UKPOL.CO.UK

Tag: Downing Street

  • PRESS RELEASE : New tech partnership to stop the boats [August 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : New tech partnership to stop the boats [August 2023]

    The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 6 August 2023.

    Partnership with social media companies to clamp down on people smugglers’ operations online.

    • Illegal crossings remain down on last year and returns are at their highest level since 2019
    • Extra funding and resources for law enforcement to tackle harmful content

    A voluntary partnership between social media companies and government will accelerate action to tackle people smuggling content online, such as criminals sharing information about illegal Channel crossings, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has announced today [Sunday 6th August].

    It comes as new figures show the government continues to make progress on the Prime Minister’s plan to stop the boats: crossings remain down on last year, the legacy asylum backlog has been reduced by a third since December 2022, and enforced returns of people with no right to be in the UK are at their highest level since 2019.

    While figures from the NCA show that over 90% of online content linked to people smuggling is taken down when social media companies are notified, the partnership between tech firms and government will drive forward efforts to clamp down on the tactics being used by criminal gangs who use the internet to lure people into paying for crossings.

    This content can include discount offers for groups of people, free spaces for children, offers of false documents and false claims of safe passage – targeting vulnerable people for profit and putting people’s lives at risk through dangerous and illegal journeys.

    Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said:

    To stop the boats, we have to tackle the business model of vile people smugglers at source.

    That means clamping down on their attempts to lure people into making these illegal crossings and profit from putting lives at risk.

    This new commitment from tech firms will see us redouble our efforts to fight back against these criminals, working together to shut down their vile trade.

    Home Secretary Suella Braverman said:

    Heartless people smugglers are using social media to promote their despicable services and charge people thousands of pounds to make the illegal journey into the UK in unsafe boats.

    They must not succeed.

    This strengthened collaboration between the National Crime Agency, government and social media companies will ensure content promoting dangerous and illegal Channel crossings doesn’t see the light of day.

    The partnership will build on the close working already in place between government and social media companies, and includes a range of commitments to explore increased collaboration.

    Under this initiative, social media companies will look to increase cooperation with the National Crime Agency to find and remove criminal content and step up the sharing of best practice both across the industry and with law enforcement.

    The voluntary partnership also includes a commitment to explore ways to step up efforts to redirect people away from this content when they come across it online. This approach is already widely being used successfully by platforms, for example around harmful content promoting extremism or eating disorders, where people are presented with alternative messages to displace, rebut or undermine the damaging content they searched for – diverting them away from harmful messaging and misinformation.

    Alongside the partnership, the government will also set up a new centre led by the National Crime Agency and Home Office to increase the capacity and capability of law enforcement to identify this content on social media platforms.

    Known as the ‘Online Capability Centre’, backed by £11m funding, its work will focus on undermining and disrupting the business model of organised crime groups responsible for illegal crossings and using the internet to facilitate these journeys by intensifying efforts to combat their online activity.

    The centre will be staffed by highly trained technical specialists alongside law enforcement officers and will work by building a clearer picture of the scale of illegal immigration material online. They will work with internet companies to identify more of this material, notifying platforms so they can take the appropriate action. The centre will also focus on developing and building a bank of intelligence around the criminal networks who are promoting people smuggling services online, which will help improve law enforcement’s ability to identify content and in turn help drive investigations.

    To harness the potential of new technology such as AI to clamp down on criminals’ content, government will also hold a ‘hackathon’ event with industry experts in order to develop innovative new tools which will better detect people smugglers’ publicly available content online, to help social media companies take it down more quickly.

    Government will also intensify the existing work taking place with social media companies ahead of the Online Safety Bill coming into effect.

    Once in force, under the Bill social media companies will be required to make sure their systems and processes are designed to prevent people coming into contact with illegal content created by people smugglers, minimise how long this content is available online and remove it as soon as possible once they become aware of it.

    Alongside this, the Bill also requires major platforms to publish annual transparency reports setting out what they’re doing to tackle online harms. This could include information around how content around illegal migration is spread across platforms, how frequently it is uploaded, and what systems and processes companies have in place to deal with this kind of content.

    The partnership confirmed today also builds on the work of the “Social Media Action Plan”, a voluntary agreement between the Home Office, National Crime Agency and five major social media platforms in 2021 to increase understanding of how organised criminals used their platforms to promote illegal services.

    To date, this cooperation has seen more than 4,700 posts, pages or accounts have been removed or suspended as a result, increasing disruption of organised crime groups’ activity, and today’s partnership will drive further progress.

    Stopping the boats is one of the Prime Minister’s top five priorities and the government is fully focused on delivering his whole system plan to tackling illegal migration. This includes:

    • stepping up law enforcement activity, with 50% more illegal working visits carried out in the first half of this year compared to the first half of last year
    • tackling the legacy asylum backlog, which has reduced by nearly a third since the end of December
    • passing the Illegal Migration Act which will ensure that people who come to the UK illegally will be detained and swiftly removed.

    Working with international partners to tackle this global challenge is another key strand of efforts to stop the boats, and since taking office the PM has secured new agreements with allies, including strengthened partnerships with France and Albania which will see 40% more patrols on French beaches, and have resulted in a 90% drop in Albanian small boat arrivals in the first quarter of 2023 compared to the same period last year.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Appointment of Residentiary Canonry of the Cathedral Church of Christ Oxford [August 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : Appointment of Residentiary Canonry of the Cathedral Church of Christ Oxford [August 2023]

    The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 4 August 2023.

    The King has approved The Reverend Canon Peter Moger, Priest in Charge of St Peter, Stornoway and St Moluag, Eoropaidh, in the Diocese of Argyll and The Isles, be appointed to a Residentiary Canonry of the Cathedral Church of Christ, Oxford.

    The King has approved The Reverend Canon Peter Moger, Priest in Charge of St Peter, Stornoway and St Moluag, Eoropaidh, in the Diocese of Argyll and The Isles, be appointed to a Residentiary Canonry of the Cathedral Church of Christ, Oxford, in succession to the Very Reverend Richard Peers, following his appointment as Dean of Llandaff Cathedral.

    Background

    Peter was educated at Merton College, Oxford, and St John’s College, Durham whilst training for ministry at Cranmer Hall, Durham. He served his title at Whitby, in the Diocese of York, and was ordained Priest in 1994. Peter was appointed Precentor, Sacrist and Minor Canon at Ely Cathedral in 1995 and Vicar of St Mary the Virgin, Godmanchester, in the Diocese of Ely, in 2001.

    In 2005 he joined the Archbishop’s Council as National Worship Development Officer, a position he held until 2010 when he was appointed Residentiary Canon and Precentor at York Minster.

    In 2019 Peter took on his current role as Priest in Charge at St Peter, Stornoway, and St Moluag, Eoropaidh, in the Diocese of Argyll and The Isles.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Rishi Sunak call with Chancellor Scholz of Germany [August 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : Rishi Sunak call with Chancellor Scholz of Germany [August 2023]

    The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 2 August 2023.

    Prime Minister Rishi Sunak spoke to the German Chancellor Olaf Scholz this morning.

    Following on from last month’s NATO Summit in Vilnius, the leaders stressed the importance of upholding European security. The Prime Minister expressed his hope that the UK and Germany can continue the extensive work we do together to this end.

    The Prime Minister and Chancellor Scholz discussed the concerning situation in Niger. The UK and Germany have both condemned the recent attempts to undermine democracy, peace and stability in the country. The Prime Minister welcomed our shared efforts to uphold stability and protect our nationals in Niger.

    The leaders looked forward to seeing one another in person at the G20 Summit in India next month.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Appointment of Lord-Lieutenant of Berkshire [August 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : Appointment of Lord-Lieutenant of Berkshire [August 2023]

    The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 1 August 2023.

    The King has been pleased to appoint Mr Andrew Try, DL, as His Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant for the Royal County of Berkshire on the retirement of Mr James Puxley, CVO, on 23rd October 2023.

    Andrew Try is the founder and Managing Director of ComXo, which provides virtual personal assistance and other workplace services to large enterprise clients in the City of London; his company employs 110 people in Datchet. A sixth-generation Windsorian, his voluntary work has focused on serving the locality, including as Trustee of the Windsor Festival, the Windsor Learning Partnership Multi-Academy Trust and the Prince Philip Trust Fund; member of the board of the Friends of St George’s Chapel; chair of the Royal Windsor Rose and Horticultural Society; and governor of Clewer Green Primary School and Papplewick School, Ascot.

    Mr Try has two children and an adult stepson and lives in Windsor with their mother, Vicky.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Hundreds of new North Sea oil and gas licences to boost British energy independence and grow the economy [July 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : Hundreds of new North Sea oil and gas licences to boost British energy independence and grow the economy [July 2023]

    The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 31 July 2023.

    Hundreds of new oil and gas licenses will be granted in the UK, the Prime Minister has confirmed today.

    • Prime Minister commits to future oil and gas licensing rounds, as new analysis shows domestic gas production has around one-quarter the carbon footprint of imported liquified natural gas
    • North East Scotland and the Humber chosen as locations for two new carbon capture usage and storage clusters – building a thriving clean industry in the North Sea which could support up to 50,000 jobs
    • Investment in the North Sea will continue to unlock new projects, protect jobs, reduce emissions and boost UK energy independence

    Hundreds of new oil and gas licences will be granted in the UK, the Prime Minister has confirmed today (Monday 31 July), as the UK Government continues to back the North Sea oil and gas industry as part of drive to make Britain more energy independent.

    The Government and the North Sea Transition Authority (NSTA) are today announcing a joint commitment to undertake future licensing rounds, which will continue to be subject to a climate compatibility test.

    By adopting a more flexible application process, licences could also be offered near to currently licensed areas – unlocking vital reserves which can be brought online faster due to existing infrastructure and previous relevant assessments.

    With the independent Climate Change Committee predicting around a quarter of the UK’s energy demand will still be met by oil and gas when the UK reaches net zero in 2050, the Government is taking steps to slow the rapid decline in domestic production of oil and gas, which will secure our domestic energy supply and reduce reliance on hostile states.

    This will increase the UK’s energy security and reduce dependence on higher-emission imports, whilst protecting more than 200,000 jobs in a vital industry as we grow the UK economy. As part of a visit to a critical energy infrastructure site in Aberdeenshire today, the Prime Minister will highlight the central role the region will play in strengthening the UK’s energy independence and meet the next generation of skilled apprentices key to driving this work forward.

    The NSTA – responsible for regulating the oil, gas and carbon storage industries – is currently running the 33rd offshore oil and gas licensing round. They expect the first of the new licences to be awarded in the autumn, with the round expected to award over 100 licences in total.

    Future licences will be critical to providing energy security options, unlocking carbon capture usage and storage and hydrogen opportunities – building truly integrated offshore energy hubs that make the best use of the established infrastructure.

    This comes as new analysis released by the NSTA today shows that the carbon footprint of domestic gas production is around one-quarter of the carbon footprint of imported liquified natural gas. As the UK is a rapidly declining producer of oil and gas, new oil and gas licences reduce the fall in UK supply in order to ensure vital energy security, rather than increase it above current levels – so that the UK remains on track to meet net zero by 2050.

    UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said:

    We have all witnessed how Putin has manipulated and weaponised energy – disrupting supply and stalling growth in countries around the world.

    Now more than ever, it’s vital that we bolster our energy security and capitalise on that independence to deliver more affordable, clean energy to British homes and businesses.

    Even when we’ve reached net zero in 2050, a quarter of our energy needs will come from oil and gas. But there are those who would rather that it come from hostile states than from the supplies we have here at home.

    We’re choosing to power up Britain from Britain and invest in crucial industries such as carbon capture and storage, rather than depend on more carbon intensive gas imports from overseas – which will support thousands of skilled jobs, unlock further opportunities for green technologies and grow the economy.

    The UK’s oil and gas industry are also vital to driving forward and investing in clean technologies that we need to realise our net zero target, like carbon capture usage and storage, by drawing from the sector’s existing supply chains, expertise and key skills whilst protecting jobs.

    Today, the Government has confirmed that projects Acorn in North East Scotland and Viking in the Humber have been chosen as the third and fourth carbon capture usage and storage clusters in the UK.

    The Government has already committed to deploy CCUS in two industrial clusters by the mid-2020s – the HyNet cluster in North West England and North Wales, and the East Coast Cluster in the Teesside and Humber – and another further two clusters by 2030 – now confirmed as Acorn and Viking.

    Together, these four clusters will build a new thriving carbon capture usage and storage industry, which could support up to 50,000 jobs in the UK by 2030.

    The UK has one of the largest potential carbon dioxide storage capacities in Europe, making the North Sea one of the most attractive business environments for CCUS technology. The Government has committed to provide up to £20 billion in funding for early deployment of CCUS, unlocking private investment and job creation.

    Energy Security Secretary Grant Shapps said:

    In the wake of Putin’s barbaric invasion of Ukraine, our energy security is more important than ever. The North Sea is at the heart of our plan to power up Britain from Britain so that tyrants like Putin can never again use energy as a weapon to blackmail us.

    Today’s commitment to power ahead with new oil and gas licences will drive forward our energy independence and our economy for generations. Protecting critical jobs in every region of the UK, safeguarding energy bills for British families and providing a homegrown fuel for our economy that, for domestic gas production, has around one-quarter the carbon footprint of imported liquified natural gas.

    Our next steps to develop carbon capture and storage, in Scotland and the Humber, will also help to build a thriving new industry for our North Sea that could support as many as 50,000 jobs, as we deliver on our priority of growing the economy.

    The Prime Minister has also tasked the relevant Government departments and regulators to work collaboratively and report back by the end of the year on how we can make the best use of our offshore resources in a truly integrated way as we unlock CCUS and hydrogen opportunities in the North Sea.

    A call for evidence has also been launched by Government today, seeking views on the evolving context for taxes for the oil and gas sector to design a long-term fiscal regime which delivers predictability and certainty, supports investment, protects jobs and the country’s energy security.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Prime Minister to highlight Scotland’s place in securing Britain’s long-term energy security [July 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : Prime Minister to highlight Scotland’s place in securing Britain’s long-term energy security [July 2023]

    The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 31 July 2023.

    The Prime Minister will today (Monday 31 July) confirm that Scotland will continue to be at the forefront of UK Government plans to strengthen the UK’s long-term energy security.

    Prime Minister visits North East Scotland, highlighting the central role it will play in defending the UK against disrupted global energy supplies.

    There he will also meet with key figures in the energy sector and will visit critical infrastructure projects which will help grow the economy, reach Net Zero, and deliver the next generation of highly skilled jobs for young people in the region.

    The Prime Minister will today (Monday 31 July) confirm that Scotland will continue to be at the forefront of UK Government plans to strengthen the UK’s long-term energy security.

    During a visit to the North East of Scotland, the Prime Minister will highlight the crucial role that the region will play in enhancing and delivering on the UK Government’s commitment to reaching Net Zero in 2050 and enhancing long term energy security for generations to come.

    The UK is leading international efforts by setting ambitious net zero commitments, ramping up the transition to clean energy, reducing total greenhouse gas emissions by 32% since 2010, whilst bringing down energy bills and supporting households.

    It is expected that the UK Government and energy authorities will go further than before in announcing continued decisive action to:

    Boost the capability of the North Sea industry to transition towards Net Zero;
    Strengthen the foundations of the UK’s future energy mix;
    And create the next generation of highly skilled green jobs.
    In addition, it is expected that the Prime Minister will meet with key energy industry figures and companies at the forefront of delivering the UK’s energy needs, as well as the next generation of highly skilled people who are working on the projects of tomorrow.

    The package will also underpin that Scotland remains a cornerstone of government plans for an energy-independent UK, as well demonstrating what can be achieved due to the strength and scale of UK collective action, in defending the public against global energy supplies which have been disrupted and weaponised by Putin.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Rishi Sunak call with the President of Ukraine [July 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : Rishi Sunak call with the President of Ukraine [July 2023]

    The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 25 July 2023.

    The Prime Minister Rishi Sunak spoke to Ukrainian President Zelenskyy today.

    The Prime Minister spoke to President Zelenskyy this morning.

    The leaders discussed recent developments on the battlefield and the continued progress by Ukrainian forces despite the challenging conditions. The Prime Minister added that he was appalled by the devastation caused by recent Russian attacks on Odesa.

    Discussing the Black Sea Grain Initiative, the leaders agreed on the importance of ensuring grain was able to be exported from Ukraine to reach international markets. The Prime Minister said the UK was working closely with Turkey on restoring the grain deal, and we would continue to use our role as chair of the UN Security Council to further condemn Russia’s behaviour.

    Russia was increasingly looking to target merchant vessels in the Black Sea area and the UK was carefully monitoring the situation alongside our partners, the Prime Minister added.

    The UK continued to support Ukraine’s air defence and artillery needs with more ammunition and missiles being delivered, the Prime Minister said.

    Reflecting on long-term security assurances, the leaders agreed the number of countries who had put themselves forward to sign up to the multilateral Joint Declaration was a testament to the international support for Ukraine.

    The leaders looked forward to speaking again soon.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Prime Minister to build 1 million new homes over this Parliament [July 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : Prime Minister to build 1 million new homes over this Parliament [July 2023]

    The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 24 July 2023.

    The government will meet its manifesto commitment to build 1 million homes over this Parliament, the Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, has announced.

    Reaching this target would represent another important milestone in the government’s already successful housebuilding strategy. Since 2010, over 2.2 million new homes have been delivered and millions of people have moved into home ownership.

    The pledge comes ahead of a major speech by the Housing and Levelling Up Secretary, Michael Gove, today in which he will set out new measures to unblock the planning system and build more homes in the right places where there is local consent.

    Rather than concreting over the countryside, the government will focus on prioritising building in inner-city areas where demand is highest and growth is being constrained. This includes a new urban quarter in Cambridge which will unlock the city’s full potential as a source of innovation and talent. Working with local leaders and communities in Cambridge, a new quarter will create new beautiful homes, supported by state of the art facilities with cutting-edge laboratories and green spaces.

    Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said:

    Today I can confirm that we will meet our manifesto commitment to build 1 million homes over this Parliament. That’s a beautiful new home for a million individual families in every corner of our country.

    We need to keep going because we want more people to realise the dream of owning their own home.

    We won’t do that by concreting over the countryside – our plan is to build the right homes where there is the most need and where there is local support, in the heart of Britain’s great cities.

    Our reforms today will help make that a reality, by regenerating disused brownfield land, streamlining planning process and helping homeowners to renovate and extend their houses outwards and upwards.

    Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Michael Gove said:

    Most people agree that we need to build more homes – the question is how we go about it.

    Rather than concreting over the countryside, we have set out a plan today to build the right homes in the right places where there is community support – and we’re putting the resources behind it to help make this vision a reality.

    At the heart of this is making sure that we build beautiful and empower communities to have a say in the development in their area.

    The government will also take steps to unblock the bottlenecks in the planning system that are choking and slowing down development, and stopping growth and investment by:

    • Immediately launching a £24 million Planning Skills Delivery Fund to clear backlogs and get the right skills in place.
    • Setting up a new “super-squad” team of leading planners and other experts charged with working across the planning system to unblock major housing developments. The team will first be deployed in Cambridge to turbocharge our plans in the city.

    Developers will also be asked to contribute more through fees, to help support a higher quality more efficient planning service.

    New flexibilities to convert shops, takeaways and betting shops into homes will help to rejuvenate the high street. Meanwhile, red tape will be cut to enable barn conversions and the repurposing agricultural buildings and disused warehouses.

    New freedoms to extend homes, convert lofts and renovate new buildings will help to convert existing properties into new accommodation. A review into the extension of permitted development rights will make it easier for homeowners to build upwards and outwards – with new extensions and loft conversions – whilst ensuring neighbours’ interests are protected.

    Community support is vital in making these plans a success and the Housing Secretary has been clear any developments must be beautiful, come with the right infrastructure and designed with locals in mind. That is why the Housing Secretary is also today announcing:

    • Office for Place – a new body will be launched today to lead a design revolution and ensure local people have a say in how housing is designed.
    • A consultation on reforming local plans, to make them simpler, shorter and more visual, showing clearly what is planned in local areas so communities can engage.

    Stakeholder comments:

    Sir Mene Pangalos, AstraZeneca:

    This announcement offers the potential to help Cambridge continue to develop as a leading global centre for life sciences and healthcare, enhance its infrastructure, and deliver further growth locally and nationally.

    Caspar Herzberg CEO, AVEVA:

    We welcome this investment in Cambridge’s future as a global science and technology hub. From AVEVA’s origins as a research joint-venture between the government and University of Cambridge, the city remains a major R&D centre for our global software business.  We’re committed to continuing to invest in Cambridge as an innovation centre for the development of the next generation of industrial software, using AI to drive productivity and decarbonisation for our customers around the world.

    Steve Bates CEO, UK BioIndustry Association:

    The UK life science sector needs speedy decisions on new labs and homes to grow. Today’s announcement about Cambridge  is a welcome boost to scaling companies like Alcamab and Bicycle, competing for global investment.

    Mark Reynolds, Chief Executive, Mace:

    One of our biggest challenge as an industry is a lack of clarity over the future pipeline of construction work across the UK. This welcome funding for more planning experts will help to decrease waiting times for planning decisions – a major cause of uncertainty and delay in delivery across the construction sector – and a review of permitted development rights could help to unlock UK-wide growth through the opportunity for more work across the country for the repair, maintenance and improvement sector.

    Ryan Shorthouse CEO, Bright Blue:

    To give younger people from modest backgrounds a better chance of home ownership, we urgently need to build more homes in desirable parts of the country.  The welcome measures announced today will help quicken and simplify the planning process, and are thus strong steps towards achieving greater and greener homes. But these policies are only the start of the major demand-side and supply-side reforms that are needed to the housing market to ensure more young people can enjoy the benefits of property ownership.

    Dean Finch CEO, Persimmon:

    Persimmon welcomes the proposals announced today to deliver much needed reform of the planning system with the aim of accelerating the development of new homes that will help hard-pressed people achieve their dream of affordable home ownership.

    Jack Pringle, Chair of the RIBA Board:

    We pleased to see today’s announcements which will enable the vital action needed to tackle the housing crisis. Measures to increase planning resource are welcome and critical to build the homes that we need. New homes do need to be delivered at pace, and we should aim to deliver quality as well as quantity. We remain committed to working with our partners in government to deliver well-designed, accessible and sustainable homes in the places that need them most.

    Ike Ijeh Head of Housing, Architecture and Urban Space, Policy Exchange:

    Policy Exchange is delighted to see key recommendations of its recently published Placemaking Matrix incorporated into the government’s new plans. Both the report and our groundbreaking ‘Building More, Building Beautiful’ paper co-authored by the late Sir Roger Scruton were invested in the founding principle that improving the quality and quantity of UK housing is simply not possible without an aggressive focus on urban quality and democratic consent. It is therefore encouraging to see these ideas take centre stage in the government’s new proposals.

    Victoria Hills, Chief Executive, Royal Town Planning Institute:

    I believe this investment into the planning system will make a significant contribution to alleviating the pressure placed on England’s planning services. Well-resourced local planning authorities have the power to make a unique contribution to their areas, helping to deliver the affordable homes, public services, and critical infrastructure individuals, families and communities need.

    Andrew Davies, CEO, Kier Group:

    Construction and Infrastructure have a key role to play in supporting economic growth. As such, any steps taken to speed up planning consents and invest in the improvement and regeneration of communities are welcome.

    Richard Harpin, founder and Chairman, Homeserve:

    I welcome this investment from the government to build more homes in a sensible way to help grow the economy. It is good to see government listening to business and backing areas such as Cambridge.

    Poppy Gustafsson, CEO, Darktrace:

    Cambridge is a fantastic place not just to start, but also to scale a technology business. We have benefitted greatly from being so close to the talented technology innovators of the future, bringing them into our rapidly growing business where they’re developing extraordinary AI solutions that are keeping organisations around the world safe from cyber disruption. We welcome any steps taken to strengthen the Cambridge innovation ecosystem as we’d love to see a thriving UK technology sector and the next wave of Darktraces on these shores.

  • PRESS RELEASE : New laws helping to stop the boats and grow the economy receive royal assent [July 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : New laws helping to stop the boats and grow the economy receive royal assent [July 2023]

    The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 20 July 2023.

    New laws to help stop the boats, grow the economy, support families and deliver on the priorities that matter most to the country received Royal Assent on 20 July 2023.

    • Delivery on pledges to build a better, more prosperous future as four major Government bills became law today.
    • New laws passed vital step forward to help stop the boats and support businesses to grow.
    • Prime Minister Rishi Sunak points to “action not words” as he gets on with delivering for the public.

    New laws to help stop the boats, grow the economy, support families and deliver on the priorities that matter most to the country received Royal Assent today (Thursday 20 July).

    The Government’s Illegal Migration Act marks a vital step forward to stopping the boats by removing the incentive for people to make these dangerous journeys in the first place.

    Once operationalised, the Illegal Migration Act will mean that people who come to the UK illegally will not have a right to stay, and instead they will be liable to be returned either to their home country or relocated to a safe third country.

    From today, people who arrive illegally under the new laws will be banned from lawfully re-entering the UK and will not be eligible for settlement or citizenship, except in limited circumstances.

    Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said:

    The public’s priorities are my priorities.

    When it comes to making people’s lives better, I am focused on action, not words.

    We are getting on with the job and today passed new laws which will play an important part in our efforts to stop the boats, support businesses to grow and allow the public to access essential services in the face of disruption.

    Members of the public disrupted by industrial action will welcome today’s new Strikes (Minimum Service Level) Act which will require essential services they pay for to be there when they need them. It will implement minimum service levels for rail passengers, ambulance and fire and rescue services.

    The UK economy is set to see over £1 billion boost over the next decade thanks to the Electronic Trade Document Act which has also become law today. It will make trade more efficient, cleaner and cheaper for UK businesses.

    The Social Housing (Regulation) Act will drive up standards of social housing and support families by giving residents a real voice to fight for the safe and high-quality homes they deserve.

    Since the Prime Minister took office on 25 October the Government has taken action to deliver:

    • 24 bills to Royal Assent including the Illegal Migration Bill, Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) Bill, Electronic Trade Documents Bill and the Social Housing (Regulation) Bill.
    • Introduction of 20 bills including the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Bill, the Victims and Prisoners Bill and the Data Protection and Digital Information Bill.
    • Support for 16 Private Members’ Bills (PMB) to Royal Assent including the Child Support (Enforcement) Bill and the Employment Relations (Flexible Working) Bill.

    Three Government backed Private Members’ Bills have also received Royal Assent today.

    Firms will be supported to attract more talent, increase retention and boost productivity through the Employment Relations (Flexible Working) Act, sponsored by Yasmin Qureshi MP and Baroness Taylor of Bolton. It will give people across the UK even more flexibility over where and when they work.

    Separated families owed child maintenance from non-paying parents will be paid quicker through the Child Support (Enforcement) Act. The new law will get money flowing significantly faster by speeding up tougher sanctions where parents choose not to pay – recouping financial support which helps to keep 160,000 children out of poverty every year. The Bill was sponsored by Siobhan Baillie MP and Baroness Redfern.

    The Equipment Theft (Prevention) Act, sponsored by Greg Smith MP and Lord Blencathra, will help prevent the theft and resale of agricultural equipment such as quad bikes by making sure they’re given forensic markings before sale. The new law will allow the police to more easily identify stolen equipment and for people to be able to prove ownership – benefiting farmers by reducing rural crime.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Ministerial Appointment of Michelle Donelan [July 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : Ministerial Appointment of Michelle Donelan [July 2023]

    The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 20 July 2023.

    The King has been pleased to approve the appointment of the Rt Hon Michelle Donelan MP as Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology and the departure from Government of the Rt Hon Chloe Smith MP.

    This follows the return of Michelle Donelan from maternity leave.