Tag: News Story

STORY

The Government has announced plans to roll out Dutch-style employment support across Britain as part of efforts to reduce the number of young people not in education, employment or training. The Department for Work and Pensions said almost 180 Youth Hubs would begin opening from next week.

The hubs are intended to bring education, welfare and employment support together in one place. The Government said the programme had been informed by the Dutch Jongerenpunt model, which provides integrated support for young people and has been linked by ministers to the Netherlands’ lower NEET rate.

The Work and Pensions Secretary said the Government wanted to build a system in which inactivity was a last resort. The announcement comes as ministers seek to expand localised employment support and increase access to work-study pathways, employer partnerships and apprenticeships.

STORY

The Government is preparing restrictions that would prevent children under 16 from accessing high-risk social media apps. The Guardian reported that the measures are expected to include additional restrictions on platforms considered safer, including limits on disappearing messages, livestreaming and chats with adult strangers.

The plans follow a consultation on online safety for children. The Guardian reported that under-18s would also be banned from using romantic or sexual AI chatbots, while the Government is expected to set out further details of which platforms will be affected at a later date.

The proposals are expected to place renewed attention on age assurance and the duties of technology companies. A Government source told the Guardian that ministers did not comment on speculation, while the report said Downing Street had received more than 116,000 responses to the consultation.

STORY

The UK Government has said a full ban on diesel and jet fuel made in Russia will take effect by 1 January 2027. Reuters reported that the announcement sets a timeline for ending a temporary licence covering Russian oil products refined in third countries.

The Government had previously allowed imports of diesel and jet fuel refined from Russian crude in third countries after citing supply pressures linked to the Iran war. Ministers said existing sanctions were not being lifted and that the new restrictions were being phased in.

The Department for Business and Trade said the temporary licence would continue to be reviewed every two weeks. The Government said it intended to lift the licence earlier if conditions allowed.

STORY

Downing Street has announced a series of ministerial appointments following changes in the Government after the resignation of John Healey as Defence Secretary. The Prime Minister’s Office said the King had approved the appointments on 12 June.

Dame Angela Eagle has been appointed Minister of State as Security Minister, jointly in the Home Office and the Cabinet Office. Stephen Morgan has been appointed Minister of State in the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, while Calvin Bailey has become a Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in the Ministry of Defence.

Other appointments include Jade Botterill as a Junior Lord of the Treasury, Emma Foody as an Assistant Whip and Lord Leong as a Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in the Department for Business and Trade. The Prime Minister has also appointed Sir Alan Campbell, Leader of the House of Commons and Lord President of the Council, to the Cabinet.

STORY

Sir Keir Starmer has said he has not lost authority and will fight any leadership challenge after the resignation of John Healey as Defence Secretary. Reuters reported that the Prime Minister made the comments after Healey quit over the Government’s defence spending plans and said ministers had not committed the resources needed to keep the country safe.

Starmer said he was not prepared to walk away from office and argued that any successor would face the same financial constraints. He said defence and security remained his priorities and pointed to decisions already made to move spending from other departments into defence investment.

The comments came during a period of renewed speculation about Labour’s leadership and the Government’s spending choices. Healey’s resignation has increased pressure on Downing Street ahead of international meetings where defence spending and support for Ukraine are expected to remain central issues.

STORY

The Common Travel Area has come under renewed political scrutiny after reports that large numbers of asylum seekers in Ireland may have entered through the land border with Northern Ireland. The Guardian reported that Irish Government data suggests up to 90% of asylum seekers in Ireland may have entered via the Northern Ireland border in the last three years.

The UK Home Office said it had apprehended more than 900 immigration offenders abusing the open land border in the past year. The issue has gained attention after the Belfast knife attack, where the suspect was reported to have travelled through Dublin before going to Northern Ireland.

British and Irish ministers have held discussions about cross-border cooperation and the operation of the Common Travel Area. The Irish Government said arrangements for re-operationalising a post-Brexit returns agreement would be developed in consultation with the UK.

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Members of minority ethnic communities in Belfast have reported fear after anti-migrant violence in the city. Reuters reported that masked groups targeted homes and businesses believed to be connected to immigrants after a knife attack for which a Sudanese man has been charged with attempted murder.

Hilary Benn, the Northern Ireland Secretary, described the attacks as racist thuggery. Reuters reported that some families had been evacuated from their homes, while workers reported being stopped or followed by vigilante patrols.

Community volunteers have provided food and other support to affected families. Police have continued to respond to the disorder, and political leaders in Northern Ireland and Westminster have appealed for calm.

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The UK economy contracted by 0.1% in April, according to figures reported by the Office for National Statistics. Reuters reported that it was the first monthly fall since August and that the services sector was affected by disruption linked to the war involving Iran.

The data showed services output fell by 0.2% during the month. Reuters reported that cancellations of sporting events in the Gulf, including Formula 1 Grand Prix races, affected British firms connected to the entertainment and support services sectors.

Rachel Reeves said the war in Iran would have an impact on the economy but said the Government’s economic plan remained the right one. Manufacturing output rose by 0.4% in April, while construction also recorded modest growth.

STORY

The Chair of the International Development Committee has welcomed a National Audit Office report into how the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office responds to sudden-onset humanitarian crises. The report examines the FCDO’s arrangements for responding to urgent emergencies overseas.

The Committee said the report would inform parliamentary scrutiny of the UK’s humanitarian response capability. The FCDO is responsible for coordinating UK Government activity in response to international crises, including humanitarian emergencies caused by conflict, disasters and displacement.

The International Development Committee said the report raised issues relevant to the effectiveness of UK aid and emergency response. The Committee is expected to continue examining the Government’s approach to crisis response and overseas development spending.

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The Health and Social Care Committee has published a report proposing amendments to the Health Bill. MPs said the Bill should do more to address special educational needs and disabilities, mental health and prevention in NHS reforms.

The Committee said one proposed change would place legal duties on NHS services to comply with special educational needs and disabilities tribunal decisions. It said the Health Bill should better reflect the needs of children, young people and families affected by SEND and mental health pressures.

The report was published as part of parliamentary scrutiny of the Government’s NHS reform agenda. The Government is due to respond to the Committee’s report by August.