Tag: Cabinet Office

The press release issued by the Cabinet Office on 18 December 2024.

John-Paul Marks announced as the new Permanent Secretary and Chief Executive at HM Revenue and Customs.

The Cabinet Secretary, with the approval of the Prime Minister, has announced the appointment of John-Paul (JP) Marks as the new Permanent Secretary and Chief Executive at HM Revenue and Customs. JP is currently the Permanent Secretary for the Scottish Government.

JP will replace Sir Jim Harra who will step down in April 2025.

The Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury, the Rt Hon. James Murray, said

I am delighted JP has been chosen as HMRC’s new Permanent Secretary and I look forward to working with him on developing a strategy for HMRC which progresses the government’s priorities for HMRC to reduce the tax gap, modernise and reform the tax system and improve customer service

I want to add my thanks to Sir Jim Harra for his years of public service and wish him all the very best for the future.

Cabinet Secretary, Sir Chris Wormald said

I would like to congratulate JP on his appointment. He brings vast experience to the role from his time as Permanent Secretary at the Scottish Government and from earlier Director General roles at DWP. JP is excellently placed to continue the transformation of HMRC, playing a vital role in delivering the Government’s Plan for Change and improving the experiences of taxpayers and businesses across the whole of the UK.

I would like to thank Sir Jim Harra for his leadership of HMRC over the last five years and for his many years of dedicated public service.

JP Marks said:

It is a privilege to be appointed to lead HMRC. I look forward to supporting the Department’s vital work to collect the revenues which fund public services, and to working with the Board, colleagues and partners in the years ahead to deliver service modernisation and reform.

I am grateful to the First Minister and his predecessors for the opportunity to serve as Permanent Secretary. I would like to pay tribute to the civil servants across the Scottish Government and thank our teams and partners for their leadership, professionalism and support. Over the next few months, I, along with my Executive Team, remain firmly focused on supporting the First Minister and delivering his Programme for Government.

The appointment follows an external recruitment competition overseen by the independent Civil Service Commission. The process to recruit JP’s successor will commence shortly.

The press release issued by the Cabinet Office on 12 December 2024.

Government reaches a historic milestone as the first compensation payments are accepted by victims of infected blood scandal.

• Ten people offered compensation totalling over £13 million, with 25 more people invited to claim
• Payments are being made by the Infected Blood Compensation Authority (IBCA) as part of new compensation service
• Delivering on commitments to deliver compensation after allocating £11.8bn in the Budget

Victims of the infected blood scandal are due to receive their first compensation payments this week, in a historical milestone reached by the government.

Ten people have been offered compensation totalling over £13 million. The first few people have accepted their offers and are due to receive payment in the coming days. These individuals, whose identities are being kept private, were infected with illnesses as a result of receiving infected blood and infected blood products.

25 more people have recently been invited to make their claim for compensation and once doing so, will also receive offers. This follows commitments to deliver compensation after allocating £11.8bn in the Budget.

Compensation is being delivered by the Infected Blood Compensation Authority, which the government established as an independent organisation in May this year on recommendation from the Infected Blood Inquiry. IBCA is led by interim chair Sir Robert Francis KC, who contributed to the Infected Blood Inquiry.

IBCA continues to work with the infected blood community to improve and grow the compensation service. It is aiming to open up the compensation service wider in the New Year.

The government designed a comprehensive, government-funded compensation scheme for infected and affected victims of infected blood earlier this year. The UK-wide scheme is based on recommendations from the Infected Blood Inquiry, Sir Robert Francis KC, and a group of independent legal, healthcare and financial experts.

The compensation scheme was updated in August following further recommendations from Sir Robert Francis, based on his engagement with the community.

Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office, Nick Thomas-Symonds MP, said:

This government promised to deliver action on infected blood compensation, and today is a vital step towards delivering justice for people who have waited far too long for compensation.

No amount of compensation can fully address the suffering as a result of this scandal, but I hope this shows that we are doing everything possible to deliver significant compensation to people infected and affected. That is why this government set aside £11.8 billion for this scheme in the Budget.

After so many years of injustice, I hope that this brings some reassurance to a community who have suffered immeasurably that action is being taken.

The press release issued by the Cabinet Office on 12 December 2024.

UK Government has launched an open search today for a team to create a design masterplan to honour The Late Queen.

• Competition welcomes architect-led multidisciplinary teams to submit details of profile, team composition, and experience. No design is required at first stage
• Finalist teams to create concept masterplans for site within St James’s Park, London
• Deadline 14:00 GMT, 20 January, 2025

Leading artists, architects and engineers can express their interest in designing the masterplan for the national memorial to Queen Elizabeth II.

The Queen Elizabeth Memorial will be one of the most significant design projects in recent British history and will provide the nation with a permanent memorial to the UK’s longest-serving monarch.

The Queen Elizabeth Memorial Committee, chaired by The Late Queen’s former Private Secretary, Lord Janvrin, is working with competition specialists at Malcolm Reading Consultants to identify a team of inspired and dedicated artists, architects, engineers, and landscape architects and other specialists who would be interested in designing the project.

The Committee is urging creatives interested in designing the masterplan for the Queen Elizabeth II National Memorial Masterplan Design Competition to submit a twelve-page Expression of Interest via the online form.

Full details of the project and how to enter the competition are available on the dedicated competition website: https://competitions.malcolmreading.com/queenelizabethmemorial

Details of the Selection Panel can also be found in the Competition Conditions available on the website.

The first stage of the two-stage competition opens today 12 December 2024 and closes at 14:00 on 20 January 2025. Subsequently, there will be a ten-week design stage for a shortlist of five competitors. No design work is required at stage one.

Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Pat McFadden said:

Queen Elizabeth II was our longest reigning Monarch and Her Majesty dedicated her life to serving the people of the United Kingdom.

This National Memorial will provide a permanent tribute to The Late Queen’s legacy, offering space for reflection as well as celebration. We want the very best architects and designers to come forward with their ideas for how this historic project should look.

Committee Chair Lord Janvrin said:

We want to attract the finest teams of architects, artists, landscape architects, engineers and other specialists to work with us to create an outstanding design for the memorial site. We are looking for teams who thoroughly understand and connect with our ambitions for the project.

The challenge at the second stage for the finalists will be to evoke memories of Queen Elizabeth II’s outstanding contribution to national life and to tell the story of Her Majesty’s long reign through an original masterplan that is sensitive to the unique setting.

The memorial must be – simply – a beautiful place, somewhere to visit with family and friends, to enjoy and to reflect on an extraordinary life.

The Memorial will be located in St James’s Park, the UK’s oldest Royal Park, and close to Buckingham Palace.

The site includes the area of the Grade I listed Park adjacent to The Mall at Marlborough Gate, and the land surrounding the pathway down to the lake including the Blue Bridge and the land either side and across to Birdcage Walk.

The Committee is seeking a design that is beautiful, inclusive and sustainable. The competition brief sets out defining elements including a new bridge over the lake and opportunities for artistic interventions and enhanced  landscaping.

The new memorial will be of outstanding design quality and an emotionally powerful place, with celebratory spaces as well as areas to encourage reflection. Integral to the Committee’s vision is the intention to place a standalone monument including a figurative representation of the late Queen at the Marlborough Gate entrance.

Post-competition, an artist/sculptor for the figurative element will be appointed by the winning lead designer in consultation and agreement with the Committee, ensuring a strong creative match and an integrated scheme.

As a national memorial to the country’s longest-serving and much-respected Monarch, the Government has identified a provisional construction budget of £23m-46m excluding VAT for the project. The provisional construction budget is required at this stage as a guide for designers to develop their proposals. The final cost will depend on the winning design and will be shared in due course. The Committee will judge all submissions against a value for money criteria.

This provisional construction cost includes the replacement of the Blue Bridge – an important public amenity in St James’s Park.

The shortlist is expected to be announced in spring 2025 and the winner in early summer 2025.

The final design will be announced to coincide with what would have been Her Late Majesty’s 100th birthday year in 2026, following approval from the Prime Minister and His Majesty The King.

The Committee has visited the four nations of the United Kingdom and engaged widely to ensure ideas and suggestions from the public, experts and key stakeholder groups inform the project scope and competition brief. The winning team will be expected to work with the Committee on their public engagement strategy.

The press release issued by the Cabinet Office on 15 November 2024.

The Archbishop of Canterbury is the senior bishop leading the Church of England. They are appointed by His Majesty The King, as Supreme Governor of the Church of England, on the recommendation of the Crown Nominations Commission (CNC).

Upon the resignation of an Archbishop of Canterbury a Crown Nominations Commission is established to identify and submit the name of a preferred candidate to the Prime Minister, who is constitutionally responsible for advising The King on the appointment. He has no active role in the decision.

The CNC is comprised of:

• The Chair (a layperson) – to be appointed by the Prime Minister.
• A Bishop – to be elected by the House of Bishops
• The Archbishop of York or, if they choose not to be a member of the CNC, a further Bishop to be elected by the House of Bishops
• Three representatives elected from the Diocese of Canterbury by their Vacancy in See Committee
• The six representatives (three clergy and three lay) elected by General Synod to serve as members of the Commission for a five year period
• Five representatives from other churches in the Anglican Communion – one each from Africa; the Americas; Middle East and Asia; Oceania and Europe.

The Secretary General of the Anglican Communion, the Prime Minister’s Appointments Secretary and the Archbishops’ Secretary for Appointments are non-voting members of the Commission.

Before the Commission meets the Church of England will lead a consultation process to determine the needs of the diocese, the Church of England and the Anglican Communion.

The Commission will then meet to agree its processes and review candidates.

Since 2007, the Prime Minister has accepted the CNC’s recommended candidate and tendered their name to the Monarch.

The CNC may also submit the name of a second appointable candidate, should it not be possible to appoint the first candidate.

Once The King approves the chosen candidate, the Prime Minister’s Office will announce the name of the Archbishop-designate.

Further details on timescales will be announced in due course.

The press release issued by the Cabinet Office on 14 November 2024.

New controls on the use of consultancies across government are being brought in to cut unnecessary spending and save £1.2 billion by 2026, as set out in the Autumn Statement – with departments already expected to save the £550 million committed to this financial year.

• New controls are being brought in across government to address unnecessary consultancy spending by departments.
• Measures to reduce reliance on larger firms, and support SMEs to increase diversity, innovation, social value and flexibility within the market.
• Alongside the new controls, a new overarching framework agreement and enhanced terms and conditions and guidance will streamline the procurement process and ensure consultants are only used by public sector buyers when necessary.

New controls on the use of consultancies across government are being brought in to cut unnecessary spending and save £1.2 billion by 2026, as set out in the Autumn Statement – with departments already expected to save the £550 million committed to this financial year.

The new controls will provide far greater oversight, with ministerial signoff required for any consultancy spend over £600,000, or for contracts lasting more than nine months, while consultancy spend over £100,000, or that lasts more than three months, will now need to be signed off by the relevant permanent secretary.

When combined with commercial agreements that are focused on value for money, these controls will drive a reduction in consultancy spend in Whitehall.

Georgia Gould, Parliamentary Secretary at the Cabinet Office, said:

We’re taking immediate action to stop all non-essential government consultancy spend in 2024-25 and halve government spending on consultancy in future years, saving the taxpayer over £1.2 billion by 2026.

It comes alongside our work to develop a strategic plan to make the Civil Service more efficient and effective, with bold measures to improve skills and harness digital technology.

To support this, the government is also inviting companies to bid for a new framework agreement which will streamline the way it uses consultants in the years to come.

By providing a single, centralised list of suppliers who have already been through a rigorous and competitive tendering process in order to gain a place on the agreement, it will cut down the time spent by departments on the procurement process, and ultimately ensure better value for money and more competitive prices.

In line with this government’s commitment to cut consultancy spend, the framework’s total value has been cut from £5.7 billion over four years as planned to £1.7 billion over two years.

The new agreement will be managed by the Crown Commercial Service (CCS), the UK’s biggest public procurement organisation and an executive agency of the Cabinet Office, which will play a coordinating role in consolidating the government’s consultancy spend as it delivers change for working people.

Sam Ulyatt, CEO of Crown Commercial Service said:

Consultancy services are sometimes needed to support Government to deliver for citizens, but taxpayers must get value for money.

This agreement will help to ensure a behavioural and cultural change of how consultancy is procured throughout the UK public sector.

It will also provide SMEs with further opportunities to win public sector contracts which allow them to bid as part of consortiums, or as a subcontractor.

CCS has developed the agreement in consultation with departments to ensure that it can best meet their needs. Some of these improvements include expanding the use of alternative fee arrangements, which are linked to supplier performance, to ensure value for money for customers and the taxpayer.

The press release issued by the Cabinet Office on 3 October 2024.

The newly appointed Minister for Intergovernmental Relations, Pat McFadden, made his first visit to Northern Ireland today following the UK Government’s commitment to resetting and strengthening the relationship between Westminster and the devolved governments of the UK.

• Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, Pat McFadden, makes first visit to Northern Ireland to meet with the First Minister and deputy First Minister.
• Meetings covered joint priorities and collaboration on the national missions.
• The Minister committed to working together to bring investment.

The newly appointed Minister for Intergovernmental Relations, Pat McFadden, made his first visit to Northern Ireland today following the UK Government’s commitment to resetting and strengthening the relationship between Westminster and the devolved governments of the UK.

The Minister, along with Northern Ireland Secretary Hilary Benn, met with the First Minister and deputy First Minister in Belfast to discuss how they could work together to boost economic growth across the UK, as well as further opportunities for collaboration.

As part of the discussions, they looked ahead to the inaugural meeting of the Council of the Nations and Regions expected in the coming weeks, as well as the UK’s International Investment Summit.

The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster visited the Stormont Government Estate, the UK Government Hub at Erskine House in Belfast and toured Red Bay Boats’ manufacturing facility in Cushendall, County Antrim. Red Bay Boats has produced world-class boats for emergency services across the UK, including Belfast Harbour Police and the Port of London’s Fire and Rescue services.

He also met representatives from the Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for Intergovernmental Relations, the Rt Hon Pat McFadden MP, said:

The Government takes seriously having a good working relationship with the Northern Ireland Executive. The Secretary of State and I had a constructive and valuable meeting today with the First Minister and deputy First Minister discussing the forthcoming Council of Nations and Regions and the UK’s International Investment Summit.  Everyone wants their citizens to have good jobs and rising living standards and we are all resolved on that point.

This visit is the latest in a number of ministerial visits to Northern Ireland within the first hundred days of the new government, including from the Prime Minister, the Deputy Prime Minister, the Paymaster General, the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation & Technology and the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.

The press release issued by the Cabinet Office on 12 September 2024.

The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster has announced the appointment of Sir Michael Barber KB as the Prime Minister’s Adviser on Effective Delivery.

Sir Michael will support the Prime Minister in driving forward the delivery of the five national missions. This will include coordinating ambitious, measurable, long-term objectives that deliver change across the UK.

The part-time role is a Direct Ministerial appointment and will be unpaid. Sir Michael will take up the role for an initial 12-month period, starting in September 2024.

Sir Michael has extensive experience in implementing large-scale system change, working with many governments internationally to drive delivery.

He has worked closely with several recent Prime Ministers and senior Ministers in different administrations, most recently as an adviser on skills delivery to the former Chancellor of the Exchequer and Secretary of State for Education from 2022 to 2023.

He has also served as Chief Adviser to the Secretary of State for Education on school standards (1997 to 2001), Head of the Prime Minister’s Delivery Unit (2001 to 2005) and Chair of the Office for Students (2017 to 2021).

Prime Minister Keir Starmer said:

By changing the way we govern this country – through setting long term goals on the economy, energy, safer streets, breaking down barriers of opportunity and building an NHS fit for the future – we can rebuild the public’s trust in our politics and deliver the change Britain needs.

I’m delighted Sir Michael will be supporting us to change lives for the better as we fix the foundations and deliver our five national missions.

Sir Michael Barber KB said:

It is an honour to be asked to take on this role. The five missions are vital to the future of the country and I look forward to assisting the Prime Minister with their delivery.

ENDS

Notes to editors

• As part of the appointment process, Sir Michael has declared all potential conflicts of interest.
• He has stepped down as Chair of the company he founded, Delivery Associates, and will not undertake any work of any kind for Delivery Associates with the UK government.
• Sir Michael’s letter of appointment makes clear that as a result of this appointment, Delivery Associates should not gain any advantage in relation to any potential future work with the UK government or be disadvantaged. This stated government position is the same as that applied to Sir Michael’s role in the previous administration.

The press release issued by the Cabinet Office on 12 September 2024.

The Taskforce will co-ordinate flooding preparation and provide long-term, strategic thinking to better protect communities.

A new Floods Resilience Taskforce to turbocharge the development of flood defences and bolster the nation’s resilience to extreme weather has convened for the first time, Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Steve Reed announced today (Thursday 12 September).

The Taskforce brings together the Secretary of State and Floods Minister Emma Hardy with representatives from Defra, MHCLG, Home Office, Cabinet Office, the Environment Agency, the Met Office, Local Resilience Forums, Mayoral Offices, emergency responders and the National Farmers Union, among others.

The expert group discussed how they will speed up and co-ordinate flooding preparation and resilience between central government, local authorities and community responders, and emergency services.

The group will also use their collective experience and knowledge to identify and protect vulnerable areas, including championing the delivery of drainage systems, flood defences and natural flood management schemes in communities.

This comes as the current Met Office outlook suggests autumn is likely to be wetter than usual.

The Taskforce also outlined its plans to take a long-term, strategic approach to the challenges of flooding. This will support better protection for families across the country, as well as underpinning the resilience of the economy to the growing threat of climate change. These challenges include ensuring that funding for national infrastructure remains sustainable into the future.

Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Steve Reed said:

Flooding devastates communities and businesses across the country. For far too long the delivery of flood schemes has been too slow and left communities underwater.

That is why the new Government is acting now to speed up the building of flood defences and bolster our emergency response.

Floods Minister Emma Hardy said:

The climate crisis is the greatest global challenge we currently face, and as an eyewitness to extreme flooding myself, I know the devastating impact these events can have on our livelihoods.

As chair of the Floods Resilience Taskforce, I will work closely with our partners to ensure projects remain on track and not only protect homes but create more green jobs and drive investment in our towns.

The Environment Agency is the government’s primary delivery partner for flood defences and continues to support the construction of hundreds of projects across the country.

Recognising the scale of the challenge, Environment Agency teams have been prioritising the construction, maintenance, and repair of key flood defences – including the Cockett Wick seawall in Essex, which will ensure 3,000 homes and businesses are protected better after a £12 million investment.

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

Protecting people and communities is our top priority, which will only become more pressing as climate change brings more extreme weather and rising sea levels.

This new Taskforce will look at the range of resilience measures available to provide options to reduce flood risks in more communities – and we will play our part to ensure essential projects are delivered across the country.

5.5 million properties in England are at risk from flooding and the country has just experienced the wettest 18 months on record (to February 2024) following extreme weather including Storms Babet and Ciarán.

The next meeting of the Taskforce will take place in early 2025 and will discuss longer-term oversight of wider flood resilience strategy and investment, as well as any rapid learning on the response to major flooding.

Last week, Floods Minister Emma Hardy also met with representatives from the insurance industry to discuss the role they can play in building a resilient nation.  The meeting explored the support insurers can provide to their customers, which includes raising more awareness and take up of Build Back Better, which can provide for up to £10,000 in addition to like for like flood repairs to enable future resilience of a property.

In August, the government also launched the Floods and Droughts Research Infrastructure, which is backed by £40 million and will be the first UK-wide network looking to understand the impact of extreme weather conditions across the country, identifying where incidents are likely to occur and planning to limit their impact.

The press release issued by the Cabinet Office on 10 September 2024.

Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the United States join UK Government for counter fraud summit in London.

• Senior government officials from UK’s closest intelligence allies meet to coordinate fight against fraud
• Meeting, chaired by Cabinet Office Minister Georgia Gould, forms centrepiece of five day summit in London
• Discussions will focus on fighting fraud committed during the pandemic, with the government currently recruiting a Covid Counter Fraud Commissioner

Tuesday 10th September

Cabinet Office Minister Georgia Gould will today convene senior officials from the UK’s closest intelligence allies to coordinate the fight against Covid fraud.

The meeting of Five Eyes – an intelligence alliance between the UK, Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the United States – will help to identify ways governments have been successfully detecting, recouping and prosecuting fraud committed during the pandemic.

Lessons learnt during today’s meeting will contribute to the ongoing work of the Public Sector Fraud Authority as it seeks to further support departments to prevent, detect and recover fraud and error.

The meeting forms the centrepiece of the fourth summit of the International Public Sector Fraud Forum held this week in London.

The Forum was originally set up by the UK Government in 2018 to encourage cooperation between the Five Eyes to reduce public sector fraud within member countries and across borders.

This is also the first time the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) will attend the summit. The OECD’s Anti-Corruption and Integrity Division has collaborated with the Public Sector Fraud Authority to lead talks on the pivotal role of advanced analytics and artificial intelligence in fraud prevention.

Today’s meeting comes as the UK Government redoubles efforts to tackle Covid fraud.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer recently announced recruitment for a fixed term Covid Counter Fraud Commissioner to scrutinise contracts awarded during the pandemic and ensure that everything possible is done to recover money lost to fraud.

Minister Gould, Parliamentary Secretary at the Cabinet Office, said:

Criminal networks threaten governments around the world and don’t respect international borders, so it’s vital we work with our allies to keep public money safe.

Through today’s meeting we will learn from our closest intelligence partners to help us redouble our efforts to track and recover public money lost to fraud during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Mark Cheeseman, Chief Executive of the Public Sector Fraud Authority, said:

In the modern world, the threat of fraud against public bodies is a known issue that requires collaboration.

This week brings together leading experts from across partner countries to drive ourselves further in stopping those who attack the system dishonestly.

The press release issued by the Cabinet Office on 7 September 2024.

St James’s Park, London announced as location for the UK’s national memorial to Queen Elizabeth II
The site was chosen due to its historical significance and personal connection to the late Queen, as well as its proximity to the ceremonial route of The Mall
The memorial will reflect Queen Elizabeth II’s extraordinary life of service and provide a space for pause and reflection
The site for the new national Queen Elizabeth II Memorial has today (7th September 2024) been announced as St James’s Park, London.

The memorial site will include the area of St James’s Park adjacent to The Mall at Marlborough Gate, and land surrounding the pathway down to the lake, including the Blue Bridge.

The site was chosen because of its close proximity to the ceremonial route of The Mall, its historical and constitutional significance and personal connection to Queen Elizabeth. It is close to Buckingham Palace – the Monarch’s official residence – the Commonwealth headquarters, and statues of her parents King George VI and Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother.

The Committee – established by the UK Government and Royal Household in 2023 – considered various options for the location and engaged with the wider public and with key stakeholders and experts across the four nations of the UK to ensure their feedback was considered.

The UK Government will support the successful proposals, and will work closely with the Committee as plans develop. In recognition of the impact Her late Majesty had across the UK, the UK Government will also make available funding for memorial projects in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Further details on how this will be taken forward will be available in due course.

The memorial is intended to provide not only a fitting monument but also a space for contemplation and community, and will be of an appropriate scale and ambition to match the impact of Queen Elizabeth II on national life, The Commonwealth and indeed the rest of the world.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said:

Queen Elizabeth II’s enduring legacy of service and devotion to our country will never be forgotten.

The national memorial will be located in St James’s Park, right in the heart of the capital, providing everyone with a place to honour the Late Queen and connect with the shared history we cherish.

The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, Rt Hon Pat McFadden, said:

Queen Elizabeth II was our longest reigning monarch, and gave her life in service to our nation. It is only right that the memorial is situated in a location that represents the scale of Her role at the heart of British society, and provides a place of reflection for the public.

The UK has a proud tradition of memorialising its monarchs and other significant historical figures, from the Royal Albert Hall and the Victoria Memorial, to Millicent Fawcett. London hosts permanent memorials to recent monarchs including George V, George VI, as well as Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother. The creation of a permanent memorial to Queen Elizabeth II will continue this tradition. The announcement of the final design will coincide with what would have been Queen Elizabeth’s hundredth birthday year in 2026.

Later this year the design phase of the memorial will be launched, when architects, artists and designers will be invited to submit design proposals for the memorial.

Lord Janvrin GCB GCVO PC, Committee Chair and former Private Secretary to Queen Elizabeth said:

The Mall and St James’s Park at the ceremonial heart of our capital provides a location closely identified with so many events of the late Queen’s life. It is a fitting site for the national memorial in her honour to remember and celebrate her extraordinary contribution to our lives throughout her long reign.

Baroness Amos LG CH PC, Committee member and former Lord President of the Council said:

As Lord President of the Council I met the late Queen regularly. As our Head of State she played an important global leadership role over many decades. She understood the importance of integrity, understanding and values in decision making. She also knew how to connect to people and bring communities together. I admired her resilience and steadfastness, her belief in the people of Britain and the Commonwealth, her quiet diplomacy, her subtle use of power and ‘common sense’ approach.

Alex Holmes, Committee member and Queen’s Young Leader, said:

When I met her I was struck by Queen Elizabeth’s ability to connect with so many people – young and old, here and abroad. Her memorial, sitting in the heart of London, will create a lasting legacy and celebrate her long life of public service.

The Queen Elizabeth Memorial Committee is tasked with the responsibility to present formal recommendations for a UK national memorial and legacy programme to commemorate Queen Elizabeth II. The Committee comprises eight senior figures from across British public life, selected for their expertise, and chaired by the late Queen’s former Private Secretary Lord Robin Janvrin. The Committee is also continuing its work to develop proposals for a UK-wide legacy programme to commemorate Queen Elizabeth. The Committee is expected to report final design and legacy programme recommendations to the Prime Minister and His Majesty The King in 2026.

Andrew Scattergood CBE, Chief Executive of The Royal Parks, said:

We are honoured that St James’s Park has been chosen as the location for the national memorial to Queen Elizabeth II. The park is steeped in rich Royal history, renowned worldwide for hosting spectacular Royal and ceremonial events, so it feels fitting that the memorial should be situated here, close to where our longest-reigning monarch spent a great deal of time. With a peaceful lake at its centre, the park enjoys an outstanding view of Buckingham Palace and provides a wonderful natural haven for wildlife in the centre of London. We hope that the memorial area will provide people with a tranquil space for reflection and contemplation.