Tag: Cabinet Office

The press release issued by the Cabinet Office on 31 August 2022.

Significant progress has been made in a range of veterans’ support and services, including in healthcare, housing and employment, since the launch of the Veterans’ Strategy Action Plan six months ago, new data shows.

Significant progress has been made on delivering the Veterans’ Strategy Action Plan which was launched more than six months ago.

More than 100 NHS England Trusts have now gained ‘Veteran Aware’ status, providing the highest standard of care to veterans and their families.

As well as healthcare, progress has also been made in other areas, such as employment, wellbeing support, and digital verification. These include:

• Opening bids for the Veterans’ Health Innovation Fund, which will develop innovative projects to enhance bespoke treatment for injured veterans’ healthcare.
• Rolling out the Great Place to Work for Veterans guaranteed progression scheme across all central government departments, making it easier than ever before for veterans to join the Civil Service
• Completing the first tranche of the Advance into Justice programme, which helps veterans become prison officers – with job offers received in May
• Distributing £5 million of funding through the Afghanistan Veterans Fund to charities, so they can better support veterans of recent conflicts. This includes funding to upgrade the Veterans Gateway website and for Samaritans to develop a new veterans peer support hub
• Investing £1m in new funding for a new digital service for veterans – this will enable them to quickly and easily verify their veteran status online.

As part of the employability support package for veterans, the Department for Education has launched an updated website for veterans interested in applying for the Troops to Teach scheme.

Minister for Veterans’ Affairs Johnny Mercer said:

We want to make sure that regardless of location, our veterans can access incredible employment opportunities and the support they may need.

Schemes such as Advance into Justice and Troops to Teach allow veterans to bring their fantastic transferable skills into other areas.

Great progress has been made on our provision for veterans but there is more to do to realise our mission to make the UK the best place in the world to be a veteran.

With more than 1500 ‘Veteran Friendly’ GP practices across England, accessing bespoke mental health and support services is now easier to access than ever before.

The Cabinet Office has also announced the newest members of the Veterans’ Advisory Board, which provides independent advice to ministers on current and future support for veterans.

This refreshed board will provide views from academia, charities, employers and the veteran commissioners from across the UK to provide independent insight into the veteran community and potential opportunities to improve support.

Notes to editors

• The Veterans’ Strategy Update can be found here.
• The latest Veterans Advisory Board members list can be found here:
  • David Richmond CBE
  • Susanna Hamilton
  • James Phillips
  • Danny Kinahan
  • Sir Nick Pope KCB CBE
  • Prof Beverly Bergman OBE
  • Nicky Murdoch MBE
  • Louisa Clarke
  • Lee Buss-Blair
  • Leon Lloyd
  • Paul Findlay MBE

The statement made by the Cabinet Office on 31 August 2022.

The press release issued by the Cabinet Office on 30 August 2022.

The press release issued by the Cabinet Office on 29 August 2022.

A full, up-to-date list of cities in the United Kingdom, its Crown Dependencies and Overseas Territories has been published.

The UK Government will today (Monday 29 August) re-affirm the city status of Gibraltar, as granted by Queen Victoria, confirming its special status in the Realms of Her Majesty the Queen and the family of the United Kingdom, the Crown Dependencies and Overseas Territories.

The Government has undertaken detailed research in the National Archives and established that the City of Gibraltar was granted city status by Queen Victoria in 1842 but was omitted from the list of recognised cities. A newly-published record of 81 recognised cities confirms its place among the official list.

This status is testament to the close relationship between Gibraltar and the United Kingdom, 99% of Gibraltarians reaffirmed their commitment to British sovereignty in a referendum of 2002.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said:

“It is excellent to see official recognition given to the City of Gibraltar, a huge accolade to its rich history and dynamism.

This official recognition re-affirms Gibraltar’s special status in the Realms of Her Majesty, and rightly signifies the pride that Gibraltarians feel for their community and their distinctive heritage.”

Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Kit Malthouse said:

“The cities in this list are incredibly rich with history and culture, and the local people of those areas are rightly very proud to see their city’s significance put to paper.

I’m hopeful people based in these places, particularly the new cities, can reap the benefits of their home’s increased global standing and that it will attract more inward investment for local businesses.”

In the year of the Platinum Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II, the updated list is being published following the award of eight new grants of city status earlier this year and the award to Southend-on-Sea in honour of Sir David Amess MP.

The full list of recognised cities from the Overseas Territories include Hamilton (Bermuda), Jamestown (Saint Helena) and Stanley (Falkland Islands) which was awarded the status as part of the Platinum Jubilee competition.

The publication will also highlight those cities which have received the honour of Lord Mayoralty or Lord Provostship.

Notes to editors

Gibraltar has been British in perpetuity under the Treaty of Utrecht of 1713. When the City of Gibraltar was awarded city status in 1842, it was awarded under Diocesan Letters Patent and not under the normal City Status Letters Patent.  Therefore the City of Gibraltar never ended up on the Home Office’s official list of recognised cities.

The UK Government would like to thank Bluemantle Pursuivant for his assistance in bring this matter to its attention.

The press release issued by the Cabinet Office on 27 August 2022.

• The COP President will meet with senior ministers and key stakeholders to progress discussions on a Viet Nam Just Energy Transition Partnership
• He will also visit the Mekong River Delta to observe the impact of river bank erosion and sea-level rise and meet with local communities impacted by climate change
• Ahead of attending G20 ministerial meetings in Bali, the COP President will reiterate the urgent need for updated climate commitments from countries before COP27

COP26 President Alok Sharma will travel to Viet Nam from 27-30 August 2022, to meet with key ministers to drive forward discussions on a Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP) and to see the impacts of climate change in the country.

The Viet Nam Just Energy Transition Partnership will be a long term political agreement between the Government of Viet Nam and an International Partner Group (IPG) of countries, comprising the United Kingdom, European Union, France, Germany, Japan, and the United States of America. .

This country-led partnership will support Viet Nam to accelerate its transition away from coal as part of the country’s commitment to its 2050 net zero target and their ambitious Power Development Plan (PDP8). The Partnership will be underpinned by clear plans to deliver a just energy transition and catalyse clean energy investment, offering Viet Nam the opportunity to become a world leader in renewable energy.

The COP26 President will also meet with G7 and development partner donors, as well as businesses and private sector stakeholders, to help drive public and private sector engagement and mobilisation of finance as part of the process.

He will join a roundtable with civil society organisations, to hear their views and insights on progress since COP26, the proposed Just Energy Transition Partnership, and the opportunities and challenges presented by Viet Nam’s low carbon energy transition.

On his third visit to the country as COP President, Mr Sharma will continue the work of the UK COP Presidency in pressing for updated climate commitments from all countries ahead of COP27 as agreed in the Glasgow Climate Pact. Mr Sharma will urge Viet Nam to bring forward a revised 2030 Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC), aligned with its 2050 net zero target.

Mr Sharma will also visit Can Tho in the Mekong River Delta – accompanied by researchers from Can Tho University and Dragon-Mekong Research Institute – to observe the impact of river bank erosion and sea level rise on vulnerable areas. Mr Sharma will hear first-hand accounts from local communities benefiting from a project on urban resilience against flooding and climate change impact.

Alok Sharma, COP26 President, said:

“Urgent action is needed to limit global temperature increase to 1.5 degrees and help build prosperous, low-carbon, resilient communities across the planet.

The proposed Just Energy Transition Partnership provides an excellent opportunity for Viet Nam to accelerate its transition away from coal in delivery of its 2050 net zero target. I am pleased to be back in Viet Nam to engage with government ministers, public sector bodies, business leaders, local communities, and civil society to discuss ways we can work together for effective climate action.

A clean, just energy transition not only delivers enhanced climate action, it will help create new jobs, economic growth, clean air and a resilient, prosperous future.”

After his visit to Viet Nam, the COP President will travel to Indonesia to attend the G20 Climate and Environment Ministerial meeting in Bali.

The press release issued by the Cabinet Office on 17 August 2022.

Thousands of victims of the infected blood scandal will each receive an interim compensation payment of £100,000, the Government has announced today (17 August).

The Government intends to make payments to those who have been infected and bereaved partners in England by the end of October. The same payments will be made in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

The commitment to pay interim compensation meets, in full, the recommendations set out by inquiry chairman Sir Brian Langstaff in his interim report last month. That report built on the study by Sir Robert Francis QC in his detailed consideration of the issues. Details were announced by Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Kit Malthouse today.

The intention is that payments will be tax-free and will not affect any financial benefits support an individual is receiving. Infected individuals and bereaved partners who are registered with any of the four UK infected blood support schemes will receive payment. Advice to those people on how exactly the interim payment will be made will be outlined to them shortly.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said:

“While nothing can make up for the pain and suffering endured by those affected by this tragic injustice, we are taking action to do right by victims and those who have tragically lost their partners by making sure they receive these interim payments as quickly as possible.

We will continue to stand by all those impacted by this horrific tragedy, and I want to personally pay tribute to all those who have so determinedly fought for justice.”

Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Kit Malthouse said:

“Those affected by the infected blood scandal have suffered terribly over many years and that heart-breaking and unimaginable pain has been compounded by the financial uncertainty many have faced.

These interim payments will start the process of securing that certainty. My priority is to get the money to those people as quickly as possible.

I am grateful to Sir Brian Langstaff for the work he has done to date on the inquiry, and Sir Robert Francis, for his work on compensation. Of course, no amount of money will compensate for the turmoil victims and their loved ones have faced, but I hope these payments help to show that we are on their side and will do everything in our power to support them.”

Health and Social Care Secretary, Steve Barclay, said:

“The infected blood scandal should never have happened. In accepting Sir Brian Langstaff’s recommendations, today we are taking an important step in righting this historic wrong for the thousands of people infected and bereaved partners left behind.

Building on the ongoing support we are providing through the England Infected Blood Scheme, these new interim payments of £100,000 will ensure those impacted across the whole country by this injustice can access the compensation they need, right now.

I’m grateful to those who have campaigned extensively in support of these changes – we have listened and work is underway to ensure those impacted by this tragedy receive the support they rightly deserve.”

In England, the intention is to make payments by the end of October.

The Government has updated Sir Brian Langstaff that his recommendations have been accepted.

The press release issued by the Cabinet Office on 16 August 2022.

Lead Minister for Resilience and Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, Kit Malthouse MP, announced new measures to bolster the UK’s resilience on a visit to the Met Office yesterday (Monday 15 August).

Minister Malthouse visited the Met Office, based in Exeter, to see how their forecasting expertise feeds into government planning to tackle severe weather and how the agency worked closely with Government and other partners to give people plenty of warning and advice about staying safe in the recent extreme heat.

The Minister announced the launch of a new public emergency text alert system for the UK, as well as changes to the Civil Contingencies Secretariat – the Cabinet Office’s emergency planning and response team.

Speaking in the Operations Centre of the Met Office, the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, Kit Malthouse MP, said:

“To make sure that government continues to offer the best possible prevention and protection against threats, we are shaking up how we prepare for and respond to emergencies, strengthening the effective resilience capability we already have in place.

We will launch a new public emergency alerts system in the Autumn which will focus on extreme weather, revolutionising our ability to ‘warn and inform’ people who are in significant and immediate danger. These alerts will be sent direct to people’s mobiles giving details of the emergency – such as local flooding – explaining what to do and how to seek help.

Our vital COBR unit – which leads the government’s response to acute domestic and international emergencies – will be bolstered by a dedicated team helping to future-proof us from harm. This National Resilience Framework Team will take a deeper look at our approach to risk and how we mitigate it and help us take huge leaps forward in terms of collecting, analysing and using live data.”

Ian Cameron, Director of Markets at the Met Office, commented:

“The right messaging helps people take action to stay safe. It is clear that we are seeing an increase in the number of extreme weather events in the UK and overseas. Just this summer we have seen temperatures in the UK exceed 40C for the first time on record, followed closely by the heatwave which ended earlier this week. Communicating effectively is imperative so we can warn and alert people, ensuring they are aware and have more time to take action and look after themselves, their friends and family.”

Minister Malthouse spoke with a range of staff in the Met Office to learn more about their work, from the Meteorologists who lead on weather forecasts, to the Space Weather Operations team who are part of just one of three space weather prediction centres in the world, monitoring potentially disruptive solar activity for government and industry.

The emergency alerts system, which will focus on events like extreme weather and warning the public where there is a risk to life, will be launched in the autumn following a public awareness campaign. The free message will give details of the emergency – local flooding or wildfires, for example – what to do and how to seek help, and will relay urgent messages to over 85% of mobile phones in areas affected.

Changes to the Civil Contingencies Secretariat – the Cabinet Office’s emergency planning and response team – will see a COBR Unit continuing to lead the government’s response to acute emergencies, and work on longer term planning being driven forward by a separate team dedicated to strengthening the UK’s underlying resilience. This National Resilience Framework Team in the Planning and Analysis Secretariat will take a deeper look at the government’s approach to risk and how it is mitigated as well as collecting and analysing live data to improve future responses to emergencies.

The press release issued by the Cabinet Office on 10 August 2022.

As part of intensive work across Government, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Kit Malthouse today gathered ministers to accelerate work on tackling winter pressures.

The meeting saw ministers update on how they are mitigating the challenges people may face this winter.

Those assembled, who will meet regularly to discuss progress, included ministers and officials from HM Treasury, the Department of Health and Social Care, the Department of Work and Pensions, the Department for Transport, the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, and the Department for Education. Senior officials, including the Chief Medical Officer, also attended.

Ministers discussed the rising cost of living, energy prices, NHS pressures and industrial action, as well as the comprehensive work being undertaken to mitigate their impact.

Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Kit Malthouse tasked departments with a range of priority actions to take forward to ensure smooth preparations for winter and report back on their progress.

Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Kit Malthouse said:

“The winter is always a challenge, but a particular difficulty this year is the number of problems coming together at the same time.

People are already feeling the squeeze of rising energy and fuel costs, and we are continuing to work on boosting our energy security to mitigate these. We also have the wider global inflation problem, which is further adding to the cost of living pressures. Our NHS is also still recovering from Covid-19 but is going into a winter where there may again be a rise of cases but also the usual seasonal flu.

My job is to test, challenge, and coordinate work across government, working with ministers and officials, as well as our partners and industry, to make sure we have a real grip of the issues and that they’re all addressed at the same time, making sure we protect people as much as possible from the challenges this winter will bring.”

The government has already taken a number of steps to mitigate the impact of the global spike in energy prices on the most vulnerable, these include allocating £37 billion of help for households including the £400 discount on energy bills this winter, and £1,200 of direct support to help with the cost of living.

Elsewhere, the Department of Health and Social Care and the UK Health Security Agency are further developing their plans for health resilience at pace, including to boost the NHS and Adult Social Care workforce ahead of winter – this includes a new DHSC taskforce for international recruitment.

The Department of Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy is also continuing to strengthen its contingency plans for winter energy security. Equinor and Centrica recently signed a major agreement to shore up Britain’s gas supply over the next three winters – adding around one billion cubic metres of gas per year to our supply.

The press release issued by the Cabinet Office on 2 August 2022.

Projects being funded include new approaches to tackling drug misuse in prisons and preventing violence against women and girls

The Evaluation Accelerator Fund will help test and evaluate new policies through intelligent data-driven insights

Fund run by the Evaluation Task Force forms part of a wider push from Ministers for officials to drive efficiencies in new ways

More than £12 million of funding has been awarded to teams tackling deep-rooted issues, such as drug misuse in prisons, violence against women and homelessness.

The funding, run by the Evaluation Task Force (ETF), is the latest demonstration of the government’s drive to ramp up the use of data as ministers work with officials to come up with innovative approaches to tackle age-old issues.

The 16 projects awarded money via the Evaluation Accelerator Fund will test and develop new data-driven approaches to policy-making and evaluation.

Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Kit Malthouse said:

“We must constantly agitate and innovate to improve public services, always eager to try smart solutions to complex, deep-rooted problems across our nation.”

Whether it’s tackling drug misuse in prisons or finding new ways to confront violence against women and girls, this £12 million investment will help explore and develop those solutions so we can improve the lives of people in all of society.

The Evaluation Task Force invited bids from teams across Whitehall and the What Works Network, asking people to pitch new and innovative ideas for testing and evaluating the impact of new policies or innovative approaches to delivering public services. The bids were focused on addressing the Prime Minister’s six core missions: Levelling Up, Net Zero, Education, Health, Justice and Jobs.

The bids also 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 £933k from the Accelerator Fund, will see wastewater in prisons monitored and tested for illegal substances, making it easier for prison staff to identify who is holding supply and reduce drug abuse in jails. Another funded programme is run by the Centre for Homelessness Impact which received more than £200k to assess the effectiveness of a one-off payment to 18-year-olds leaving care on homelessness, employment and their involvement in criminal activity.

Around £1.7m also went towards work being undertaken by the College of Policing to identify promising interventions aimed at tackling violence against women and girls. Possible options include forensic tagging of perpetrators of crime in the Night Time Economy and the use of domestic abuse courts.

Chief Secretary to the Treasury Simon Clarke said:

“Making the most of innovative ideas is one of the best ways we can continue to drive efficiency in the public sector, so it’s great to see funding going towards creative solutions to such important issues.”

Alongside cracking down on fraud and cutting the Government’s property bill, a focus on evidence-led policy will help us ensure that we are making the most of taxpayers’ hard-earned money.

The money has been awarded by the Evaluation Task Force, a joint Cabinet Office and HM Treasury unit, which was set up as part of a commitment in the Declaration on Government Reform to embed gold standard evaluation in government.

ETF is an efficiency-focused unit whose work regularly demonstrates value for taxpayers. The team are currently working with the Department for Work and Pensions to support their evaluation of labour market interventions including Kickstart and Restart. Evaluations of similar initiatives in the past have delivered returns of more than £3 for every £1 invested.

Up to this point, the Task Force has worked on 162 programmes with a value of £47.9bn. If a relentless focus on evaluation across the whole of government drives only a 1% efficiency, the ETF would already have saved around £480million through its work advising departments’ spending.

To find further information on the successful projects, please refer to the Evaluation Accelerator Fund page on GOV.UK.