitian authorities.

    We stressed the urgency of alleviating the immense suffering of civilians in Gaza through a flood of humanitarian aid and securing the release of all hostages, and we reiterated our call for a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.  We unequivocally condemned Hamas, including for its brutal and unjustified terror attacks on October 7, 2023. We reiterated that Hamas can have no role in Gaza’s future and must never again be a threat to Israel. We affirmed our readiness to engage with Arab partners on their proposals to chart a way forward on reconstruction in Gaza and build a lasting Israeli-Palestinian peace.

    We called on Iran to fully implement its obligations under the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, resume full cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), and engage in direct talks with the United States towards a robust, durable and comprehensive nuclear agreement that ensures Iran never obtains a nuclear weapon. We commended the E3’s decision to trigger the “snapback” mechanism.

    We reaffirmed the importance of a free and open Indo-Pacific based on the rule of law.  We reiterated our strong opposition to any unilateral attempts to change the status quo by force or coercion, including in the East China Sea, the South China Sea, and across the Taiwan Strait. We reaffirmed our commitment to the complete denuclearization of North Korea and the immediate resolution of the abductions issue.

    As the United Nations marks its 80th anniversary, we recognised the fundamental need for the reform of the United Nations and expressed willingness to participate in efforts to ensure that it is fit for purpose.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Record number of major infrastructure projects green-lit [September 2025]

    PRESS RELEASE : Record number of major infrastructure projects green-lit [September 2025]

    The press release issued by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government on 22 September 2025.

    Largest number of major infrastructure projects green-lit by the current government in the first year of a Parliament.

    • Largest number of major infrastructure projects green-lit in the first year of a Parliament in push to ‘build, baby, build’
    • Record 21 decisions made on major infrastructure projects in the first year of this Parliament – including new wind farms, roads and airport expansions – with government urgently working on a building acceleration package to get Britain building
    • With the help of reforms in the Planning and Infrastructure Bill that will speed up the consenting process for major economic infrastructure, the government is firmly on track to meet its Plan for Change 150 decisions target, helping to create thousands of jobs and put money back into people’s pockets

    Tens of thousands of people will benefit from cleaner energy, quicker commutes to work and more flights for holidays after the government fast tracked decisions on major infrastructure projects. 

    The government has green-lit the largest number of major infrastructure projects in the first year of a Parliament in history, with 21 major infrastructure planning decisions made in the government’s first year.

    Projects greenlighted include the Lower Thames Crossing, Mona Offshore Windfarm, Simister Island development in the Manchester area and the expansion to Gatwick airport.

    Each one of these decisions means easier commutes for people in the mornings, better protection from fossil fuel price spikes, opening the door for cheaper holidays with more flights.

    These decisions have secured a boom in thousands of good skilled clean energy jobs across the country in places such as Sussex, North Wales and Teesside.

    Earlier this year the Prime Minister set the government a target of 150 planning decisions on major infrastructure projects as part of the Plan for Change.

    Thanks to the pro-growth reforms in the Planning and Infrastructure Bill, including the removal of onerous statutory pre-application requirements and cutting back meritless legal challenges from three to one, the government remains on track to meet this target and make sure Britain is once again a destination for major investment and growth.

    The Housing Secretary Steve Reed will visit the Lower Thames Crossing area (23 September) to see for himself how the project will improve journeys for millions of people each year.

    Housing Secretary Steve Reed said:

    “We are backing our builders, brickies and businesses to get Britain building.

    “We’ve already said yes to major projects that will create more well-paid jobs providing clean power and new roads.

    “We will go further to streamline planning rules to speed up new homes, data centres and businesses that will put an affordable home and well-paid job within reach of people in every part of our country.”

    Further reforms are building on this, with an update expected on the next generation of new towns, the Planning and Infrastructure Bill remaining on track to become law and unveiling new plans to build up and build out on brownfield sites faster.  

    Today’s announcement follows the Housing Secretary’s commitment to ‘build, baby, build’ and remove every barrier to build 1.5 million homes this Parliament.  

    This new record of 21 decisions eclipses the previous Parliament’s first-year record of 15 and marks a significant milestone for this government’s ambition to make 150 decisions. The previous government saw a total of 57 decisions during its full term between December 2019 to May 2024.

    A further four decisions have been made by the government in its second year, bringing the current total to 25, with a further 10 projects currently on the table. This historic progress means Britain is building the roads, railways and energy connections needed to help towns and cities grow and local economies thrive.  

    Key decisions include:

    • The Lower Thames Crossing, approved under this government, will drive growth by tackling congestion that costs the UK millions every year and create a strategic new trade route between the ports of the south-east, midlands and north. Construction will support 22,000 jobs across the area and once completed it is projected to provide £200 million a year from better connections and less congestion.
    • The Mona Offshore Wind Farm located in the Irish Sea and the Rampion 2 Offshore Wind Farm located off the Sussex coast, which combined can produce enough clean electricity to power the equivalent of nearly 3 million homes. Together, these projects secure thousands of jobs and 2.7 GW of clean, secure, homegrown power for British families and businesses. This acceleration towards clean energy will create the jobs of the future across the UK.
    • The Viking CSS Pipeline in Lincolnshire which could support 20,000 jobs and boost the decarbonising industry in the Humber, creating opportunities for local people.
    • The M60/M62/M66 Simister Island development, three miles south of Bury, which will make commuting quicker for more than 90,000 people every day.
    • Gatwick Airport’s application to expand its operations through routine use of its existing northern runway after the Transport Secretary issued a letter (21 September) confirming her approval following careful consideration.

    Work is also ongoing at pace to make it easier to build digital infrastructure, such as laboratories and gigafactories by updating the National Planning Policy Framework and pressures facing local planning authorities will be eased through £46 million of investment to strengthen their capacity, alongside the recruitment and training of over 300 planners.

    This builds on the £150 billion of inward investment which the UK secured from US companies during the US President’s state visit, creating more than 7,600 high-quality jobs and accelerating growth in sectors of the future.

    Further information

    21 decisions were signed off in the first year of government; so far four decisions have been made in the second year, bringing the total to 25, with more projects expected to be decided before the end of the year.  

    List of approved major infrastructure projects so far include:

    • Gate Burton Energy Park
    • Mallard Pass Solar Project
    • Sunnica Energy Farm
    • Cottam Solar Project
    • Bramford to Twinstead
    • Immingham Eastern Ro-Ro Terminal
    • Rivenhall IVMF and Energy Centre
    • Heckington Fen Solar Park
    • West Burton Solar Project
    • Immingham Green Energy Terminal
    • North Lincolnshire Green Energy Park
    • Lower Thames Crossing
    • London Luton Airport Expansion
    • Rampion 2 Offshore Wind Farm
    • Cambridge Waste Water Treatment Plant
    • Viking CCS Pipeline
    • East Yorkshire Solar Farm
    • M5 Junction 10 Improvement Scheme
    • Oaklands Farm Solar Park
    • Mona Offshore Windfarm
    • Byers Gill Solar
    • Morgan Offshore Wind Project
    • M60/M62/M66 Simister Island
    • London Gatwick Airport Expansion

    The news is part of a year of activity to overhaul the planning system to speed up the delivery of much needed infrastructure and the homes we need, including:

    • Making it easier to build digital infrastructure, such as laboratories and gigafactories by updating the National Planning Policy Framework, alongside introducing targets to boost housebuilding in the areas most in need – the changes to the NPPF last December led the OBR to forecast the highest level of housebuilding in 40 years and an additional £6.8 billion of growth by 2029/30;
    • Changing the rules to prevent major infrastructure projects being held up in the courts and help get Britain building following independent recommendations – data shows that in recent years 58% of all decisions on major infrastructure projects were taken to court, compared to the long-term average of 10%; 
    • Removing statutory consultation requirements for major infrastructure – which could add £1 billion to the economy and speed up decisions by up to 12 months;
    • Delivering the biggest boost to affordable housing in a generation with £39 billion announced at the Spending Review; and    
    • Making £16 billion of new public investment to help build over 500,000 new homes through a National Housing Bank, unlocking over £53 billion of private investment.