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Tag: Press Release

  • PRESS RELEASE : £8 million levelling up boost for Grimsby to repair vital bridges and boost local industry

    PRESS RELEASE : £8 million levelling up boost for Grimsby to repair vital bridges and boost local industry

    The press release issue by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities on 11 August 2022.

    Vital bridges connecting Grimsby and Immingham will be repaired to boost the local key industries and tourism, prevent road closures and secure future jobs for the region, Levelling Up Secretary Greg Clark announced today (11 August 2022).

    In the latest step to level up Grimsby, £8 million of funding has been confirmed to help fix damaged bridges along the A180 – a vital route that connects the region’s key ports, serves residents and tourists and provides an estimated £2.5 billion to the local economy’s Seafood Cluster each year.

    The funding will prevent months of disruption and closures for residents, as well as making sure local industries can continue to grow and helping to create more skilled jobs in the area.

    Grimsby was the pilot Town Deal area, and the government has awarded over £4 5million through the Pilot and its flagship Towns Fund and Future High Streets programmes to support plans to renew and reshape the town centre. This includes plans to build 129 new high quality, low carbon homes in the town.

    Secretary of State for Levelling up Greg Clark said:

    “The work to level up vital towns like Grimsby requires acting on what local people say is important and acting on what local people want – including local infrastructure.

    The funding we are announcing today will provide a vital lifeline for Grimsby’s industry now and in the future and I am looking forward to seeing how our investment is helping local communities to flourish and further unlock the area’s potential.”

    DLUHC arm’s length body, Homes England, will assist North East Lincolnshire council to develop plans to revitalise the town centre, including for the 129 homes on Garth Lane.

    Cllr Philip Jackson, the Leader of North East Lincolnshire Council, said:

    “I am delighted that our collaboration with government on the levelling up agenda is bearing fruit. The key infrastructure investment announced today, as well as our work with Homes England, focused on Garth Lane and wider town centre regeneration, are essential elements of our drive to deliver sustainable local economic growth for our residents, our communities and our businesses. I look forward to our collaboration with Government continuing.”

    Benj Sykes from energy firm Orsted UK, which operates in the area, said:

    “The offshore wind industry in Grimsby relies on the skilled and committed workers who have helped to create a world-leading hub. As the industry grows, we need the government to continue to develop the infrastructure the region needs to thrive, and I’m delighted to see further investment in the region.”

  • PRESS RELEASE : FCDO summons Chinese Ambassador Zheng Zeguang over Beijing’s aggressive escalation against Taiwan

    PRESS RELEASE : FCDO summons Chinese Ambassador Zheng Zeguang over Beijing’s aggressive escalation against Taiwan

    The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 10 August 2022.

    The Foreign Secretary instructed Sir Tim Barrow, Second Permanent Under-Secretary for the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, to summon China’s Ambassador to the UK, Zheng Zeguang. He was summoned over Beijing’s aggressive and wide-ranging escalation against Taiwan over the last week, in response to Speaker Pelosi’s visit on 2 August.

    Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said:

    “The UK and partners have condemned in the strongest terms China’s escalation in the region around Taiwan, as seen through our recent G7 statement.

    I instructed officials to summon the Chinese Ambassador to explain his country’s actions. We have seen increasingly aggressive behaviour and rhetoric from Beijing in recent months, which threaten peace and stability in the region. The United Kingdom urges China to resolve any differences by peaceful means, without the threat or use of force or coercion.”

  • PRESS RELEASE : Joint outcome statement: India-UK round five FTA negotiations

    PRESS RELEASE : Joint outcome statement: India-UK round five FTA negotiations

    The press released issued by the Department for International Trade on 10 August 2022.

    On 29 July 2022, the Republic of India and the United Kingdom concluded the fifth round of talks for an India-UK Free Trade Agreement (FTA).

    Negotiation officials undertook these technical talks in a hybrid fashion – with some of the teams meeting in New Delhi, India, and the majority of officials joining virtually.

    For this round of negotiations, technical experts from both sides came together for detailed draft treaty text discussions in 85 separate sessions covering 15 policy areas.

    Indian and UK officials will continue to work intensively throughout the summer towards our target to conclude the majority of talks on a comprehensive and balanced Free Trade Agreement by the end of October 2022.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Welsh Secretary meets apprentices working on ultrafast broadband

    PRESS RELEASE : Welsh Secretary meets apprentices working on ultrafast broadband

    The press release issued by the Secretary of State for Wales on 10 August 2022.

    Welsh Secretary Robert Buckland has visited Openreach’s National Learning Centre for Wales to see training for new recruits bringing ultrafast broadband to Wales.

    Based in Newport, the multi-million pound learning centre gives both trainee and existing Openreach engineers the opportunity to learn the ropes and test new skills in a replica street, built from scratch to recreate the real network in the outside world.

    Openreach has recruited heavily in recent years as it ramps up its ultrafast Full Fibre build across Wales and the rest of the UK. Its learning centre in Newport plays an integral role in enabling the business to reach its target of reaching 25 million UK homes and businesses by December 2026.

    Across Wales there are around 160 Openreach apprentices – of all ages – currently going through their training, with the average age of the trainees being 31. During his tour of the centre, the Secretary of State for Wales met a number of apprentices who have opted to become engineers later in their careers, including Mariaisabel Fernandez from Cardiff.

    Mariaisabel recently graduated from her apprenticeship training, having joined Openreach after a number of years working as an Emergency Ambulance Technician for the Welsh Ambulance Service. Wanting a career change that would allow her to work outdoors but also provide a good opportunity to learn and progress, Mariaisabel decided to work with Openreach.

    Mariaisabel Fernandez said:

    “I’d been considering a career change for a while but couldn’t quite put my finger on what I wanted to do. I heard through friends that Openreach was a good employer and were looking to recruit more female engineers so I did some research to see the type of work that they did.

    The more I looked into it the more I thought that being an Openreach engineer was the right thing for me.

    The training that’s available in Newport is second-to-none.”

    Secretary of State for Wales, Sir Robert Buckland said

    “We all know how important fast reliable broadband connections are.

    It’s been great to see the investment Openreach is putting into its Full Fibre infrastructure and the training and development of both recruits and existing engineers.

    It’s also been fantastic to meet new recruits like Mariaisabel and hear about the huge contribution they are making to our economy as they build the ultrafast network that we all need.”

    Kim Mears, Openreach’s Managing Director and Chair of the Openreach Wales Board, said

    “Our National Learning Centre for Wales is testimony to our commitment to not only continued learning and development but also to Wales.

    The vast majority of new recruits come here to Newport to get their training before going out into the real world and helping us to build our Full Fibre infrastructure at speed across Wales.”

  • PRESS RELEASE : Environment Secretary meets with water company chief executives

    PRESS RELEASE : Environment Secretary meets with water company chief executives

    The press release issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 10 August 2022.

    The Environment Secretary and Environment Minister Steve Double met with the chief executives of water companies this morning to discuss the ongoing response to the prolonged dry weather.

    Ministers heard from chief executives about how their companies are taking necessary steps to safeguard public water supplies and mitigate the effects of this exceptionally dry period.

    Environment Secretary George Eustice said:

    “Today I met the chief executives of water companies to discuss the measures they are taking to protect water supplies in what is the driest summer in over 50 years.

    All water companies have reassured me that water supplies remain resilient across the country. Each company has a pre-agreed drought plan which they are following, and I have urged them to take any precautionary steps needed to protect essential supplies as we go into a likely very dry autumn.

    We are better prepared than ever before for periods of dry weather with a system that is working well to manage water usage, protect the environment and maintain water supplies for the public and critical sectors. We will continue to actively monitor the situation, working alongside partners including the Environment Agency.”

    Whilst all water companies have reassured us that essential supplies are still safe, it is their duty to maintain those supplies.

    The Environment Secretary has said that in accordance with their pre-agreed drought plans, water companies across the country have rightly taken action to mitigate the effects of this prolonged dry weather using the range of tools available to them.

    Each company has a locally tailored drought plan and we urge them to act responsibly to implement that plan to safeguard public water supplies. Eight water companies have enacted their statutory drought plans with others stating they are following the steps set out in their plans.

    While there is an important role for individuals to sustainably manage their usage, we expect water companies to act to reduce leakage and fix leaking pipes as quickly as possible, and take wider action alongside government policy.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Ministers accelerating action on winter pressures

    PRESS RELEASE : Ministers accelerating action on winter pressures

    The press release issued by the Cabinet Office on 10 August 2022.

    As part of intensive work across Government, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Kit Malthouse today gathered ministers to accelerate work on tackling winter pressures.

    The meeting saw ministers update on how they are mitigating the challenges people may face this winter.

    Those assembled, who will meet regularly to discuss progress, included ministers and officials from HM Treasury, the Department of Health and Social Care, the Department of Work and Pensions, the Department for Transport, the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, and the Department for Education. Senior officials, including the Chief Medical Officer, also attended.

    Ministers discussed the rising cost of living, energy prices, NHS pressures and industrial action, as well as the comprehensive work being undertaken to mitigate their impact.

    Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Kit Malthouse tasked departments with a range of priority actions to take forward to ensure smooth preparations for winter and report back on their progress.

    Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Kit Malthouse said:

    “The winter is always a challenge, but a particular difficulty this year is the number of problems coming together at the same time.

    People are already feeling the squeeze of rising energy and fuel costs, and we are continuing to work on boosting our energy security to mitigate these. We also have the wider global inflation problem, which is further adding to the cost of living pressures. Our NHS is also still recovering from Covid-19 but is going into a winter where there may again be a rise of cases but also the usual seasonal flu.

    My job is to test, challenge, and coordinate work across government, working with ministers and officials, as well as our partners and industry, to make sure we have a real grip of the issues and that they’re all addressed at the same time, making sure we protect people as much as possible from the challenges this winter will bring.”

    The government has already taken a number of steps to mitigate the impact of the global spike in energy prices on the most vulnerable, these include allocating £37 billion of help for households including the £400 discount on energy bills this winter, and £1,200 of direct support to help with the cost of living.

    Elsewhere, the Department of Health and Social Care and the UK Health Security Agency are further developing their plans for health resilience at pace, including to boost the NHS and Adult Social Care workforce ahead of winter – this includes a new DHSC taskforce for international recruitment.

    The Department of Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy is also continuing to strengthen its contingency plans for winter energy security. Equinor and Centrica recently signed a major agreement to shore up Britain’s gas supply over the next three winters – adding around one billion cubic metres of gas per year to our supply.

  • PRESS RELEASE : John Shakeshaft appointed Museum of the Home Interim Chair

    PRESS RELEASE : John Shakeshaft appointed Museum of the Home Interim Chair

    The press release issued by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport on 10 August 2022.

    The Secretary of State has appointed John Shakeshaft as Interim Chair of the Museum of the Home, commencing on 15 June 2022 until 30 September 2022.

    John is a merchant banker, former diplomat and international company director. He has significant commercial experience in leading financial strategies, promoting responsible governance as well as acting as a trustee and chair in the Arts and Higher Education.

    He is a trustee of the Institute of Cancer Research, Cardiff University, the Museum of the Home and the LSO Endowment Fund. He holds advisory positions at the Colakoglu Group, the British Academy, Trinity College, Cambridge, Corestone, AG and the Centre for Geopolitics, Cambridge. He was deputy chair of the Council of Cambridge University, a board member of Kinnevik, AB and chair of The Economy Bank, NV. He also served as a director of TT electronics, plc, Tele2 AB, Questair, Inc, Carnegie, AB and three listed investment funds. He was a managing director of Lazard and Baring Brothers.

    This interim appointment has been made in accordance with the Cabinet Office’s Governance Code on Public Appointments. The process is regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments. Museum of the Home Trustees are not remunerated.

    The Government’s Governance Code requires that any significant political activity undertaken by an appointee in the last five years is declared. This is defined as holding office, public speaking, making a recordable donation or candidature for election. John Shakeshaft has not declared any activity.

  • PRESS RELEASE : All children aged 1 to 9 in London to be offered a dose of polio vaccine

    PRESS RELEASE : All children aged 1 to 9 in London to be offered a dose of polio vaccine

    The press release issued by the UK Health Security Agency on 10 August 2022.

    Following the discovery of type 2 vaccine-derived poliovirus in sewage in north and east London, the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) has advised that a targeted inactivated polio vaccine (IPV) booster dose should be offered to all children between the ages of 1 and 9 in all London boroughs.

    This will ensure a high level of protection from paralysis and help reduce further spread of the virus.

    Nationally the overall risk of paralytic polio is considered low because most people are protected from this by vaccination.

    Many countries globally provide an additional dose of polio-containing vaccine as part of their childhood vaccination schedule. The NHS in London will contact parents when it’s their child’s turn to come forward for a booster or catch-up polio dose – parents should take up the offer as soon as possible.

    The programme will start with the areas affected, where the poliovirus has been detected and vaccination rates are low. This will be followed by rapid rollout across all boroughs.

    This booster dose will be in addition to the NHS childhood vaccination catch-up campaign across London, where childhood vaccination uptake is lower than the rest of the country. It’s important all children aged 1 to 9 – even if up to date with their vaccinations – accept this vaccine when offered to further strengthen their protection against the poliovirus.

    Following the findings earlier this year of type 2 poliovirus (PV2) collected from the Beckton sewage treatment works, further upstream sampling undertaken by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) and the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has now identified at least one positive sample of the poliovirus, currently present in parts of the following boroughs:

    Barnet
    Brent
    Camden
    Enfield
    Hackney
    Haringey
    Islington
    Waltham Forest
    The sampling has also detected the virus in lower concentrations and frequency in areas adjacent to the Beckton catchment area to the South (immediately below the Thames) and to the east of Beckton. However, it is not clear whether the virus has established itself in these areas or if the detections are due to people from the affected area visiting these neighbouring areas.

    The level of poliovirus found and the high genetic diversity among the PV2 isolates suggests that there is some level of virus transmission in these boroughs which may extend to the adjacent areas. This suggests that transmission has gone beyond a close network of a few individuals.

    A total of 116 PV2 isolates have been identified in 19 sewage samples collected in London between 8 February and 5 July this year, but most are vaccine-like virus and only a few have sufficient mutations to be classified as vaccine derived poliovirus (VDPV2).

    VDPV2 is of greater concern as it behaves more like naturally occurring ‘wild’ polio and may, on rare occasions, lead to cases of paralysis in unvaccinated individuals.

    UKHSA is working closely with health agencies in New York and Israel alongside the World Health Organisation to investigate the links between the poliovirus detected in London and recent polio incidents in these 2 other countries.

    Dr Vanessa Saliba, Consultant Epidemiologist at UKHSA, said:

    “No cases of polio have been reported and for the majority of the population, who are fully vaccinated, the risk is low. But we know the areas in London where the poliovirus is being transmitted have some of the lowest vaccination rates. This is why the virus is spreading in these communities and puts those residents not fully vaccinated at greater risk.

    Polio is a serious infection that can cause paralysis but nationally the overall risk is considered low because most people are protected by vaccination. The last case of polio in the UK was in 1984, but decades ago before we introduced the polio vaccination programme around 8,000 people would develop paralysis every year.

    It is vital parents ensure their children are fully vaccinated for their age. Following JCVI advice all children aged 1 to 9 years in London need to have a dose of polio vaccine now – whether it’s an extra booster dose or just to catch up with their routine vaccinations. It will ensure a high level of protection from paralysis. This may also help stop the virus spreading further.”

    Jane Clegg, Chief Nurse for the NHS in London said:

    “While the majority of Londoners are protected from polio, the NHS will shortly be contacting parents of eligible children aged 1 to 9 years old to offer them a top-up dose to ensure they have maximum protection from the virus.

    We are already reaching out to parents and carers of children who aren’t up to date with their routine vaccinations, who can book a catch-up appointment with their GP surgery now and for anyone not sure of their child’s vaccination status, they can check their Red Book.”

    UKHSA, working with MHRA, has already increased sewage surveillance to assess the extent of spread of the virus and are currently sampling 8 sites across London.

    A further 15 sites in London will start sewage sampling in mid-August, and 10 to 15 sites will be stood up nationally to determine if poliovirus is spreading outside of London.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Vice Admiral Sir Chris Gardner KBE appointed as new SDA Chief Executive Officer

    PRESS RELEASE : Vice Admiral Sir Chris Gardner KBE appointed as new SDA Chief Executive Officer

    The press release issued by the Ministry of Defence on 10 August 2022.

    The Prime Minister has approved the appointment of Vice Admiral Sir Chris Gardner KBE as the new CEO of the Submarine Delivery Agency (SDA).

    Vice Admiral Sir Chris Gardner KBE will replace Ian Booth, whose five-year appointment as CEO of the SDA comes to an end on 3 September 2022.

    The SDA is an executive agency of the Ministry of Defence (MOD), and was established in April 2018 to manage the procurement, in-service support, and disposal of UK nuclear submarines.

    Vice Admiral Sir Chris will take on this vital role within defence and ensure the SDA continues to provide support to the Defence Nuclear Enterprise and Continuous At Sea Deterrent by safely delivering available, capable and reliable in-service submarines and systems.

    On behalf of Director General Nuclear and the First Sea Lord, the SDA CEO will lead the day-to-day support and maintenance operations of Trafalgar, Astute and Vanguard Class submarines; and lead the design and construction of all new UK submarines including the Astute Class, the Dreadnought Class and the development of the next generation attack submarine concept.

    Incoming CEO of the SDA Vice Admiral Sir Chris Gardner KBE said:

    “I am delighted and honoured to have been appointed as the new CEO of the SDA. I am looking forward to working with my new team on this area of vital Defence interest and continuing to deliver for the Royal Navy. Best of all, I am really looking forward to returning to my submarine roots.”

    Vice Admiral Sir Chris started his career as a Royal Navy Logistics Officer, before taking on various roles, including the Military Assistant to Director General Fleet Support and the Commander Logistics on HMS ARK ROYAL.

    After reaching the rank of Commodore, he became the Head of Capability Improvement in the MOD and was promoted to Vice Admiral in 2019 where he was appointed as Defence Equipment and Support’s Royal Navy lead for the acquisition and in-service support of the surface fleet.

    Director General Defence Nuclear Vanessa Nicholls said:

    “I am delighted to welcome Vice Admiral Sir Chris Gardner KBE to the Defence Nuclear Enterprise as the new CEO of the SDA. He brings a wealth of operational experience to the role at a pivotal time for the UK Submarine Programme. I look forward to working with him.”

    Competition for Vice Admiral Sir Chris’ position was held earlier in the year. As with all senior Civil Service appointments, fair and open competition was ensured, with recruitment of the role being overseen by the Civil Service Commissioner.

     

  • PRESS RELEASE : Social care staff to benefit from improved career options and training

    PRESS RELEASE : Social care staff to benefit from improved career options and training

    The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 10 August 2022.

    • Government working with adult social care sector on plans to support staff development and wellbeing
    • Workforce Development Fund to continue throughout 2022/23 helping staff to improve their skills

    Hundreds of thousands of training opportunities will be available for social care staff to develop their careers over the next three years as part of the government’s £500million support package.

    This comes as the Workforce Development Fund is confirmed for an additional year (2022/23) offering stability ahead of new and improved training opportunities.

    In 2020/21 the Workforce Development Fund, financed by the Department of Health and Social Care and disseminated by Skills for Care, helped more than 14,000 care workers from more than 2,300 establishments to progress their careers despite the pressures of the pandemic.

    The government is working in partnership with the social care sector on plans for staff training and support including creating a new knowledge and skills framework to ensure clear paths to progress.

    As part of this the government will be speaking to training suppliers and the social care sector about potential contracts to develop the best possible learning and development opportunities from April 2023, using some of the £500 million announced in the Spending Review.

    These learning and development opportunities will include:

    • New financial support to help adult social care employers with the costs of continued professional development (CPD) for registered nurses and other allied health professionals
    • A brand new Care Certificate qualification, ending the need for care workers to repeat this training when they move roles. The government will fund more than 100,000 training places for new care workers to complete this new qualification
    • Developing a digital hub and skills passport for the workforce. This will help provide a voluntary register of staff and verified records of skills and qualifications when moving between providers

    By better supporting careers and staff wellbeing potential care workers are more likely to apply and current workers are more likely to want to remain in the profession.

    Minister for Care and Mental Health Gillian Keegan said:

    Dedicating your life to caring for others is not just a job, it is a calling but it also needs to be a career.

    We know how hardworking social care staff are and they deserve our support in developing their skills through training.

    Better training ultimately means better care for residents and a better future for staff.

    The new framework will set out the knowledge, skills, values, and behaviours people need to work in adult social care.

    It will also set out career structures and clear pathways for development within roles, as well as creating more routes for progression.

    For level 5 managers there will be additional funding to assist with further qualifications.

    All registered managers who do not hold a level 5 or equivalent qualification will be able to access a funded Diploma in Leadership and Management in Adult Care.

    The government will also invest in level 2, 3 and 4 qualifications to ensure individuals working across social care have the option of taking up qualifications.

    Chief Nurse for Adult Social Care Deborah Sturdy said:

    A key priority when I took on this role was to improve training and career opportunities for our hard working staff.

    Providing care is a skill which requires nurturing and if we want to retain the best of the profession we need to care for them too.

    The skills framework will offer progression and improved opportunities which all our staff deserve.

    For those who wish to remain in their existing roles but develop new skills there will be professional development opportunities.

    Additional training will include developing skills to help with diabetes, stroke awareness, mental health and care for people with a learning disability and autistic people.

    Leadership training will be available to build a culture of continued professional development across all sizes of care providers.

    The Workforce Development Fund will continue this year to provide funded training to adult social care employers in England to support the development of their staff at all levels, offering funding for a wide range of qualifications, learning programmes and digital learning modules.