Tag: Downing Street

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.

The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 27 January 2025.

The Prime Minister spoke to the Taoiseach Micheál Martin this morning to congratulate him on his election.

The leaders agreed that the UK – Ireland relationship was going from strength to strength, and it was vital to continue that in such a volatile geopolitical context.

Discussing devastating Storm Éowyn at the weekend, the leaders paid tribute to the work of first responders and engineers to restore electricity to thousands of homes. The Prime Minister said that he had also spoken to the First Minister and Deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland and that the UK stood by to offer further support, as required.

The Prime Minister also updated on his EU reset, and the leaders underscored the importance of a close and constructive relationship with the EU to boost prosperity and security.

Looking ahead to the upcoming UK-Ireland summit, both agreed that the meeting would offer a chance to deepen collaboration across all areas of the bilateral relationship, including business, innovation, and energy.

Turning to Ukraine, the Prime Minister reflected on his visit earlier this month and reiterated his view that it was vital to put Ukraine in the strongest possible position.

The leaders also discussed Holocaust Memorial Day today. The Prime Minister said he had been deeply moved by his visit to Auschwitz earlier this month, and the leaders agreed the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau was a poignant reminder on the need to defeat antisemitism and hatred.

They looked forward to meeting soon.

The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 20 January 2025.

The Prime Minister spoke to Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen this afternoon.

The Prime Minister updated on his visit to Kyiv last week and underlined his steadfast commitment to supporting Ukraine for as long as it takes.

Putting the country in the strongest possible position in 2025 and securing peace through strength was vital, the leaders agreed.

Turning to broader European defence issues, the leaders looked ahead to their attendance to the upcoming European Council in early February.

The Prime Minister extended an invite to Prime Minister Frederiksen to visit the UK.

The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 20 January 2025.

The Prime Minister spoke to the Amir of Qatar His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani this afternoon.

The leaders began by reflecting on the success of the Qatar State Visit last month, and they agreed on the importance and strength of the UK-Qatar partnership.

Turning to the Middle East, the Prime Minister thanked the Amir for his steadfast leadership in securing a ceasefire deal.

They both agreed on the requirement to maintain pressure on both sides to ensure that the deal is fully implemented, seeing the release of all hostages and an increase of aid into Gaza.

The Prime Minister underscored that the UK, alongside international partners, will continue to be at the forefront of efforts to ensure long-term peace in the Middle East.

A two-state solution that will guarantee security and stability for Israel, alongside a sovereign and viable Palestine state will ensure a better future for all, the leaders agreed.

They looked forward to speaking soon.

The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 18 January 2025.

This joint statement was released following the meeting between Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Prime Minister Donald Tusk in Warsaw on 17 January 2025.

Joint Statement following the meeting of the British and Polish Prime Ministers in Warsaw on 17 January 2025.

We met in Warsaw to discuss our close partnership and shared vision for our bilateral and international cooperation.

Today we reaffirmed our unshakeable support for NATO. We discussed a broad range of shared global challenges, including how to shore up European security in the face of an increasingly aggressive Russia. We agreed to continue joint support to Ukraine, including military support, training and reconstruction. Together we will work to tackle Russia’s hybrid attacks, including in cyberspace, take joint action to counter information manipulation, and deepen collaboration on extending sanctions against Putin’s regime. We are committed to holding Russia accountable for the crimes and damages perpetrated on Ukrainian territory.

We welcomed the start of the Polish presidency of the Council of the European Union in the first half of this year and discussed the Presidency’s priorities for the next six months. Together, we underlined the importance of a close partnership between the UK and the EU, including in the security and economic spheres. We looked forward to the UK joining the informal European Council meeting in February.

Here in Warsaw, we agreed to launch negotiations on a new Defence and Security Treaty between the UK and Poland. Building on the 2017 Defence Treaty, the new agreement will provide the framework and ambition for the deepest cooperation across the full range of external and internal security threats, and our shared determination to defend and promote peace and security in Europe together with our allies.

We expressed our strong support for the important and growing defence industrial relationship between the UK and Poland. A new Polish-British Joint Programme Office in the UK, planned to be established in the middle of this year, will give strong support to this work. It will focus on the £4bn bilateral agreement for the next generation of the short range air defence system NAREW. We also discussed Poland’s East Shield project to further strengthen its border, and the UK’s support to the project.

Together we underlined the imperative of tackling irregular migration, and agreed to establish a strategic border security and migration dialogue, to focus initially on tackling the threat from migrant smuggling networks and increased data sharing. We discussed the risks to Poland’s borders of the instrumentalisation of migrants through Belarus and Russia, and agreed to share best practice to address this challenge. We expressed our support for the role of sanctions as one of the tools for tackling irregular migration and organised immigration crime.

We celebrated our close trade and investment relationship, with growing bilateral trade, creating jobs and growth for the people of both countries.  We agreed our governments would deepen bilateral dialogue on energy security and transition. We also agreed to explore a new forum between relevant ministers to address the shared challenges and opportunities, to be announced in the coming months.

The friendship between our countries lies in our close people to people links. We recognised the breadth of our cooperation, including co-operation on science and education. Looking ahead to 2025, we underlined the value of UK-Poland cultural co-operation, and looked forward to the UK-Poland Season of Culture 2025.

The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 17 January 2025.

The Prime Minister met the Prime Minister of Poland Donald Tusk today in Warsaw.

The leaders had a warm and productive discussion, beginning by reflecting on the Prime Minister and Lady Starmer’s visit to Auschwitz and how 80 years on from its liberation, the world must never forget the atrocities committed there.

The UK and Poland are close allies and share an important relationship which the leaders agreed to continue to strengthen to deliver economic growth, security and prosperity for both countries.

They were delighted to announce the start of talks on a new Defence and Security Treaty, which will bring the UK and Poland even closer together to tackle shared threats – including Putin’s ongoing aggression, the vile people smuggling gangs fueling illegal migration, and protecting our energy security.

On Ukraine, the Prime Minister updated Prime Minister Tusk on his recent visit and meetings with President Zelenskyy. It was vital that international partners continue to support Ukraine in the face of Russian aggression, the leaders agreed.

They looked forward to speaking again soon.