Tag: Cabinet Office

The press release issued by the Cabinet Office on 17 April 2023.

Kemi Badenoch MP, Minister for Women and Equalities, has announced that 32 of the Inclusive Britain action plan measures have been completed one year after the strategy was published.

• Minister Kemi Badenoch sets out a year of action to deliver on mission to tackle unfair disparities
• Update report announces that 32 of 74 actions have been delivered
• New ethnicity pay gap guidance and advice for employers published today

The government has funded a national recruitment campaign to find more adoptive parents, including those from an ethnic minority background, to improve adoption rates for ethnic minority children. The latest data shows that the number of ethnic minority approved adopters has increased from 450 at March 2020 to 670 at March 2022.

Alongside this the government is backing the trial of an automatic ‘opt-in’ for young people to receive independent legal advice in police custody, and has published the ambitious schools’ white paper, which sets out how the government will raise standards and improve grades in reading, writing and maths, benefiting the ethnic minority groups who are overrepresented amongst pupils not meeting expected literacy and numeracy standards in schools.

Last spring the government set out the ground-breaking, measurable and deliverable Inclusive Britain action plan, in response to the report by the Commission on Race and Ethnic Disparities.

It set out 74 ambitious, cross-government steps to tackle unjust disparities, promote fairness, build trust, and level up communities.

Minister for Women and Equalities, Kemi Badenoch, said:

The concrete actions we have delivered over the last year are improving people’s day-to-day lives, but I know that we need to do more to tackle disparities and build people’s trust in our great institutions.

The groundbreaking Inclusive Britain Action Plan was an excellent first step, and we will continue to deliver on its promises, tackling the complex causes behind racial disparities with data-driven action.

We must all work together to ensure no-one is held back by their race, social or ethnic background.

Other measures covered in today’s report include:

• New guidance for employers on the ethnicity pay gap – published today. It sets out a voluntary system to measure, report on and address any unfair ethnicity pay gaps within their workforce to offer support for businesses. The government’s approach provides assistance to businesses and employers in this area, while adding no additional burdens to those generating jobs and prosperity for the whole country.
• Improving the stop and search process through new public and personal safety training for police officers which includes developed de-escalation and communication skills to boost the quality of policing across the country;
• Appointing an expert panel to develop a new exemplar history curriculum to widen children’s knowledge and foster cohesion.
• Highlighting stop and search disparities by publishing new data and analysis, including disparity analysis by force (allowing comparisons to be made) and by reason for search, and analysis of the relationship between stop and search and economic deprivation.

There is more work to be done to tackle disparities and to build trust in institutions. The government will continue its work to deliver the remaining actions in Inclusive Britain over the next 12 months. Action will tie in to major landmarks this year, including the 75th anniversary of the arrival of the Empire Windrush, in order to further promote and celebrate the UK’s diversity.

The press release issued by the Cabinet Office on 16 April 2023.

With one week to go until the UK-wide test of the Emergency Alerts system, the text of the alert has today been released.

The press release issued by the Cabinet Office on 9 April 2023.

Details of individuals with historic claims to take part in the Coronation have been revealed.

The press release issued by the Cabinet Office on 6 April 2023.

National test of Emergency Alerts will take place at 3pm on Sunday 23 April.

The press release issued by the Cabinet Office on 5 April 2023.

The UK Government, in collaboration with the Scottish and Welsh Governments, has published its plan to strengthen our borders against biosecurity threats and illegal imports.

• Draft Border Target Operating Model sets out proposals for a new world-class border system to provide protection from security and biosecurity threats
• Government will engage with industry for six weeks before publishing final version later this year
• Model is backed by over a £1 billion investment in border transformation across this spending review period

The UK Government, in collaboration with the Scottish and Welsh Governments, has today (5 April) published its plan to strengthen our borders against biosecurity threats and illegal imports. The draft Border Target Operating Model sets out a plan to realise the ambition of the 2025 Border Strategy to create the most effective border in the world.

The draft has been devised following extensive engagement with the Border Industry and businesses across the UK. A six week engagement period will now take place, with the final Target Operating Model to be published later this year.

The border transformation is backed by over a £1 billion investment across this spending review period, to improve how government systems and technology support the movement of goods and people across the border.

The proposed new model will prevent delays at the border through a reduction in the need for physical checks for many types of goods, and by ensuring that checks take place away from ports where this is needed to allow traffic to flow freely.

The proposals in the Target Operating Model apply to imports from all countries. These controls will ensure our environment is protected, deliver food that is safe to eat whilst maintaining security of supply for consumers, and disrupt criminal activity before it can harm our communities.

Biosecurity is vital in an increasingly uncertain world and the full controls will mean that we can protect ourselves against known and unknown threats. The controls will protect consumers, businesses, and the economy as a whole against disease threats such as African Swine Fever and Xylella.

The proposed Target Operating Model secures Great Britain’s borders against such threats while making it as easy as possible to do business. To limit the burden on businesses, our new proposed risk-based global model will use data and technology to simplify and streamline import trade processes.

Central to this proposed model is the new Single Trade Window, delivered from 2023 to be fully operational by 2027. This technology will streamline processes for traders, who will only need to submit information once and in one place.

The government will also test further simplified processes by piloting an ambitious programme of trusted trader assurance schemes.

Baroness Neville-Rolfe, Minister of State at the Cabinet Office, said:

The publication of our draft Border Target Operating Model is a huge step forward for the safety, security and efficiency of our borders. Our proposals strike a balance between giving consumers and businesses confidence while reducing the costs and friction for businesses, which in turn will help to grow the economy.

Biosecurity Minister Lord Benyon said:

It is vital that we have strong border controls in place. Invasive diseases could cost our farms and businesses billions of pounds, threaten our food safety and break confidence in UK exports around the world. That is why we are working hand in glove with businesses to devise a strong system that works for the nation.

Amanda Francis, Chief Executive of the Association of International Courier & Express Services, said:

International express operators support the Government’s plans to improve efficiencies at the border to ease the flow of goods and minimise costs of trade for UK businesses.  We particularly welcome the proportionate risk based approach this draft Target Operating Model adopts and the proposals to reduce the data requirements for safety and security and allow the use of Transit Security Accompanying Documents.  We hope to work with Government to implement these proposals and look at other areas of simplification building on a trusted operator approach.

Gavin Stedman, Port Health & Public Protection Director at London Port Health Authority said:

We welcome the publication of the TOM which will provide the basis for consistent risk based checks across EU and non-EU trade. The establishment of a dynamic and flexible system will afford greater efficiency and transparency allowing us to be more responsive to demands, thus balancing biosecurity and trade needs at our borders.

William Bain, Head of Trade Policy at the British Chambers of Commerce, said:

The BCC is a big believer in the shift to a digital trade system. If it is done properly then smaller firms will see benefits when it comes to importing goods into Great Britain.

Providing certainty for business is crucial and the focus must now be on delivering to the timescales set out. This will need a concerted effort to get the physical and digital infrastructure in place.

It is then vital that companies, here and across the world, involved in sourcing and supply chains, are properly prepared for these changes and the introduction of new trusted trader arrangements.

We look forward to working closely with the UK Government and businesses over the coming months to make sure this switchover runs as smoothly as possible.

A spokesperson for the Fresh Produce Consortium said:

The Fresh Produce Consortium supports the long-awaited publication of the draft Border Target Operating Model. The UK Government is taking its opportunity to implement a world leading, least-cost border solution. We will work with the UK Government to facilitate responsible companies in the fresh produce, flower and plant sector to utilise their expertise to best effect to maximise efficiency, food safety and biosecurity.

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

New funding has been announced for public organisations to apply for a portrait of His Majesty The King.

The press release issued by the Cabinet Office on 30 March 2023.

In recognition of their significant contribution to the UK’s nuclear deterrent testing programme, potentially thousands of veterans and civilian staff, and next of kin, across the UK and Commonwealth can now apply for a commemorative medal.

• Nuclear test programme veterans, civilian staff and their descendants urged to come forward and claim commemorative medals
• Around 22,000 military personnel and civilian staff from the UK and Commonwealth nations are thought to be eligible
• Due to be rolled out from late summer, the medal recognises the critical role of veterans and civilian staff contribution to the UK’s nuclear deterrent testing programme in the 1950s and 1960s

In recognition of their significant contribution to the UK’s nuclear deterrent testing programme, potentially thousands of veterans and civilian staff, and next of kin, across the UK and Commonwealth can now apply for a commemorative medal.

From late summer, the UK Government will be issuing Nuclear Test Medals to eligible service personnel and civilian staff, including posthumous awards to next of kin.

Minister for Veterans’ Affairs Johnny Mercer said:

This important step moves us closer to recognising the work of those civilians and veterans who played a critical role in establishing the UK’s nuclear deterrent and contributing to our enduring international security.

I strongly encourage all eligible veterans and civilian staff to apply for the award, which demonstrates the important role they played in making the UK the third nuclear power, and wear their new medals with pride.

The medal will be awarded free of charge to individuals who participated in the UK Nuclear Test Programme, including the preparatory and clear-up phases, from 1952 to 1967.

Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said:

Nuclear Test Veterans have made an invaluable contribution to the safety and security of the UK and it’s right that we recognise and value their enduring service to our nation.

The medal also recognises the contribution made by veterans and civilian staff from across Australia, New Zealand, Fiji and Kiribati. All service personnel and civilians under UK command, including close partners from the Commonwealth and Pacific region, who participated in, or were present at, the British or American nuclear tests at the Montebello Islands, Christmas Island, Malden Island and Maralinga & Emu Field, South Australia between 1952 and 1967 will be eligible for the medal. This also includes scientists and local employees.

To further recognise the contribution of veterans of Britain’s nuclear tests, the government invested £450,000 into projects which will commemorate and build further understanding of the experiences of veterans who were deployed to Australia and the Pacific.

As part of that funding, the Office for Veterans’ Affairs is launching an oral history project to chronicle the voices and experiences of those who supported the UK’s effort to develop a nuclear deterrent.

Due to start in April 2023, the project will run for two years, giving nuclear test veterans the opportunity to be interviewed, and contribute to an accessible digital archive of testimonies about their time working on the tests.

A further £200,000 fund was launched in February 2023, to support community projects designed to provide bespoke direct support to Nuclear Test Veterans and their families,   memorialise and raise public awareness of their service.

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

A new system that will give the Government and emergency services the capability to send an alert directly to mobiles phones when there is a risk to life has been launched today.

• UK-wide Emergency Alerts service launched and in operation from today
• System will bolster the UK’s resilience and provides the capability to send alerts direct to mobile phones when there is a risk to life
• UK-wide test to take place on Sunday 23 April

Working with mobile broadcasting technology, the Emergency Alerts system will transform the UK’s warning and informing capability; providing a means to get urgent messages quickly to nearly 90 percent of mobile phones in a defined area; providing clear instructions about how best to respond.

The system is now ready to be tested across the country following successful tests in East Suffolk and Reading, as the Government continues to strengthen its resilience capability, making sure it offers the best possible protection against an ever-evolving range of threats.

A UK-wide alerts test will take place in the early evening of Sunday 23 April which will see people receive a test message on their mobile phones.

The alerts will only ever come from the Government or emergency services, and they will issue a warning, always include the details of the area impacted, and provide instructions about how best to respond – linking to gov.uk/alerts where people can receive further information.

Emergency Alerts will be used very rarely – only being sent where there is an immediate risk to people’s lives – so people may not receive an alert for months, or even years.

The service has already been used successfully in a number of other countries, including the US, Canada, the Netherlands and Japan, where it has been widely credited with saving lives, for example, during severe weather events. In the UK, alerts could be used to tell residents of villages being encroached by wildfires, or of severe flooding.

Announcing the launch of the new alerts system, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, Oliver Dowden MP, said:

We are strengthening our national resilience with a new emergency alerts system, to deal with a wide range of threats – from flooding to wild fires.

It will revolutionise our ability to warn and inform people who are in immediate danger, and help us keep people safe. As we’ve seen in the U.S. and elsewhere, the buzz of a phone can save a life.

Emergency Alerts will be used across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, and their initial use will focus on the most serious severe weather-related incidents, including severe flooding in England. The Government has been working closely with a range of stakeholders and partners across the UK on developing the system, including colleagues from the emergency services, transport groups and the Environment Agency.

Chair of the National Fire Chiefs Council, Mark Hardingham, said:

Together with every fire and rescue service in the country, I’m looking forward to having Emergency Alerts available to help us to do our jobs and to help communities in the event of emergencies.

We’ve seen this type of system in action elsewhere across the world and we look forward to having the facility here in the UK – by working together with fire services and partners we want this system to help us to help you be as safe as you can if a crisis does hit.

Executive Director for Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management at the Environment Agency, Caroline Douglass, commented:

Being able to communicate warnings in a timely and accurate manner during incidents is really important to help people take action to protect themselves, their families, and their neighbours.

This year is the 70th anniversary of the 1953 east coast surge, one of the worst flood events in our recent history which saw over 300 people perish in England – while our ability to warn and inform has come on leaps and bounds since then, Emergency Alerts is a fantastic addition to our toolbox that we can use in emergency situations.

By broadcasting from cell towers in the vicinity of an emergency, the alerts are secure, free to receive, and one-way. They do not reveal anyone’s location or collect personal data.   Alerts can only be sent by authorised Governmental and Emergency Services users. Successful live tests of the service have already taken place in East Suffolk and Reading.

The press release issued by the Ministry of Defence on 18 March 2023.

Members of the Royal Gibraltar Regiment (RG) have spent five weeks in The Gambia training officers and soldiers from the Gambian Armed Forces (GAF).

The Regiment’s Short-Term Training Team, accompanied by a Royal Marine Medic, delivered a “Train the Trainer” package aimed at developing the GAF’s ability to train their own personnel.

This visit is the latest in a series of training deployments to Africa and is part of wider UK Defence efforts to build capability with key partners across the continent.

From fieldcraft to first aid training, the Gambian soldiers were offered refresher work and supported in developing and delivering their own lessons to enhance the GAF’s ability to support future UN missions.

The course culminated in a realistic battle exercise, with Brigadier General Torro Jawneh of the GAF overseeing a closing ceremony and presenting awards to the top performing students.

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

This lists the names of people who have received The Queen’s Gallantry Medal and The Queen’s Commendation for Bravery.

Queen’s Gallantry Medal

Lisa Way, Ayette Bounouri and John Rees (posthumous), for intervening in an armed attack on 5th May 2020.

On 5 May 2020 at around 1:50pm, the assailant made their way to the Co-op store in Penygraig High Street. Inside the store were Lisa Way, Ayette Bounouri and John Rees.

On her way to the store, the assailant attacked a man by stabbing him in the neck; causing him to fall to the ground. He was able to get up and managed to escape. The assailant followed him for a short distance before entering the Co-op, with the knife visible in her hand. Here she approached customers shouting and then attempted to stab a customer in the neck.

John Rees was at the counter and noticed the attack taking place. Without hesitation, he made the decision to go forward and intervene. Ayette Bounouri, who also witnessed the assault, picked up a shopping basket as a means of defence, whilst Mr Rees approached the assailant in an attempt to defuse the situation. Mr Rees took hold of the assailant’s right arm, with which she was holding the knife. Mr Rees then placed himself between the female customer and the assailant, kicking out at the assailant as she approached him with the knife extended in her hand.

The attacker lunged forward, causing Mr Rees to lose his balance and fall backwards. At this point, Lisa Way took hold of the assailant’s hand in an attempt to stop her attack. Mrs Bounouri also tried to help Mr Rees by using the shopping basket to disarm the attacker. Mrs Way and Mrs Bounouri continued to put themselves in harm’s way by trying to distract the assailant. The assailant then turned her actions to Mrs Way in a ferocious and determined attack and tried to stab her several times to the upper part of her body. Mrs Bounouri at this time desperately tried to drag Mr Rees to safety at the rear of the shop. Mr Rees was unable to regain standing.

Mrs Bounouri in a final act of bravery to protect Mr Rees, tried to grab the knife from the assailant but was threatened and forced to back away. At this point Mrs Bounouri would have been fully aware of the ferocity with which the assailant was intent on assaulting people. By their selfless actions, it is without doubt that both Mrs Bounouri and Mrs Way put themselves in harm’s way, in an effort to save Mr Rees’ life.

Steven Gallant, John Crilly, Darryn Frost and Lukasz Koczocik, for their actions during the terrorist attack at the Learning Together event in Fishmongers’ Hall, London on 29th November 2019.

On Friday 29 November 2019, a prison education and rehabilitation programme known as Learning Together, part of Cambridge University, held an event in London to celebrate their fifth anniversary. Former offenders and academics engaged in joint interactive workshops and learning aiming to advance the knowledge and understanding of offender rehabilitation. The event took place at Fishmongers’ Hall, situated on London Bridge, on the north bank of the River Thames. There were around 100 attendees, including convicted offenders, academic professionals and members of Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS).

One such attendee attended the event in the morning. During a break in proceedings, he carried out a terrorist attack at the venue resulting in the death of two people.

Just before 2pm, the attacker entered the gentlemen’s toilets on the ground floor of the venue and prepared himself to carry out the attack. He attached a realistic-looking hoax IED or ‘suicide belt’ around his waist, and taped knives to both hands. He then attacked two members of the Learning Together team who later died as a result of their injuries. The attacker carried on with his attack, injuring a further three people.

The attacker was then confronted by four members of the public who were attendees and a member of staff at the venue. John Crilly and Steven Gallant were attendees at the event, Darryn Frost worked for HMPPS and Lukasz Koczocik was employed as a porter at the venue.

Steven Gallant had been upstairs when he heard screams, and immediately ran to the aid of the victims. Gallant confronted the attacker at the bottom of the stairs inside Fishmongers’ Hall. Despite the attacker holding two knives, and displaying a very realistic-looking suicide belt, Gallant stood his ground forcing him to turn around and move towards the reception. Gallant then collected a narwhal tusk from Mr Frost which he used to force the attacker away from the stairs and into the reception area. Had Gallant not stood his ground, the attacker was likely to have gone up to the main conference room, and could have taken more lives. From the reception area, the attacker was then forced by the actions of Gallant, Crilly and Koczocik to make his way out of the building, and onto the street. Mr Gallant followed the attacker along the bridge, pulled him to the floor by his coat and was helped by others to hold him down until Police arrived.

John Crilly also heard screams and ran down the stairs to where the attacker was standing. Firstly he threw a lectern at the attacker, then proceeded to hit him with a chair when he continued an attack on an already injured female. He then picked up a fire extinguisher, and used this to force the attacker away from the stairs, and deter him from attacking people in the main conference room. He then used the extinguisher to force the attacker out of the building and along London Bridge. He pursued the attacker, spraying him with the extinguisher when he turned to attack Steven Gallant. Crilly then helped Gallant once he had pulled the attacker to the floor, using the extinguisher to force the knives from the attacker’s hands, disarming him. This was all with the knowledge he was wearing a very realistic looking suicide belt.

Darryn Frost responded at the sound of screams. He took a narwhal tusk from the wall, ran downstairs and used it to halt the attacker. The attacker then threatened him with the bomb, and said he was waiting for the police. Mr Frost passed the narwhal tusk to Steven Gallant, who was unarmed, and ran back upstairs to get the second tusk. By the time he returned, the attacker had left the venue. Mr Frost joined other attendees pursuing the attacker along London Bridge and helped force the attacker to the ground. He then laid on top of the attacker, restraining him by the wrists until the police arrived. When the armed police repeatedly shouted at Mr Frost to move, he refused as he was preventing the attacker from moving his hands towards the device.

Lucasz Koczocik was downstairs working, and also ran towards the threat posed by the attacker. Using an ornamental spear to defend himself during the struggle, Koczocik was stabbed three times to the hand, arm and shoulder, sustaining serious injuries. He also contributed to forcing the attacker to leave the reception to the venue, at which point he was unable to continue due to the severity of his injuries.