Tag: Downing Street

The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 16 February 2025.

Over two million extra NHS appointments including for chemotherapy, radiotherapy, endoscopy, and diagnostic tests delivered as government delivers first step to fix the NHS seven months early.

• Pledge to deliver over two million more elective care appointments hit early with over 100,000 more treatments, tests and scans for patients each week
• Waiting lists falls by almost 160,000 since government took office, as extra appointments delivered for chemotherapy, radiotherapy, endoscopy, and diagnostic tests
• Comes as an additional £40 million set to be handed to trusts that deliver biggest improvements in cutting waiting lists
• Marks major step towards delivering Plan for Change milestone of hitting 18-week treatment target by the end of this Parliament

Over two million extra NHS appointments including for chemotherapy, radiotherapy, endoscopy, and diagnostic tests delivered as government delivers first step to fix the NHS seven months early.

The Prime Minister has welcomed new figures published by NHS England [today] which reveal that between July and November last year, the NHS delivered almost 2.2 million more elective care appointments compared to the same period the previous year – delivering on the government’s mission to fix the NHS as part of the Plan for Change.

The new data confirms the government reached the target seven months earlier than promised – with 100,000 more treatments, tests, and scans for patients each week, and more than half a million extra diagnostic tests delivered.

It follows figures published last week which showed the waiting list has been cut by almost 160,000 since the government took office, compared to a rise of almost 33,000 over the same period the previous year.

It means thousands of patients have received vital operations, scans, treatments, and consultations earlier than planned, helping them get back on with their lives and back to work sooner.

The extra 2 million appointments – delivered in part by extra evening and weekend working – are underpinned by the government’s ambitious wider reform agenda, including our plan to expand opening hours at Community Diagnostic Centres across the country, 12 hours a day, seven days a week.

The government’s mission to build an NHS fit for the future starts with tackling waiting lists, and hitting this milestone is a crucial step towards treating 92% of elective care patients within 18 weeks of referral by the end of this Parliament – delivering a core commitment in the Plan for Change.

While there is more to do, today’s milestone also clears the path to bring forward wider NHS reforms through the government’s Elective Reform Plan – announced by the Prime Minister last month – which will cut waiting times and improve patient experience by getting people seen more quickly, closer to home.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer said:

“Two million extra NHS appointments and a waiting list on its way down – we’re delivering on our promise to fix the NHS and make sure people get the care they need, when they need it.

“This isn’t just about numbers. It’s about the cancer patients who for too long were left wondering when they’ll finally start getting their life-saving treatment. It’s about the millions of people who’ve put their lives and livelihoods on hold – waiting in pain and uncertainty as they wait for a diagnosis.

“We said we’d turn this around and that’s exactly what we’re doing – this milestone is a shot in the arm for our plan to get the NHS back on its feet and cut waiting times.

“But we’re not complacent and we know the job isn’t done. We’re determined to go further and faster to deliver more appointments, faster treatment, and a National Health Service that the British public deserve as part of our Plan for Change.”

Since entering office, the government has hit the ground running to fix the broken health service we inherited by tackling the waiting lists, and building an NHS fit for the future.

This includes ending NHS strikes so staff are on the front line instead of the picket line this winter, vaccinating more people against flu than this time last year and putting immediate investment into our health system through £1.8 billion to fund extra elective care appointments as part of record £26 billion extra NHS funding secured at the October Budget.

Building on this, the government has announced an extra £40 million funding pot for trusts who make the biggest improvements in cutting waiting lists. The funding will be available for hospitals from next year to spend on capital projects such as new equipment or repairs to their estate which can deliver faster access to treatment and improve conditions for patients.

Further details on the scope and allocation of the funding package will be set out in due course, but examples of the innovations that trusts will be able to benefit from include investment into new tech such as surgical robots and AI scanners to modernise the NHS and help patients get diagnosed and treated as quickly as possible.

The funding could also go towards completing hospital ward maintenance – expediting the transformation of ageing NHS estates and giving patients newer, safer environments in which to receive care.

Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting said:

“We have wasted no time in getting to work to cut NHS waiting times and end the agony of millions of patients suffering uncertainty and pain.

“Because we ended the strikes, invested in the NHS, and rolled out reformed ways of working, we are finally putting the NHS on the road to recovery.

“We promised change, and we’ve delivered, providing the two million extra appointments we pledged in just our first five months – a promise made, and a promise kept. The result is around 160,000 fewer patients on waiting lists today than in July.

“That was just the first step. Through our Plan for Change, we are opening new surgical hubs, Community Diagnostics Centres at evenings and weekends, and using private sector capacity to cut waiting times from 18 months to 18 weeks.”

Amanda Pritchard NHS chief executive said:

“Thanks to the hard work of staff and embracing the latest innovations in care, we treated hundreds of thousands more patients last year and delivered a record number of tests and checks, with the waiting list falling for the fourth month in a row.

“There is much more to do to slash waiting times for patients, but the Elective Care Reform Plan will allow us to build on this incredible progress as we boost capacity and drive efficiency while also improving the experience of patients.”

The Elective Reform Plan will drive forward action to meet the 18-week target through the necessary reforms to overhaul the system, support staff, cut waste and put patients first – creating millions more appointments in the process. As part of this, the government is creating thousands more appointments through greater access to Community Diagnostic Centres and 17 new or expanded surgical hubs.

The Community Diagnostic Centres will be opened 12 hours a day, seven days a week wherever possible so that people can access a broader range of more appointments closer to home in their neighbourhoods. These will increase the availability of same-day tests and consultations so that patients don’t have to wait for weeks in between different stages of care.

The surgical hubs will be also created within existing hospitals by June and three others expanded, with more expected in coming years supported by the £1.5 billion investment confirmed at the Autumn budget.

These will bring together the necessary expertise, best practice, and tech under one roof to focus on delivering the most common, less complex procedures. The new hubs will be ring-fenced from winter pressures and will cut waiting times for standard surgeries, in turn freeing up beds in acute wards needed for more complex cases.

Other elements of the plan include freeing up around 1 million more appointments every year by removing non-essential follow-ups, publishing a new deal with the independent sector to increase capacity, revolutionising the NHS app to give patients greater choice and control over their treatment and preventing unnecessary referrals by incentivising GPs to work with hospital doctors to get specialist advice.

The government has also launched a nationwide consultation on the 10 Year Health Plan to build an NHS fit for the future and secured an extra £2 billion to upgrade NHS technology and £1 billion to deal with the massive NHS maintenance backlog.

As part of a drive towards prevention, NHS England have also launched its first-ever awareness campaign today to support more women to attend potentially lifesaving breast screening. The campaign, supported by leading charity Breast Cancer Now, launches today with a new advert across TV, on demand and radio to highlight the benefits of screening in detecting cancer at the earliest opportunity.

Last year alone, NHS breast screening services detected cancers in 18,942 women across England, which otherwise may not have been diagnosed or treated until a later stage, and the most comprehensive review to date found around 1,300 deaths are prevented each year by the breast screening programme.

The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 14 February 2025.

The Prime Minister was pleased to host President Trump’s Special Envoy to the United Kingdom, Mark Burnett, at Downing Street last night, during which he took a call from President Trump and discussed his forthcoming visit to the US.

Mr Burnett and the Prime Minister agreed on the unique and special nature of the UK-US relationship, the strength of our alliance and the warmth of the connection between the two countries.

Mr Burnett reflected on his personal connections to the UK, and his mother’s experience working part time in Downing Street as a waitress over 30 years ago.

They emphasised the huge potential for even stronger collaboration on trade, tech and cultural matters between the US and the UK and looked forward to working together.

The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 14 February 2025.

The Prime Minister spoke to the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, this morning.

The Prime Minister began by reiterating the UK’s concrete support for Ukraine, for as long as it’s needed.

He was unequivocal that there could be no talks about Ukraine, without Ukraine.

Ukraine needed strong security guarantees, further lethal aid and a sovereign future, and it could count on the UK to step up, he added.

The Prime Minister reiterated the UK’s commitment to Ukraine being on an irreversible path to NATO, as agreed by Allies at the Washington Summit last year.

Discussing the upcoming third anniversary of Ukraine’s courageous defence of its sovereignty in the face of Russia’s barbaric full-scale invasion, the leaders agreed that it would be an important moment to demonstrate international unity and support for Ukraine.

The leaders also reflected on the Prime Minister’s visit to Kyiv last month, and the President updated on his plans at Munich Security Conference.

They agreed to stay in close contact.

The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 13 February 2025.

Hundreds of thousands of working people and families will reap the rewards new towns across Britain, as the Prime Minister paves the way for the largest housebuilding programme since the post-war era.

Hundreds of thousands of working people and families will reap the rewards new towns across Britain, as the Prime Minister paves the way for the largest housebuilding programme since the post-war era.

Visiting a housing development today, the Prime Minister will unveil the government’s plans for the next generation of new towns – well-designed, beautiful communities with affordable housing, GP surgeries, schools and public transport where people will want to live.

Over 100 proposals from across every region in England were submitted, showing local areas and housebuilders’ ambition to get on board to build the next generation of new towns – playing their part in getting Britain building and tackling the worst housing crisis in living memory. Every new town will have the potential to deliver 10,000 homes or more.

Delivering security is central to this government’s Plan for Change, because the least working people deserve when they graft hard is a secure home. That’s why the government is providing much-needed housing in the right places with the right infrastructure, and the New Towns Taskforce has today set clear principles on what the next generation of new towns will deliver: affordable housing, vital infrastructure and access to open green spaces and nature, to transform the lives of working people.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer said:

For so many families, homeownership is a distant dream. After a decade of decline in housebuilding, the impact is a disconnect between working hard and getting on.

This is about more than just bricks and mortar. It’s about the security and stability that owning your own home brings. I know what this means for working people – the roof above our head was everything for our family growing up.

We’ve already made progress in just seven months, unblocking 20,000 stuck homes. But there’s more to do.

We’re urgently using all levers available to build the homes we need so more families can get on the housing ladder. We’re sweeping aside the blockers to get houses built, no longer accepting no as the default answer, and paving the way for the next generation of new towns.

As part of the largest housebuilding programme since the post-war era, our ambitious Plan for Change will transform the lives of working people, once again connecting the basic principle that if you work hard, you should get on.

Deputy Prime Minister and Secretary of State for Housing, Angela Rayner said:

Time and again we are seeing too many new homes stuck or stalled that not only act as a barrier to growth but also has real-world consequences for working people and families who see homeownership as nothing more than a distant dream.

I will not run away from the tough choices to fix the housing crisis we inherited that has left thousands of families on housing waiting lists, allowed homelessness to spiral out of control, and stopped an entire generation from picking up the keys to their first home.

While our vision for the next generation of new towns is setting the stage for a housebuilding revolution in the years to come, urgent action is needed now to build the homes and infrastructure that our local communities are crying out for. That’s why our New Homes Accelerator is working at pace to find solutions and remove blockages in the system, executing long-lasting solutions to get spades in the ground.

Today we are embarking on the next chapter in our Plan for Change to build 1.5 million new homes, deliver the biggest boost in social and affordable housing in a generation, and raise living standards for working people and families across the country.

For far too long, working people have been let down by a decline in housebuilding. That’s why the government is rolling up its sleeves and is taking on the blockers with major reforms to planning regulation to get Britain building.

That work is already underway, with a staggering 20,000 new homes now successfully unblocked by the government’s novel ‘New Homes Accelerator’ programme, which deploys planning expertise to speed up the delivery of housing sites held by unnecessary delays.

Areas that have already benefitted from direct government action include:

• Over 1,000 homes unlocked at Cowley Hill in Liverpool, where an agreement has been reached with the Environment Agency who withdrew its previous objections on both flood risk and biodiversity grounds, subject to planning.
• And at Wolborough in Devon, the Accelerator has worked with Natural England to help accelerate this development, whilst ensuring environmental improvements are secured. On top of the 1,100 homes the site is injecting £1.75 million towards off-site pedestrian and cycle improvements, playing pitches, bus services and a local travel plan.

Housebuilders and local councils have put forward over 350 housing development sites stuck in the system under the previous government – that together could unlock around 700,000 new homes.

Around a quarter of sites submitted are already receiving government attention since the call for evidence closed in October – demonstrating success of the programme, and local ambition to support the government’s 1.5 million homes target.

This goes hand-in-hand with government action to overhaul the planning system, supporting the builders and not the blockers, taking the brakes off economic growth, raising living standards, and making the tough decisions to deliver for working people and families.

This includes:

• Publishing a new growth-focused National Planning Policy Framework, which introduced new mandatory for councils to deliver the right homes in the right places, with a combined total of 370,000 homes a year.
• Introducing the Planning and Infrastructure Bill next month. The Bill will overhaul environmental regulations to no longer accept the failed status quo where bats are more important than trains or newts more important than homes, and remove blockers to fast-track delivery of the homes and infrastructure that local communities need.

To get Britain building now – the government today announces plans to fast stream planning through brokering disagreements between the agencies and expert bodies, which by law must be consulted within the planning process. Bodies including National Highways, Natural England and the Environment Agency will need to bring planners and housebuilders to the table and iron out concerns that have been holding back development.

Responding to sector concerns on pinch points, work stepping up with the Building Safety Regulator to ensure greater timeliness and efficiency when new tall buildings are signed off – to provide more homes for more people.

This work will be bolstered by extra government funding announced today, including:

• £1 million for government agencies, including National Highways, Natural England and the Environment Agency, to speed up the planning approval of new homes and improve feedback to local authorities and industry where required.
• £2 million to support the Building Safety Regulator to continue improving the processing for new-build applications.
• Over £3 million of grants for local councils to bolster planning capacity, alongside direct advice and navigate through some of the more complex issues holding up new development.

Alongside the Accelerator, the government is also supporting local partners through a clearing service to help accelerate the sale of uncontracted and unsold affordable homes, with nearly 300 housebuilders, local councils and registered providers signing up in the first 50 days of its launch.

In December, the government set a clear hierarchy of brownfield first, grey belt second and green belt third. Today, further funding is being injected to drive regeneration and brownfield deliver in the following areas:

• £20 million to help transform neglected small-scale council-owned sites into new homes, for areas most in need.
• Nearly £30 million from the Brownfield Infrastructure and Land Fund in Bradford to transform derelict brownfield sites into a vibrant residential area with 1,000 new homes, three community parks, shops, cafés, restaurants, and offices.
• £1.5 million to support a regeneration programme at Manchester Victoria North, delivering a new district of 15,000 homes with transport links and green spaces.

Getting homes built for working people is a priority and is backed by investment in housing which is increasing to £5 billion for this year, including a top-up of £800 million being injected into the existing Affordable Homes Programme to help deliver tens of thousands of new affordable and social homes across the country.

This is in addition to an extra £100 million of cash to bolster local resources with increased planning fees to cover costs and funding to recruit 300 planning officers, making sure councils have the capacity they need to rubberstamp new homes and infrastructure.

The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 10 February 2025.

The King has been pleased to approve the following appointments:

• Ashley Dalton MP as a Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in the Department of Health and Social Care.
• The Rt Hon. Douglas Alexander MP jointly as a Minister of State in the Cabinet Office, in addition to his role as Minister of State in the Department for Business and Trade.
• Lord Moraes OBE as a Lord in Waiting (Government Whip).
• Lord Wilson of Sedgefield as a Lord in Waiting (Government Whip).

Andrew Gwynne MP has left the government.

The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 10 February 2025.

In support of National HIV Testing Week, the Prime Minister undertook a public rapid HIV home test, available for free, in No 10 Downing Street.

In support of National HIV Testing Week, the Prime Minister undertook a public rapid HIV home test, available for free, in No10 Downing Street.

By taking part in the campaign, he will be the first serving British Prime Minister and serving G7 leader to take a public test on camera.

Joined by Terrence Higgins Trust Patron Beverley Knight, the Prime Minister took a rapid home test to raise awareness that during National HIV Testing Week, anyone in England can order a free and confidential HIV test from www.freetesting.hiv to do at home.

The campaign which sees up to 20,000 funded kits being available to the public – centres on regular home or self-testing – one way to meet the Government’s ambition to end new HIV cases in England by 2030 committed to by the Prime Minister in December.

After undertaking a test, the Prime Minister said:

It is really important to do it, and I am pleased to have taken part too. It’s easy, it is quick. And during testing week you can get a test free – so it is a great time to also take part.

If people test, they will know their status, it is better that people know, and that is a good thing because you can then get access to treatment, and that will also help meet our collective target to end new HIV transmissions by 2030.

It comes as polling by YouGov, on behalf of leading HIV Charity the Terrence Higgins Trust, has found that more than 80% of adults in England are unaware it is possible to test for HIV at home.

However, when prompted as an option, at-home testing was the most popular way to know your HIV status, with 44% of people saying it would be their preference.

The Prime Minister has committed to ending new HIV cases in England by 2030, with a new HIV Action Plan to be published in summer 2025.

Once diagnosed, people living with HIV can access free, effective treatment which means they can have a normal life expectancy and can’t pass on the virus.

Richard Angell OBE, Chief Executive of Terrence Higgins Trust said:

The Prime Minister has made history by becoming the first G7 leader to publicly take an HIV test while in office and has led by example.

This free, quick and simple test sends a powerful message to the country and to the public. During National HIV Testing Week, anyone in England can order a test to their home, whether that’s to Downing Street, to Penzance or to Berwick-up-Tweed.

England can be the first country in the world to end new HIV transmissions, but we are not on track to do so by 2030. Scaling up HIV testing will be crucial to our shared goal. We are delighted that Keir Starmer is leading from the front in this mission.

Beverley Knight MBE said:

Living with HIV today is a world away from the experience that my late best friend Tyrone endured in the early 2000s. People living with HIV can now easily know their status, can access effective treatment and live a long, healthy life. I wish this was case for Ty. In his memory, I’m using my voice alongside the Prime Minister to make everyone aware of how easy it is to test. People need to hear the crucial message that thanks to effective medication people living with HIV can’t pass it on, so we can end this epidemic once and for all.

Rebecca Mbewe, an author and speaker, who is living with HIV said:

Testing for HIV is the only way to know your status, and it helps you stay in control of your health. If you do have a positive result, you won’t be on your own. I have been living with HIV for close to 30 years, I am still able to do anything and everything that I like. I still have my glass of gin and tonic. I can still go out and dance. Thanks to free, effective medication, I have a full life, I can’t pass HIV on and I have a normal life expectancy. Every time I have a birthday I love telling people my age. It’s a statement. It’s a celebration.

The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 6 February 2025.

More nuclear power plants will be approved across England and Wales as the Prime Minister slashes red tape to get Britain building – as part of his Plan for Change.

More nuclear power plants will be approved across England and Wales as the Prime Minister slashes red tape to get Britain building – as part of his Plan for Change.

Reforms to planning rules will clear a path for smaller, and easier to build nuclear reactors – known as Small Modular Reactors –to be built for the first time ever in the UK. This will create thousands of new highly skilled jobs while delivering clean, secure and more affordable energy for working people.

This is the latest refusal to accept the status quo, with the government ripping up archaic rules and saying no to the NIMBYs, to prioritise growth. It comes after recent changes to planning laws, the scrapping of the 3-strike rule for judicial reviews on infrastructure projects, and application of common-sense to environmental rules.

For too long the country has been mired by delay and obstruction, with a system too happy to label decisions as too difficult, or too long term. The UK was the first country in the world to develop a nuclear reactor, but the last time a nuclear power station was built was back in 1995. None have been built since, leaving the UK lagging behind in a global race to harness cleaner, more affordable energy.

The industry pioneered in Britain has been suffocated by regulations and this saw investment collapse, leaving only one nuclear power plant – Hinkley Point C – under construction. And this was after years of delay caused by unnecessary rules – meaning companies produced a 30,000-page environmental assessment to get planning permission.

Meanwhile, China is constructing 29 reactors, and the EU has 12 at planning stage, giving these places a huge advantage in the global race to harness new technologies, create jobs and deliver cleaner, cheaper, independent energy.

Investors want to get on and build reliable, cheap nuclear power, which will in turn support critical modern infrastructure, such as supercomputers to power the UK’s ambitions – but they have been held back.

Today’s plan will shake up the planning rules to make it easier to build nuclear across the country – delivering jobs, cheaper bills in the long term, and more money in people’s back pockets. This will be achieved by:

Including mini-nuclear power stations in planning rules for the first time – so firms can start building them in the places that need them.

Scrapping the set list of 8-sites – which means nuclear sites could be built anywhere across England and Wales.

Removing the expiry date on nuclear planning rules – so projects don’t get timed out and industry can plan for the long term.

Setting up a Nuclear Regulatory Taskforce – that will spearhead improvements to the regulations to help more companies build here. This will report directly to the PM.

This is the Government delivering on a manifesto commitment to galvanise nuclear to help the UK achieve energy security and clean power, while securing thousands of good, clean jobs.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer said:

This country hasn’t built a nuclear power station in decades. we’ve been let down, and left behind.

Our energy security has been hostage to Putin for too long, with British prices skyrocketing at his whims.

I’m putting an end to it – changing the rules to back the builders of this nation, and saying no to the blockers who have strangled our chances of cheaper energy, growth and jobs for far too long.

My government was elected to deliver change. I’ll take the radical decisions needed to wrestle Britain from its status quo slumber, to turbocharge our plan for change.

Currently, nuclear development is restricted to eight sites – as part of archaic planning rules that haven’t been looked at since 2011. With the reforms unveiled today, the refreshed planning framework will help streamline the process to encourage investment and enable developers to identify the best sites for their projects, supporting development at a wider range of locations.

Developers will be encouraged to bring forward sites as soon as possible at the pre-application stage in the planning process, speeding up overall timelines.

It will include new nuclear technologies such as small and advanced modular reactors for the first time, providing flexibility to co-locate them with energy intensive industrial sites such as AI data centres.

These technologies are cheaper and quicker to build than traditional nuclear power plants and require smaller sites, meaning they can be built in a greater variety of locations.

There will also continue to be robust criteria for nuclear reactor locations, including restrictions near densely populated areas and military activity, alongside community engagement and high environmental standards.

Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said:

Build, build, build – that is what Britain’s clean energy mission is all about.

The British people have been left vulnerable to global energy markets for too long – and the only way out is to build our way to a new era of clean electricity.

Nuclear power creating thousands of skilled jobs. That is what this government will deliver.

Alongside reforms to the siting process, a specialist taskforce will lead on making sure nuclear regulation incentivises investment, to deliver new projects more quickly and cost efficiently, while upholding high safety and security standards.

Britain is currently considered one of the world’s most expensive countries in which to build nuclear power. The taskforce will speed up the approval of new reactor designs and streamline how developers engage with regulators.

Nuclear regulation will cover both civil and defence nuclear to help unlock economic growth in the sector.

The taskforce will better align the UK with international partners so reactor designs approved abroad could be green lit more quickly, minimising expensive changes. It will also examine how to reduce duplication and simplify processes where there are multiple regulators covering overlapping issues, as well as ensuring regulatory decisions are both safe and proportionate.

The work will help the issues faced by projects such as Hinkley Point C, where three European regulators reached different assessments on the reactor design, leading to delays and increased costs.

The UK’s rigorous safety standards and record will continue to be upheld. Nuclear plants are designed with multiple layers of safety measures including making them robust enough to withstand a direct aircraft impact.

This is part of the government push to drive growth – building on the Prime Minister’s announcement to overhaul the legal challenges to major infrastructure projects including nuclear – with Sizewell C having suffered increased legal costs and uncertainty as a result of local activists taking them to court.

In a volatile world, where oil and gas prices are driven by tyrants like Putin, the drive for new nuclear is an integral part of the government’s plans to replace the UK’s dependence on fossil fuel markets with clean homegrown energy, to make the UK energy independent and protect consumers with clean, homegrown power.

Since July, the government has committed to driving forward new nuclear including further funding for Sizewell C at the Autumn Budget 2024.

Great British Nuclear also continues to progress the small modular reactor competition, with contract negotiations currently underway.

Gary Smith, GMB General Secretary, said:

GMB has long said there can be no net zero without new nuclear.  > > For too long, the failure to deliver new nuclear has weakened our energy security and undermined economic growth.  > Sizewell C stands ready and waiting for the green light to power up our country’s future.
> > Now we need to see spades in the ground without delay.

Alistair Black, Senior Director, UK at X-energy said:

Opening up new siting opportunities for a fleet of advanced reactors will help unlock tens of billions of pounds of investment and growth across the country, bringing clean secure electricity and heat for industry.

We welcome this step today, and the intent to streamline assessment processes whilst ensuring robust regulatory standards continue to be met. We look forward to reviewing this in detail and responding to the consultation.

Simone Rossi, CEO of EDF in the UK, said:

As a major operator, investor and developer, EDF welcomes the proposals designed to speed up new nuclear projects in the UK and unlock economic growth.

Nuclear is essential to a secure, low carbon energy system and is the ideal partner to renewables. There is a great opportunity to build new infrastructure across England and Wales, to replace aging stations and take advantage of available skills, existing grid connections and supportive communities.

“The opportunity will only be fully realised with the necessary reforms to planning and regulation, alongside continuing to build on the critical work at Hinkley Point C and Sizewell C to further develop skills and supply chains.”

Darren Hardman, CEO, Microsoft UK, said:

We welcome the government’s plans to accelerate the building of safe, modern nuclear as part of the energy mix. Economic growth will require increased energy supply for the UK, but we must not lose sight of our ambitions for a fully decarbonised grid.

Chair of Great British Nuclear Simon Bowen said:

Nuclear energy is a powerful tool for growing the UK’s economy. By expanding the range of sites where safe, secure, reliable, and clean nuclear energy plants can be built, there is huge potential to positively transform areas facing economic uncertainty.

Today’s announcement also signals exciting opportunities to co-locate nuclear energy generation on data centre sites and to decarbonise industrial processes.

Nuclear is one of the safest and cleanest forms of energy generation. The new independent nuclear regulation taskforce will help unlock growth and investment by providing clarity and certainty while ensuring regulations are fit for purpose.

Tom Greatrex, Chief Executive of the Nuclear Industry Association, said:

This is the Prime Minister’s strongest signal yet that new nuclear is critical to the growth and clean power mission. A more streamlined planning system will give certainty to investors, the supply chain and communities, and will enable us to get on with building new nuclear plants on more sites and at pace for a cleaner, more secure power system.

We need to make Britain the best possible place to build new nuclear, both large-scale and SMRs, which means avoiding unnecessary stumbling blocks and ensuring regulations are proportionate to our urgent need for low carbon power, energy security and good jobs.

Jonathan Geldart, Director General of the Institute of Directors, said:

The government is right to identify nuclear power as a crucial contributor to the UK’s future electricity needs. This development shows the right desire to overcome the significant challenges involved in building back nuclear at scale, in terms of planning obstacles and project delivery. Despite these challenges, today’s announcement marks a significant move forward.

Mike Clancy, General Secretary of Prospect said:

The government’s ambition to drive forward a new generation of nuclear power after decades of delay is exactly what Britain needs.

Nuclear is not only essential for hitting our Net Zero goals and maintaining energy security, it also creates thousands of good, well-paid jobs in areas of the country where they are sorely needed.

Speeding up the approval of new sites and new reactors is an important step towards enabling investment in new nuclear. The government’s support for Sizewell C is also a welcome vote of confidence in the sector and bringing this project to a Final Investment Decision will provide a strong foundation for its future growth.

The success of Britain’s world class nuclear sector is built on a robust regulatory process, and we welcome a review of this framework to ensure it is supporting investment while still providing assurance that high safety standards are being maintained.

Cathal O’Rourke, Laing O’Rourke’s Group Chief Executive Officer said:

This announcement is a significant step forward for the UK’s nuclear industry. The clarity provided by these new planning rules, the focus on streamlining the regulatory process, and the emphasis on standardising reactor designs is precisely the sort of clear, unequivocal direction the industry needs.

Having played a central role in delivering nuclear capacity at Hinkley Point C, we understand the complexities of these projects firsthand and these new measures, particularly around regulatory reform and streamlined planning, will be invaluable in ensuring future projects, like Sizewell C, can be delivered more efficiently and cost-effectively.

In particular, standardisation and an industrialised approach will be key to driving down costs and accelerating construction timelines, ensuring we can deploy new nuclear capacity efficiently and at pace by adopting a “copy, improve, repeat” approach to design and implementation. This type of approach would also improve worker welfare conditions on site from a physical and wellbeing perspective.

This clear signal from government will unlock investment, create jobs nationwide for shared prosperity, including an ability to plan for long-term investment in apprenticeships, and ensure the UK can benefit from clean, locally supplied nuclear power for generations to come.

Chris Conboy, Managing Director, Nuclear EMEA at AtkinsRéalis said:

We welcome plans to accelerate new nuclear developments. Speeding up lengthy planning processes would help to bring forward new projects faster, strengthening the UK’s world-class nuclear supply chain and creating jobs and skills across the country.

Nuclear will be the cornerstone of a reliable net zero energy system. We need both large and small nuclear technologies to realise our AI ambitions, bolster our energy security, and enable the sustainable development of towns, cities and industries across the UK: building the right technology in the right locations is vital to power the UK’s growth agenda and meet our net zero goals.

David Omand, former Director of GCHQ said:

It is very welcome to see this government pushing forward on their commitment to national security by making the UK more energy secure and speeding up nuclear power to boost growth across the country. Nuclear is critical to national security, and taking this kind of action is a mark of the seriousness with which Keir Starmer takes the challenges of modern geopolitics. I fully support this push to knock down barriers to safe, modern nuclear as part of the nation’s critical infrastructure.

Kim Darroch, former National Security Adviser said:

As a former National Security Adviser, I think driving for as much homegrown clean power as possible in this age of global turbulence should be among our top national security objectives. So I welcome the Prime Minister’s intervention to accelerate the regeneration of our nuclear power industry.

Julian David OBE, CEO, techUK said:

If we want the UK economy to keep growing, we must invest in our energy infrastructure. We are pleased to see the Government announce new plans to reform planning rules to expand new energy generation. This move will boost the economy, create new jobs, and ensure the UK is not reliant on external agents for its own energy supply.

Andrew Murdoch, Managing Director, UK at newcleo said:

Today’s news is hugely welcome.  For far too many years, overly prescriptive and stringent planning criteria have thwarted the nuclear industry from growing.

This new more pragmatic approach on siting will help to unlock the huge potential of small and advanced modular reactors.  In particular, the strong support from the Prime Minister himself and the Secretary of State is a welcome catalyst for inward investment in new nuclear development projects – it will help to secure long-term jobs in regions across the country whilst delivering the clean, secure and affordable energy that the people and the businesses of the UK need.

The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 5 February 2025.

The Prime Minister spoke to the Prime Minister of Canada Justin Trudeau this afternoon.

The leaders began by reflecting on the close and historic relationship between the UK and Canada. From global security to clean energy and growth, they agreed on the importance of shared values between the two nations.

Discussing recent global events, the Prime Minister said he welcomed an international conversation on the importance of trade and collaboration between allies and partners. The Prime Minister also paid tribute to Prime Minister Trudeau’s leadership, including his focus on stemming the deadly drug trade across Canada’s borders.

The leaders also discussed the strong trading relationship between the UK and Canada, worth £26 billion, and how together both countries could go further to support growth and deliver for the hardworking Canadian and British people.

As the third-year anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine approaches, both leaders underlined their commitment to ensuring Ukraine is in the strongest possible position.

On Syria, they agreed on the necessity of a political transition process leading to an inclusive, non-sectarian and representative government.

They looked forward to speaking soon.

The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 4 February 2025.

The Prime Minister hosted the Danish Prime Minister, Mette Frederiksen, at Downing Street this evening.

The leaders reflected on the EU Council dinner last night, and the Prime Minister said he was pleased to have been able to set out his vision for a closer UK and EU relationship that would benefit all sides through greater growth and enhanced defence and security cooperation.

Both agreed on the need to strengthen European defence capabilities, including through NATO.

Turning to security in the High North and Arctic region, the Prime Minister paid tribute to the important role Denmark was playing and welcomed their recent announcement of a new military package to defend the Arctic from hostile activity.

Both leaders agreed to step up joint cooperation to address threats in the Arctic and High North, working with allies through NATO and JEF Partners.

Turning to Ukraine, the Prime Minister welcomed the Danish Prime Minister’s reflections on the current battlefield situation and the leaders underscored the importance of supporting Ukraine’s forces for the long term, putting them in the strongest possible position.

The Prime Minister welcomed Denmark’s upcoming presidency of the Council of the European Union, adding he looked forward to working closely with Prime Minister Frederiksen during this time, including on the shared challenge of migration.

The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 3 February 2025.

The Prime Minister met NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte in Brussels this afternoon.

The leaders had a constructive discussion about the scale of the defence and security challenge facing Europe as a result of Putin’s relentless campaign of destruction and sabotage.

The Prime Minister restated his unwavering commitment to NATO as the cornerstone of our security.

The NATO Secretary General commended the UK’s ongoing contribution to Ukraine’s fight, and both agreed that all allies need to step up and shoulder more of the burden to keep the pressure on Putin.

The Prime Minister updated the NATO Secretary General on his recent visit to Ukraine, commending the ongoing bravery of the soldiers risking their lives to defend their sovereignty.

Ahead of his attendance at the Informal European Council meeting this evening, the Prime Minister updated on his desire to see a stronger UK-EU security partnership to tackle these threats, which will increase co-operation and bolster NATO further.

The two leaders agreed to stay in close contact.