Tag: Downing Street

More people living with obesity will have access to the newest and most effective obesity drugs to help cut NHS waiting lists, following the announcement of a £40 million two-year pilot today [Wednesday 7 June].

Earlier this year, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) recommended the use of Semaglutide (Wegovy) for adults with a Body Mass Index (BMI) of at least 35 and one weight-related health condition – such as diabetes or high blood pressure. Other drugs are currently under consideration in clinical trials.

There is evidence from clinical trials that, when prescribed alongside diet, physical activity and behavioural support, people taking a weight-loss drug can lose up to 15 per cent of their body weight after one year. Taking them alongside diet, physical activity and behavioural support can help people lose weight within the first month of treatment.

Obesity is one of the leading causes of severe health conditions such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes and cancer, and it costs the NHS £6.5 billion a year. There were more than 1 million admissions to NHS hospitals in 2019/2020 where obesity was a factor.

Using the latest treatments to tackle obesity will contribute to cutting waiting lists by reducing the number of people who suffer from weight-related illnesses, who tend to need more support from the NHS and could end up needing operations linked to their weight – such as gallstone removal or hip and knee replacements.

NICE advise that Wegovy should only be available via specialist weight management services, which are largely hospital based. This would mean only around 35,000 people would have access to Wegovy, when tens of thousands more could be eligible.

The £40 million pilots will explore how approved drugs can be made safely available to more people by expanding specialist weight management services outside of hospital settings. This includes looking at how GPs could safely prescribe these drugs and how the NHS can provide support in the community or digitally – contributing to the government’s wider ambition to reduce pressure on hospitals and give people access to the care they need where it is most convenient for them.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said:

Obesity puts huge pressure on the NHS.

Using the latest drugs to support people to lose weight will be a game-changer by helping to tackle dangerous obesity-related health conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes and cancer – reducing pressure on hospitals, supporting people to live healthier and longer lives, and helping to deliver on my priority to cut NHS waiting lists.

Health and Social Care Secretary Steve Barclay said:

Obesity costs the NHS around £6.5 billion a year and is the second biggest cause of cancer.

This next generation of obesity drugs have the potential to help people lose significant amounts of weight, when prescribed with exercise, diet and behavioural support.

Tackling obesity will help to reduce pressure on the NHS and cut waiting times, one of the government’s five priorities,  and this pilot will help people live longer, healthier lives.

Health Minister Neil O’Brien said:

We know that obesity puts additional pressure on the NHS and is linked to a whole host of health problems – including diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

Expanding how to access these innovative new drugs will ensure as many eligible patients as possible have the opportunity to try these treatments if they are right for them to help achieve a healthier weight.

These pilots build on our ongoing work to tackle obesity – including introducing calorie labelling on menus to empower people to make informed decisions and investing in school sport to give children an active start in life.

NHS medical director Professor Sir Stephen Powis said:

Tackling obesity is a key part of the NHS Long Term Plan – it can have devastating consequences for the nation’s health, leading to serious health conditions and some common cancers as well as resulting in significant pressure on NHS services.

Pharmaceutical treatments offer a new way of helping people with obesity gain a healthier weight and this new pilot will help determine if these medicines can be used safely and effectively in non-hospital settings as well as a range of other interventions we have in place.

NICE is also considering potential NHS use of another drug known as Tirzepatide – which is currently licenced to treat diabetes but may also help with weight loss – if it receives a license for weight loss in the coming months.

NHS England is already working to implement recommendations from NICE to make this new class of treatment available to patients through established specialist weight management services, subject to negotiating a secure long-term supply of the products at prices that represent value for money taxpayers.

Losing weight can help to reduce the risk of obesity-related illness which in turn can reduce pressure on the NHS, cut waiting times, and realise wider economic benefits.

The pilot builds on the firm action the government is already taking to tackle obesity, including:

• Introducing calorie labelling on menus, which are expected to bring health benefits of £4.6 billion and provide NHS savings of £430 million
• Restrictions on the location of unhealthy foods in shops, which are expected to bring health benefits of over £57 billion and provide NHS savings of over £4 billion over the next 25 years
• Introducing the Soft Drinks Industry Levy which has seen the average sugar content of drinks decrease by 46 per cent between 2015 and 2020
• Investment to boost school sport to help children and young people have an active start to life.

Last year the government announced £20million for the Office of Life Science’s Obesity Mission. This will explore innovative ways to best utilise promising medicines and digital technologies to help NHS patients achieve a healthy weight.

The Better Health: Rewards App is also being piloted in Wolverhampton. It is offering incentives such as vouchers for shops, gym discounts and cinema tickets for people who eat healthily and exercise more.

The 2019 Health Survey for England estimated that over 12 million adults were living with obesity – 28 per cent of the population in England – while a further 16 million (36 per cent) were overweight. This means that around two-thirds of the adult population were above a healthy weight – defined as having a BMI of 25 or above.

DHSC launched a call for evidence in May to inform the Major Conditions Strategy, including further work to tackle obesity.

Economic and defence cooperation must be the two pillars of the UK-US alliance, the Prime Minister will tell US lawmakers and businesspeople this week, as he travels to Washington DC.

Pointing to the role our defence partnership has played in protecting our people for decades, the Prime Minister will say that extensive cooperation on economic issues will allow us to do the same thing for the next century.

In recent months and years, the world has seen an increasing number of examples of hostile states using economic coercion to their advantage. From Putin driving up European energy prices, to China’s extensive use of sanctions to punish individuals and government who speak out against human rights abuses.

While our traditional security remains paramount, those who seek to do us harm are increasingly targeting other domains. They are manipulating global markets, withholding crucial resources and trying to establish a stranglehold over the industries that will define our future.

If we are to stay one step ahead and ensure the safety and prosperity of our citizens, we need to make sure our cooperation on economic security is as extensive as our cooperation on traditional security.

The existing strength of the UK-US economic relationship means we are ideally placed to take on these challenges together. Our trade relationship is worth £279 billion a year, and the amount invested in one another’s economies has now surpassed £1 trillion.

US firms have committed more than £14 billion of new investment in the UK, announced today. This includes £583 million of investment in projects including World Fuel Services and Meld’s green hydrogen facility in Hull, a new Mars facility in the London Gateway Freeport, expansions of BNY Mellon’s existing and Vanguard’s new Manchester offices and a new HCA Healthcare facility in Birmingham. Between them these new investments will create almost 2,500 jobs.

Further investments by US companies in the UK include £9 billion from investment management company BlackRock – taking BlackRock’s total UK investment to £500 billion, £2.4 billion invested by Blackstone, £2 billion invested by KKR and £521m invested by CD&R.

These investments are just a snapshot of the vast economic connections between the UK and the US. In recent months US company Nuveen has acquired Arcmont Asset Management for £800 million and Longfellow have established a £1.5 billion life sciences and innovation real estate fund – bringing the total value of major investments by US companies into the UK to nearly £17 billion since the Prime Minister took office.

Because our economies are so interlinked, with nearly 1.5 million Brits working for American companies and more than 1.2 million Americans working for British companies, it is paramount that we approach these issues in a unified and coordinated way.

The Prime Minister will use his visit to the US this week to drive forward these efforts. In his meetings with President Biden, Congresspeople and American business leaders he will advocate for further joint action to safeguard against external threats to our economies, strengthen our supply chains and support the industries of the future.

The Prime Minister said:

The UK and US have always worked in lockstep to protect our people and uphold our way of life. As the challenges and threats we face change, we need to build an alliance that also protects our economies.

Just as interoperability between our militaries has given us a battlefield advantage over our adversaries, greater economic interoperability will give us a crucial edge in the decades ahead.

By combining our vast economic resources and expertise, we will grow our economies, create jobs and keep our people safe long into the future.

A re-energised and enhanced economic relationship between the UK and the US presents huge opportunities for our people – supporting the PM’s priority to grow our economy and create better paying jobs.

Every day, innovations in science and technology are unlocking new possibilities for our people and businesses – doing everything from bringing down the cost of the things we buy to accelerating our transition to clean energy.

In recent years the UK and US have taken a number of steps to enhance our economic relationship, removing barriers including the ban on British beef and lamb exports, and tariffs on steel and whisky. In recent weeks we agreed a new deal to give architects more access to US markets.

Quotes from US businesses:

Stephen A. Schwartzman, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Blackstone

As one of the largest overseas investors in the UK, Blackstone is a strong believer in the resilience of the UK economy.  The building of our new headquarters in London is a clear vote of confidence in its future as a financial centre.

Adebayo Ogunlesi, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Global Infrastructure Partners

The United Kingdom has always been, and remains, an important market for Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP). We believe the UK is an attractive market for infrastructure investments and are privileged to have invested in some market-leading infrastructure companies that provide essential services in the UK, including London City Airport, London Gatwick Airport, Edinburgh Airport, Hornsea 1, Peel Ports, Vantage Towers and Scotia Gas Networks. We look forward to continuing to invest in and grow our companies and explore new investment opportunities.

Rob Sharps, CEO and President, T. Rowe Price

The UK continues to be a world-leading center for asset management. We appreciate the UK government’s commitment to pursue targeted policy reforms to ensure that remains true for many years to come.  T. Rowe Price has been in the City of London since 1979 and intends to stay for the foreseeable future. Our expanded presence in the City underscores our commitment to our clients, helps us attract and retain top talent, and supports our long-term international growth plans.

Adam Sichol, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Longfellow Real Estate Partners

With a rich history of innovation and research, the United Kingdom is the next logical step of growth for Longfellow. Our two nations have an incredible bond that encourages collaboration, growth, and ultimately the creation of thoughtful, world-class space that supports the UK’s leading industries such as life science and innovation ecosystems.

Jose Minaya, Chief Executive Officer, Nuveen

We have seen continued potential to expand our investment capabilities and talent in the UK, most recently demonstrated through our $1 billion acquisition of Arcmont Asset Management, one of the largest private lenders in Europe. We also continue to deepen our real estate and alternatives capabilities in London and Edinburgh. Our continued success has naturally required a need to support that growth with top industry talent, and we now have almost 400 employees in the UK, including several key global company leaders. That is double our head count from 2019 and makes the UK our largest base by personnel outside of the US.

Michael J. Kasbar, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, World Fuel Services Corporation

We are excited to continue investing in the United Kingdom to support their critically important energy transition objectives that drive energy independence and decarbonization. This is just the latest chapter of World Fuel’s commitment to clean energy and one that we expect will foster further investment in the United Kingdom’s energy diversification strategy.

Phebe N. Novakovic, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, General Dynamics

General Dynamics has been a partner with the UK defence industry and the Ministry of Defence for over 20 years to provide mission essential equipment to the UK military.  We are proud of the investment and partnerships we have built over the years.

Greg Hayes, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Raytheon Technologies

Raytheon Technologies’ businesses have been investing across England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland for over a century. We are especially proud that our 6,750 local employees, nearly £1 billion annual aerospace and defence supply chain investment, and more than a dozen sites support innovation and contribute to economic growth in every region of the United Kingdom

Thomas A. Bell, Chief Executive Officer, Leidos

Leidos’ investments represent our continued commitment to the UK and our transatlantic partnership. We firmly believe in the strength of the UK defence and national security industry and the tremendous potential it offers. By continuing our investment, we aim to accelerate technological advancements, develop local skills and forge stronger ties between our two countries, ultimately enhancing our collective defence and security capabilities.

Ravi Kumar S, Chief Executive Officer, Cognizant

The UK is a very important market for Cognizant and we see tremendous growth opportunity. Last year we delivered on our promise to open delivery centres in Leeds and Northern Ireland and just this year opened our flag ship London Collaboration Hub for our Cognizant employees. As a business we remain committed to investing in the UK and see the success of our UK business as a pivotal part of Cognizant’s growth overall.

Arvind Krishna, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, IBM

The government of the United Kingdom has adopted a bold strategy for securing the country’s place as a global leader in technology and innovation. Prioritizing the responsible creation and use of powerful technologies, and especially AI and quantum computers, is not only a value that IBM shares, but one that is essential to ensuring these innovations have a net positive impact on society. IBM applauds this approach by the Prime Minister and his government. His visit to Washington only underscores how important the strong relationship between the two countries will be in guiding society into this exciting new era of technology.

Saeed Amidi, Chief Executive Officer, Plug and Play

At Plug and Play we are excited and committed to investing and continuing to grow in the United Kingdom. Since we officially launched in 2022 we have been growing our own team and now have over 60 investments in UK startups. We are particularly excited about the green technology startups that the UK is beginning to build – just this week we invested and partnered with a EV Battery startup called About:Energy.

Our mission is to build ecosystems and invest across the United Kingdom. In the West Midlands we Founded a new Mobility Innovation Platform in collaboration with Jaguar Land Rover and other key partners such as The University of Warwick. The platform continues to grow with Bentley Motors and Novelis joining in 2024. We have bold ambitions to build other globally recognised innovation platforms, across the West Midlands and other important cities.

Kathy Jenkins, Chief Executive Officer, Marshall Group

We believe Greensboro is the ideal home of our US Aerospace operations and are very grateful for the exceptional support and partnership we have received from Greensboro City Council and the State Government of North Carolina.

We are excited to put over 55 years of C-130 experience to work in providing an unmatched standard of in-country support for existing and new US-based partners and customers.

Stopping illegal migration and securing our borders should be at the top of the agenda for European leaders, the Prime Minister will tell a gathering of the European Political Community (EPC) in Chișinău, Moldova today (1 June 2023).

The EPC was established last year as a forum for leaders from across Europe to come together and address some of the biggest trans-national challenges. Addressing the meeting, the Prime Minister will point to the devastating humanitarian impact of illegal migration which is rising across the continent. He will emphasise the need for all countries to grip this problem with a lawful and compassionate approach.

Migrant crossings into the EU increased by 64 per cent last year and organised criminal gangs are using networks across Europe to commit cross-border crime and profit from human misery.

In recent weeks, the PM has agreed an unprecedented package of measures to stop illegal Channel crossings with France and new returns agreements with Albania. Two weeks ago, the Prime Minister also agreed with EU President Von der Leyen to develop a new working arrangement between UK agencies and Frontex – the EU’s border agency. This will include Frontex and UK agencies working together on critical operational and strategic challenges, including in the Channel.

Today, the Prime Minister will announce the start of negotiations on a new returns agreement with Moldova and confirm that a similar deal struck with Georgia has entered into force. These returns agreements allow us to return foreign nationals found to be in violation of immigration laws in the UK – reducing the incentive for people to come here illegally.

The Prime Minister will also announce a new partnership with Bulgaria to help them destroy the business model of organised criminal gangs who are deeply involved in illegal migration.

Bulgaria sits at the crossroads of the Eastern Mediterranean and Western Balkans migration routes – both of which have seen around a 40 per cent increase in illegal migration since 2021. The country is also becoming a key point of entry for the small boats and engines which are used by criminal gangs in illegal Channel crossings.

The UK will increase bilateral intelligence sharing with Bulgaria and work with them to increase their ability to detect and disrupt criminal gangs, building on previous work to disrupt the flow of illicit finance through organised crime networks.

The Prime Minister said:

Europe is facing unprecedented threats at our borders. From Putin’s utter contempt of other countries’ sovereignty to the rise in organised immigration crime across our continent.

We cannot address these problems without Europe’s governments and institutions working closely together. In every meeting, every summit, every international gathering like this, the security of our borders must be top of the agenda.

The UK will be at the heart of this international effort to stop the boats and defend our national security.

The UK will host the European Political Community in 2024 following the next summit, hosted by Spain in October. In Moldova today the Prime Minister will meet Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez to discuss how the UK and Spain can keep up the momentum of international action on illegal migration at our respective EPC Summits.

The Prime Minister will also convene a roundtable discussion on security, alongside the Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki, where he will stress the need to deal with organised immigration crime and support countries like Ukraine and Moldova who are on the front line of Russian aggression.

Prior to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Moldova was already one of the poorest countries in Europe. It now hosts the largest per capita refugee population, having accepted thousands of Ukrainians fleeing war. Moldova is the subject of constant Russian hostility, from Russian troops illegally stationed in Transnistria to a Russian plot, uncovered earlier this year, to stage a coup in Moldova.

In March, the UK announced an extra £10 million to support reforms, including to Moldova’s energy sector, which will help them defend against the kind of economic and political manipulation we know Russia is capable of.

We have also provided £12.5 million to UN agencies to help support Ukrainian refugees in Moldova, and today the Prime Minister will announce a further £10.5 million to continue these efforts – particularly helping those women and children who have experienced the most horrific things imaginable over the last year.

Given the impact of Putin’s aggression beyond Ukraine, this work is integral to keeping our people safe and stopping the manipulation of our economy.

The Prime Minister met with Sundar Pichai, the CEO of Alphabet – the parent company of Google – at the Government’s Darlington Economic Campus.

The Prime Minister thanked Mr Pichai for Google’s role at the heart of the UK’s technology ecosystem, and they spoke about opportunities for growth in the industry.

They discussed the UK’s strengths and ambitions in cementing its position as a science and technology superpower, reflecting on recent government announcements, including the publication of the AI White Paper.

On Artificial Intelligence, they spoke about striking the right balance to ensure the right regulatory guardrails are in place, whilst driving forward innovation. They discussed possible opportunities for industry and international collaboration on safe and responsible AI development and agreed to remain in touch on this issue.