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Tag: Press Release

  • PRESS RELEASE : Government commits nearly half a billion pounds for UK research to cover EU shortfall [November 2022]

    PRESS RELEASE : Government commits nearly half a billion pounds for UK research to cover EU shortfall [November 2022]

    The press release issued by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy on 21 November 2022.

    • The Business Secretary has announced £484 million in targeted investment to support UK research due to the EU’s refusal to finalise UK access to EU programmes Horizon Europe, Euratom and Fusion for Energy
    • the package will provide much needed immediate investment to researchers, universities and research organisations
    • the funds will be delivered across the UK, boosting research and innovation across the breadth of the country

    The Business Secretary has today (Monday 21 November) announced up to £484 million in research funding to support the R&D sector, in response to the EU’s refusal to finalise the UK’s association to Horizon Europe and other related EU science programmes as agreed under the Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA) in 2020.

    These investments will provide targeted support for staff retention and local talent strategies at eligible universities and research organisations, as well as making sure the UK labs remain world class and at the cutting edge of R&D.

    The funds will also provide a catalyst for the growth in the UK’s burgeoning fusion industry, ensuring the UK can retain and build on its position as a global leader in fusion science.

    Today’s support builds on the Horizon Europe guarantee scheme, extended in September, which continues to provide funding for eligible, successful UK winners of Horizon Europe calls to ensure UK researchers and businesses can continue to collaborate internationally.

    Business Secretary Grant Shapps said:

    This immediate investment will help our excellent research sector to shore up their talent pools, invest confidently in infrastructure and protect the UK’s reputation as a science superpower.

    The UK cannot wait indefinitely for the EU to meet its commitments which is why this funding is so important to boost research and innovation across the breadth of our country.

    The government is disappointed that the EU is still linking UK association with wider issues, and the UK remains open to association, but cannot wait indefinitely.

    The package includes:

    • £30 million Talent and Research Stabilisation Fund. This will provide targeted support to eligible universities and research organisations who have a track record in attracting direct talent-based funding from the EU, to help them retain talent and address vulnerabilities at a local level
    • £100 million Quality-Related (QR) funding for English universities with additional funding for the Devolved Administrations. This will complement the Talent and Research Stabilisation Fund to deliver a one-off boost to enable universities to strengthen research capabilities – for example employing research staff, technicians or sustaining new areas of research – which are vital to the UK’s reputation for excellent research
    • £200 million for UK Research Infrastructures including additional funding for the Devolved Administrations. A one-off boost to the UK’s research infrastructure base. This includes the UKRI World Class Labs fund, enabling institutes and universities across the United Kingdom to invest in essential research equipment and sustain their excellent research base, as well as making funding available to the UK’s Public Sector Research Establishments (such as the National Physical Laboratory and the Met Office) to maintain their status as international centres of excellence
    • £42.1 million for the Fusion Industry Programme. This will galvanise the UK fusion sector through a challenge fund, designed to engage and support UK businesses in important technical challenges of fusion, helping to build capabilities and spur commercial innovation
    • £84 million for JET Operations. This will support JET (Joint European Torus), as the world’s largest and most powerful fusion experimentation, to continue operations which will provide valuable new insights and support other UK fusion programmes such as STEP (Spherical Tokomak for Energy Production)
  • PRESS RELEASE : Government drive to help over 50s re-join the jobs market [November 2022]

    PRESS RELEASE : Government drive to help over 50s re-join the jobs market [November 2022]

    The press release issued by the Department for Work and Pensions on 21 November 2022.

    • Network of dedicated 50PLUS: Champions now in place across England, Scotland and Wales
    • Builds on £22 million funding boost secured to support older workers

    Dozens of 50 PLUS Champions tasked with helping older workers into work are now in place across England, Scotland and Wales, the Minister for Employment confirmed today.

    Each area has specialised, local staff dedicated to this helping over 50’s into work. They are working directly with Jobcentres and employers to remove any barriers that are keeping older workers out of the jobs market. Results of this partnership work are already being seen with leading employers like McDonald’s working with the Jobcentre in Scunthorpe to fill vacancies.

    50 PLUS Champions assist Work Coaches to change employer attitudes about hiring over 50s as well as matching jobseekers with opportunities that suit their skills.

    Minister for Employment, Guy Opperman MP, said:

    Older workers are a huge asset to our country and our economy. I want to support them to get into work.

    An age-inclusive workforce makes business sense too. Our 50 PLUS Champions will work with leading employers across the country to connect job-ready people with the vast number of opportunities out there.

    DWP is also supporting older jobseekers, with the introduction of the Jobcentre Mid-Life MOT service which supports people to take stock and make plans for their work, wealth and well-being into the future.

    Jobcentres deliver a specialised offer for those 50 and over, identifying and overcoming obstacles holding them back from the labour market. Support includes modernising CVs or developing new skills through specialist programmes with new employers and a new approach.

    There are also individual businesses which partner up with Jobcentres to create sector-based work academies. These SWAPs last up to six weeks and offer pre-employment training, work experience with an employer in the industry and, at the end of the programme, an opportunity to apply for a job interview in the sector or seek help with the application process.

    To mark National Older Workers Week, DWP is organising a number of events and jobs fairs across the country, including job fairs at Hackney Jobcentre Plus and in Birmingham & Solihull at Kings Norton Jobcentre Plus on 22 November, as well as the ‘Let’s Go Retro’ jobs fair in South Manchester on 25 Novembers, all specifically targeted at jobseekers over 50.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Nuclear test veterans to receive medal as event remembers their service 70 years on [November 2022]

    PRESS RELEASE : Nuclear test veterans to receive medal as event remembers their service 70 years on [November 2022]

    The press release issued by the Cabinet Office on 21 November 2022.

    • Prime Minister announces new medal to honour the service of veterans of Britain’s nuclear tests on ‘plutonium anniversary’
    • 22,000 veterans are expected to be eligible for the new honour, marking their service and contribution to the United Kingdom’s nuclear test programme.
    • Comes as veterans and their families gather at the National Memorial Arboretum today to pay tribute to nuclear heroes, who have kept the country safe for 70 years

    A new medal is to honour the significant contribution of veterans and civilian staff from across the Commonwealth, who participated in Britain’s nuclear testing programme, the Prime Minister will announce today.

    The award comes as the country pays tribute to the veterans of the United Kingdom’s nuclear test programme at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire this morning.

    The event, which takes place 70 years after the first British test of a nuclear weapon, will be attended by the Prime Minister, the Defence Secretary and Veterans’ Affairs Minister Johnny Mercer.

    Service personnel, veterans and their families, and representatives from military charities will also attend.

    Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said:

    I am incredibly proud that we are able to mark the service and dedication of our nuclear test veterans with this new medal. Their commitment and service has preserved peace for the past 70 years, and it is only right their contribution to our safety, freedom and way of life is appropriately recognised with this honour.

    This medal is an enduring symbol of our country’s gratitude to each and every person who played a part in this effort and their loved ones who supported them.

    The veterans and civilians who participated in the United Kingdom’s nuclear test programme, the first of which was known as Op Hurricane, made the UK the third nuclear power. This work contributed to achieving the nuclear deterrent – the ultimate guarantee of UK sovereignty which continues to keep us safe today, and helps guarantee international security.

    Minister for Veterans’ Affairs Johnny Mercer said:

    This medal honours those who served far from home, at a crucial time in our nation’s history.

    To this day the nuclear deterrent remains the cornerstone of our defence, and that is only because of the service and contribution of the brilliant veterans and civilian personnel.

    It’s right that we mark this contribution today, 70 years on from Britain’s first nuclear test.

    Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said:

    I am delighted that a commemorative medal can be given to our Nuclear Test Veterans, who have made an invaluable contribution to the safety and security of the UK, and who we recognise and value for their enduring service to our nation.

    The Nuclear Test Medal will be a commemorative medal that can be worn by recipients.

    The medal also recognises the contribution made by veterans and civilians from across Australia, New Zealand, Fiji and Kiribati. All service personnel and civilians under UK command, including close partners from the Commonwealth and Pacific region, who participated in, or were present at, the British or American nuclear tests at the Montebello Islands, Christmas Island, Malden Island and Maralinga & Emu Field, South Australia between 1952 and 1967 will be eligible for the medal. This also includes scientists and local employees..

    It is estimated that around 22,000 veterans will be eligible for medallic recognition.

    The medal can be awarded posthumously. Veterans, their families and next of kin will need to apply for the medal, which will be free of charge. It is expected that the first awards of the medals will be made in 2023.

    To further recognise the contribution of veterans of Britain’s nuclear tests, the government is investing £450,000 into projects which will commemorate and build further understanding of the experiences of veterans who were deployed to Australia and the Pacific.

    As part of that funding, the Office for Veterans’ Affairs is launching an oral history project to chronicle the voices and experiences of those who supported the UK’s effort to develop a nuclear deterrent.

    Due to start in April 2023 the project will run for two years, giving nuclear test veterans the opportunity to be interviewed, and contribute to an accessible digital archive of testimonies about their time working on the tests.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Hebburn engineering boss Michael Hansen banned for Bounce Back Loan abuse [November 2022]

    PRESS RELEASE : Hebburn engineering boss Michael Hansen banned for Bounce Back Loan abuse [November 2022]

    The press release issued by The Treasury on 21 November 2022.

    Michael Hansen, 42, from Hebburn has been disqualified as a director for 10 years after overstating the turnover of his engineering firm to claim a £40,000 Bounce Back Loan to which his business was not entitled.

    Hansen was the sole director of MH Property & Engineering Services Limited, which was incorporated in 2019 and traded as a property and engineering firm from Monkton Lane in Hebburn until it went into liquidation in November 2021.

    When the company’s turnover decreased during the pandemic, Hansen applied for a Bounce Back Loan to help support his business, stating the company’s turnover to be £160,000.

    Bounce Back Loans were a government scheme to help businesses to stay afloat during the Covid pandemic. Companies could apply for a loan of between £2,000 and £50,000, up to a maximum of 25% of their turnover. The money was to be used for the economic benefit of the company, under the rules of the scheme.

    MH Property and Engineering Limited struggled to recover the custom it lost during the pandemic and went into liquidation, owing more than £42,000 and triggering an investigation by the Insolvency Service.

    Investigators discovered that during the company’s first year of trading, up to June 2020, MH Property and Engineering Limited’s turnover was £8,294 and the company had therefore received nearly £38,000 more than it had been entitled to through the Bounce Back Loan scheme.

    They also found that around £14,000 had later been withdrawn or paid out of the company’s bank account, followed by a transfer of around £24,600 to Hansen himself between November 2020 and August 2021.

    Hansen was unable to show investigators that the money had been used for the economic benefit of the company.

    The Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy accepted a disqualification undertaking from Michael Hansen after he did not dispute that he had overstated the turnover of MH Property and Engineering Services Limited to gain more than £37,900 to which it was not entitled, and had failed to make sure the money was used for the economic benefit of the company.

    His disqualification started on 11 November 2022 and lasts for 10 years. The ban prevents Hansen from directly or indirectly becoming involved in the promotion, formation or management of a company, without the permission of the court.

    Mike Smith, Chief Investigator of the Insolvency Service said,

    Covid Support Schemes were a lifeline to businesses across the UK protecting jobs and preserving businesses.

    We will not hesitate to take action against directors who have abused Covid-19 financial support like this, and Hansen’s lengthy ban should serve as a warning to others.

    Notes To Editors

    Michael Hansen is of Hebburn and his date of birth is November 1980.

    MH Property and Engineering Limited company number 12061331.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Change of His Majesty’s Ambassador to Romania – Giles Portman [November 2022]

    PRESS RELEASE : Change of His Majesty’s Ambassador to Romania – Giles Portman [November 2022]

    The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 21 November 2022.

    Mr Giles Portman has been appointed His Majesty’s Ambassador to Romania in succession to Mr Andrew Noble LVO. Mr Portman will take up his appointment during October 2023.

    Curriculum vitae

    Full name: Giles Matthew Portman

    Married to: Lucie Portman

    Children: 2

    Dates Role
    2021 to 2022 FCDO, Director Europe, Europe Directorate
    2020 to 2021 FCDO, Director EU Exit, Europe Directorate
    2019 to 2020 FCO, Deputy Director EU Foreign and Security Policy, Europe Directorate
    2015 to 2019  European External Action Service, Brussels, Head of East Stratcom Task Force
    2011 to 2015 European External Action Service, Brussels, Adviser to the High Representative/Vice President
    2007 to 2011 Ankara, Deputy Head of Mission
    2003 to 2006 United Kingdom Permanent Representation to the European Union, Brussels, First Secretary
    2002 to 2003 FCO, Head, EU Public Diplomacy, Europe Directorate
    1998 to 2001 Prague, Second Secretary
    1996 to 1997 United Kingdom Permanent Representation to the United Nations, New York, Adviser
    1995 to 1996 FCO, New Entrant, European Union Department (Fast Stream)
    1994 to 1995 Depart of Transport, New Entrant, British Rail Privatisation (Fast Stream)
  • PRESS RELEASE : Retailers David Okot and Jason Meads disqualified after abusing covid loans [November 2022]

    PRESS RELEASE : Retailers David Okot and Jason Meads disqualified after abusing covid loans [November 2022]

    The press release issued by HM Treasury on 21 November 2022.

    David Okot from Deptford, South-East London, received an 11-year disqualification, while Southsea’s Jason Meads has been banned for 10 years.

    The retailers are now prevented from directly, or indirectly, becoming involved in the promotion, formation or management of a company, without the permission of the court.

    David Ocaya Okot (40) was sole director of B&S News Ltd, which traded as a newsagent and convenience shop, B&S Newsagents, on Manor Lane in Lewisham, London.

    David Okot purchased the shop in 2014 and ran it successfully until 2020 when increased competition in the area and rising costs meant that the business was no longer viable. The shop closed in January 2020 after failing to find a buyer.

    Investigators, however, uncovered that David Okot successfully applied for a £50,000 Bounce Back Loan for B&S News Ltd in July 2020, despite being ineligible as the government-backed loan was only available for businesses trading during pandemic. This was after the company had stopped trading.

    Further enquiries found that David Okot caused B&S News Ltd to transfer close to £50,000 from the company bank account into his personal account. The former convenience store owner said he was looking to relocate the business with the money but investigators found no evidence to support this claim.

    And Jason Meads, from Southsea, Portsmouth, was the sole director of Hodl Clothing Limited. The company was incorporated in April 2018 and operated as an online clothing retailer.

    The company, however, went into liquidation in October 2021 before the Insolvency Service uncovered Jason Meads had received government loans Hodl Clothing Limited wasn’t entitled to.

    Investigators discovered that Hodl Clothing Limited applied for 2 Bounce Back Loans and received £37,500 after Jason Meads falsely claimed turnover was £150,000 when turnover was £0.

    Further enquiries uncovered that Jason Meads transferred more than £36,000 from the Bounce Back Loan to a personal account but could not provide any evidence that the funds were used for the economic benefit of Hodl Clothing Limited.

    Tom Phillips, Assistant Director at the Insolvency Service, said:

    Bounce Back Loans were offered to financially support viable businesses through the pandemic. The directors of these two retail companies have abused the Bounce Back Loans support scheme. David Okot applied for a loan despite having closed down his business before the pandemic, while Jason Meads used vastly exaggerated turnover figures to obtain more funding than his company would otherwise have been entitled to.

    Thanks to the work of our diligent investigators, we have removed these rogue directors from the corporate arena. Both David Okot and Jason Meads have received top-bracket disqualifications, which should serve as a stark warning to other directors that there are serious consequences to those who have abused Bounce Back Loans.

    Notes to editors

    David Okot

    David Ocaya Okot is from Deptford and his date of birth is May 1972.

    B&S News Ltd (Company number 09141191).

    On 31 October 2022, the Secretary of State accepted a disqualification undertaking from David Ocaya Okot for 11 years, after he did not dispute that B&S News Ltd obtained a Bounce Back Loan and failed to used it in its entirety for the economic benefit of the company. Nor did B&S News Ltd did not meet the criteria to apply for the loan.

    Jason Meads

    Jason Richard Meads is from Southsea and his date of birth is March 1989

    Hodl Clothing Limited (Company number 11314684)

    On 10 October 2022, the Secretary of State accepted a disqualification undertaking from Jason Richard Meads, after he did not dispute that he caused the Company to apply for 2 BBLs totalling £37,500 using overstated turnover figures in the application form and consequently Hodl received £37,500 more monies that it was entitled to from the BBL scheme. Furthermore, he did not dispute that he failed to ensure that the BBL funds were used for the economic benefit of the Company. Mr Mead’s ban is effective from 31 October 2022 and lasts for 10 years.

  • PRESS RELEASE : UK services industry welcomes extension of Swiss visa agreement [November 2022]

    PRESS RELEASE : UK services industry welcomes extension of Swiss visa agreement [November 2022]

    The press release issued by the Department for International Trade on 21 November 2022.

    • UK and Switzerland agree three-year extension to the Services Mobility Agreement (SMA), enabling UK professionals to work in Switzerland for up to 90 days a year permit free
    • Extension welcomed by UK services industry, which accounts for around 80% of the UK’s GDP and workforce
    • News comes ahead of negotiations on an ambitious new trade deal between the two services superpowers in 2023

    Following intensive discussions, the UK and Switzerland have today agreed to extend the Services Mobility Agreement. The deal, which has been in operation since the start of 2021, has had a transformative effect on companies’ ability to provide services in each other’s countries by allowing employees to easily work in both states.

    The extension of the agreement means UK professionals – from accountants and lawyers to advertising creatives – can continue to travel and operate freely in Switzerland for up to 90 days a year without needing a permit.

    Switzerland is the UK’s sixth largest export market for services, worth over £12 billion in exports last year. ‘Other business services’, including accountancy, architectural, and legal services made up the majority of these, worth £6.5 billion, while financial services accounted for £1.9 billion.

    The SMA will be rolled over for a further three years, providing UK and Swiss companies with welcome certainty. Moving skilled people between countries is vital to services exports, facilitating the delivery of projects and face to face conversations that help to win new clients and get deals done.

    The two countries have also agreed to launch negotiations next year on a new free trade agreement, which will establish long-term arrangements for services mobility and boost trade between the UK and Switzerland even further, in 2023.

    Trade Secretary, Kemi Badenoch, said:

    The UK and Swiss economies are both services powerhouses and closely aligned. Today’s agreement is a win-win for both sides. From financial services in Edinburgh to cyber security in Wales, the deal ensures UK businesses capitalise on the huge opportunities on offer.

    This is just the beginning. I am excited to launch negotiations on an ambitious, future-facing trade deal with Switzerland that will boost our already incredibly strong trading relationship, worth £39 billion last year.

    Switzerland is a world leader in innovation and has placed top of the Global Innovation Index for twelve consecutive years. It offers huge opportunities for companies across the UK, who already export billions in services there every year. Scotland, home to Edinburgh’s thriving financial services scene, exported over £700 million in services to Switzerland in 2020 while Wales, with its cyber security hub, exported £175 million.

    Rain Newton-Smith, Chief Economist at the Confederation of British Industry said:

    Businesses across the UK will welcome today’s extension of the Services Mobility Agreement, as called for by the Trade in Services Council. With four in five UK jobs located in the services sector, the ability to work in Switzerland is hugely beneficial for firms trading with the UK’s 7th largest export market. Business will hope this injects crucial momentum as the UK and Switzerland prepare to negotiate an enhanced FTA.

    The CBI’s co-chairing of the UK-Switzerland Bilateral Trade and Investment Council will provide an important forum for firms to discuss ways to further unlock new and exciting trade opportunities with Switzerland.

    Policy Chairman of the City of London Corporation, Chris Hayward, said:

    The extension of the Service Mobility Agreement is hugely welcome. Access to the world’s best talent, and a capacity to move highly skilled labour between the UK and Switzerland is of paramount importance to the financial and professional service sector.

    The UK and Switzerland are the two largest financial centres in Europe which means strengthening our services trade relationship is a top priority for the sector. Looking ahead, we hope to see the mobility agreement expanded, incorporated and future proofed within a comprehensive Free Trade Agreement.

  • PRESS RELEASE : G7 Foreign Ministers statement on missile launch by DPRK [November 2022]

    PRESS RELEASE : G7 Foreign Ministers statement on missile launch by DPRK [November 2022]

    The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 20 November 2022.

    On the launch of an Intercontinental Ballistic Missile by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK):

    We, the G7 Foreign Ministers of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States of America, and the High Representative of the European Union, condemn in the strongest terms the brazen launch of another Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) conducted on 18 November 2022 by the DPRK. This missile launch is another blatant violation of United Nations Security Council Resolutions (UNSCR) by the DPRK. This reckless act, together with the evidence of ongoing nuclear activities, underscores the DPRK’s determination to advance and diversify its nuclear weapons and missile capabilities. It further destabilizes the region, despite calls from the international community for peace and stability.

    The unprecedented series of unlawful ballistic missile launches conducted by the DPRK in 2022, including numerous intercontinental ballistic missiles, and the intermediate-range ballistic missile which recklessly overflew Japan, pose a serious threat to regional and international peace and security and undermine the global non-proliferation regime. They also pose a danger and unpredictable risk to international civil aviation and maritime navigation in the region.

    We reiterate our demand that the DPRK abandon its nuclear weapons, existing nuclear programs, and any other weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missile programs in a complete, verifiable and irreversible manner and cease immediately all related activities. The DPRK cannot and will never have the status of a nuclear-weapon State in accordance with the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) or any other special status in this regard. We urge the DPRK to return at an early date to, and fully comply with the Non Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) safeguards and to fully abide by all legal obligations under relevant UNSCRs.

    The DPRK’s actions demand a united and robust response by the international community, including the need for further significant measures to be taken by the UN Security Council (UNSC). We call on all states to fully and effectively implement all UNSC measures and sanctions against the DPRK and address the risk of weapons of mass destruction proliferation from the DPRK as an urgent priority.

    The G7 expresses its full solidarity with Japan and the Republic of Korea and urges the DPRK to cease its destabilizing actions. We urge the DPRK to resume meaningful dialogue toward denuclearization and accept the repeated offers of dialogue put forward by the United States, Japan and the Republic of Korea. By diverting its resources from providing for the needs of its people into its unlawful weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missile programs the DPRK further aggravates the already dire humanitarian situation in the DPRK. We are committed to working with all relevant partners toward the goal of peace and security on the Korean Peninsula and to upholding the rules-based international order.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Terrorists face longer in jail for offences in prison [November 2022]

    PRESS RELEASE : Terrorists face longer in jail for offences in prison [November 2022]

    The press release issued by the Ministry of Justice on 20 November 2022.

    Terrorists who continue offending in prison will always face the prospect of more time behind bars, the Deputy Prime Minister announced today.

    • Terrorist prisoners face tougher sentences for offences behind bars
    • Automatic referral to police in a week and possible prosecution under new agreement
    • Meets key recommendation from landmark Jonathan Hall review on terrorism in jail

    Under the tough new measures, all terrorist offenders who commit further crimes in jail – however minor – will be automatically referred within a week for a police investigation and potential prosecution.

    This will increase the likelihood of them being locked up for significantly longer and create a strong deterrent against further offending.

    Currently, additional offences carried out inside jail – such as vandalising cells or dealing in contraband – are often dealt with by prison governors, with a maximum penalty of only 42 days added to an existing sentence.

    Today’s change means they could face much longer sentences if convicted in court.

    The agreement between HM Prison and Probation Service, Counter-Terror Policing and the Crown Prosecution Service fulfils a key recommendation from Jonathan Hall KC’s landmark independent review into terrorism in prisons.

    Deputy Prime Minister and Justice Secretary, Dominic Raab, said:

    Terrorist offenders pose a grave risk to public safety and they must face the full consequences of their actions – whether on the street or behind bars.

    This important change means any transgression will come with the prospect of significantly more prison time and keep our communities safer, for longer, from those unwilling to change their ways.

    Head of Counter Terrorism Policing, Matt Jukes, said:

    Our core mission at Counter Terrorism Policing is keeping the public and our communities safe from the enduring and evolving terrorist threat.

    This agreement demonstrates that our efforts to mitigate that threat, and protect our national security, are far-reaching and rely on collaboration with our partners.

    Director of Legal Services, Crown Prosecution Service, Gregor McGill, said:

    When a crime is committed in a prison there are serious consequences.

    Today’s updated agreement continues to ensure that police, prisons and the CPS work together to investigate and prosecute prisoners who commit acts of terrorism or serious violence, wherever our legal test is met.

    Those who commit crimes while serving their sentences risk further charges and longer sentences.

    The agreement will make sure that breaches in behaviour by those linked to terror face the full scrutiny of counter-terrorism authorities – so that those who remain a threat are kept behind bars for as long as possible.

    Those alleged to have committed potential terrorist acts in prison will continue to be referred to specialist police as part of the new pact, due to come into force in the coming months.

    Today’s news is just the latest step in the Government’s drive to clamp down on dangerous and influential terrorists and keep the public safe.

    Ministers have already delivered the largest overhaul of terrorist sentencing and supervision in decades, including ending the automatic early release of terrorist offenders and tougher sentences for the most serious crimes.

    And in April this year, the Deputy Prime Minister unveiled measures to crack down on terrorist activity behind bars, in response to an independent review by Jonathan Hall KC, the Independent Reviewer of Terrorism Legislation.

    As part of these measures, a new £1.2 million team will ensure the most influential terrorists can be moved to one of the Prison Service’s ‘Separation Centres’ – completely apart from the main prison population.

    In addition, £6 million will be invested to expand ‘Close Supervision Centres’, where the most physically violent offenders can be held – including terrorists. This will prevent their potential recruitment to extremist causes.

  • PRESS RELEASE : World Children’s Day 2022 – joint statement from Embassies in Ukraine [November 2022]

    PRESS RELEASE : World Children’s Day 2022 – joint statement from Embassies in Ukraine [November 2022]

    The joint press release issued by embassies in Ukraine on 20 November 2022.

    On World Children’s Day 2022, we, the Embassies and Delegations associated with this statement, express deep concern at the appalling and long-lasting impact of Russia’s war of aggression on Ukraine’s children.

    It is not possible to confirm the precise number of children that have been direct casualties, but OHCHR has verified that Russia’s invasion has killed more than 400 children, and injured 750 as of mid-November. The true toll is likely to be significantly higher, not to mention the devastating and long-term impact on the mental health of the younger generation.

    In addition, hundreds of thousands of children have been forced from Ukraine either by fleeing to countries of safety, or through reported forced deportation and abduction by Russian armed forces, sometimes without their parents’ knowledge. We are also deeply concerned by reports that some children deported to Russia have been forcibly adopted.

    There is no doubt that every child in Ukraine is suffering because of Russia’s invasion. Indiscriminate Russian attacks have destroyed countless schools and disrupted education through attacks on Ukraine’s critical national infrastructure. Frequent power cuts prevent online learning. In Russian-controlled areas, the Russia-imposed school curriculum propagates disinformation and teachers are punished for teaching in Ukrainian. Children suffer disproportionately from lack of power, heating, and water caused by Russian missile attacks.

    The international community stands with Ukraine in protecting its future generations. Russia’s egregious human rights abuses and violations must have consequences and perpetrators of war crimes must face justice.

    Signatories of this statement:

    • British Embassy Kyiv
    • American Embassy Kyiv
    • Australian Embassy Kyiv
    • Austrian Embassy Kyiv
    • Canadian Embassy Kyiv
    • Czech Embassy Kyiv
    • Dutch Embassy Kyiv
    • Estonian Embassy Kyiv
    • EU Delegation Kyiv
    • French Embassy Kyiv
    • German Embassy Kyiv
    • Italian Embassy Kyiv
    • Japanese Embassy Kyiv
    • Latvian Embassy Kyiv
    • Norwegian Embassy Kyiv
    • Polish Embassy Kyiv
    • Swedish Embassy Kyiv
    • Swiss Embassy Kyiv