Tag: Downing Street

PRESS RELEASE : Historic security framework for Ukraine set to be agreed in major step toward ending the war [July 2023]
The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 12 July 2023.

A significant international framework for Ukraine’s long-term security arrangements is expected to be agreed by G7 partners in the margins of the NATO Summit today (Wednesday).
- UK and G7 allies are expected to agree a new framework for guaranteeing Ukraine’s long-term security today, delivering on an ambition the PM set out at the beginning of this year
- At the first meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Council, the PM will strongly support simplifying the path to Ukraine’s NATO membership
- Comes as the Prime Minister announces a major new tranche of support for Ukraine, including thousands of additional rounds of Challenger 2 ammunition, more than 70 combat and logistics vehicles and a £50m support package for equipment repair, as well as establishing a new military rehabilitation centre
A significant international framework for Ukraine’s long-term security arrangements is expected to be agreed by G7 partners in the margins of the NATO Summit today (Wednesday).

The joint declaration, expected to be signed by all members of the G7, will set out how allies will support Ukraine over the coming years to end the war and deter and respond to any future attack. It is the first time that this many countries have agreed a comprehensive long-term security arrangement of this kind with another country.

Joint Declaration signatories will provide long-term, bilateral security commitments for Ukraine, with the aim of building a Ukraine that can defend its territorial sovereignty both today and in the future.

At the Munich Security Conference in February, the Prime Minister set out the obligation the international community had to ensure Ukraine was never again left vulnerable to the kind of brutality inflicted on it by Russia, and in turn, put the country in the best possible position for any future negotiations.

Since that speech, the UK and allies have delivered on this obligation through the continued provision of security assistance and modern military equipment across land, sea and air – prioritising air defence, artillery, long-range capabilities, and armoured vehicles.

The UK was the first G7 country to provide Ukraine with main battle tanks and the first country to provide long-range missiles. We have also been instrumental in establishing the new international coalition to provide Ukraine with combat air capability.

In the past six months, the UK has also expanded its military training programme for Ukrainian recruits. This programme has trained more than 19,000 soldiers to date and training for Ukrainian pilots in the UK will begin this summer.

Following today’s Joint Declaration, partners will provide more defence equipment, increase and accelerate intelligence sharing, bolster support for cyber and hybrid threat defences, expand training programmes and military exercises, and develop Ukraine’s industrial base.

Signatories will set out the detail of their long-term commitments to Ukraine under the framework announced today in due course.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said:

As Ukraine makes strategic progress in their counteroffensive, and the degradation of Russian forces begins to infect Putin’s front line, we are stepping up our formal arrangements to protect Ukraine for the long term.

We can never see a repeat of what has happened in Ukraine and this declaration reaffirms our commitment to ensure it is never left vulnerable to the kind of brutality Russia has inflicted on it again.

Supporting their progress on the pathway to NATO membership, coupled with formal, multilateral, and bilateral agreements and the overwhelming support of NATO members will send a strong signal to President Putin and return peace to Europe.

The Prime Minister will also praise Allies in the inaugural NATO-Ukraine Council today for agreeing the Alliance’s decision to simplify Ukraine’s path to joining NATO and recognise their impressive progress on adapting to alliance standards.

He will say Ukraine’s extensive strides towards NATO interoperability and its willingness to reform has already helped them make progress toward the moment when they will be ready to take their rightful place in the Alliance, adding that they have made Ukraine’s need for a formal Membership Action Plan (MAP) redundant.

Removing the need for a formal MAP would ensure Ukraine’s accession to NATO is quicker when the war is over.

In addition to the work on a long-term bilateral security pact, the UK will deliver more than 70 combat and logistics vehicles to Ukraine, including CVRT vehicles. The British Army vehicles will be gifted to Ukraine to ensure front line forces have the means to carry vital ammunition and equipment, evacuate injured soldiers and recover damaged vehicles, making them crucial to Ukraine’s counteroffensive.

Thousands of additional rounds of Challenger 2 ammunition will also be immediately delivered to Ukraine as part of the package, while a new £50m equipment support contract will sustain the battle-winning platforms the UK has already provided to Ukraine including spare parts, technical support, and maintenance training.

As demonstrated by the UK’s hosting of the Ukraine Recovery Conference last month, the Prime Minister is focussed on ensuring Ukraine can recover and rebuild in the long term, including supporting members of the military injured on the front lines.

That’s why today, the UK will launch a project through NATO to establish a medical rehabilitation centre to support the recovery and return of soldiers to Ukraine’s lines of defence after being injured in combat. The centre will be twinned with the UK’s world leading facility Stanford Hall, drawing on remote UK expertise and support to accelerate recovery and reduce the long-term impacts of war.

The programme will be funded through NATO’s Comprehensive Assistance Package for Ukraine and supported by rehabilitation specialists from across the Alliance.

The centre will treat the most severely injured, helping them to adapt to prothesis, relearn to walk and regain confidence and ambition for the future. For those less severely injured, the centre will accelerate their recovery, helping them to return to the Armed Forces to defend Ukraine.

The announcement comes after several visits of the Ukrainian Surgeon General to the UK, to see first-hand how veterans have been supported to overcome and adapt to major physical challenges inflicted in conflict.
July 17, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Rishi Sunak meeting with President Duda of Poland [July 2023]

The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 11 July 2023.

The Prime Minister met President of Poland Andrzej Duda at the NATO Summit in Vilnius, Lithuania.

The leaders praised the extensive cooperation between the UK and Poland, not least on defence where we continue to deepen our collaboration.

They agreed the war in Ukraine had demonstrated the significance of interoperability between NATO forces, as well as importance of strengthening defence industries across the Alliance.

President Duda updated the Prime Minister on his recent visit to Ukraine. The leaders discussed the need to put in place long-term security arrangements for Ukraine, to ensure they can never be threatened in the same way again.

They also reflected the need to continue to strengthen NATO in response to the threat posed by Russia.

The Prime Minister and President Duda discussed a number of wider ways the UK and Poland can work together, including on tackling illegal migration. They welcomed the efforts to develop a working arrangement between the UK and Frontex in this respect.

The leaders looked forward to seeing each other throughout the remainder of the summit.

July 16, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Prime Minister meeting with Prime Minister Rutte of the Netherlands [July 2023]

The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 11 July 2023.

The Prime Minister met Prime Minister of the Netherlands Mark Rutte at the NATO Summit in Vilnius, Lithuania.

He thanked Prime Minister Rutte for his years of service and said his expertise and friendship would be greatly missed by the UK and others when he eventually leaves office.

The leaders reaffirmed their staunch commitment to upholding security in our region. This includes ensuring NATO is fully equipped to take on the challenges of the future.

The Prime Minister and Prime Minister Rutte discussed the importance of providing Ukraine with the kind of long-term defensive capabilities they need to win this war and secure a lasting peace. They praised the progress that has been made through the new international coalition, established by the UK, the Netherlands, and others, to provide Ukraine with combat air capability.

On tackling illegal migration, the Prime Minister and Prime Minister Rutte welcomed the strong cooperation between our countries so far. The Prime Minister stressed the importance of making use of international forums such as the European Political Community to make multilateral progress on this issue.

July 16, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Prime Minister – NATO must learn lessons from Putin’s barbaric tactics in Ukraine [July 2023]
The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 11 July 2023.

As the world passes the grim milestone of 500 days since Putin’s full-scale, illegal invasion of Ukraine, NATO leaders will gather in Lithuania to put the alliance on the right path to face down the threats of the future.
NATO Summit in Lithuania this week will focus on supporting Ukraine and preparing the alliance to take on the threats of the future

New NATO contributions and defence industry funding will cement the UK’s position as the leading European NATO ally

Comes as new UK Defence Command Paper due to set out plans to make our Armed Forces more lethal and deployable

As the world passes the grim milestone of 500 days since Putin’s full-scale, illegal invasion of Ukraine, NATO leaders will gather in Lithuania today (Tuesday) to put the alliance on the right path to face down the threats of the future.

Since Putin’s invasion, NATO has demonstrated its overwhelming strength and unity. Countries have increased their defence spending, Sweden and Finland have both applied to become members (with Finland subsequently joining) and allies have provided unprecedented levels of support to Ukraine.

At this week’s summit the Prime Minister will call on fellow leaders to build on this momentum and ensure NATO is learning crucial lessons from Russia’s actions and tactics in Ukraine.

Putin’s war is a watershed moment in Europe’s history. As well as causing untold devastation for millions of people in Ukraine and across the world, this multi-domain war has shifted our understanding how our adversaries approach conflict in the modern age.

NATO is the cornerstone of the UK’s defence and of Euro-Atlantic Security. For it to remain so, all members need to ensure we are constantly evolving and equipping our alliance to take on the threats of the future – changing our approach in response to Putin’s war in Ukraine.

The Integrated Review Refresh published in March highlighted the acute threat posed by Russia bringing large-scale, high intensity warfare back to our home region, with implications for the UK and NATO’s approach to deterrence and defence.

NATO has responded to this increased threat in a number of ways over the last year, including through the adoption of NATO 2022 Strategic Concept and NATO Force Model. The Strategic Concept will guide NATO’s approach to the challenges and opportunities ahead while the NATO Force Model will provide the capability behind the approach – providing the Supreme Allied Commander Europe with the forces he needs.

The UK has committed almost all of our Armed Forces and military capabilities to NATO under the new NATO Force Model. We contribute to every single NATO mission and we are one of the biggest troop contributors to NATO’s enhanced Forward Presence on the Eastern flank.

At today’s NATO Summit the Prime Minister will say allies need to go further – starting with every country finally spending a minimum of 2 per cent of their GDP on defence. The aspiration to reach 2 per cent was originally set out almost two decades ago, and the UK is one of the few countries to have delivered on it every year. In 2022, only 9 out of 30 NATO allies spent at least 2 per cent of their GDP on defence. This is projected to rise to two thirds of allies by 2024 thanks to campaigning by the UK and others willing to shoulder their fare share.

The Prime Minister will argue that meeting this 2 per cent commitment – which must be a floor not a ceiling – will be crucial to NATO’s ongoing ability to deter and defend against the kind of tactics Putin has used in Ukraine. He will specifically call for allies to channel efforts into ensuring our Armed Forces can respond more rapidly, we are ready to operate across every domain and our defence industries are prepared to dramatically scale-up production in times of crisis.

The Prime Minister said:

When thousands of Russian troops crossed the border in February last year, it marked a grim new chapter in Europe and NATO’s history.

In the 500 days that have elapsed since we have witnessed the most terrible crimes and human tragedies in Ukraine. But we have also seen the NATO alliance come together like never before in support of Ukraine and with firm determination that Russia cannot succeed.

That is work we need to continue this week. We cannot let the fog of war obscure the clear lessons our alliance must learn if we are going to outpace and outmanoeuvre those who seek to do us harm.

That is why the UK is investing record amounts in defence, to make our Armed Forces more lethal and more deployable, and to ready our defence industry ready for the challenges ahead. And that’s something we need to see across NATO – starting with meeting the 2 per cent commitment.

The importance of allies properly investing in defence is clear in NATO’s domestic defence industries, where Putin’s war in Ukraine has exposed weaknesses in our industrial capacity. NATO nations have stepped up to provide millions of rounds of ammunition and game-changing equipment to the Ukrainian Armed Forces. But this has risked leaving our own forces short.

In response to this concern, the Prime Minister has announced more than £5 billion of extra funding for UK defence over the last year, some of which will go towards replenishing our ammunition stockpiles.

Today the Prime Minister will confirm an eight-fold increase in the UK’s production capacity of 155mm artillery ammunition. Most NATO armies use this as standard, and a new £190 million BAE Systems contract – possible thanks to our defence spending uplift – will lead to the production of vastly more artillery shells for use by the UK and other allied forces.

This investment will make us safer and will create more than 100 jobs at BAE Systems’ sites in the North of England and South Wales – boosting their existing 1,200-strong UK munitions workforce

Charles Woodburn, Chief Executive at BAE Systems, said:

We’re incredibly proud of our role in delivering equipment to protect our armed forces and as the UK Ministry of Defence’s long-term strategic partner for munitions supply, we’re actively mobilising our operations in support of our NATO allies.

This multi-million pound investment will enable us to significantly ramp up production and sustain vital sovereign capability to deliver cutting-edge munitions, whilst creating and sustaining highly-skilled jobs across the UK.

Alongside this UK domestic uplift, the Prime Minister will push for further joint NATO efforts to increase our shared capacity to produce everything from missiles to ammunition – upping our investment and removing barriers to industrial cooperation between allies. These efforts will give our Armed Forces the equipment they need to prepare for any eventuality.

The Ministry of Defence will shortly publish a new Command Paper, setting out the measures the UK is taking to improve the lethality and deployability of our own Armed Forces as well as our contribution to NATO.

This includes establishing a new Defence ‘Global Response Force’ which will dramatically increase our ability to physically respond to a crisis at very short notice, either because we are already present or by deploying more rapidly.

The Global Response Force will complement the NATO Force Model by bringing together the UK’s deployed and high-readiness forces under a single command. It will be able to draw on capabilities from every domain – land, sea, air, cyber and space – to ensure we can respond quickly and fully everywhere in the world. It is a direct response to the lesson learned early on in the war in Ukraine about the need to respond rapidly to the changing threat picture.

The Global Response Force builds on lessons learned from recent crises, including in Sudan, where it would have streamlined and coordinated our response. The Ministry of Defence’s operation in Sudan involved a rapid evacuation of more than 2,200 people airlifted on military aircraft – more than the next three countries combined. We achieved this by bringing together the expertise and capabilities of personnel from across the Ministry of Defence located all over the world, supported by other parts of government and coordination with other international partners.

Just as we make our Armed Forces more deployable, we must ensure they are equipped in the advanced technologies of the future. The Prime Minister will point out to allies NATO’s ability to lead in these domains, given the alliance’s combined size and expertise.

Earlier this year the European HQ of NATO’s Defence Innovation Accelerator for the Northern Atlantic (DIANA) opened in London. DIANA aims to harness dual-use commercial technologies for defence and security purposes, with a focus on future technologies like AI. At this week’s summit the Prime Minister will encourage allies to continue to invest in these capabilities and to engage in global discussions about their development and use – including at the first international summit on AI to be hosted in the UK this autumn.
July 16, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Rishi Sunak meeting with President Biden of the United States [July 2023]

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

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak welcomed the President of the United States, Joe Biden, to Downing Street this morning.

The leaders discussed progress made since they announced the Atlantic Declaration, a first-of-its kind framework for the economic partnership between the UK and the US, last month.

Since the Prime Minister and President Biden’s last meeting in the White House, we have begun work on a UK-US Critical Minerals Agreement and the Joint Action Group on Energy Security has met to begin work on strengthening our clean energy supply chains.

The Prime Minister and President Biden agreed to hold the first high level meeting between Number 10 and White House representatives in October to drive progress under the Atlantic Declaration.

The Prime Minister also updated on the UK’s AI Summit which will be held this autumn and welcomed the President’s strong support for the initiative.

Looking ahead to this week’s NATO Summit, the Prime Minister and President Biden agreed on the need to strengthen our alliance and maintain our support for Ukraine. They discussed the progress of the counter-offensive and emphasised the importance of the country’s international partners committing to its long-term defence, providing the support Ukraine needs to win this war and secure a just and lasting peace.

On broader NATO issues, they agreed on the need to ensure that Sweden has a swift path to full NATO accession.

The Prime Minister and President Biden also discussed the broader geopolitical context, including in the Indo-Pacific and with regard to Iran.

The leaders agreed on the importance of their friendship and of continuing the close dialogue they have had in the few months.

July 16, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Rishi Sunak Meeting with Turkish President [July 2023]

The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 8 July 2023.

The Prime Minister Rishi Sunak spoke to the President of Türkiye, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, this afternoon.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak spoke to the President of Türkiye, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, this afternoon. He reiterated the importance of the UK-Türkiye relationship, with close and growing ties in trade, investment and defence.

President Erdoğan updated on President Zelenskyy’s planned visit to Istanbul today and the Prime Minister welcomed Türkiye’s role in challenging Russian aggression and continuing to uphold the vital Black Sea Grain Initiative.

Looking ahead to next week’s NATO Summit, the Prime Minister looked forward to working with President Erdoğan to address shared challenges and ensure NATO remains strong and agile in defending our collective security.

He underlined the significant benefits of Sweden joining NATO and the progress they have made in addressing Türkiye’s legitimate security concerns and hoped the alliance could proceed with ratifying their accession as soon as possible.

The Prime Minister also highlighted opportunities for greater collaboration on tackling illegal migration, an issue which affects both our countries. The UK would welcome efforts to further strengthen our cooperation on tackling criminal people smuggling gangs and returns.

July 14, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : What the PM’s action plan to tackle anti-social behaviour means for you [July 2023]

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

We’re making more progress on my plan to tackle anti-social behaviour. Here’s what that means:

More police in high crime areas

We’re increasing the police presence in areas with high rates of anti-social behaviour. Resources will be focused on locations like public transport and parks, helping to deter crimes from being committed in the first place.

Immediate punishment for vandals and drug-users

We’re making criminals pay for their crimes as soon as 48 hours after they’re been committed. Local police forces and victims get to decide on the punishment, but it should be visible to the public and, importantly, the local community will also get a say in what the punishment should be.

Offenders could be made to wash cars, clean up graffiti or litter-pick, whilst wearing high-vis vests.

These plans will be extended to all areas in England and Wales from 2024.

More money for better crime prevention

We’re giving an extra £60 million – that’s £1.4 million for every police force in the country – to have better crime prevention measures like CCTV, street lighting or community projects that combat anti-social behaviour. This will help prevent more burglaries and make streets safer for women and girls

Ridding our streets of chewing gum litter

More than 50 councils across the UK will receive £1.2 million to remove discarded chewing gum from our streets and prevent it from being littered again.

“I made a promise in January that we will work tirelessly to crack down on anti-social behaviour. For too long, people have put up with it ruining their neighbourhoods.

These are not minor crimes. They disrupt people’s daily lives, hold businesses back and erode the sense of safety and community that brings people together.

That’s why I’m bringing forward a new plan to crack down on this behaviour once and for all – so that everyone can feel proud of where they live.

This is how the new measures will affect you.

I’m bringing in tougher punishments for criminals

Those responsible for offences such as vandalism or graffitiing will start cleaning up their crimes as quickly as possible, aiming for offenders to start work within 48 hours of receiving an order.

Victims and affected communities will also get a say in deciding what type of punishment or consequences offenders should face, alongside input from local police and crime commissioners.

We are banning nitrous oxide

We will ban nitrous oxide, also called laughing gas, putting an end to litter and intimidation in our parks so people feel safer.

We will test more criminals for illegal drugs

The police will also now be able to drug test criminals who take illegal drugs like ecstasy and methamphetamine, and we will drug test offenders who have committed a wider range of crimes, like violence against women and girls, serious violence, and anti-social behaviour.

We’re introducing tougher fines for litter, graffiti and fly-tipping

We are increasing he upper limit on fines for littering and graffitiing from £150 to £500 and fines for fly-tipping will increase from £400 to £1,000.

We will also support councils to hand out more of these fines to disrespectful offenders, with councils keeping these fines to reinvest in clean up and enforcement.

We’re making evictions of anti-social tenants easier

We are aiming to make it quicker for private landlords to evict anti-social tenants after serving notice, as well as broaden the disruptive and harmful activities that can lead to eviction.

We will also strengthen rules so previous anti-social behaviour perpetrators are deprioritised for new council housing.

By establishing a zero-tolerance approach where offenders know they will face the full consequences of their actions – we can prevent more of these crimes from happening in the first place.

I am determined to tackle these crimes with the urgency they deserve, restoring your confidence that these will be quickly and visibly punished.”

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak

July 13, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Appointment of Bishop of Winchester [July 2023]

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

The King has approved the nomination of The Right Reverend Philip Mounstephen, Bishop of Truro, for election as Bishop of Winchester, in succession to The Right Reverend Dr Timothy Dakin, following his retirement.

Background

Philip was educated at Southampton University and Magdalen College, Oxford, before training for ministry at Wycliffe Hall, Oxford. He served his title at St James’, Gerrards Cross and St James’, Fulmer, in the Diocese of Oxford, and was ordained priest in 1989.

In 1992, Philip was appointed Vicar of St James’, West Streatham, in the Diocese of Southwark. Between 1998 and 2006, Philip worked for the Church Pastoral Aid Society during which time he held several roles. From 2007, he served as Chaplain of St Michael’s, Paris, in the Diocese of Gibraltar in Europe and, in 2012, he was appointed Chief Executive of the Church Mission Society.

In 2019, Philip took up his current role as Bishop of Truro. He is married to Ruth, a former strategic planner, and they have one adult daughter.

July 13, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Major agreement to deliver new cancer vaccine trials [July 2023]
The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 5 July 2023.

Ground-breaking new cancer treatments have moved a step closer with the signing of a major agreement between the government and BioNTech SE.
- Government signs agreement with BioNTech SE to provide up to 10,000 patients with precision cancer immunotherapies by 2030
- NHS England’s new Cancer Vaccine Launch Pad aims to improve access to personalised treatments and clinical trials
- BioNTech SE to set up laboratories and a regional hub in England to support the development of immunotherapies
Ground-breaking new cancer treatments have moved a step closer with the signing of a major agreement between the government and BioNTech SE.

Building on a memorandum of understanding signed in January, the partnership will provide cancer patients with improved access to the latest cancer trials and therapies currently being developed.

The government has signed a long term partnership agreement with the German-based company BioNTech – which previously developed a world leading COVID-19 vaccine with Pfizer – to ensure more patients can benefit from personalised cancer treatments.

This includes UK-based clinical trials intended to help treat patients through the use of precision immunotherapies which work by stimulating the immune system to recognise and eliminate cancer cells. The aim is to provide access to personalised treatments for up to 10,000 patients by 2030.

BioNTech SE has already begun conducting clinical trials in the UK. Further trials will be launching although the majority of patients are expected to be enrolled from 2026 onwards.

To help deliver this research, BioNTech plans to set up new laboratories in Cambridge with an expected capacity of more than 70 highly skilled scientists as well as a new regional hub for the United Kingdom.

The Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, said:

This landmark new agreement takes us one step closer to delivering life-saving new cancer treatments for thousands of patients right across the country.

The UK is a global leader in life sciences – helping to create thousands of highly skilled jobs and pioneering research – and it is testament to this success that BioNTech have chosen to make this significant investment here today.

Personalised cancer vaccines have the potential to completely revolutionise the way we treat this cruel disease and it is hugely welcome that, thanks to today’s announcement, clinical trials will be rolled out widely

Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Steve Barclay said:

This partnership is a huge step forward in the fight against cancer.

By working together with BioNTech on these innovative treatments we can make progress and save lives and I’m excited by the potential these trials have to both treat patients with cancer and those who have had it to stop it returning.

This further demonstrates that the UK is an attractive location for innovative companies to invest and pioneer cutting edge treatments for our patients and underlines this government’s commitment to research and development.

A new Cancer Vaccine Launch Pad (CVLP) led by NHS England in partnership with Genomics England, will help to rapidly identify cancer patients who could be eligible for potential trials.

It will work by creating a database of suitable NHS cancer patients who will be offered the choice to take part in personalised cancer vaccine trials.

The partnership will aim to help patients with early and late-stage cancers and, if successfully developed, cancer vaccines could become part of standard care.

Amanda Pritchard, chief executive of the NHS said:

The NHS will not stop in its efforts to pioneer new treatments that could be life-changing for future generations. This is why we are developing our very first Cancer Vaccine Launch Pad, enabling us to identify thousands of NHS patients suitable for cancer vaccine trials – giving them the earliest possible access to cutting-edge technology that has the potential to change cancer care forever.

Thanks to advances in treatment and care alongside NHS awareness campaigns, cancer survival is at an all-time high, but the potential to stop cancer from returning is truly remarkable – and with the first patients set to take part in vaccine trials this autumn, we hope to find a way of vaccinating people against their own cancers and improve their chances of survival.

Trials will focus on personalised mRNA-based cancer immunotherapies – a type of cancer treatment that activates the patient’s immune system and can either be designed to target shared abnormalities in a specific type of cancer or tailored to an individual’s tumour.

Immunotherapies tailored to an individual are created by analysing a patient’s tumour to identify mutations that are specific to that individual’s cancer, then using that information to create an immunotherapy personal to that patient.

The partners involved will work to make processes as simple and effective as possible with BioNTech aiming to start further clinical trials and make potential new therapies available in the UK as soon as possible.

Professor Uğur Şahin, M.D., Chief Executive Officer and co-founder of BioNTech said:

We are truly honoured to be an integral part of this landmark partnership, alongside the UK government, NHS England, Genomics England, and the National Institute for Health and Care Research.

The United Kingdom’s expertise in genomic analyses in cancer patients is a critical component of our shared endeavour to make mRNA-based and precision cancer immunotherapies widely accessible through clinical trials.

If successful, this collaboration has the potential to improve outcomes for patients with cancer not just in the UK, but also worldwide.

Sean Marett, CMG, Chief Business Officer & Chief Commercial Officer at BioNTech SE, said:

Through the development by the UK of a unified national contract approach for clinical trials that will let hospitals rapidly sign-up to clinical trials being undertaken in the UK by BioNTech, we are hoping to reach many UK cancer patients that wish to participate in clinical trials with new BioNTech investigational cancer treatments quickly and efficiently.

Business & Trade Secretary, Kemi Badenoch, said:

This government is supporting our life sciences sector to be among the best in the world, with no better example than our global leadership in developing and rolling out the first Covid-19 vaccines.

Investment in life sciences is key if we are to become a science superpower by 2030, helping to grow the economy and provide substantial health benefits for the British public and the world.

Patients will be asked by the NHS to consent to be put forward for clinical trials, and surplus tissue samples will be used to assess their eligibility.

The detail of any suitable clinical trials will be made available to the participant and their treating clinical team to see if they would like to take part in the relevant trial.

Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology Chloe Smith said:

I know from personal experience how it feels to face a cancer diagnosis. I was immensely fortunate to benefit from world-leading care from our wonderful NHS. There are brilliant scientists, researchers, and medics working on the kinds of lifesaving cancer treatments and therapies that this deal will deliver.

This partnership is the perfect example of how our £94 billion life sciences sector is improving lives across the country. This deal will anchor high-skilled jobs and investment in the UK. But most importantly, it will deliver better outcomes for patients with cancer in England, ensuring that more of them can go on to live long, happy, and healthy lives.

Chris Wigley, Chief Executive Officer of Genomics England said:

Since the times of Darwin, Franklin, and Sanger, the UK has been a true world leader in genomic science and healthcare. To sustain that leadership, we have to continue to deliver more world firsts, more innovations, and more benefits to patients, both nationally and internationally.

We talk about the Cancer Vaccine “Launch Pad” – the rocket that is being launched is access to ground-breaking personalised cancer therapies that can transform lives and improve outcomes for those affected by this terrible disease. It’s almost hard to comprehend, but there are medicines made just for you, to attack your very own cancer tumour.

We’re thrilled that this partnership will see genomics extend beyond diagnosis and take us towards a future of personalised cancer treatment.
July 12, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Rishi Sunak call with the President of the United Arab Emirates [July 2023]

The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 5 July 2023.

The Prime Minister spoke to His Highness Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed al-Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates, this morning.

The leaders reiterated their personal commitment to growing the strong defence and trade partnership between our countries, noting that the pledge from the UAE to invest £10 billion in strategic industries in the UK is being delivered well ahead of schedule.

They welcomed opportunities to further develop economic and technological cooperation between the UK and UAE, including in green industries and nuclear power. The leaders looked forward to working together on this agenda and driving innovation and investment to address climate change ahead of the COP28 Summit in the UAE later this year.

They also discussed international security issues, including Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine and Iran’s concerning and destabilising activity. The Prime Minister and Sheikh Bin Zayed highlighted the vital importance of our defence and security relationship, including military cooperation and intelligence sharing.

July 11, 2023