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Tag: Press Release

  • PRESS RELEASE : £30M Boost for Farmers Leading the Way in Nature Restoration [May 2025]

    PRESS RELEASE : £30M Boost for Farmers Leading the Way in Nature Restoration [May 2025]

    The press release issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 28 May 2025.

    Thousands of farmers will benefit from a £30 million boost to payments received for nature-friendly farming practices under the Higher Level Stewardship (HLS) scheme. This uplift recognises and rewards the vital role farmers play in restoring habitats and protecting England’s iconic landscapes.

    From 1 January 2025, payment rates for 157 HLS options will rise, rewarding farmers already delivering for nature – particularly in uplands and other sensitive areas where they protect rare species, restore habitats, and maintain traditional countryside features.

    Farming Minister, Daniel Zeichner said:

    Farmers are the backbone of our countryside, and they’re leading the charge to restore nature.

    This £30 million uplift in HLS payments recognises their essential role in protecting our environment – work that’s crucial for long-term food security, boosting productivity, and tackling climate change.

    By backing them with fairer rewards, we’re investing in a stronger and more sustainable future for British farming, helping to drive growth in rural communities as part of our Plan for Change.

    Following the Environment Secretary, Steve Reed’s, pledge at the NFU Conference, this funding brings the HLS payment rates closer to those offered under our Environmental Land Management schemes.

    This builds on a record £5 billion investment into farming, as well as the appointment of former NFU President Baroness Minette Batters to recommend new reforms to boost farmers profits.

    We also have a record number of farmers enrolled in farming schemes, with more money being paid to farms than ever before.

    Payments will be automatically increased, landing from December 2025.The government is committed to targeting public funds wisely, making farming more profitable and sustainable for decades to come as we deliver on the Plan for Change.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Husband-and-wife directors banned after taking payments for singing waiters when company was insolvent [May 2025]

    PRESS RELEASE : Husband-and-wife directors banned after taking payments for singing waiters when company was insolvent [May 2025]

    The press release issued by the Insolvency Service on 28 May 2025.

    The company continued to take deposits and full payments when it was insolvent.

    • Frederick and Claire Reeves hired people who would burst into song at social events such as weddings
    • The husband-and-wife allowed their company, Solfan1 Limited, to trade when they knew it was in serious financial trouble and on the verge of liquidation
    • Couples continued to pay deposits or payments in full when Frederick and Claire Reeves knew there was no reasonable expectation the company could provide the services it offered

    A husband-and-wife team who ran a business which provided surprise singing waiters at weddings have been banned as directors after taking payments from customers when the company was insolvent.

    Frederick Reeves, 49, also known as Jamie Reeves, and his wife Claire Reeves, 41, ran Solfan1 Limited, which traded as The Best Singing Waiters.

    The company provided performers who would blend in at weddings by pretending to be waiters before bursting into song at an agreed time.

    However, the couple continued to take deposits, or payments in full, from 43 customers across the UK when they knew their company was unable to pay the debts it owed.

    The couple, of Dickens Place, Wigan, have now been banned as company directors for eight years.

    Solfan1 went into liquidation with liabilities of more than £700,000 and assets of just over £168,000.

    Rob Clarke, Chief Investigator at the Insolvency Service, said:

    Couples were left heartbroken after finding out the singing waiters they had paid to perform at their weddings would not show up.

    Several of the customers who lost out financially were even offered discounts by the company to make their payment in full at the time of the booking.

    The serious misconduct that both Frederick and Claire Reeves displayed falls short of the standards we expect of company directors which is why they have both been disqualified until May 2033.

    Solfan1 was incorporated in November 2015. Claire Reeves was appointed as director in April 2018.

    Frederick Reeves was never officially listed as director of the company but did not dispute that he acted in the capacity of a director when accepting his disqualification following Insolvency Service investigations.

    The company was in financial difficulties in early 2024, having been served a winding-up petition from HM Revenue and Customs for tax debts of more than £200,000 at the start of February.

    Following discussions with a private insolvency practitioner, the couple agreed on 28 March that Solfan1 should be placed into liquidation.

    However, from then until the company went into liquidation on 1 May 2024, they continued to take deposits and full payments from new customers.

    Analysis by investigators revealed that an estimated 43 customers made payments totalling £43,590 to the company during that period.

    The Secretary of State for Business and Trade accepted disqualification undertakings from Frederick and Claire Reeves, and their bans both started on Wednesday 28 May.

    The undertakings prevent them from being involved in the promotion, formation or management of a company, without the permission of the court.

    Further information

    • Frederick Reeves, also known as Jamie Reeves, is of Dickens Place, Wigan. His date of birth is 29 August 1975
    • Claire Reeves is of the same address. Her date of birth is 12 October 1983
  • PRESS RELEASE : Huge mobile signal boost across UK countryside now covering area larger than 66,000 football pitches [May 2025]

    PRESS RELEASE : Huge mobile signal boost across UK countryside now covering area larger than 66,000 football pitches [May 2025]

    The press release issued by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology on 28 May 2025.

    Tourists and hikers exploring the UK’s most renowned beauty spots and national parks can now benefit from a huge boost in mobile coverage, helping them plan routes and receive live weather updates for safer outdoor adventures.

    • UK Government upgrades over 50 existing mobile masts across England, Scotland and Wales including in UK’s most renowned natural parks, such as Snowdonia and Lake District
    • Milestone set to boost tourism and local growth, as UK Government continues to deliver on growth mission as part of Plan for Change
    • Wales sees biggest connectivity boost with remote parts of Berwyn Mountains, Brecon Beacons and the Clwydian Range and Dee Valley now covered by all four UK networks

    Tourists and hikers exploring the UK’s most renowned beauty spots and national parks can now benefit from a huge boost in mobile coverage, helping them plan routes and receive live weather updates for safer outdoor adventures.

    Over 50 mobile masts, initially only used to connect EE customers and those calling 999, have now been upgraded to provide coverage from all mobile network operators. The upgrade of existing masts will limit the visual and natural impact on the environment, causing less disruption to the surrounding areas.

    These masts cover a footprint equivalent to the size of 66,470 football pitches, and over half of them are providing new coverage to areas of outstanding natural beauty or national parks.

    The upgrades will benefit thousands of local residents and many more visiting the surrounding areas, bringing fast and reliable 4G networks to remote communities previously plagued by poor signal. This will support local tourism and economic growth, the core mission of the Government’s Plan for Change.

    The rollout is part of the Shared Rural Network programme led by the UK Government and mobile network operators to improve connectivity in rural communities across Britain.

    Areas set to benefit from the boost include the North York Moors National Park, parts of the Southern Upland Way, and the Shropshire Hills.

    Telecoms Minister Sir Chris Bryant said:

    The growth potential of our areas of outstanding natural beauty must not be stunted by patchy internet.

    This milestone is a major step forward for better connectivity for all corners of the UK meaning everyone can reap the benefits of the digital age. From boosting tourism and business opportunities to providing safer outdoors experiences for visitors to our treasured countryside.

    These upgrades mark significant progress in the government’s mission to break down barriers to opportunity and boost economic growth across the UK, as outlined in the Plan for Change. To expand coverage even further, 50 more government funded sites in England, Wales and Scotland are also being targeted for upgrades by March 2026.

    Ben Roome, CEO of Mova said:

    This is a big milestone for rural mobile coverage. Thanks to strong collaboration between government and industry, 50 publicly funded masts are now live — including this one in Upper Chapel — helping to close the mobile coverage gap for residents, businesses and visitors.

    These masts build on the success of the mobile operators hitting their industry-funded targets a year early. Since the Shared Rural Network began, coverage from all four operators has grown from 66% to 81% of the UK — an increase the size of Wales and Northern Ireland combined.

    With further sites being upgraded and built over the next two years, more people in rural areas will benefit from better mobile coverage.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Scotland’s Rural Regions Get Major Mobile Connectivity Boost [May 2025]

    PRESS RELEASE : Scotland’s Rural Regions Get Major Mobile Connectivity Boost [May 2025]

    The press release issued by the Scottish Office on 28 May 2025.

    Thirteen upgraded masts to transform rural connectivity across the Scottish countryside.

    The UK Government has today [Wednesday 28 May 2025] announced a significant boost to mobile connectivity across Scotland’s rural areas, with 13 mobile masts upgraded to provide coverage from all four mobile network operators.

    Previously, these masts only connected EE customers and those making 999 calls. The upgrades will transform connectivity in remote areas of Scotland that have long suffered from poor signal.

    The areas benefiting from the upgrades include Argyll and Bute, Ayrshire, and the South of Scotland – including parts of the Southern Upland Way.

    This major connectivity improvement will cover an area equivalent to thousands of football pitches, providing reliable 4G service to residents and visitors in these remote communities.

    Scottish Secretary Ian Murray said:

    “This significant mobile connectivity boost, funded by the UK Government, will help people in some of Scotland’s most rural communities. It will support local businesses, and improve access and safety for residents and visitors alike. Improving digital connectivity – including in our most remote communities – is a key part of the UK Government’s Plan for Change – it is vital to delivering jobs and economic growth.  And upgrading existing masts rather than building new ones, there will be minimal environmental impact in what are some of Scotland’s most scenic areas.”

    The upgrades are part of the UK Government’s Shared Rural Network programme, a partnership with mobile network operators aimed at improving connectivity in rural areas throughout Britain. The programme has already delivered coverage to more than 95% of the UK’s landmass, with further improvements planned until early 2027.

    The enhanced connectivity will bring numerous benefits to Scottish communities, from supporting local tourism and business opportunities to enabling more flexible working arrangements and improving access to essential online services.

    Scotland areas are:

    • Argyll, Bute and South Lochaber
    • Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock
    • Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk
    • Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale

    For more information on the Shared Rural Network please visit https://srn.org.uk/

  • PRESS RELEASE : Government backs SME builders to get Britain building [May 2025]

    PRESS RELEASE : Government backs SME builders to get Britain building [May 2025]

    The press release issued by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government on 28 May 2025.

    • Smaller housebuilders to benefit from simpler rules and faster decisions as full plans to modernise planning committees unveiled
    • New reforms across land, regulation and finance backed by cash-boost to help SME housebuilders build the houses we need
    • Supports the government’s Plan for Change milestone of delivering 1.5 million homes, creating new jobs and driving economic growth in every region

    Thousands of homes will be built faster on smaller sites across the country as complex planning rules are streamlined, onerous regulatory burdens eased, and financial firepower is provided to SME builders.

    The current system makes it far too difficult for smaller builders to get spades in the ground – with a small site of 10 homes jumping through the same planning hurdles as one with 100 or more.

    Smaller firms, which provide local jobs and train eight out of 10 construction apprentices, have seen their market share shrink since the 1980s, when SME builders delivered 40% of the country’s homes.

    Today’s changes will help turn this around, driving up competition across the sector and helping deliver the Plan for Change milestone of 1.5 million homes, so more working families and young people can achieve the dream of homeownership.

    Today’s proposals include:

    • Faster decisions for small sites: Minor developments of up to nine homes will benefit from streamlined planning and eased Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) requirements, with faster decisions being taken by expert planning officers, not planning committees;
    • A new ‘medium site’ category: Sites between ten to 49 homes will face simpler rules and fewer costs – including a proposed exemption from the Building Safety Levy and simplified BNG rules, making it easier to deliver biodiverse habitats on these sites, delivering a win-win for nature and development;
    • More land and financing options for SMEs: Homes England will release more of its land exclusively to SMEs, and a new National Housing Delivery Fund to be confirmed at the spending review will support long-term finance options, such as revolving credit facilities and lending alliances.
    • A new pilot to unlock small sites for SMEs: the Small Sites Aggregator pilot in Bristol, Sheffield and the London Borough of Lewisham will unlock sites that would otherwise not have been developed, while attracting private investment to build new social rent homes. Building on a model developed by Lloyds Banking Group’s Social Housing Initiative, the Small Sites Aggregator will help tackle the housing shortage, address unviable small plots of land, and create local jobs supporting the government’s Plan for Change.

    Deputy Prime Minister and Housing Secretary, Angela Rayner said:

    “Smaller housebuilders must be the bedrock of our Plan for Change to build 1.5 million homes and fix the housing crisis we’ve inherited – and get working people on the housing ladder.

    “For decades the status quo has failed them and it’s time to level the playing field.

    “Today we’re taking urgent action to make the system simpler, fairer and more cost effective, so smaller housebuilders can play a crucial role in our journey to get Britain building.”

    Full details are being set out today for the modernising of planning committees – ensuring elected councillors focus on the most significant proposals and larger developments rather than small-scale projects or niche technical details, while more faster decisions are made by expert trained planners.

    Under these plans, once a development has been agreed in principle technical details won’t keep going back and forth to committees – accelerating housebuilding and saving council planning departments time and money.

    Further support announced today for local builders includes:

    • £100 million in SME Accelerator Loans to help smaller firms to grow and invest using part of the £700 million extension to the Home Building Fund announced in December.
    • £10 million for councils to fund more specialists to speed up environmental assessments, getting spades in the ground faster.
    • A £1.2 million PropTech Innovation Fund to support innovation in small site delivery, for example through use of new data tools.

    It comes as the government unveiled its plans to train up to 120,000 new apprentices, including within construction – ensuring the industry has what it needs to get building.

    The wide-ranging package for SMEs today builds on the government’s planning overhaul so far, with the new National Planning Policy Framework alone expected to drive housebuilding to its highest level in over 40 years and add £6.8 billion to the economy by 2030.

    CEO of Lloyds Banking Group, Charlie Nunn said:

    “We strongly welcome the government’s announcement today that it will pilot the Small Sites Aggregator in Bristol, Sheffield and Lewisham.

    “Through the Social Housing Initiative, we’re proud to have helped ignite this innovation in housing development and finance – unlocking the small, brownfield sites in our communities which are lying empty yet have immense potential to provide good quality homes in our towns and cities.

    “This exciting partnership between the public and private sectors will increase investment at pace into the new, genuinely affordable homes that are needed across the UK.”

    Further information:

    The government has published a new working paper on planning thresholds for small and medium housing sites.

    The government has also launched a consultation reviewing Biodiversity Net Gain for minor, medium and brownfield development. This will be open for 8 weeks.

    As part of the Planning and Infrastructure Bill, the government is also launching a new consultation on reforming planning committees and their role in the planning process. This consultation includes detailed proposals for a national scheme of delegation which would direct the majority of minor and technical applications to planning officers, freeing up committees to consider the most complex and controversial by categorising applications into Tier A or B. Tier A applications will go to officers, while Tier B applications have the ability to be considered by committees if necessary. It will be open for 8 weeks.

    The Home Building Fund is administered by Homes England and is designed for SME housebuilders in England that are struggling to access loans from traditional lenders. Last year the government announced a £700 million extension to the Fund.

    The new National Housing Delivery Fund will provide a range of funding tools to support SMEs, including support for revolving credit facilities. Further details will be announced at the Spending Review.

    This government has also launched a £1.2m PropTech Innovation fund to inject innovation into small site delivery. Examples of potential solutions include the use of data and tools to provide certainty on future infrastructure capacity for SME housebuilders, meaning they can make the case for investment easier.

    The government is making available a further £10m this financial year to help local planning authorities implement BNG, on top of £35m provided in previous years.

    The government is also announcing today that it will consult on how we apply BNG for Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (NSIP) to provide consistent regulations for developers – many of them who are already delivering biodiversity gains at scale.  Measures will be in place from May 2026.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Liverpool parade incident – Apply for Compensation [May 2025]

    PRESS RELEASE : Liverpool parade incident – Apply for Compensation [May 2025]

    The press release issued by the Cabinet Office on 27 May 2025.

    We offer our sympathy to all those who have been affected by this horrific incident.

    Victims injured in this incident can apply to the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA) for compensation.

    Compensation is payable to applicants who meet the eligibility criteria of the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme 2012.

    You do not need a paid representative, such as a solicitor or claims management company, to apply for compensation. Free independent advice may be available from the Victim and Witness Information website or other charitable organisations.

    If you have been directly affected by this incident you can find out more about the Scheme and apply online.

  • PRESS RELEASE : IMF concludes annual Mission to assess UK economy – upgrading UK growth and endorsing fiscal strategy [May 2025]

    PRESS RELEASE : IMF concludes annual Mission to assess UK economy – upgrading UK growth and endorsing fiscal strategy [May 2025]

    The press release issued by HM Treasury on 27 May 2025.

    IMF upgraded the UK’s growth forecast for 2025 to 1.2%, saying that “an economic recovery is underway”.

    Today the IMF released the concluding statement of their findings from the UK Article IV Mission – their annual review of the UK’s economic and fiscal outlook and policies.

    As part of this, the IMF upgraded the UK’s growth forecast for 2025 to 1.2%, saying that “an economic recovery is underway”.

    Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rachel Reeves said:

    The UK was the fastest growing economy in the G7 for the first three months of this year and today the IMF has upgraded our growth forecast. We’re getting results for working people through our Plan for Change – with three new trade deals protecting jobs, boosting investment and cutting prices, a pay rise for three million workers through the National Living Wage, and wages beating inflation by £1,000 since the election.

    The IMF endorsed the government’s fiscal strategy as striking ‘a good balance between supporting growth and safeguarding fiscal sustainability’; the strategy focuses on delivering stability through ironclad commitment to our robust fiscal rules and a single fiscal event a year, while increasing investment and pursuing ambitious structural reform to boost productivity and growth. Growth is the solution to the challenges we face, and this government is going further and faster to unlock growth that is sustainable in the long term.

    The IMF also highlighted support for the government’s Growth Mission, and that it “focuses on the right areas to lift productivity”. Through the Growth Mission, the government is restoring stability, increasing investment, and reforming the economy to drive up prosperity and living standards across every region of the UK.

    The IMF welcomed the government’s spending plans as “credible and growth-friendly”, noting that “they are expected to provide an economic boost over the medium term”. The government’s upcoming Spending Review, Industrial Strategy and Infrastructure Strategy will deliver the certainty and stability businesses need to invest in the UK’s growing and high potential sectors.

    The IMF’s full UK Article IV surveillance report will be published in the summer.

  • PRESS RELEASE : UK and Isle of Man discuss measures against tax avoidance and evasion [May 2025]

    PRESS RELEASE : UK and Isle of Man discuss measures against tax avoidance and evasion [May 2025]

    The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 27 May 2025.

    The Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury and the Isle of Man Treasury Minister agree to joint working to crack down on promoters of tax avoidance schemes.

    Isle of Man Treasury Minister Dr Alex Allinson MHK held a virtual meeting with the UK Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury James Murray MP earlier today (27 May).

    Following the meeting they issued this joint statement:

    The UK and the Isle of Man have a long-standing history of collaboration in the fight against tax avoidance and evasion, and in our successful cooperative efforts to promote transparency while ensuring that our tax systems are robust and fair.

    The UK and the Isle of Man were amongst the early adopters of the Common Reporting Standard, which facilitates the automatic exchange of financial account information between jurisdictions, and are both working on the Crypto-Asset Reporting Framework which will see the automatic exchange of information on crypto-assets. Both jurisdictions have also recently implemented measures in relation to the Global Base Erosion Rules under the OECD’s Pillar 2 Global Minimum Tax.

    Both governments are committed to taking robust action to deter and disrupt the activities of those who seek to promote marketed tax avoidance schemes that threaten our tax systems and the reputations of our well-established and globally-attractive service sectors. This proactive stance safeguards tax revenues and ensures fairness for all taxpayers.

    Recognising the need to go further, and noting the UK Government’s ongoing consultation on steps to crack down on promoters of marketed tax avoidance schemes, we are pleased that we have been able to agree today to explore ways to further enhance information flows, joint working and other ways in which tangible benefits for both jurisdictions can be achieved.

    We look forward to continuing our partnership and achieving tangible results in our shared objective of combatting tax avoidance and evasion.

  • PRESS RELEASE : British Ambassador opens the residence for Luxembourg Urban Garden [May 2025]

    PRESS RELEASE : British Ambassador opens the residence for Luxembourg Urban Garden [May 2025]

    The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 27 May 2025.

    As part of the Luxembourg Urban Garden (LUGA) exhibition, Ambassador Olivier is opening the garden of her official residence to the public for a one-day event.

    On Thursday 5 June, visitors will have the rare chance to explore a garden that offers one of the most beautiful and unique views over the Pétrusse valley, home to several LUGA installations.

    The visit will focus on sustainability and biodiversity, with guided tours led by the eco agents from St George’s International School. These students, from both Primary and Secondary, will highlight the garden’s green features and showcase their own sustainability projects.

    Entry is free but places are limited, and each guest must register individually here: https://bit.ly/BritishEmbassyLUGA

    Don’t miss this rare opportunity to discover a peaceful, tucked-away corner of Luxembourg City and see it through the eyes of the next generation of environmental leaders.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Controlling boyfriend’s suspended sentence overturned [May 2025]

    PRESS RELEASE : Controlling boyfriend’s suspended sentence overturned [May 2025]

    The press release issued by the Attorney General’s Office on 27 May 2025.

    A man who violently abused and coercively controlled his partner has had his suspended sentence quashed following an intervention by the Attorney General.

    Philip Humphreys, 39, from Stoke-on-Trent, has had his suspended sentence quashed and replaced with a two year and four month prison sentence after it was referred to the Court of Appeal by the Attorney General, Lord Hermer KC, under the Unduly Lenient Sentence scheme.

    The court heard that Humphreys and his partner began their relationship in April 2022 and quickly moved in together. However, Humphreys soon became controlling and coercive.

    He repeatedly accused her of wanting to have sex with other men, constantly checked where she was and controlled what she wore.

    Humphreys took around £6,000 from the victim, with the majority being spent on drugs, threatened to kill himself, aggressively shouted at her, and threw furniture.

    Whilst on holiday, Humphreys violently assaulted the victim, which included strangling her and dragging her backwards. He only stopped when a hotel receptionist disturbed him.

    After they broke up, Humphreys continued to intimidate the victim, repeatedly driving past her house.

    Attorney General Lord Hermer KC said:

    “Philip Humphreys’ carried out a sustained physical and psychological campaign of abuse against his victim, who must have been in a constant state of fear. My thoughts today are with the victim, and I commend her bravery for coming forward.”

    “Philip Humphreys is a violent man, and I welcome the court’s decision to increase his sentence. I hope this case serves a strong warning to domestic abusers that we will use the full force of the law to keep violent abusers off our streets.”

    On 7 March 2025, Philip Humphreys was sentenced to 18 months’ imprisonment suspended for two years, with 200 hours of unpaid work and a 25 Rehabilitation Activity Requirement Days for one count of controlling and coercive behaviour.

    On 23 May 2025, his sentence was increased to two years and four months’ imprisonment after it was referred to the Court of Appeal under the Unduly Lenient Sentence scheme.