Tag: Press Release

PRESS RELEASE : Rachel Baillache and Rupen Shah appointed to the Board of UK Sport

The press release issued by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on 17 August 2022.

Rachel Baillache

Appointed as a Board Member (Chair of Audit and Risk Committee) from 01 September 2022 until 31 August 2026.

Rachel is a general sports enthusiast. She is currently the Senior Independent Director at the LTA where she chairs the Audit and Risk Committee. She is also the LTA Board sponsor for Inclusion and Diversity. Rachel is also an Independent Non-Executive Director of Somerset County Cricket Club where she Chairs the Audit and Risk Committee. She is the Chair of the mental health charity Minds@Work.

Rachel was a partner at KPMG for over twenty years where she served as an audit partner and for eight years, until her retirement, she was also a member of KPMG International’s Global Executive serving as the global head of people, performance and culture and as the executive responsible for global communications. She has worked extensively abroad living in continental Europe, Asia and Africa. She is a qualified chartered accountant and was a fellow of the chartered Institute of Personnel and Development.

Rupen Shah

Appointed as a Board Member from 01 September 2022 until 31 August 2026.

Growing up a stone’s throw away from Wembley Stadium, it was almost impossible for Rupen not to be inspired by elite sport from an early age. Whether it was an England home international or FA Cup Final day, the excitement generated in the local area cemented his passion and enthusiasm for it. Rupen is now a powerful advocate for sport and believes in the transformational effect it can have on people’s lives and society.

Qualifying as a chartered accountant with KPMG, Rupen spent several years working strategically with high profile clients and also completed a secondment to India. He went on to become the Chief Financial Officer of the Football Foundation, the UK’s largest sports charity set up by the Government, The FA and Premier League. Rupen combines substantial expertise in commercial, charity and public finance with a real grasp of the challenges participants face when engaging and competing in sport.

Alongside his professional journey, Rupen developed a longstanding relationship with Arsenal FC for over a decade, which included several voluntary and part-time roles. This saw him deliver local community programmes, coaching clinics in 14 countries and coaching elite female players in the Academy, many of whom have now become, and will become, Lionesses.

Rupen now enjoys mentoring the next generation of talented sport enthusiasts, spending time with his family and travelling the world. He also continues his charitable work to tackle inequalities through trustee roles in sport and beyond, including Women In Sport and The Legal Education Foundation.

Remuneration and Governance Code

This role is remunerated at £218 per day. These appointments have been made in accordance with the Cabinet Office’s Governance Code on Public Appointments. The appointments process is regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments. Under the Code, any significant political activity undertaken by an appointee in the last five years must be declared. This is defined as including holding office, public speaking, making a recordable donation, or candidature for election. Rachel Baillache and Rupen Shah have not declared any activity.

August 17, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : Andrew Hochhauser QC appointed as Chair of RCEWA

The press release issued by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport on 17 August 2022.

Andrew Hochhauser QC

Appointed for a four year term commencing 17 September 2022.

Andrew Hochhauser is a QC at Essex Court Chambers, a Deputy High Court Judge, a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, Hon Counsel to the Dean and Chapter of Westminster Abbey and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts. He specialises in commercial and employment litigation.

As well as a LLM from the LSE, he has an MA from the Courtauld Institute of Art, where he studied British Modernism.

He is a former Trustee of the V&A, a Bencher and (in 2021) the former Treasurer of the Hon Soc of Middle Temple, Chair of the Samuel Courtauld Trust and an ex officio member of the Board of the Courtauld Institute of Art, Chair of Paintings in Hospitals (until January 2023), a Governor of the University of the Arts London, a Trustee of the National AIDS Trust, the V&A Foundation, the Aurora Orchestra, Orchestra for the Earth and a Director of Ensemble Plus Ultra. He was Chair of Dance Umbrella from 2007-2014 and thereafter a Governor of the Central School of Ballet. He is currently on the Board of Ballet Black.

Remuneration and Governance Code

Members of RCEWA are not remunerated. This appointment has been made in accordance with the Cabinet Office’s Governance Code on Public Appointments. The appointments process is regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments. Under the Code, any significant political activity undertaken by an appointee in the last five years must be declared. This is defined as including holding office, public speaking, making a recordable donation, or candidature for election. Andrew Hochhauser QC has declared no activity.

August 17, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : Support for farmers on dry weather impacts

The press release issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, on 17 August 2022.

More support for farmers has been set out today to help them deal with the impacts of some of the driest weather for decades, Defra has confirmed today (17 August).

The measures mean that they will have the option to relax rules in their agri-environment scheme agreements, to make it easier to provide vital food for livestock. The changes come into effect from today and last until the end of 2022, and allow agreement holders in the Countryside Stewardship or Environmental Stewardship schemes to take steps such as cutting or grazing additional areas of land to help ease shortages of bedding, fodder, grazing or forage crops.

A full list of these easements has been published by the Rural Payment Agency (RPA) and includes steps, such as allowing ‘buffer strips’ and field corners to be cut early. Guidance for farmers in hot and dry weather has also been made available to inform farmers how to record the adjustments they have made.

The new rules will help increase access to bedding, fodder, grazing or forage in ways that limit its environmental impact. Forage crops – those fed to livestock or plants grown to then be cut for food – are also being impacted as less silage is made and farmers are feeding stocks to their livestock now, instead of saving them for the winter months.

It comes as last week, the Environment Agency declared drought status for large parts of England, including the South West, South East and East, with Yorkshire added on Tuesday 16 August.

Environment Secretary George Eustice said:

“We are better prepared than ever before for these unprecedented dry conditions, but many farmers are concerned about water supplies and the impact on their crops and livestock.

We are therefore introducing temporary easements on agri-environment schemes to give them the flexibility to respond.”

Paul Caldwell, chief executive of the Rural Payments Agency, said:

“We know that farmers are facing pressures as they deal with the consequences of these exceptionally dry conditions, and we hope these practical steps will help farmers safeguard food production and help with animal welfare.

We are committed to supporting agreement holders as much as we can during this difficult period and help ensure that they can maintain existing environmental commitments.”

Through its agriculture monitoring groups and working closely with industry organisations Defra is continuing to assess the impacts from dry weather and is considering what further steps can be taken in the coming weeks.

Defra recognises long term planning for on-farm water infrastructure is needed, which is why in November 2021 the Rural Payments Agency launched the Water Management grant, where £10 million was provided for farmers to improve on-farm water management, such as water reservoirs and new irrigation systems. Further rounds of funding for new applicants will open in the autumn.

Last month, the Rural Payment Agency also issued guidance on how to deal with difficulties arising from unusual weather on how to deal with difficulties arising from unusual weather affecting farming schemes, including Countryside Stewardship, Environmental Stewardship, Farm Woodland Premium Scheme and the Woodland Grant Scheme.

The Environment Agency is working closely with farmers to support the industry and a package of measures to help with access to water has been introduced in order to safeguard food production and animal welfare without causing harm to the environment. These include options for farmers to access water, including through the use of short term water rights trading between licence holders and allowing flexibility with abstraction licences where the Environment Agency can ensure that the environment and other users will be protected. Where there is a real or imminent threat to crops and livestock, farmers should contact the EA to discuss availability of water.

There is no immediate threat to food supply as a result of the current hot weather, and the UK has a high degree of food security built on supply from diverse sources, strong domestic production as well as imports through stable trade routes.

August 17, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : Government requests consultations with EU on participation in EU science programmes

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 17 August 2022.

The UK Government has initiated formal consultations with the EU, with the aim of finalising UK participation in EU science and research Programmes. This follows persistent delays by the EU in implementing the agreement reached under the Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA).

The UK Government wrote to the European Commission on 16 August 2022 to request consultations on finalising the UK’s participation in EU Programmes (Horizon Europe, Copernicus, Euratom Research and Training, Fusion for Energy) and access to programme services (Space Surveillance and Tracking) as soon as possible.

The UK’s participation was agreed with the EU under the TCA in 2020, which was clear that it would take place at the earliest opportunity when the relevant EU legislation was finalised. This timeline was vital so that UK researchers and businesses would be able to fully participate from the beginning of the respective EU Programmes. But it has now been over 18 months since the TCA was agreed and the EU has refused to proceed with the UK’s association.

The UK Government has engaged extensively with the EU in an effort to resolve this issue. It is clear that the EU is not fulfilling the agreement reached. Association to these Programmes remains the UK’s preference, but the EU’s delays are creating intolerable uncertainty for researchers and businesses in both the UK and EU Member States. That is why the Government is taking action to start consultations with the aim of finalising UK participation. This is a mechanism agreed in the TCA to resolve issues between the UK and EU.

Supporting the UK’s research and development sector through this period and ensuring continued collaboration remains the Government’s priority. That is why, in parallel to starting consultations, the UK continues to develop bold and ambitious plans for domestic alternative arrangements should the EU continue its refusal to meet its commitments. The UK Government released a publication on 20 July 2022 setting out further detail on these plans. If the delays continue, the UK Government will be forced to decide whether to put in place these arrangements.

Now more than ever the UK and the EU should be working together to tackle our shared challenges from net zero to global health and energy security. The UK Government is ready to work together with the European Commission to resolve this issue and looks forward to constructive engagement during consultations.

August 17, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : Infected Blood victims to receive £100,000 interim compensation payment

The press release issued by the Cabinet Office on 17 August 2022.

Thousands of victims of the infected blood scandal will each receive an interim compensation payment of £100,000, the Government has announced today (17 August).

The Government intends to make payments to those who have been infected and bereaved partners in England by the end of October. The same payments will be made in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

The commitment to pay interim compensation meets, in full, the recommendations set out by inquiry chairman Sir Brian Langstaff in his interim report last month. That report built on the study by Sir Robert Francis QC in his detailed consideration of the issues. Details were announced by Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Kit Malthouse today.

The intention is that payments will be tax-free and will not affect any financial benefits support an individual is receiving. Infected individuals and bereaved partners who are registered with any of the four UK infected blood support schemes will receive payment. Advice to those people on how exactly the interim payment will be made will be outlined to them shortly.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said:

“While nothing can make up for the pain and suffering endured by those affected by this tragic injustice, we are taking action to do right by victims and those who have tragically lost their partners by making sure they receive these interim payments as quickly as possible.

We will continue to stand by all those impacted by this horrific tragedy, and I want to personally pay tribute to all those who have so determinedly fought for justice.”

Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Kit Malthouse said:

“Those affected by the infected blood scandal have suffered terribly over many years and that heart-breaking and unimaginable pain has been compounded by the financial uncertainty many have faced.

These interim payments will start the process of securing that certainty. My priority is to get the money to those people as quickly as possible.

I am grateful to Sir Brian Langstaff for the work he has done to date on the inquiry, and Sir Robert Francis, for his work on compensation. Of course, no amount of money will compensate for the turmoil victims and their loved ones have faced, but I hope these payments help to show that we are on their side and will do everything in our power to support them.”

Health and Social Care Secretary, Steve Barclay, said:

“The infected blood scandal should never have happened. In accepting Sir Brian Langstaff’s recommendations, today we are taking an important step in righting this historic wrong for the thousands of people infected and bereaved partners left behind.

Building on the ongoing support we are providing through the England Infected Blood Scheme, these new interim payments of £100,000 will ensure those impacted across the whole country by this injustice can access the compensation they need, right now.

I’m grateful to those who have campaigned extensively in support of these changes – we have listened and work is underway to ensure those impacted by this tragedy receive the support they rightly deserve.”

In England, the intention is to make payments by the end of October.

The Government has updated Sir Brian Langstaff that his recommendations have been accepted.

August 17, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : UK launches formal consultations with EU over access to scientific programmes

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 16 August 2022.

The government has launched formal consultations with the EU, in an effort to end persistent delays to the UK’s access to EU scientific research programmes, including Horizon Europe. Formal consultations is a mechanism set out in the UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA) to resolve disputes between the UK and EU.

The UK negotiated access to a range of EU science and innovation programmes as part of the TCA in 2020. However, more than 18 months later, the EU has still refused to finalise UK access, causing serious damage to research and development in both the UK and EU member states.

The delays have prevented the UK from accessing Horizon Europe, the EU’s key funding programme for research and innovation, as well as Copernicus, the earth observation programme, which provides data on climate change. Other affected schemes include Euratom – the nuclear research programme – and access to programme services including Space Surveillance and Tracking.

Now the government has written to the European Commission to launch dispute resolution proceedings and to encourage the EU to abide by their obligations in the deal.

Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said:

“The EU is in clear breach of our agreement, repeatedly seeking to politicise vital scientific cooperation by refusing to finalise access to these important programmes. We cannot allow this to continue. That is why the UK has now launched formal consultations and will do everything necessary to protect the scientific community.”

Minister for Europe Graham Stuart said:

“It is disappointing that the EU has not facilitated UK participation in the agreed scientific programmes, despite extensive UK engagement on the issue. Now more than ever the UK and the EU should be working together to tackle our shared challenges from net zero to global health and energy security. We look forward to constructive engagement through the formal consultations.

UK membership of Horizon Europe would be a win-win for both the UK and EU. The UK is a world leader in science and technology, houses some of the most research intensive universities in the world and led the global effort to combat COVID-19. The UK has set aside around £15 billion for Horizon Europe alone.”

The EU’s research and innovation community has been calling on the European Commission to associate the UK to these programmes. The UK government also continues to seek association so that collective work to solve the greatest economic and societal challenges can continue.

In the event that association is not formalised, the government has prepared an alternative set of programmes to support UK scientists and researchers: Supporting UK R&D and collaborative research beyond European programmes.

The UK government is ready to work together with the European Commission to resolve this issue and looks forward to constructive engagement during consultations.

August 17, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : Minister announces new measures to bolster UK’s resilience

The press release issued by the Cabinet Office on 16 August 2022.

Lead Minister for Resilience and Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, Kit Malthouse MP, announced new measures to bolster the UK’s resilience on a visit to the Met Office yesterday (Monday 15 August).

Minister Malthouse visited the Met Office, based in Exeter, to see how their forecasting expertise feeds into government planning to tackle severe weather and how the agency worked closely with Government and other partners to give people plenty of warning and advice about staying safe in the recent extreme heat.

The Minister announced the launch of a new public emergency text alert system for the UK, as well as changes to the Civil Contingencies Secretariat – the Cabinet Office’s emergency planning and response team.

Speaking in the Operations Centre of the Met Office, the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, Kit Malthouse MP, said:

“To make sure that government continues to offer the best possible prevention and protection against threats, we are shaking up how we prepare for and respond to emergencies, strengthening the effective resilience capability we already have in place.

We will launch a new public emergency alerts system in the Autumn which will focus on extreme weather, revolutionising our ability to ‘warn and inform’ people who are in significant and immediate danger. These alerts will be sent direct to people’s mobiles giving details of the emergency – such as local flooding – explaining what to do and how to seek help.

Our vital COBR unit – which leads the government’s response to acute domestic and international emergencies – will be bolstered by a dedicated team helping to future-proof us from harm. This National Resilience Framework Team will take a deeper look at our approach to risk and how we mitigate it and help us take huge leaps forward in terms of collecting, analysing and using live data.”

Ian Cameron, Director of Markets at the Met Office, commented:

“The right messaging helps people take action to stay safe. It is clear that we are seeing an increase in the number of extreme weather events in the UK and overseas. Just this summer we have seen temperatures in the UK exceed 40C for the first time on record, followed closely by the heatwave which ended earlier this week. Communicating effectively is imperative so we can warn and alert people, ensuring they are aware and have more time to take action and look after themselves, their friends and family.”

Minister Malthouse spoke with a range of staff in the Met Office to learn more about their work, from the Meteorologists who lead on weather forecasts, to the Space Weather Operations team who are part of just one of three space weather prediction centres in the world, monitoring potentially disruptive solar activity for government and industry.

The emergency alerts system, which will focus on events like extreme weather and warning the public where there is a risk to life, will be launched in the autumn following a public awareness campaign. The free message will give details of the emergency – local flooding or wildfires, for example – what to do and how to seek help, and will relay urgent messages to over 85% of mobile phones in areas affected.

Changes to the Civil Contingencies Secretariat – the Cabinet Office’s emergency planning and response team – will see a COBR Unit continuing to lead the government’s response to acute emergencies, and work on longer term planning being driven forward by a separate team dedicated to strengthening the UK’s underlying resilience. This National Resilience Framework Team in the Planning and Analysis Secretariat will take a deeper look at the government’s approach to risk and how it is mitigated as well as collecting and analysing live data to improve future responses to emergencies.

August 17, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : Amy Holmes appointed as Public Guardian

The press release issued by the Office of the Public Guardian on 16 August 2022.

Amy Holmes, currently Domestic Affairs Director in the Economic and Domestic Secretariat at the Cabinet Office, will take over the role of Public Guardian and Chief Executive of the Office of the Public Guardian (OPG) in the Autumn.

She was successful in fair and open competition for the role and her appointment has been approved by The Deputy Prime Minister.

Jo Farrar, Second Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Justice and Chief Executive Officer, HM Prison & Probation Service said:

“I am delighted that Amy will be joining us in the vital role of Public Guardian and CEO of the OPG. Amy will bring a wealth of experience from an impressive career in government to lead the OPG’s ambitious plans to improve and modernise its services. I look forward to welcoming Amy when she takes up the post later this year.”

Stuart Howard will continue in the role of Interim Public Guardian of OPG until Amy joins the agency in the Autumn, after which he will continue in his role as OPG’s Head of Legal and Information Assurance.

August 17, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : TUC publishes plan to cut bills through public ownership of energy retail

The press release issued by the TUC on 25 July 2022.

Public ownership of energy retail companies would reduce bills, speed up energy efficiency improvements to UK homes, and cut carbon emissions faster, according to a new TUC report published today (Monday).

The TUC’s Affordable Energy Plan would keep bills down by:

Ending shareholder dividends, making more money available to cut bills

Unlocking incentives to make homes energy efficient

Enabling pricing structures with much lower costs for basic energy needs

The plan is published shortly before next month’s announcement from Ofgem of a new increase to the energy price cap, which is expected to bring average bills to more than £3,200 – a rise of over 150% in just one year.

Cost of failed privatisation

Since June 2021, the UK government has spent £2.7 billion bailing out 28 energy companies that collapsed after putting short-term profits ahead of long-term stability – companies like Bulb and Avro Energy.

Ministers have also had to allocate £12 billion to directly cut the cost of household bills.

However, the TUC says that if energy firms had already been in public ownership, bills could have been kept down without such a high cost to the public purse.

In France, where national provider EDF is currently 84% publicly owned, household energy bills rose by just 4% this year. The French government as the main EDF shareholder was able to instruct the firm to cut profits to keep prices down. The TUC says if energy retail was publicly owned, the UK would be able to take a similar approach.

The long-term burden of privatisation

Even before the current energy price crisis, families were already paying the price of privatisation through higher bills to fund private profits.

Research by Common Wealth shows that UK energy retailers paid shareholders more than £23 billion in the last 10 years. And most of these dividends went overseas to large foreign shareholders.

A publicly owned energy provider could have used this wasted cash to reduce bills and bring forward energy efficiency measures to make family homes cheaper to heat and power.

But the TUC says that privatisation has held back energy efficiency home improvements. Energy companies are incentivised to sell more energy to make profits for shareholders – not to invest to cut energy use.

Public ownership is affordable

Based on payments for shares in recent market transactions, nationalising the Big Five energy retail companies (British Gas, E.ON, EDF, Scottish Power and Ovo), would cost £2.85 billion.

By contrast, the government has already spent £2.7 billion over the past year bailing out failed private energy firms, including £2.2 billion for just one firm alone – Bulb.

Taking these five companies into public ownership would move more than 70% of households out of the failed private energy retail system.

And it would cost only around a quarter of what ministers will spend this year protecting families from the soaring prices charged by private energy retailers.

Public ownership can make bills affordable

Once in public ownership, the burden of paying shareholder dividends would no longer be carried by UK households, allowing lower bills and more investment in energy efficiency.

Publicly owned energy companies would have a strong incentive, and the capacity, to roll out energy efficiency improvements to all UK homes, significantly reducing bills.

And they will have the power to set energy prices aimed at affordability for customers, rather than maximising profits for shareholders.

The TUC plan sets out how a publicly-owned energy retail system could deliver a social pricing structure that lets everyone afford the energy they need to cook, clean, and stay warm all year round, while those with extravagant energy use pay more per unit.

Under the TUC’s plan, every household would receive a free band of energy to cover basic lighting, heating, hot water and cooking. And bills for low-income families would be capped at 5% of typical household income.

TUC General Secretary Frances O’Grady said:

“Families should be able to afford their basic energy needs.

But energy firms rinsed us for private profit in the good times, then doubled our bills when the going got tough. That’s why bills are soaring now.

It is time to lift the burden of failed privatisation off families. No more shareholder pay-outs. No more fat cat bonuses. No more take-the money-and run-companies that collapse overnight. Just fair prices from an energy company owned by us all and run for our benefit.”

On social pricing, Frances added:

“Everyone should have enough affordable energy to cook, clean and keep their home warm.

But anyone heating a private swimming pool should expect to pay a higher rate for their luxury lifestyle.”

August 17, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : European Parliament leaders condemn Prime Minister Orbán’s recent racist declarations

The press release issued by the European Parliament on 30 July 2022.

EP political group leaders adopted a statement Friday condemning the openly racist declarations by PM Viktor Orbán and underlined that these declarations are in breach of EU values.

Statement of the Conference of Presidents:

“We, the leaders of the Political Groups of the European Parliament, strongly condemn the recent openly racist declaration by Prime Minister Orbán about not wanting to become “peoples of mixed race”. Such unacceptable statements, which clearly constitute a breach of our values, also enshrined in the EU Treaties, have no place in our societies. We, as well, deeply regret the persistence in defending these inexcusable statements by Prime Minister Orbán on further occasions. Racism and discrimination, in all forms, must be unequivocally condemned and effectively tackled at all levels.

We call on the Commission and the Council to condemn urgently this statement in the strongest terms. We also reiterate European Parliament calls on the Council to finally issue its recommendations to Hungary in the framework of the procedure in Article 7 of the Treaty on European Union (TEU), also addressing new developments affecting the rule of law, democracy and fundamental rights and to determine that there is a clear risk of a serious breach by Hungary of the values referred to in Article 2. We remind the Council that Member States have the obligation to act together and put an end to all the attacks on the values enshrined in Article 2 of TEU and request that the issue is added to the next European Council leaders’ meeting agenda.

We urge the Commission to treat with priority the ongoing infringement procedures against Hungary’s violation of EU rules prohibiting racism and discrimination and make full use of the tools available to address breaches of values enshrined in Article 2. We also welcome the Commission’s decision to trigger the Rule of Law Conditionality Regulation against Hungary and expect next steps in that regard following the second letter of 20 July. We reiterate our call on the Commission to refrain from the approval of the Hungarian national plan under the Recovery and Resilience Facility until the fulfillment of all relevant criteria.

We take the opportunity to reiterate that there is no place for racism, discrimination and hate speech in our societies. We call for further actions by EU Governments and at EU level, including against the increasing normalisation of racism and xenophobia, and underline the need for a monitoring and accountability mechanism to ensure the effective application of EU anti-racism legislation and policy.”

August 16, 2022