Tag: Press Release

PRESS RELEASE : Outstanding collection of Joseph Wolf animal drawings at risk of leaving the UK [November 2022]

The press release issued by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport on 7 November 2022.

– Export bar is to allow time for a UK gallery or institution to acquire the collection

A set of 120 drawings of animals worth £119,700 is at risk of leaving the UK unless a buyer can be found to save the collection for the nation.

Joseph Wolf was a 19th century artist who specialised in natural history illustrations. He produced works for the British Museum and the Zoological Society of London and was well known for depicting animals in accurate, lifelike postures.

The norm of painting an animal in its natural habitat was established by Wolf and this set of 120 original drawings of animals demonstrates his outstanding skills and artistry for depiction of animal behaviour.

Arts Minister Lord Parkinson said:

Joseph Wolf’s magnificent drawings of animals in their natural habitats are a joy to behold as well as a fascinating insight into natural history illustration in the 19th century. I sincerely hope a buyer comes forward to save these for the nation.

The Minister’s decision follows the advice of the Reviewing Committee on the Export of Works of Art and Objects of Cultural Interest. The committee noted that the collection of drawings held enormous research potential, particularly as they sit at the intersection of visual arts and intellectual inquiry.

Committee member Christopher Baker said:

Joseph Wolf (1820–1899) played a key role in the development of natural history illustration in Britain by animating and contextualising his subjects and indicating the habitats and behaviours of animals – which was a quite different approach to earlier, more static representations. His fascinating and accomplished work was highly regarded by Victorian naturalists, explorers and artists, and appeared in scientific journals, luxury books with colour plates and more popular, accessible publications. This substantial group of drawings is of particular interest as it allows an intimate view of his working processes and observational skills and has great potential for research on his pioneering practice and its legacy. Securing the drawings for a public U.K. collection would be highly desirable.

The RCEWA made its recommendation on the grounds that the collection was of outstanding significance to the study of natural history art and illustration.

The decision on the export licence application for the painting will be deferred for a period ending on 6 February 2023 inclusive. At the end of the first deferral period owners will have a consideration period of 15 business days to consider any offer(s) to purchase the painting at the recommended price of £119,700 (plus £4,940 VAT). The second deferral period will commence following the signing of an Option Agreement and will last for three months.

November 7, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : Rishi Sunak meeting with Prime Minister Meloni of Italy [November 2022]

The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 7 November 2022.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak met Giorgia Meloni, Prime Minister of Italy, at COP27 in Sharm el-Sheikh today.

The leaders had a positive discussion on a range of shared issues and priorities, including tackling illegal migration and people smuggling gangs.

Reflecting on the UN climate summit, they noted the importance of addressing climate change for our long-term security and prosperity.

The Prime Minister highlighted the shock to global energy and food prices caused by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and the leaders agreed to continue to take strong action to support Ukraine and hold Russia to account for its actions.

The Prime Minister and Prime Minister Meloni welcomed the opportunity to meet at the start of their respective premierships and looked forward to working closely together, building on the strong partnership between the UK and Italy.

November 7, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : Rishi Sunak meeting with High Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahyan of the UAE [November 2022]

The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 7 November 2022.

The Prime Minister met the President of the United Arab Emirates, High Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahyan, at the COP27 climate summit.

The leaders discussed regional security, in particular the situation in Iran and Tehran’s destabilising behaviour in the region, as well as the negotiations around the JCPoA nuclear deal.

The Prime Minister and Sheikh bin Zayed agreed to continue working closely together on defence, security and trade, including progressing the UK-GCC trade deal next year.

They also welcomed cooperation on energy transition and green technology, and looked forward to COP28 in the Emirates next year.

November 7, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : Rishi Sunak meeting with European Commission President Ursula Von Der Leyen [November 2022]

The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 7 November 2022.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak spoke to European Commission President Ursula Von Der Leyen at COP27 in Egypt today.

They reflected on the progress and challenges since COP26 in Glasgow, committing to work together to speed up the transition to renewables and mobilise finance for developing countries.

The Prime Minister noted that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and manipulation of energy prices had only strengthened the argument for ending our reliance on fossil fuels.

The leaders agreed the UK and European Union would remain steadfast in our military, economic and diplomatic support for Ukraine, and in countering Russian aggression.

On the Northern Ireland Protocol, the Prime Minister reiterated the need to find solutions to the very real problems it had created on the ground in Northern Ireland. They agreed on the importance of working together to agree a resolution.

November 7, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : Government fund to support collaboration in farming communities opens [November 2022]
The press release issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 7 November 2022.
The latest round of the popular Countryside Stewardship Facilitation Fund has opened today, giving groups of farmers and landowners in England the opportunity to work together and share knowledge to protect and enhance the local environment, in line with their local Countryside Stewardship priorities.

The £2.5 million fund encourages collaboration between farming groups and supports Government efforts to improve the environment and create cleaner, greener landscapes. The fund is an important part of the Rural Payments Agency’s aim to support agricultural and rural communities across the country.

The funding allows facilitators, for example local farming and nature groups and charities, to give advice and share knowledge with groups of farmers and other land managers on activities such as restoring habitats for wildlife and improving biodiversity, creating woodland, improving air and water quality, or restoring historic environments.

Farming Minister Mark Spencer said:

By joining forces on shared environmental ambitions, farmers and landowners are able to deliver a greater positive impact on our landscape than they could ever achieve alone.

This Countryside Stewardship Facilitation Fund is already helping to bring farmers and landowners together for the benefit of nature and the environment, and I encourage farming communities across England to consider applying.

Paul Caldwell, Chief Executive of the Rural Payments Agency said:

I am delighted we are able to provide farmers and landowners with another opportunity to come together on projects to improve their local environment.

We want to see uptake from new and existing groups to deliver large-scale environmental improvement in their local areas, create valuable connections and share farming knowledge.

Marian Spain, Chief Executive of Natural England, said:

Countryside Stewardship and the farmers and land managers who take up the scheme make a vital contribution to delivering the Government’s environmental commitments, including the statutory target to halt the decline in species abundance by 2030.

By bringing groups of land managers together in pursuit of positive habitat management and species re-introductions, the Facilitation Fund leads to long term initiatives for nature recovery where partnerships strengthen delivery on the ground.

Natural England works closely with farming groups and we look forward to supporting further groups via the fund as they nurture wildlife-rich habitats that provide clean water and air and underpin sustainable food production.

This is the seventh round of the Countryside Stewardship Facilitation Fund under the current Rural Development Programme for England. 180 groups with over 4,000 members have benefited from the funding so far, with this round of funding expected to benefit more than 40 further groups.

Previous projects to have benefited have include:

Running demonstration days in timber extraction and wood processing in Morecambe Bay

Exploring measures to reduce flooding along the Glenderamackin river in the Lake District

Improving farmers’ understanding of ground nesting birds in the Upper Nidderdale

Helping to reconnect farmers with nature and improving their confidence in conservation farming in the White Peak

The fund supports the delivery of the 25 Year Environmental Plan, and is a part of Defra’s plans for a renewed agricultural sector, centred around incentivising sustainable farming practices alongside profitable food production.

The application window is open from 7 November until 25 January 2023.
November 7, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : Climate finance to flow to Kenya as UK Prime Minister agrees with President Ruto to fast-track KES 500 billion of British investment [November 2022]
The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 7 November 2022.
- UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Kenyan President H.E. William Ruto met at the COP27 climate summit today [Monday 7 November].
- The leaders agreed to fast-track six green investment projects worth KES 500 billion spanning green energy, agriculture and transport.
- Sunak praised Kenya’s pioneering climate leadership and urged President Ruto to continue championing clean growth.
The UK and Kenya have agreed to fast-track six projects worth KES 500 billion to accelerate the flow of climate finance into Kenya after the UK Prime Minister and President Ruto met at the COP27 climate summit in Sharm-el-Sheik, Egypt.

These new, clean and green investments will become flagship projects of the UK-Kenya Strategic Partnership – an ambitious five-year agreement that is unlocking mutual benefits for the UK and Kenya.

The projects include: new geothermal and solar energy generation at Menegai and Malindi; a KES 425 billion Public Private Partnership to deliver the Grand High Falls Dam, which will generate a gigawatt of renewable power and provide an area over twice the size of the Maasai Mara with drought-combating irrigation solutions; the green regeneration of central Nairobi anchored around a new central rail station; and a Ksh 32 billion investment in a climate-resilient agriculture hub for the Lake Victoria region in Kisumu that will create 2,000 direct jobs and provide an income for a further 20,000 farmers.

The UK Government will commit KES 2 billion to a new guarantee company that will lower investment risk and unlock KES 12 bn of climate finance for Kenyan projects over the next 3 years, through collaboration with CPF Financial Services and other private investors.

The Prime Minister praised President Ruto’s pioneering climate leadership and urged Kenya to continue along the path of green growth, urging all countries to deliver on the commitments made at COP26 in Glasgow.

Throughout its COP26 Presidency, the UK has worked with partners across Africa to deliver and build on the Glasgow Climate Pact, and to see commitments made at COP26 turned into action. For example, in Kenya since COP26 £5.4m has been committed and £2.8m will be spent to support Kenya’s energy transition, unlocking private sector investment in forest protection and the Kenyan Government’s ambitious 10% forest cover target.

But the UK recognises that there is further work to do. During his recent visit to Kenya, COP President Alok Sharma reaffirmed the need for progress on access to finance and transformational adaptation action by COP27.

British High Commissioner to Kenya Jane Marriott, said:

The UK and Kenya go far when we go together. By fast-tracking finance into these clean, green projects with honest, reliable investment the UK is supporting Kenya to advance and maintain its continent-leading climate credentials – with mutual benefits for both our countries.
November 7, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : England’s treasured island seabird populations to be protected with new government funding [November 2022]
The press release issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 7 November 2022.
The UK government has today announced £156,000 to protect England’s much-loved island seabird populations against the threat of invasive predators.

This is one of the first instances globally of a central government providing funding to protect seabird islands against these specific threats, setting the UK as a global leader for seabird island biosecurity.

The UK’s islands such as Coquet Island and the Isles of Scilly are internationally important for millions of seabirds, with Coquet Island being the only breeding place in the UK for Roseate terns which are a red listed species. However, some key breeding populations are in decline due to multiple threats including invasive mammals such as stoats and mice.

The eggs and chicks of ground-nesting seabirds including puffins, razorbills, gannets, terns and European storm-petrels are particularly vulnerable, and their populations can quickly be decimated by invasive mammals.

The funding will be delivered through the AfterLIFE plan from July 2023. It will ensure existing biosecurity measures across England’s seabird islands are maintained and enhanced so we can continue to protect the recovery and secure the future of important seabirds.

It will also fund new measures including:

The employment of a full time Biosecurity Officer

A conservation detection dog team that will train dogs to search for and indicate the presence of brown rats

Information campaigns targeting island visitors

Training of volunteers to support biosecurity implementation across England’s seabird island Special Protection Areas

Frequent surveillance checks

These measures will build on the Biosecurity for LIFE project, which Defra has supported since 2018 and has implemented key biosecurity measures such as surveillance checks and volunteering programmes on seabird island Special Protected Areas.

Minister for Biosecurity, Marine and Rural Affairs Lord Benyon said:

“British seabirds are part of what make our coastlines so beautiful, and it’s vitally important we continue to do all we can to protect each unique species and allow them to recover and thrive.

“Defra’s contribution to the AfterLIFE Plan will ensure important measures continue to safeguard our treasured seabirds against invasive mammals that have the potential to obliterate entire populations.”

RSPB’s Seabird Recovery Officer and Biosecurity for LIFE project executive Laura Bambini said:

“The Biosecurity for LIFE project has worked with a diverse range of organisations, communities and individuals to set up critical biosecurity measures in place on England’s internationally important seabird islands. Having worked with Defra, Natural England and key stakeholders in other UK nations to secure the maintenance of these measures in the long term, we are pleased now to see the development of national island biosecurity programmes underway across the UK. This is important for building resilience in our seabird populations which are in a precarious situation due to the pressures they face at sea.”

“This announcement is significant, ahead of the UN’s CBD COP in Montreal, as it sets the UK Government as leaders in island biosecurity, in one of the very few instances globally of a government using core funds to protect seabird islands from the threat of invasive non-native mammalian predators.”

RSPB’s Principal Marine Policy Officer Kirsten Carter said:

“The islands of the UK are amazing, their relative isolation has allowed seabirds and other wildlife to thrive. But these wild and sometimes rugged places are delicate, protecting them requires constant vigilance as the precarious balance that has allowed wildlife to flourish can be easily disrupted with catastrophic consequences.”

“We have seen how even just a single inadvertently introduced predator can have a devastating effect on an island where the native species have no natural defences. This is why today’s announcement to fund the Biosecurity AfterLIFE is so important, it enables the protection of these inspiring places for future generations.”

In light of the ongoing outbreak of bird flu, conservation efforts such as AfterLIFE are vital for boosting the resilience of our vulnerable seabird populations. This work aligns with Defra’s development of an English Seabird Conservation and Recovery Plan which will assess the vulnerability of and threats to England’s seabirds and propose actions to address them, due to be published in Spring 2023.
November 7, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : UK announces major new package of climate support at COP27 [November 2022]
The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 7 November 2022.
- PM to launch major international climate package to deliver on the UK’s Glasgow legacy at COP27
- New announcements include £65.5m for green tech innovation and significant clean energy investments with Kenya and Egypt
- UK will also launch a new Forests and Climate Leaders’ Partnership and confirm more than £150m for protecting rainforests and natural habitats, including the Congo Basin and Amazon
- Rishi Sunak will reaffirm the UK’s steadfast commitment to supporting countries on the frontline of climate change
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak will cement the UK’s COP legacy with a series of announcements on energy transition, climate financing and forest and nature preservation, as he hands over the baton to Egypt at COP27 today [Monday 7th November].

The UK continues deliver on our key funding commitments, spending £11.6 billion on international climate finance. Recognising the existential threat climate change is already posing around the world – from catastrophic floods in Pakistan to drought in Somalia – the Government will commit to triple funding for climate adaptation as part of that budget, from £500m in 2019 to £1.5bn in 2025.

The Prime Minister will also host an event later today to launch the Forests and Climate Leaders’ Partnership. The new group, initially comprising 20 countries, will meet twice yearly to track commitments on the landmark Forests and Land Use declaration at COP26, which aims to halt and reverse forest loss by 2030.

To support the forest agenda, the UK is committing £90m today for conservation in the Congo Basin, a vital tropical rainforest which is home to some 10,000 species of tropical plants and several endangered species, including forest elephants, chimpanzees and mountain gorillas.

The PM will also confirm £65 million in funding for the Nature, People and Climate Investment Fund, which supports indigenous and local forest communities, and new financing for Treevive, which is working to conserve and restore two million hectares of tropical forest.

As we hand over the Presidency of COP, the Government is focused in particular on partnering with the private sector to facilitate green innovation and energy transition, at home and around the world. As well as helping the drive for net zero, reducing the global demand for oil and gas cuts off the funds for Russia’s brutal war machine.

In support of this, the Prime Minister will announce a further £65.5 million for the Clean Energy Innovation Facility today, which provides grants to researchers and scientists in developing countries to accelerate the development of clean technology. Since the BEIS-led fund was launched in 2019 it has supported the creation of biomass-powered refrigeration in India, prototype lithium-ion batteries in Nigeria and clean hydrogen-based fuels for steel production in Morocco, among other innovations.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is expected to tell COP27 later today:

The world came together in Glasgow with one last chance to create a plan that would limit global temperature rises to 1.5 degrees. The question today is: can we summon the collective will to deliver on those promises?

I believe we can. By honouring the pledges we made in Glasgow, we can turn our struggle against climate change into a global mission for new jobs and clean growth.

And we can bequeath our children a greener planet and a more prosperous future. That’s a legacy we could be proud of.

As well as supporting innovation, the UK is working with G7 allies to provide countries with reliable, transparent sources of sustainable infrastructure financing. Ahead of an expected meeting later today between the Prime Minister and President Ruto, the UK and Kenya have reaffirmed their commitment to the UK-Kenya Strategic Partnership and agreed to progress a number of flagship green investment projects.

The projects include new and expanded solar and geothermal power plants in Kenya backed by British International Investment, UK export financing for Nairobi’s ground-breaking Railway City and a major Public-private Partnership on the $3 billion Grand High Falls Dam hydropower project led by UK firm GBM Engineering.

The UK will also confirm new financial support for Egypt’s flagship COP27 initiative, the ‘Nexus on Food, Water and Energy’. The funding will develop projects including solar parks and energy storage innovations, and is expected to mobilise billions in private sector finance.

The Prime Minister is also expected to hold a series of bilateral meetings at COP27 today, including with French President Emmanuel Macron and Italian Prime Minister Georgia Meloni.

He will also attend a roundtable discussion focused on energy transition partnerships, and will deliver a national plenary statement later in the day setting out the UK’s climate commitments.
November 7, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : PM pledges to make UK a clean energy superpower ahead of COP27 [November 2022]
The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 7 November 2022.
- PM to travel to Egypt to galvanise action on the climate commitments made at COP26 in Glasgow
- Rishi Sunak will pledge to speed up the transition to renewables to create new high-wage jobs, protect UK energy security and deliver on net zero
- UK to chair a high-level meeting on forests and announce new support for climate-vulnerable countries
The Prime Minister will urge countries to deliver on the Glasgow Climate Pact and set out his intention to make the UK a clean energy superpower when he travels to COP27 in Egypt today [Sunday 6th November].

The UK has already cut carbon emissions faster than any other G7 country, with renewable sources like wind and solar now making up more than 40 percent of our energy supply – a four-fold increase on a decade ago.

Addressing COP27 tomorrow, Rishi Sunak will say that in light of the shock to the energy markets caused by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the UK will work with international allies to go further and faster to transition to cheaper, cleaner and safer sources of energy. We will only be able to ensure households and businesses have reliable, affordable fuel by solving the climate crisis and ensuring renewables are at the heart of our energy security.

There are already around 430,000 jobs in low carbon businesses and their supply chains across the country, supported by £30 billion in government support for the Green Industrial Revolution in the last 18 months. The transition to renewables will create more high wage, high skill jobs across the UK in the industries of the future.

As the UK hands over the presidency to Egypt, Rishi Sunak will urge leaders gathering in Sharm el-Sheikh not to backslide on the promise of COP26, where countries came together to sign the landmark Glasgow Climate Pact.

The Prime Minister will hold meetings with fellow world leaders to discuss new partnerships on energy security, green technology and environmental protection, and is expected to announce further funding for conservation in threatened tropical rainforests and support for countries on the frontline of climate change.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said:

When the world came together in Glasgow last year, nations agreed an historic roadmap for preventing catastrophic global warming. As I travel to COP27 in Egypt today, it is more important than ever that we deliver on those pledges.

Fighting climate change is not just a moral good – is it fundamental to our future prosperity and security. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and contemptible manipulation of energy prices has only reinforced the importance of ending our dependence on fossil fuels.

We need to move further and faster to transition to renewable energy, and I will ensure the UK is at the forefront of this global movement as a clean energy superpower.

The Prime Minister is expected to chair a meeting of world leaders on forests and nature, to drive progress on the landmark pledge signed by more than 100 countries last November to halt and reverse deforestation and damaging land use by 2030.

He will also attend a roundtable on energy transition partnerships, which are utilising public and private sector funds to support low and middle-income countries like South Africa to move away from fossil fuels and grow their green economies.

UK COP President Alok Sharma is in Sharm el-Sheikh today for handover ceremony to Egypt, ahead of two weeks of intensive climate negotiations. Foreign Secretary James Cleverly will also travel to COP27 with the Prime Minister, and other ministers are expected to attend throughout the summit.
November 7, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : Stephen Dunne helps mark 100 years of policing at Stormont [November 2022]

The press release issued by the DUP on 4 November 2022.

North Down MLA Stephen Dunne has paid tribute to the “legacy to be proud of” in 100 years of policing. The DUP MLA hosted an event for the NI Retired Police Officers Association at Stormont on Thursday evening.

The guest of honour at the event was former Chief Constable Sir Ronnie Flanagan GBE QPM.

Speaking after the event Mr Dunne said, “It was a real honour and privilege to host members of the NIRPOA at Stormont, marking 100 years of policing. The strapline for the event was a “legacy to be proud of” and there can be no more fitting summary for all those who have served our community throughout the last century.

For the vast majority of that time they served under the banner of the Royal Ulster Constabulary and over many decades that brought with it a significant threat. That service and sacrifice was recognised through the award of the George Cross, but it is important that we continue to remember and highlight the proud history of policing here.

Northern Ireland has made significant progress and whilst there are still many challenges that we face, we are able to build on the foundation laid for us by all those who served to protect the community and uphold the law here.

November 7, 2022