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Tag: Cabinet Office

  • PRESS RELEASE : Launch of life-saving public emergency alerts [March 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : Launch of life-saving public emergency alerts [March 2023]

    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.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Royal Gibraltar Regiment trains partners in West Africa [March 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : Royal Gibraltar Regiment trains partners in West Africa [March 2023]

    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.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Civilian Gallantry List [March 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : Civilian Gallantry List [March 2023]

    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.

    Queen’s Commendation for Bravery

    Adam Roberts, for his actions during the terrorist attack at the Learning Together event in Fishmongers’ Hall, London on 29th November 2019.

    Adam Roberts was a Prison Officer escorting a prisoner on day release from prison to the Learning Together event at Fishmongers’ Hall on 29th November 2019. He responded to the sounds of screaming and found one of the severely injured victims at the foot of the main stairs. Despite the attacker attacking people around him, he protected the victim and immediately provided emergency first aid, stemming the bleeding, and subsequently provided CPR. Sadly the victim lost their life as a result of their injuries.

    Ed Durante and Craig Jones, for rescuing the occupants of a vehicle that crashed and caught fire on the A38 on 21st June 2021.

    Whilst off duty driving along the A38, Devon and Somerset FRS Watch Manager and paramedic Ed Durante witnessed a car ahead lose control and collide with the barrier. He stopped to assist, identifying five unconscious passengers and a fire developing within the engine compartment.

    Upon opening the driver’s door, flames and smoke had begun to breach the passenger compartment. WM Durante pulled the driver clear of the vehicle onto the road and attempted to rescue the passenger from the front passenger seat; however it was not possible to open the door. Thinking quickly and while the fire was continuing to develop, WM Durante pulled the passenger across the centre console and driver’s seat until she was clear of the vehicle.

    During this time FF Craig Jones, also off duty and travelling on the A38, joined the rescue and accessed the rear centre seat to the vehicle pulling a six year old child clear through the off side rear door. Once clear of the burning vehicle FF Jones stayed with the child and rendered urgent first aid.

    Having rescued those from the front of the car, WM Durante quickly turned his attention to the rear of the car and with the help of another person, rescued a passenger who was sitting behind the driver’s seat.

    With the fire now taking hold of most of the car, WM Durante once again entered the rear seat area and with considerable effort rescued a young man from the far side of the vehicle by releasing the seat belt and pulling him through the vehicle and out of the off side door as this was the only rear door that was able to be opened.

    With the assistance of others at the scene, realising the risk posed by the fire and potential of running fuel, WM Durante and FF Jones swiftly moved the casualties away from the vehicle. The car was fully engulfed with flames in a very short space of time and was not extinguished until the first fire appliance arrived, by which time the vehicle was completely destroyed.

    Along with off duty medical personnel, WM Durante and FF Jones provided first aid care until the Ambulance Service arrived. A range of injuries were sustained by the casualties, some of which were life changing. Had WM Durante and FF Jones not made such brave and timely interventions, it is highly likely that there would have been fatalities.

    Bardha Kola, for rescuing her neighbour from a house fire on 28th January 2020.

    On 28 January 2020, Mrs Bardha Kola was alerted to a fire in her neighbour’s house by her husband returning from work. She had a spare key to the house as her neighbour was elderly and physically incapacitated. On approaching the property, she was faced with a large fire in the roof space which had broken through the tiles with parts of the roof collapsing.

    Mrs Kola entered the property and searched the smoke-filled property looking for her neighbour, finally locating her in her first-floor bedroom. Mrs Kola woke her neighbour, who had slept through her smoke alarm, lifted her from her bed and carried her to the landing. During this time the fire had intensified further with parts of the ceiling and roof structure collapsing directly above them.

    Knowing they were both in immediate danger from the effects of the fire Mrs Kola calmly managed to place her neighbour into the fitted stairlift and descended to the ground floor hallway. Mrs Kola then carried her neighbour through the narrow hallway to her wheelchair and exited the property. Once clear of the property Mrs Kola got her neighbour to a place of safety and remained with her until Emergency Services arrived.

    The nature of the fire was so serious that it took a further three hours to bring it under control and fully extinguish it, in this time the roof and first floor including the occupier’s bedroom were mostly destroyed.

    PC Mohammed Nadeem, for rescuing a distressed man from the River Irwell on 17th February 2018.

    On Saturday 17th February 2018, police received a call of a distressed male on a bridge over the River Irwell. The situation was particularly sensitive as the man, wanting to take his own life, was a veteran in a poor mental state. Several officers were deployed and on arrival the man had jumped into the water and was clearly in difficulty.

    PC Nadeem, on seeing the man had gone beneath the water, jumped into the River Irwell to save him. He jumped from an 8-foot drop, wearing body armour and personal safety equipment as there wasn’t time to remove these items in case the man drowned. The water was fast moving, deep and very cold. The man was swimming away from the officer in the direction of an incredibly dangerous weir, as he was intent on drowning.

    PC Nadeem caught up with him, grabbed him and dragged him to the side. Both the man and PC Nadeem were suffering the effects of the freezing cold, but nevertheless, due to the difficult egress, PC Nadeem remained in the water with the man until a ladder was lowered down to assist them in getting out.

    Kenneth Wood and Rafal Majchrzak, for rescuing a woman from a fatal house fire on 1st January 2019.

    On 1st January 2019 at around 2.56 hours a witness dialled 999 to request police assistance in relation to a domestic incident involving other residents at an address in Lincolnshire. The witness then informed the emergency services that the house, which had five occupants at the time, was on fire.

    It subsequently became apparent that three people had died as a result of the fire within the premises. Two residents escaped. Investigations confirmed that the fire was caused by a deliberate ignition of petrol which then caused an explosion in an upstairs bedroom.

    Kenneth Wood and Rafal Majchrzak approached the house and on seeing a woman inside, tried to kick down the door to try to rescue her. They managed to smash a glass panel adjacent to the door and were able to pull her from the house.

    Andrew Lax, for rescuing a motorist from their vehicle following a head on collision on 11th May 2019.

    On 11 May 2019, Andrew Lax was driving along in North Yorkshire. An oncoming vehicle was heading towards Mr Lax, on the wrong side of the road. The road had a slight bend which resulted in a head-on collision.

    On impact, Mr Lax was left dazed and shocked but managed to exit his vehicle. Without hesitation, he approached the other vehicle which was already alight. He pulled the motorist out of the vehicle through the side window, as the impact of the crash had damaged the door which stopped it from opening. Mr Lax then dragged the motorist to a safe distance shortly before both cars went up in flames. Both cars were destroyed.

    If it were not for Mr Lax’s swift actions, the other motorist – who could not attempt to get out of his own burning vehicle due to his injuries – would have lost his life.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Heroes who put themselves in danger for others recognised in Civilian Gallantry List [March 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : Heroes who put themselves in danger for others recognised in Civilian Gallantry List [March 2023]

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

    The Civilian Gallantry List recognises the bravery of people who’ve put themselves in danger to save, or attempt to save, someone’s life.

    • 15 recipients include a civilian who lost his life intervening in an armed attack and a woman who saved an elderly neighbour from a burning building
    • Civilian gallantry awards recognise the bravery of people who’ve put themselves in danger to save, or attempt to save, someone’s life
    • Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Oliver Dowden congratulates the recipients and expresses thanks for their courage

    15 people who carried out heroic actions have been named in the 2023 Civilian Gallantry List.

    The awards recognise the bravery of people who put themselves at risk to save, or attempt to save, another person’s life.

    Recipients will be awarded either The Queen’s Gallantry Medal or The Queen’s Commendation for Bravery, with future awards to be approved by His Majesty The King and taking his name. This is the first list of recipients since May 2021. Today’s awards are particularly special as they are from the final Civilian Gallantry List to be approved by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, after 70 years of awards.

    The general public are invited to nominate individuals who they believe have shown acts of exemplary bravery in saving the lives of others. The awards are approved by the Sovereign, after nominations are assessed by the George Cross Committee.

    On behalf of the Government, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Oliver Dowden congratulates the award winners and expresses thanks for their courage in the face of extreme danger.

    Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Oliver Dowden said:

    We all hope we’d react with courage in the face of danger. These people have lived through that test, and responded in the most admirable way.

    Their selfless actions have saved lives, and I want to express profound thanks for their willingness to put themselves in danger to protect others.

    They are all extremely worthy winners of the final Civilian Gallantry awards of Her Majesty the late Queen.

  • PRESS RELEASE : BSL users appointed to board advising Government on key issues for Deaf people [March 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : BSL users appointed to board advising Government on key issues for Deaf people [March 2023]

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

    Speaking at the British Deaf Association’s BSL Conference, the Minister for Disabled People, Health and Work, Tom Pursglove MP, has today [Friday 17 March] appointed 16 members to the new British Sign Language (BSL) Advisory Board, which will advise the Government on key issues impacting the Deaf community.

    • Minister for Disabled People, Health and Work, Tom Pursglove MP, appoints 16 members from across the UK to the BSL Advisory Board
    • Appointment follows visit by the Minister and Board co-chair Craig Crowley to Royal School for the Deaf Derby
    • Approximately 151,000 people in the UK use BSL – the BSL Act recognised it as a language of England, Wales and Scotland

    Appointees include: Zoe Fudge-Ajadi and Vicki Ashmore, Deaf/Blind tactile BSL signers who co-founded the charity BRIGHT Deafblind BSL; Asif Iqbal MBE, a rehabilitation officer for deaf and hard of hearing people who has spent his career in the public and not for profit sectors to increase representation and remove barriers for d/Deaf and disabled people; and the Scott Garthwaite, the Punk Chef, of Michelin star restaurant Hambleton Hall.

    The appointments come after the Minister met teachers and pupils at the Royal School for the Deaf Derby, accompanied by BSL Advisory Board co-chair and trustee of the school, Craig Crowley MBE FRSA. Around 120 children, aged 3 to 19, attend the school which offers a broad range of subjects taught in the languages best understood by each child, and supports children to develop their language using their preferred method of communication.

    Minister for Disabled People, Health and Work, Tom Pursglove MP, said:

    “Meeting the pupils at the Royal School for the Deaf Derby and seeing how they are supported according to their individual needs was truly inspiring. Communication is a basic human right, and the British Sign Language Act makes it a reality for these children.

    “The BSL Board will guide us on our path to implement these important changes, and I am pleased to be working with them, and learning from them, so that together we can make the UK a more inclusive and accessible society.”

    BSL Board co-chair, Craig Crowley MBE FRSA, said:

    “I am delighted that the Minister for Disabled People saw first-hand in Derby the important value of BSL in education, which has certainly made a huge difference in terms of basic human rights in Sign Language and Deaf culture.

    “I am really looking forward to welcoming onboard the new members of the BSL Advisory Board and together we begin our BSL journey towards implementing important milestones from the BSL Act 2022.”

    The Board’s remit will be:

    • advising on the use of BSL in public communications and policy delivery
    • advising on how to tackle key issues facing Deaf people, such as how to increase the numbers of BSL interpreters

    Recognising BSL as a language in England, Scotland and Wales for the first time, the BSL Act 2022 has made a significant difference to Deaf BSL users and signers across the country. The Board will provide expert advice, informed by their own experiences, to the Government on the implementation of the Act. A senior civil servant will serve as the other co-chair.

    The main criteria for appointment for all independent members included a lived experience of BSL, alongside a willingness to work collaboratively in assisting the Government to be more accessible. The members have been appointed for three-year terms.

    The members of the board are:

    • Craig Crowley MBE FRSA
    • Gaye Hampton
    • Erin McCluskey
    • Brian Kokoruwe
    • Scott Garthwaite
    • Mangayarkkarasy Sutharsan
    • Kate Reed
    • Joanna Atkinson
    • Asif Iqbal MBE
    • Sylvia Simmonds
    • Theresa Devine
    • Richard MacQueen
    • Ahmed Mudawi
    • Martin Thacker
    • Richard Platt
    • Zoe Fudge-Ajadi and Vicki Ashmore
    • Samantha Stocken

    Co-chair

    Craig Crowley MBE FRSA

    Craig Crowley is CEO of Action Deafness, a Deaf-led charity providing BSL interpreting and community support. He was founder Chair and Honorary President of UK Deaf Sport and obtained an MBE in 2006 in recognition of his service to Deaf Sport. He has also been a former Trustee of Signature and founding Trustee of the National Register of Communication Professionals working with Deaf People. He currently serves as a Trustee for the Royal School for the Deaf Derby.

    Members

    Gaye Hampton

    Gaye works as a Project Manager in Directions Plus where she works to get Deaf people into work across 11 counties in Wales. She is also a qualified Translator and an advisor to Signature (a national charity and the leading awarding body for Deaf communication and language qualifications in the UK) and the National Registers of Communication Professionals working with Deaf and Deafblind People (NRCPD). She also sits on the Wales Council for Deaf People.

    Erin McCluskey

    Erin is a student who was a member of the Scottish Youth Parliament from 2019-2021 and passed a Motion in relation to public services and ensuring accessibility for BSL users. She is a Trustee for the West Scotland Deaf Children’s Society and works for the British Deaf Association in Scotland, as a freelance outreach worker.

    Brian Kokoruwe

    Brian is a Deaf Equality Trainer and set up deafinitequality.com nearly ten years ago. He is a qualified Teacher of the Deaf and holds MA Deaf Education International. He has written 3 books on Deafness. He worked on National Sensory Impaired Partnership (NatSIP’s) DfE contract for Sensory Impairment; also at College with responsibility for learners with medical conditions; at Citizens Advice and RAD. Since COVID he has been part of NHS Patient Participation Groups and is a Trustee of Manchester Deaf Centre.

    Scott Garthwaite

    Scott is a Deaf chef at a Michelin star restaurant, Hambleton Hall. He has been a committee member of two Deaf social clubs in the North East and manager of a Deaf football team, also in the North East. Scott has a media presence as the ‘Punk Chef’ with many TV appearances and uses his social media to promote Deaf awareness.

    Mangayarkkarasy Sutharsan

    Mangayarkkarsy works as Director of Empowering Deaf Society – a charity that delivers employment support, advocacy and advice in BSL. She is a Trustee of Suvai Deaf East Community (reaches 480 Deaf people across London). She is a qualified BSL teacher and ran her own BSL training company Deaf Touch Ltd till 2014. She also formerly worked at the Royal Association for Deaf People.

    Kate Reed

    Kate works as Headteacher of Deaf Provisions across Primary and Secondary with a Deaf-led team. She previously worked with the Department for Education (DfE) at a national level as an Inclusion Expert for Deaf Education and SEND for several years. She is a member of BATOD and committee for Deaf Teachers of the Deaf. In 2020, she was awarded a Winston Churchill Fellowship for ‘International Research of Deaf Education.

    Since 2017 she has worked with Manchester University and Leeds University to support Teachers of the Deaf, and since 2016, she has worked with the BSL Consortium for Education.

    Joanna Atkinson

    Joanna is a clinical specialist and lecturer specialising in neuropsychology. She provides cognitive, brain injury and mental health assessments, therapy and rehabilitation with Deaf adults and children. She works with BSL users with brain conditions including dementia, stroke, developmental disorders and head injuries. Her scientific research has led to new BSL diagnostic tools and new understanding of how people think in BSL, how the brain processes BSL and the nature of BSL hallucinations and other clinical phenomena. She is a member of the British Deaf Association, SENSE, Deafblind UK and British Society of Mental Health and Deafness.

    Asif Iqbal, MBE

    Asif is Deaf and is a Rehabilitation Officer for Deaf and Hard of Hearing people with Camden Council. He has spent his career in the public and not for profit sectors – local and central government along with health services – to increase representation and remove barriers for deaf and disabled people. Asif has been President of the Harrow and Brent United Deaf Club since 2009 and is a past Chair of Camden Disability Network.

    He is also a Chair of Hearing Loss Professionals UK Network, sharing knowledge and expertise with NHS England and key stakeholders. Asif has also appeared on various TV shows including BBC2’s !mpossible, LetterBox and Channel 4 Political Slot. He has been an extra on Coronation Street and Eastenders.

    Asif was awarded MBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list in 2011 for public service.

    Sylvia Simmonds

    Sylvia is a freelance Deaf Advocate, advocating for Deaf people in a variety of areas including family law, mental health, education, employment, and discrimination disputes. She specialises in legal work with a focus on cultural mediation in court and BSL translation of legal documents. As part of the COVID-19 pandemic she took on a large project focusing on making information accessible to BSL users.

    She has been involved with the British Deaf Association for 39 years as vice chair, trustee, and member of staff. She was LGBTQ+ advisory to the World Federation for the Deaf and was a Trustee of the Deaf Womens Health Organisation and is currently on the Data Ethics Committee of Thames Valley Police.

    Theresa Marie Devine

    Teri is a CODA (Child of Deaf Adult). She works as Associate Director for Strategic Programme – Inclusion at the Royal National Institute for Deaf People (RNID). She is currently a Trustee at Forth Valley Sensory Centre and also a member of the Justice of the Peace Advisory Committee (Glasgow) Committee. She was formerly Vice Chair of Dumfries and Galloway Hard of Hearing Group (07/2011 – 09/2017).

    Richard MacQueen

    Richard works for Deaf Action as Head of Video Production. He is a Trustee for National Registers of Communication Professionals working with Deaf and Deafblind People, and formerly Deaf Links (2010 -2016).

    Ahmed Mudawi

    Ahmed works as a TV presenter for ‘This is Deaf’ under BSL Zone. He is studying to be a qualified translator and deaf relay interpreter. He provides Deaf awareness training, and is a member of St Johns Community Deaf Club in London; a member of the British Deaf Association (BDA); a member of Clapham Deaf Club; a member of ASLI (Association Sign Language Interpreter); and Colour Interpreters Network.

    Martin Thacker

    Martin works as Deputy Director at the National Deaf Children’s Society; Vice President of Chesterfield and North East Derbyshire Deaf Society; Committee member of North Derbyshire Deaf Forum; Member of Derbyshire Constabulary Deaf Advisory Group; and Member of CODA UK. He is also a Conservative Councillor on North East Derbyshire District Council, for the Brampton and Walton ward.

    Richard Platt

    Richard is Chairman of Ipswich Deaf Children’s Society. He is also a committee member of the Children’s Hearing Services Working Group.

    Zoe Fudge-Ajadi and Vicki Ashmore

    Representing Deafblind tactile BSL signers.

    Zoe is Deafblind and Vicky is a Deaf/Deafblind interpreter. Together they are co-founders and Director/Assistant Director of BRIGHT Deafblind. Vicky is also a Board member of Bromley Reform Synagogue.

    Samantha Stocken

    Samantha is a  teacher, volunteer in a hospital, and trustee for Gloucestershire Deaf Association (GDA), Samantha advocates for her son who is Deaf. She is an Educational Consultant in Gloucestershire who works as “Deaf Aware”, so she can support schools where d/Deaf children attend or have d/Deaf parents/carers.

  • PRESS RELEASE : TikTok banned on UK government devices as part of wider app review [March 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : TikTok banned on UK government devices as part of wider app review [March 2023]

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

    Social media app TikTok has been banned on government electronic devices, the Cabinet Office has announced today.

    The ban comes after Cabinet Office Ministers ordered a security review. This looked at the potential vulnerability of government data from social media apps on devices and risks around how sensitive information could be accessed and used by some platforms.

    Given the potentially sensitive nature of information which is stored on government devices, government policy on the management of third party applications will be strengthened and a precautionary ban on TikTok on government devices is being introduced.

    Currently there is limited use of TikTok within government and limited need for government staff to use the app on work devices.

    This decision is in line with similar restrictions brought in by key international partners, including the US and Canadian governments, and the European Commission.

    Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Oliver Dowden said:

    The security of sensitive government information must come first, so today we are banning this app on government devices. The use of other data-extracting apps will be kept under review.

    Restricting the use of TikTok on Government devices is a prudent and proportionate step following advice from our cyber security experts.

    TikTok requires users to give permission for the app to access data stored on the device, which is then collected and stored by the company. Allowing such permissions gives the company access to a range of data on the device, including contacts, user content, and geolocation data.

    The government, along with our international partners, is concerned about the way in which this data may be used.

    Today’s ban does not extend to personal devices for government employees, ministers or the general public. Individuals should be aware of each social media platform’s data policies when considering downloading and using them.

    The ban on government devices applies to government corporate devices within all government departments.

    Specific exemptions for the use of TikTok on government devices are being put in place where required for work purposes.

    Exemptions will only be granted by security teams on a case-by-case basis, with ministerial clearance as appropriate, and with security mitigations put in place.

    These exemptions will cover areas such as individuals working in relevant enforcement roles, or for example for the purposes of work on online harms.

  • PRESS RELEASE : New Peterborough hub officially opened as part of £120 million investment [March 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : New Peterborough hub officially opened as part of £120 million investment [March 2023]

    The press release issued by the Cabinet Office on 14 March 2023.

    A new government hub in Peterborough has been officially opened by Cabinet Office Minister Alex Burghart today.

    • Cabinet Office Minister Alex Burghart to officially cut the ribbon on new Hub, calling it an “important day for Peterborough”
    • Fletton Quays site to house over 1,000 staff from several departments and government bodies including Home Office and DEFRA
    • New Hub forms part of £120 million Peterborough regeneration project

    A new government hub in Peterborough has been officially opened by Cabinet Office Minister Alex Burghart today.

    The Hub is in Fletton Quays, an area undergoing a £120 million regeneration, and will house more than 1,000 government staff from a number of departments and agencies. Staff from the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs and the Home Office’s Passport Office will be based there permanently, with room for more roles which may relocate to the city from London.

    Cabinet Office Minister Alex Burghart said:

    It’s fantastic to be in Peterborough to open our brand new Government Hub. This is a very important day for the city.

    As today shows, this Government is investing in Peterborough and the East of England to create jobs and opportunities for the long-term.

    The project is part of the government hubs programme, which has also seen the announcement of new hubs across the country including Glasgow, Belfast, Newcastle, Leeds, Manchester, Nottingham, Cardiff, Birmingham and Bristol.

    These hubs will support the government’s drive to move 22,000 government roles out of London by 2030, moving them into communities across the United Kingdom.

    Lord Murray, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Home Office, said:

    Being part of this new Government hub continues to reinforce HM Passport Office’s long-term commitment to the city of Peterborough.

    Quay House offers brand new, purpose built, facilities that will help us to deliver increasingly high standards of service for our customers in the East and Midlands for many years to come.

    To date, more than 900 roles have been relocated out of the capital and into the East Midlands and East of England, with departments including the  Ministry of Justice expanding their presence there.

    The government will also launch a civil service recruitment campaign in the region in April as part of the drive to offer roles previously located in Whitehall to people in the East of England and East Midlands, ensuring the government is maximising use of the area’s vast talent pool.

    The new Hub is part of a £120m regeneration of the Fletton Quays site led by the Peterborough Investment Partnership and the site’s developer, Bride Hall, which is expected to generate over £340 million of private sector revenue for the area.

    Clive Anderson, Director of Capital Projects at the Government Property Agency, said:

    Quay House in Peterborough is the Government Property Agency’s first new build Hub. It will provide inclusive, flexible, digitally-connected workspaces to support greater productivity, create cost efficiencies and enhance carbon reduction. This has been achieved by consolidating four remote sites into one new city centre building, with 1,000 civil servants now supporting local businesses.

    We are all extremely proud to deliver this new Hub in Peterborough, and to be delivering the Government Hubs Programme in support of key government initiatives such as Levelling Up, Civil Service Reform and Net Zero. I welcome our clients and customers to their new place of work.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Around £1.8bn to be saved by government plans to overhaul back office systems [March 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : Around £1.8bn to be saved by government plans to overhaul back office systems [March 2023]

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

    Updated figures have been released as part of the two year anniversary of the Shared Services Strategy, which sets out how departments will find efficiencies by working more closely together.

    • The savings are expected to be made over next 15 years in Whitehall efficiency drive
    • Modern technology and automation being used to free up civil servant time
    • Services of all government departments brought together in clusters to make better use of data across departments

    Around £1.8 billion could be saved over the next 15 years in the latest Whitehall drive to modernise costly back-office systems across the civil service, according to initial government estimates.

    The Shared Services Strategy for Government was launched two years ago to offer better value for money for the taxpayer through the use of cheaper and more efficient HR and finance systems.

    In the last 24 months, significant developments have been made, including the creation of five ‘clusters’ which will bridge gaps between 18 departments and more than 100 arms length bodies to create a single system used by all for the first time.

    Individual departments replacing their own systems would cost more than £1.7 billion whereas the shared services clusters estimate that they will generate around £1.8 billion pounds of benefits for around £900 million cost. This would be delivered through £500m of financial savings and £1.3bn in efficiencies.

    Minister for the Cabinet Office Jeremy Quin said:

    The strategy was created to offer better cross-government, streamlined services that relieve the burden of bureaucracy. We want to free up civil servants’ time to focus on what they do best: engaging with, and delivering for the British public.

    This transformational programme is underway and demonstrates the important steps we’re taking to be more collaborative.

    The strategy offers greater interoperability by linking different back-office computer systems and making better use of real time data. This will help join up departments and present a clearer workforce picture. The new structure could be critical for future cross-government challenges, ensuring the government is more resilient to urgent crises.

    Examples of ‘clusters’ include Defence which brings the services of the Ministry of Defence, Armed Forces and veterans together which will ensure departments are working off the same HR and finance systems to deliver major savings for the taxpayer.

    Another example is the ‘Hera programme’ which has been implemented by the Overseas cluster. It centred around moving three very different legacy business systems into one within six months. It has transformed business processes and offered a new finance and HR system with wider capabilities for over 20,000 FCDO civil servants.

    Nathan Moores, Shared Services Strategy Director, said:

    I’d like to thank all colleagues across the five Clusters, the functions including Civil Service HR, Government Finance Function, Crown Commercial Service and the Functional Convergence Programme for their hard work, dedication and commitment to collaborating on the strategy over the last two years.

    I’m so proud of what has been achieved so far, we have seen phenomenal progress, collaboration and delivery across government. We are on a journey to ultimately improving the daily working lives of civil servants by creating more joined-up systems and services, saving time and money for the taxpayer.

    I look forward to working with all colleagues over the next 12 months and delivering further milestones set out in the strategy.

    This year sees the strategy moving full force into delivery mode. Clusters will procure goods and services by engaging with suppliers and will aim for final business case approval.

  • PRESS RELEASE : £1 billion in potential annual savings to be realised through stepped up efficiency drive [March 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : £1 billion in potential annual savings to be realised through stepped up efficiency drive [March 2023]

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

    The Evaluation Taskforce has awarded more funding for projects to improve evaluation.

    • Four new projects have been awarded funding to help test and evaluate new approaches within government
    • Up to £1 billion to potentially be saved through modernisation and automation of services
    • Other projects include using mobile network data to support electric vehicle uptake
    • Fund forms part of a wider push from ministers to drive efficiencies in new ways

    New projects within government which could save the taxpayer up to £1 billion have been launched by the Cabinet Office.

    The four new projects announced today are part of the Evaluation Task Force’s Accelerator Fund, which provides money to departments to improve evaluation of policy within government.

    The Fund is the latest demonstration of the government’s drive to ramp up the use of data to provide financial and efficiency savings to ensure the best value of public money from new policies or interventions.

    One project, which will drive forward improvements in government services, could see £1 billion of taxpayer’s money saved through shifting services to digital channels, reducing paper use and automating processes. This includes through the use of phone-bots and automated processes to cut out unnecessary processes.

    More than £1.2 million of funding has been awarded to teams tackling issues such as cutting costs through digital transformation and mapping the use of electric vehicles.

    Minister for the Cabinet Office Jeremy Quin said:

    This is a government with innovation at its core and it’s vital that we channel that in the right way, ensuring decisions made by the government are data-driven.

    This funding will help teams drive innovation across government, creating the tools and data departments need to become more efficient and drive value for money. I’m looking forward to seeing the positive impact this will have on public services.

    The four projects awarded a total of £1,285,000 via the Evaluation Accelerator Fund will test and develop new data-driven approaches to policy-making and evaluation. It builds on £12.2 million awarded across 16 projects in the first round of funding last year.

    Teams across Whitehall and the What Works Network were invited to place bids for ideas that would test and evaluate the impact of new policies or approaches to delivering public services.

    The bids needed to demonstrate how they would provide robust evidence of financial or efficiency savings, tying in with the wider push within the government to ensure taxpayers are receiving the best possible value for their money.

    One successful bid which has received £500,000 from the Accelerator Fund will see the Cabinet Office evaluate how service improvements, such as reducing the use of paper and demand on customer service teams, can help unlock savings across government. Improvements may include the replacement of physical signatures with e-signatures, or the use of electronic notifications, for example SMS and social media, instead of paper.

    Around £450,000 also went towards work being undertaken by the Department for Transport exploring how mobile network operator (MNO) data can be used to support initiatives targeting electric vehicle uptake and usage. It is hoped that mobile data, including geographical spread, charging locations and distances travelled, can be used to help locate charging infrastructure where it’s needed most, as well as providing a more comprehensive evaluation of electric vehicle usage across the country.

    Last year a project led by the College of Policing was awarded £1.7 million to help test new ways at preventing violence against women and girls. The funding is now being used to further evaluate the use of Rapid Video Response (RVR) for domestic abuse, having previously been trialled by Kent Police. Findings from the Kent trial showed that it had increased victim satisfaction, with the average wait time to speak to an officer reduced to three minutes. Financial efficiencies, based upon the findings of the initial trial, were calculated to be between £119,000 – £190,000 per annum. Replication of RVR in other forces and testing of different uses of the same technology will identify the potential of this approach across the country.

    Another project led by the Ministry of Justice and HM Prison and Probation Service was awarded over £933,000 to tackle drug misuse in prisons by monitoring wastewater. Following successful fieldwork, the trial is due to launch later this year.

  • PRESS RELEASE : New Women Veterans’ Strategy to look at experiences of former female service personnel [March 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : New Women Veterans’ Strategy to look at experiences of former female service personnel [March 2023]

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

    The Office for Veterans Affair has announced its intention to publish a Women Veterans’ Strategy.

    • Women Veterans’ Strategy to be developed by the Office for Veterans’ Affairs (OVA)
    • The strategy will look at the specific needs and challenges faced by women veterans, and celebrate their successes
    • Areas set to be considered in the upcoming strategy include mental health support, physical welfare and employment

    Challenges faced by women who leave the services are to be considered as part of the UK Government’s first Women Veterans’ Strategy, which is due to be launched later this year by the Office for Veterans’ Affairs.

    Through the strategy, the Government will tackle areas where women veterans might be missing out on support, as well as any accessibility issues, within the wide variety of services already being delivered for the veteran community.

    There are more than 235,000 women in England and Wales who have proudly served in our Armed Forces. However, women veterans have been reported to face issues accessing support services, particularly where those services are inadvertently orientated towards men.

    Looking at the particular needs and challenges faced by women veterans compared to their male counterparts, the OVA will identify what further support may be given to women veterans to meet their specific needs. Working with experts in academia, charities and other government departments, this will cover areas such as mental health, physical welfare and employment.

    The Minister for Veterans’ Affairs, Johnny Mercer said:

    Making this country the best place in the world to be a veteran shouldn’t just be something we say, but something we do.

    In order to deliver this ambition, it’s vital that we listen to women veterans, celebrate their successes, and deliver the support they need. That’s what the new Women Veterans’ Strategy will do.

    The OVA plans to publish the Women Veterans’ Strategy later this year.

    In developing the strategy the OVA will outline what support is already being delivered across the UK and what more may need to be done, both by the Government and across wider support services.

    To support the strategy, the OVA has commissioned research into the accessibility of services available to women veterans and the experiences of women in interacting with existing support. The research is due to report back this summer, with recommendations being used in the development of the strategy.

    The launch of the Women Veteran’s Strategy comes after the OVA and the Ministry of Defence launched a wider review of veterans’ welfare services, which is designed to examine their effectiveness and efficiency, answering the calls of relevant stakeholders.

    The OVA is already engaged, through the recently announced Veterans Health Innovation Fund, with a number of projects looking to understand the specific needs of women veterans. This includes Northumbria University’s work to assess the impacts of military service on women veterans, and with the University of Exeter and IonaMind who will develop AI supported interventions to treat depression and anxiety in women veterans.

    The strategy will also be an opportunity to celebrate the successes of women veterans and the valuable contributions they make to their communities, and to wider society and the economy.

    The work is all part of the Government’s commitment to make the UK the best place in the world to be a veteran.