Tag: Cabinet Office

The press release issued by the Cabinet Office on 23 August 2023.

Minister for Veterans’ Affairs, Johnny Mercer visited Worcestershire Medal Services in Birmingham’s Jewellery Quarter this morning to see the first Nuclear Test Medals in production.

• First Nuclear Test medals start rolling off the production lines and will be ready for Remembrance Sunday Parades.
• Medal recognises the significant contribution of veterans and civilian staff in the development of the UK’s nuclear deterrent programme.
• Veterans Minister and nuclear test veteran visit medal production in Birmingham to see the first medals being made

The first Nuclear Test Medals have started rolling off the production lines, ahead of being issued to veterans before Remembrance Sunday.

Minister for Veterans’ Affairs, Johnny Mercer visited Worcestershire Medal Services in Birmingham’s Jewellery Quarter this morning to see the first medals in production.

In November 2022 the Prime Minister announced that military, civilian, and overseas staff and personnel who participated in Britain’s nuclear testing programme in the 1950s and 1960s would have their service recognised with the medal, 70 years after the first British test of a nuclear weapon.

The design for the medal was unveiled last month, and features an atom surrounded by olive branches and bears the words “Nuclear Test Medal”. The design was chosen to reflect the multitude of different roles that were carried out by the broad range of recipients.

The Minister for Veterans’ Affairs visited the medal factory to see the first batch of medals being printed, and stamped a medal and attached a ribbon, ready to be presented to nuclear test veterans in the Autumn.

Worcestershire Medal Services is a leading supplier of medals, honours and orders in the United Kingdom, supporting over 60 jobs in the Birmingham area since 2004. The company has a dedicated team producing many of the UKs most well known medals and honours including OBEs and the recent Coronation Medal.

Nuclear Test Veteran, John Robinson, visited the factory with the Minister to see the medals being produced, ahead of receiving his own later this year.

Many veterans of Britain’s nuclear tests will receive a new medal in time for Remembrance Sunday.

Defence Secretary, Rt Hon. Ben Wallace MP, said:

From the inception to the launch of this medal, Defence has been focused on ensuring that this important group of veterans and their crucial work is recognised.

I am delighted that this medal acknowledges their vital contribution to keeping our nation safe.

Minister for Veterans’ Affairs, Rt Hon. Johnny Mercer MP, said:

It is only right that we recognise the sacrifices of our Nuclear Test Veterans.

It was fantastic to see first-hand the progress made to ensure that as many veterans as possible can proudly wear their medal on Remembrance Sunday.

Squadron Leader John B Robinson, AFC*, RAF (Retd), a Nuclear Test Veteran, who flew Canberra sampling aircraft on Operations Mosaic, Buffalo, Grapple and Antler said:

The news that I will be presented with a medal for my role in the Nuclear Testing means a lot to me and I have been keenly anticipating the arrival since the Prime Minister’s announcement last year.

I will proudly accept this medal on behalf of my co-members of 76 Squadron RAF, aircrew and ground crew, who are sadly no longer with us to receive the acknowledgement themselves.

I am very much looking forward to receiving my medal later this year and enjoyed seeing the first medals in production alongside the Minister today.

Phil McDermott, Managing Director and CEO, Worcestershire Medal Service Ltd said:

The UK medal system is the envy of the world, hard earned which gives them great meaning to the individual recipients. We are immensely proud to be the sole manufacturers of decorations and medals to the UK MoD.

Medals are a vital part of recognition within the armed services. Our part in designing some of these awards and particularly the new portraits of His Majesty The King only build on the pride we all feel within the company.

As part of the government’s efforts to champion nuclear test veterans’ contributions, the Office for Veterans’ Affairs is also funding a £250,000 oral history project. Work by the University of South Wales and University of Liverpool is currently underway to identify and record the life stories of 40 nuclear veterans.

Education organisation Big Ideas, also a benefactor of the OVA’s £200,000 Nuclear Test Community Fund, is working this summer with four secondary schools. The students are meeting with veterans across the UK to produce learning resources centred around their stories.

The press release issued by the Cabinet Office on 18 August 2023.

Detail of the ‘Great Place to Work for Veterans’ initiative.

In 2018 the Government published the first ever Strategy for our Veterans and followed this up in 2020 with the Veterans Strategy Action Plan which set out the first steps the Government is taking to achieve its ambition of making the United Kingdom the best place to be a veteran anywhere in the world. Making the Civil Service a Great Place to Work for Veterans is just one part of achieving this ambition.

There are around 2.2 million Armed Forces Veterans in the United Kingdom and every year around 15,000 people leave the Armed Forces. Around 60% of them are under 35 with most seeking to take up a new career or job opportunities in civilian employment. As well as making the Civil Service the most inclusive employer in the UK the Government is committed to maximising the support and recognition for veterans in society. This includes those aspects and opportunities, such as employment in high quality jobs, which help them to flourish and successfully make the transition from life in the Armed Forces to civilian employment. Veterans also bring with them unique skills and experience and many of the values which the Civil Service also thrives on; a commitment to public service, team work, inclusion, creativity and drive.

A Great Place to Work

In February 2020, the Government announced the introduction of a new initiative to make the Civil Service ‘A Great Place to Work for Veterans’. Many veterans already work in the Civil Service and contribute a huge amount to the organisation, and this initiative aims to encourage more veterans to take this step. These new measures are focused on roles at all grades, functions and professions across the Civil Service.

We are now taking the first step in delivering this and meeting the Government’s 2019 manifesto commitment to make it easier for veterans to secure interviews for Civil Service roles.

As a result veterans who meet the minimum criteria for a role will progress to the next stage of selection. In most cases this will be an interview, but depending on the vacancy it may be another method of selection such as an online test or an assessment centre.

Early Adopter phase and wider roll out

The scheme completed an early adopter phase in five early adopter departments: the Cabinet Office, the Ministry of Defence, the Ministry of Justice, National Crime Agency and the Home Office (including Border Force). The Welsh Government also ran the scheme. This Early Adopter phase allowed the Civil Service to conduct user testing (including research) of recruitment solutions, ensured the experience for veterans, recruiters and managers was a positive one and helped evolve the scheme so that it can be successfully rolled out across the Civil Service.

From November, we began to roll out the initiative across the Civil Service. Please note that initially not all job vacancies in all Departments will be selected for the Great Place to Work for Veterans initiative. Roles available will be clearly marked.

If you are an applicant and are unsure, you should contact the vacancy manager or recruitment point of contact. We expect the majority of vacancies will be part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans initiative by 31 March 2022.

Roles selected for this initiative will be externally advertised, and can be either temporary or permanent, and at any grade.

Eligibility

To be eligible for this scheme in the Civil Service, you must:

• have served for at least one year in Her Majesty’s Armed Forces (as a Regular or Reserve); this includes time spent training
• be in transition from, or ceased to be a member of, HM Armed Forces
• not already be a civil servant, or be employed by a Civil Service Commission accredited public body

There is no maximum time limit from when you left HM Armed Forces to be eligible for this initiative.

Using the initiative

When you apply for a role through Civil Service Jobs, you will be prompted to enter whether you are eligible for the Great Place to Work Initiative and whether you would like to apply for the role through this route.

Please note that during pre-employment checks for a role in the Civil Service, your employment history will be checked. An attempt to use this initiative fraudulently may result in your application being terminated.

Recruitment in the Civil Service

The Civil Service recruits using the Success Profiles Framework. This allows us to assess candidates against a range of elements using a variety of selection methods. This gives us the best possible chance of finding the right person for the job. Not all elements are relevant to every role, so the Success Profile will be different for different types of job.

We have a range of tools and approaches that can be used to assess candidates to determine their suitability for the role and we may use more than one assessment method during the selection process. There may also be more than one stage of selection.

The assessment approach, along with the criteria required for the role, will be outlined in the job vacancy or candidate information pack.

You can find out more about careers in the civil service at Civil Service Careers and find vacancies at Civil Service Jobs.

Minimum standard

In order to use the Great Place to Work for Veterans initiative, you must also meet the minimum standard for the role you would like to apply for.

The minimum standard is the combination of experience, behaviours, strengths, abilities and technical/professional skills that a candidate will need to perform effectively in the role.

The minimum standard will be clearly set out in the job vacancy or the candidate information pack. If you are unsure what the minimum standard is, you should contact the recruitment manager for the role.

Multiple stage recruitment

For some jobs, candidates will go through multiple stages, such as online tests, paper sifts, assessment days and interviews.

If the application process for a role has multiple stages, the Great Place to Work for Veterans initiative can be applied at each stage, but it will only move the applicant along one stage, and only if they meet the minimum standard at each stage.

High-volume recruitment

It may not always be practicable or appropriate to interview all veterans who meet the minimum criteria for the job. For example, in high-volume recruitment, the employer may wish to limit the overall number of interviews by selecting the candidates who best meet the minimum criteria for the job rather than all of those that meet the minimum criteria.

In these circumstances, organisations can select the candidates who best meet the minimum criteria for the job rather than all of those that meet the minimum criteria.

Working in the Civil Service

Many veterans already work in the Civil Service and make a fantastic contribution to it. The Great Place to Work initiative will add to existing entry and experience routes for veterans to join the Civil Service operated by some Departments and the Going Forward Into Employment Scheme and HMRC’s RISE programmes.

The press release issued by the Cabinet Office on 15 August 2023.

New data released today reveals small businesses (SMEs) won a record-breaking amount of government work in 2021/22.

Small businesses won a record-breaking amount of government work, new figures released by the Cabinet Office reveal today (Tuesday 15 August).

The new figures, which underline the government’s commitment to helping SMEs benefit from government contracts show that UK small businesses received £21 billion worth of work in 2021/22. This equates to around £3.8k per British small business.

Government work won by small businesses range across all sectors, including public infrastructure – supporting building schools and hospitals, defence – developing high end technology to keep the country safe and healthcare – helping keep the country healthy through clinical, medical and digital health services, as well as many more.

The figure is an increase of £1.7bn on the previous year, and the highest since records began, representing the fifth consecutive year that government work won by small businesses has increased.

Minister for the Cabinet Office Jeremy Quin said:

Today’s record-breaking figures demonstrate our commitment to ensure more small businesses benefit from public sector spending, by reducing barriers to entry and encouraging a more diverse market.

One in three pounds of public money is spent on public procurement, which is why through the Procurement Bill we are improving the way it is regulated to save the taxpayer money and drive benefits across every region of the country.

The news comes as the Minister of the Cabinet Office meets with SME supplier Wagtail in Flintshire, Wales later today. The company provides detection dogs and related services for government departments and agencies including the UK Border Force, HM Revenue & Customs, Police, Trading Standards and Armed Forces.

As well as seeing the benefits of innovative procurement practices in action, the Minister will see how the Procurement Bill will make it easier for small businesses, such as Wagtail, to win government contracts.

Under new rules all departments and public bodies will be required to consider SMEs when designing their procurements, meaning that more SMEs will get to compete for and win government contracts through simpler and more flexible regulations.

The new rules also include:

• Greater visibility of upcoming work, giving SMEs more time to gear up for bidding
• A new central platform showing future work in each area. This means for example a new SME tech firm in Lancashire will be able to search for tech opportunities upcoming in their region
• Creating one single website to register on, rather than the multiple and time consuming systems SMEs currently have to register on before bidding for work
• Reducing unnecessary insurance costs before a supplier has even bid for a contract
• A new Competitive Flexible procedure, which will allow contracting authorities to design more innovation into the process.
• Strengthening prompt payment, so that businesses throughout the public sector supply chain receive payment within 30 days

At the visit, the Minister will meet with Adam Vizard from Wagtail’s senior leadership team to learn about the business and its experience tendering for public contracts. He will also meet with the company’s professional dog trainers and operational handlers, observing demonstrations with a fully trained detection dog.

The press release issued by the Cabinet Office on 7 August 2023.

Julie Harrison confirmed as the new Permanent Secretary to the Northern Ireland Office.

The Cabinet Secretary, with the approval of the Prime Minister, has announced the appointment of Julie Harrison as the new Permanent Secretary to the Northern Ireland Office (NIO). Julie Harrison replaces Madeleine Alessandri who left the post in July to become the new Chair of the Joint Intelligence Committee and Head of the Joint Intelligence Unit.

The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Rt Hon Chris Heaton-Harris MP, said:

I am delighted Julie has been appointed as the new Permanent Secretary to the Northern Ireland Office. She is an outstanding civil servant, has a passion for the place and will bring a wealth of experience and knowledge to the post.

The NIO has some of the most dedicated and hard working civil servants I know, all of whom are committed to making a positive difference and to delivering for all the people of Northern Ireland.

Julie will play a central role in supporting them and in guiding the department to realise its vision for Northern Ireland: to make it a better place to live, to work and to invest. I look forward to welcoming Julie to the NIO and to working together.

The Cabinet Secretary, Simon Case, said:

I would like to congratulate Julie on her appointment. Julie brings a wealth of experience from her time in the Northern Ireland Civil Service and I look forward to working with Julie in her new role as Permanent Secretary at the Northern Ireland Office.

I would also like to thank Madeleine Alessandri for her excellent leadership of the department over the last three years and Dominic Wilson for steering the department over recent weeks.

Commenting on her appointment, Julie Harrison said:

I am looking forward to working with the Secretary of State, the team in the NIO and a wide range of community, business and political voices to create solutions that enable Northern Ireland and the people who live here to prosper”.

Ms Harrison is expected to take up her new post in September.

 

The press release issued by the Cabinet Office on 3 August 2023.

Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden has unveiled the National Risk Register.

The press release issued by the Cabinet Office on 1 August 2023.

A new agreement for procuring food and drink has been announced by the Crown Commercial Service.

The press release issued by the Cabinet Office on 27 July 2023.

The design of the Nuclear Test Medal has been unveiled. The medal recognises military, civilian, and overseas staff and personnel who participated in Britain’s nuclear testing programme in the 1950s and 1960s.

• Design for the commemorative Nuclear Test Medal unveiled.
• Production will begin shortly so veterans can receive them before Remembrance Sunday.
• Medal recognises significant contribution of those who participated in the UK’s nuclear testing programme.

Many veterans of Britain’s nuclear tests will receive a new medal in time for Remembrance Sunday, the government has announced today.

It comes as the design for the Nuclear Test Medal is unveiled for the first time today.

The medal was announced by the Prime Minister in November 70 years after the first British test of a nuclear weapon, and recognises military, civilian, and overseas staff and personnel who participated in Britain’s nuclear testing programme in the 1950s and 1960s.

Since the announcement, the Government has worked hard to ensure that a fitting medal was designed, minted and issued to as many veterans as possible in time for this year’s Remembrance events.

The medal will now go into production by Worcestershire Medal Services, with the first veterans set to receive their medal ahead of Remembrance Sunday this year.

Defence Secretary, Rt Hon. Ben Wallace MP, said:

I am delighted that this commemorative medal is rightfully given to our Nuclear Test veterans, who have made an invaluable contribution to the safety and security of the UK, and who we recognise and value for their service to our nation.

Minister for Veterans’ Affairs, Rt Hon. Johnny Mercer MP, said:

As thousands flock to the cinemas to watch Oppenheimer, it’s important to remember the contributions of the veterans, scientists and staff who worked on Britain’s nuclear programme.

Our nuclear deterrent continues to underpin both our security and the security of our NATO allies and this new medal is a fitting tribute to all those who worked to develop this vital defence.

The medal will recognise the contribution made by veterans and civilian staff from across Australia, New Zealand, Fiji and Kiribati and includes scientists and local employees.

The design features an atom surrounded by olive branches and bears the words “Nuclear Test Medal”. The obverse will bear an effigy of His Majesty the King. The simplicity of the design was chosen to reflect the multitude of different roles that were carried out by the broad range of recipients.

The ribbon design includes white, yellow, black and red, with the lighter blue for the sky and ocean, representative of the Pacific.

The medal will also be awarded posthumously. Veterans, civilian staff and next of kin from across the UK and Commonwealth can apply for the commemorative medal through the MOD’s Medal Office, which will be free of charge.

The press release issued by the Cabinet Office on 26 July 2023.

Funding by the Crown Commercial Service has helped NHS procurement teams identify millions in potential savings.

The press release issued by the Cabinet Office on 23 July 2023.

A new medal recognising people who have responded during a major humanitarian crisis is being introduced.

• Deputy Prime Minister unveils a new medal for those who respond to humanitarian crises such as conflict and natural disasters.
• Medal one of the first new awards to be approved by His Majesty The King, on advice from the government.

A new medal to recognise people who have responded selflessly during or after a major humanitarian crisis has been announced by the government today.

The Humanitarian Medal will be awarded to staff in public service organisations and charities, who respond in support of human welfare or in the immediate aftermath of a crisis.

Recipients will be people who have responded to major humanitarian disasters, such as those who have provided disaster relief or helped those in need in conflict zones.

Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden said:

Britain has a long and proud tradition of being first in line to help those in need, wherever they may be in the world.

This new medal is a fitting tribute to our humanitarian heroes who put the needs of others before their own, often in the most challenging or dangerous environments.

The UK has consistently been a world leader in providing humanitarian assistance.

The Humanitarian Medal will be awarded to those who have responded to emergencies both abroad and in the UK, including:

• Natural disasters, such as earthquakes, tsunamis, hurricanes and floods
• Conflict related crises
• Biological emergencies, such as an epidemic
• Large industrial accidents

An example of the kind of service which the medal will recognise is the work by civilian and military organisations following the outbreak of Ebola across West Africa in 2015, which the UK marked with a bespoke Ebola Medal.

International Development Minister Andrew Mitchell said:

At a time when the world faces increasing crises, this new Humanitarian Medal recognises the unsung humanitarian heroes who go above and beyond to provide aid when disasters hit.

I applaud the efforts of those who show such courage and serve as inspiration in a range of desperate situations.

Our work around the world depends on these extraordinary people, and this award honours their outstanding contribution in responding to a major crisis.

The new medal will be similar to a military operational medal, in which it will seek to acknowledge service given in response to a specific event.

Civil servants, charity workers, as well as military personnel, the emergency services, such as the police and heath workers, working on behalf of the UK Government will be eligible.

The design, which has been approved by HM The King, features laurel wreaths symbolising victory in overcoming a crisis, interwoven with a banner proclaiming “For humanitarian service”. The obverse will bear an effigy of His Majesty The King.

The ribbon design reflects the different paths for humanitarian service and the variety of services involved in such responses. The ribbon has a central stripe of white to represent civilians and peace, with four narrow stripes on either side of red, light blue, dark blue and purple. Red represents humanitarian organisations. Dark blue and purple represent the other services.

Government departments will be responsible for developing recommendations for use of the medal to the Committee on the Grant of Honours, Decorations and Medals. Recommendations for medal awards will then be submitted to approval for His Majesty The King.

The government is committed to making sure honours represent the length and breadth of the country, celebrating the fantastic contribution of people from every corner of the UK.

The press release issued by the Cabinet Office on 19 July 2023.

Digital gurus from the private sector will be parachuted into government departments as part of radical plans to turbocharge the technological skills of civil servants, Cabinet Office Minister Jeremy Quin revealed today.