Tag: Press Release

PRESS RELEASE : A record 299,419 returns filed in the first week of the new tax year [May 2025]
The press release issued by HM Treasury on 7 May 2025.

Nearly 300,000 customers file their Self Assessment tax return for the 2024 to 2025 tax year at earliest opportunity.
- Thousands of taxpayers filed their tax return on 6 April 2025.
- People who file their Self Assessment tax returns early and are owed a tax refund can receive it sooner.
- Customers can set up a budget payment plan at any time to make regular payments towards their tax bill.
A record nearly 300,000 people have filed their tax return in the first week of the new tax year, almost 10 months ahead of the deadline, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has revealed.

Self Assessment customers can submit their tax return for the 2024 to 2025 tax year between 6 April 2025, the first day of the new tax year, and the deadline on 31 January 2026.

Thousands more people are choosing to file their tax returns during the first week of the new tax year (6 to 12 April), with an extra 28,503 filing in 2025, compared to 270,916 people in 2020.

There were 57,815 early filers on the opening day, which was a Sunday, compared to 67,870 people who filed on Saturday 6 April 2024. HMRC is encouraging people to file early so they know what tax they owe sooner, plan for any payments in advance and can avoid the stress of leaving it until January.

Jade Milbourne, 34, runs a dog grooming salon with her business partner. They offer high-quality dog grooming and teeth cleaning services for dogs ranging from Chihuahuas to German Shepherds. Jade has been running the business for 5 years and believes the way to stay on top of her tax return each year is to stay organised.

Jade said:

Filing early means that I have plenty of time to pay my tax bill. I set aside money from my wage each month and pay it as soon as I can, but also have the flexibility and time to save up more money, if needed.

I always find the more organised you are throughout the year, the less stressful it is to complete my tax return.

Anyone who thinks they may need to complete a tax return for the 2024 to 2025 tax year can use the checker tool on GOV.UK to find out. New entrants to Self Assessment must register to receive their Unique Taxpayer Reference.

Myrtle Lloyd, HMRC’s Director General for Customer Services, said:

Filing your Self Assessment early means you can spend more time growing your business and doing the things you love, rather than worrying about your tax return.

You too can join the thousands of customers who have already done their tax return for the 2024 to 2025 tax year by searching ‘Self Assessment’ on GOV.UK and get started today.

Filing early will help with financial budgeting and spread the cost of the tax bill over the year. Customers can set up a budget payment plan to make either weekly or monthly direct debit payments towards their Self Assessment tax bill.

In cases where tax has been overpaid, refunds can be claimed as soon as the return has been processed. Customers will be able to check if they are due a refund in the HMRC app. It also means people can take their time to complete their return, ensuring all the information submitted is accurate. This will result in fewer mistakes and potential penalties.

HMRC has updated guidance on filing tax returns early and help around paying tax bills on GOV.UK.

People may need to complete a tax return for the 2024 to 2025 tax year and pay any tax owed if they:
- are newly self-employed with a total income over £1,000
- are self-employed and earn below £1,000 and wish to have Class 2 National Insurance contributions treated as paid
- have received any untaxed income over £2,500
- are renting out one or more properties
- claim Child Benefit and they or their partner have an income above £60,000
- are a partner in a business partnership
- have taxable income earned from savings and investments more than the £10,000 have dividend income of more than £10,000
- have Capital Gains Tax to pay on assets that were sold for a profit above the Capital Gains threshold
A full list of who needs to complete a tax return is available on GOV.UK.

Criminals use emails, phone calls and texts to try to steal information and money from taxpayers. Before sharing their personal or financial details, people should search ‘HMRC phishing and scams’ on GOV.UK to check the sender or caller is genuine.

Customers should never share their HMRC sign-in details. Someone could use them to steal from them or claim benefits or a refund in their name.
May 7, 2025
PRESS RELEASE : Rapists and domestic abusers have sentences increased after Solicitor General intervenes [May 2025]
The press release issued by the Attorney General’s Office on 7 May 2025.

Violent offenders who abused women have had their sentences increased after Solicitor General Lucy Rigby KC MP referred their cases to the Court of Appeal.

Rapists and domestic abusers, as well as other criminals, have had their sentences increased during the first three months of this year under the Unduly Lenient Sentence scheme.

Data published by the Attorney General’s Office shows that out of a total 48 cases heard by the Court of Appeal between January and March 2025, 33 sentences were increased.

Of these 33 sentences, 15 cases related to violent and sexual offences against women and girls. Nine were drug-related sentences and other offences included robbery, manslaughter, and conspiracy to traffic contraband into prison.

The largest sentence increase was for Rico Persechino who saw his jail term extended by six years after it was referred to the Court of Appeal.

Rico Persechino was part of an organised criminal group operating in Surrey that carried out multiple burglaries, a violent assault, and stole more than £215,000 of high-value cars.

Persechino’s sentence was increased from seven years’ and six months to 13 years’ and six months on 13 March 2025 after it was referred to the Court of Appeal.

The Solicitor General Lucy Rigby KC MP said:

The Unduly Lenient Sentence scheme exists to protect victims, and referrals to the Court of Appeal this year show that more perpetrators of violence against women and girls are being kept in jail for longer.

As Solicitor General, I will continue to refer cases that are unduly lenient to the courts to ensure that justice is secured, victims in these cases are protected, and that public trust in the criminal justice system can be restored.

Other cases between January and March that saw significant sentences increase include:
- Stuart Worby, 45, from Malthouse Court, Dereham, who had his sentence increased from 12 years to 17 years after giving a woman medication which caused her to have an abortion.
- Ryan Sutton, 24, from Worcester, who groomed and raped a 10-year-old he met on social media had his sentence increased by three years to a total of nine years’ imprisonment with a licence extension of 12 months.
- Jie Zhang, 42, from West London, had her sentence more than doubled from three years to eight years’ imprisonment for leading an international prostitution ring that recruited sex-workers from East Asia and Europe to work in brothels across London.
Notes to editors

The ULS scheme came into force on 1st February 1989. It was introduced after public outcry over the lenient sentencing of the offenders involved in the 1986 rape of a 21-year-old. The first ever ULS hearing took place in July 1989 for a man who committed incest and had his sentence doubled from three to six years.

The scheme was extended in 2017 to include an additional 19 terror-related offences, and again in 2019 to cover more sexual offences as well as coercive control and stalking and harassment involving violence.

Only one person needs to ask for a sentence to be reviewed and only certain types of case can be reviewed, such as: murder, manslaughter, rape and robbery.
May 7, 2025
PRESS RELEASE : Better deal for motorists and businesses with solar car parks [May 2025]
The press release issued by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero on 7 May 2025.

Motorists could benefit from cheaper charging costs and more transparent prices at the pump.
- Supermarkets, retail parks and offices could save up to tens of thousands on their energy bills per year by installing solar power in their car parks
- motorists could benefit from more charging points and shaded parking spots in new ‘solar carports’ through the Plan for Change
- Fuel Finder to drive down prices at the pump and save motorist 1 to 6p per litre
Motorists could benefit from cheaper charging costs through the introduction of solar canopies in car parks to save drivers money as part of the government’s Plan for Change.

The government has today launched a call for evidence to understand how to harness the untapped potential of solar in car parks across England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Supermarkets, retail parks, and offices could also save money on their energy bills by turning their carparks into ‘solar carports’, saving up to £28,000 a year and powering businesses and homes across the UK.

Petrol and diesel motorists are also set to be supported by the government’s flagship Fuel Finder scheme – which today appointed a supplier to begin the first phase of delivery that requires all petrol stations to share prices within 30 minutes of a change, driving down prices at the pump and saving drivers between 1 to 6p a litre on average.

Mandating solar on car parks supports the government’s mission to become a clean energy superpower, unlocking underutilised space which can be used to power homes and businesses with clean, cheap, secure power.

The Energy Secretary has already approved nearly 3 GW of new solar capacity since July, enough to power the equivalent of 1 million homes. Proposals would help boost Britain’s energy security by bringing bills down in the long-term for families through the Plan for Change.

Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said:

Right now, the sun is shining on hundreds of thousands of car parking spaces across the country which could be used to power our homes and businesses.

We want to work with businesses and car park operators to turn our car parks into solar carports to save families and businesses money with clean, homegrown British energy through our Plan for Change.

Future of Roads Minister Lilian Greenwood said:

We’re committed to ensuring electric car drivers are always close to a charger and can save money when making the switch. Today is another positive example of how we’re harnessing the net zero transition to give drivers more choice and help them get around with greater peace of mind.

There are now more than 76,500 public electric vehicle charging devices available across the UK, as we continue to deliver our Plan for Change by investing £2.3 billion to help drivers switch to electric vehicles while backing British carmakers and protecting jobs.

Solar carports are already mandatory in some European countries, including France and Slovenia, providing their countries with an abundance of cheaper solar power.

Initial estimates suggest that an 80-space car park could save around £28,000 per year in electricity bills by installing solar carports and using all electricity generated. The call for evidence is seeking additional evidence on the potential benefits of the policy.

Companies could also make back the cost of installing solar in carparks by selling energy back to the grid or through long-term power purchase agreements.

Ben Cox, Director at Sovereign Centros from CBRE, Asset Managers of Metrocentre said:

With the largest number of EV charging points of any shopping centre in the country, and over 5,000 PV panels in action, including those on car ports in Green and Blue Mall car parks, we have already taken great steps to secure a more sustainable future.

We welcome the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero’s call for evidence which will allow us to invest further into these facilities to support the government’s national agenda.

Solar canopies have proven to improve the experience for customers, providing shaded cover for cars during heatwaves, creating a cooler environment for both vehicles and pedestrians.

The Clean Power Action Plan set an ambition of 45 to 47 GW by 2030. Ground-mounted solar currently occupies around less than 0.1% of total and area of the UK.

It is estimated that the solar sector supports 17,500 direct and indirect jobs across the UK, with more jobs possible from the rollout of mandatory solar carports.

Case studies
- The Bentley Motors manufacturing facility in Cheshire is the largest solar carport in the UK, with 10,000 solar panels and a capacity of 2.7 MW. Along with other installed solar arrays and 6.6 MW of battery storage, the car park enables all of Bentley’s manufacturing operations to be powered by solar
- Eastbourne District General Hospital became the first solar carport to power a hospital, cutting the hospital’s emissions by 222 tonnes in the first year
- Stourton Park & Ride in Leeds hosts a 1.2 MW solar carport, providing EV charging infrastructure for 26 spaces
- The Metrocentre in Gateshead has over 5,300 rooftop and carport solar panels providing enough power to supply 40% of their annual electricity usage.
Notes to Editors

The illustrative estimates of the potential financial savings associated with the installation of solar canopies has been produced to serve as a reference point for further respondents. For the calculation, a car parking business would install 80 solar canopy solar bays over a 2.4m x 5.0m car parking space, with a generation intensity of 1 MW for every 5000m2. Considering the practical limitations of solar power generation, we assume a load factor of 11% which was published in our cost generation report. To then calculate the saving if 100% of this electricity was self-consumed by the business, we used the average of our central commercial electricity prices forecasts from 2025 to 2054.

The homes powered estimate reflects the equivalent number of homes that could be powered based on an estimate of the annual generation from the 3GW of solar capacity approved by the Energy Secretary since July. It is not possible to continuously power a home through intermittent renewables – this capacity will work alongside the rest of the electricity system to power homes and businesses. The estimate is calculated using household consumption estimates sourced from the published Subnational Electricity and Gas Consumption Report and actual load factors as per the Energy Trends publication. The actual generation will vary based on site specific factors.

See more information on solar industry statistics.
May 7, 2025
PRESS RELEASE : Government brings exam records into 21st century [May 2025]

The press release issued by the Department for Education on 7 May 2025.

New digital exam results pilot launched to help schools and colleges to save up to £30m a year and cut back bureaucracy.

Exam certificates will go digital for thousands of students this summer as part of a modernised ‘education record’ to be introduced by government.

The new digital records will do away with the need to manually pass on paper files when young people leave school, bringing their paperwork into one easy to access Education Record app they can use when applying for further education, apprenticeships or employment – saving time scrabbling around for documents. More than 95,000 young people in Greater Manchester and the West Midlands will also receive their GCSE results via the app this summer, ahead of a future national roll out.

The government estimates the move could save schools and colleges up to £30m per year once the full roll out is complete, enough money to pay the salaries of more than 600 new teachers in further education. The savings can be ploughed back into boosting skills to support the government’s growth mission.

The Education Record app is part of wider government drive to overhaul how the public sector uses technology.

Education Minister Stephen Morgan said:

It is high time exam records were brought into the 21st century, and this pilot will allow schools and colleges to focus on what they do best: teaching the next generation rather than being bogged down in bureaucracy.

This government is slashing red tape through our Plan for Change to drive growth, cut admin for teachers and give tens of thousands of young people more opportunities to get on in skilled careers.

Earlier this week, Minister Morgan visited the Hathershaw College school in Oldham, which has been trialling the Education Record app since spring 2024. Following the success of this localised trial, the DfE is scaling up the roll out.

Mark Giles, Principal at the Hathershaw College school, said:

We were proud to support the DfE last summer with the initial trial. The support from the DfE was excellent and the feedback from students and staff was very positive as the education record was accurate, verifiable and could be presented to providers without delay.

We believe this will reduce administrative burdens on schools, and in the future could also be utilised by parents of younger children to support transition from primary to secondary school.

This comes alongside a wider government march to modernise public services – led by the Technology Secretary who has launched his department as the digital centre of government to overhaul digital services and target £45 billion in productivity savings every year.

The government continues its drive to transform post-16 education, with changes to English and maths requirements that will see up to 10,000 more apprentices qualify each year in key sectors, and new shorter apprenticeships announced during National Apprenticeship Week. Changes to end point assessments will also mean it is even easier for businesses and providers to support getting people into the workforce. A £302m government cash injection to fix, maintain and improve FE College buildings across England, will also ensure FE colleges are able to attract and retain learners.

In March the Chancellor announced a £625m investment in construction skills that will help to train up to 60,000 more engineers, electricians and builders by 2029. The funding complements the new Construction Skills Hubs, funded by industry, which will also speed up the training of construction workers crucial to supporting the government’s homebuilding drive.

May 7, 2025
PRESS RELEASE : UK strengthens security relationship with Europe ahead of UK-EU summit [May 2025]
The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 7 May 2025.

Foreign Secretary heads to EU Foreign Ministers meeting to highlight the need for a new, ambitious security relationship.
- UK joins high-level Gymnich talks with the EU Foreign Ministers in Poland at critical time as well as travelling to the Western Balkans
- support for Ukraine will be high on the agenda as well as enhancing UK-EU security and defence ties
- strengthening the UK’s security partnership with Europe will deliver on the government’s Plan for Change by bolstering national security
The UK is continuing to engage with Europe highlighting the need for a new, ambitious security relationship, as the Foreign Secretary attends high-level Gymnich EU talks in Poland (7 May).

At the discussion on foreign affairs, David Lammy will underline how closer cooperation on security and defence is in the interests of both the UK and the EU and will discuss uniting across the continent to secure a just and lasting peace in Ukraine.

Lammy, who was the first Foreign Secretary since Brexit to attend a formal meeting of EU foreign ministers in October, has been laying the foundations for stronger ties with Europe since taking office.

Following leader-level discussions in London between the Prime Minister and the President of the European Union Commission on 24 April, he will continue to make the case for a long-term UK-EU strategic partnership that will support economic growth, protect citizens, and support European collective security and defence.

The meeting comes days ahead of the UK-EU Summit (19 May), which will cover a range of UK-EU issues and look to foster a stable, positive and forward-looking relationship.

Foreign Secretary David Lammy said:

We are working hand-in-hand with our European allies to build a safer, more secure, and more prosperous Europe. Together, we will stand firm against aggression, defend our shared values, and deliver lasting peace.

In the face of Russian aggression, NATO’s Eastern Flank has never been more important. We are resolute in defending Europe’s security.

As we mark the 80th anniversary of VE Day, this commitment reminds us that our collective defence of freedom and peace in Europe remains as vital today as it was 8 decades ago.

As part of his visit, the Foreign Secretary will travel to Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH). He will meet political leaders to emphasise UK support for domestic action to respond to the ongoing political crisis, including through the formation of a new state-level coalition focused on Euro-Atlantic integration.

He will also visit the EUFOR military base, which is playing a key role in maintaining security in BiH and therefore contributing to regional stability.

Ongoing instability in the region risks a return to violence and threatens collective security, including through irregular migration and serious and organised crime.
May 7, 2025
PRESS RELEASE : Full steam ahead – young people take the drivers seat to improve train services and unlock jobs [May 2025]
The press release issued by the Department for Transport on 7 May 2025.

Lowering the train driver age to 18 will help future-proof our railways, support young people in fulfilling careers and boost growth across the country.
- 18 to 20 year olds to benefit from thousands of job and apprenticeship opportunities by the end of this year
- bolstering workforce will help prevent delays and cancellations on the railways
- getting young people into work and improving rail services will help boost the economy as part of the Plan for Change
Young people will be able to take up new careers as train drivers 3 years earlier, to boost the number of drivers needed for reliable services and put more school and college leavers on track to step straight into work.

Thousands of jobs and apprenticeships will be made available to those between 18 and 20 years old as early as December 2025, offering skilled roles, valuable experience and long-term career opportunities whilst keeping our country moving, driving economic growth at the heart of our Plan for Change.

It will also help build up the rail workforce, preventing delays and cancellations caused by driver shortages, which currently account for 87% of cancellations made the night before a service runs.

The decision to lower the age will future-proof the railways, reducing the over reliance on rest day working by getting more people into the driving seat and ensuring a steady stream of drivers entering the industry.

The average train driver is 48 years old and rising, with 30% due to reach retirement age by 2029. Bringing young talent into these skilled roles now will bridge this gap, preventing any future shortages and ensuring consistent, reliable services for passengers.

In a profession that is less than 9% female and less than 12% represented by ethnic minorities, this will open professional opportunities to a much wider group of people.

This is yet another initiative to help deliver the government’s Plan for Change by unlocking skilled jobs and safeguarding reliable train services, boosting the economy and improving living standards in the process.

Transport Secretary, Heidi Alexander, said:

We’re taking bold action to improve train services and unlock thousands of jobs.

We’re committed to getting the economy moving and a big part of that is getting young people into the workforce, putting them on track for a skilled and fulfilling career, which will boost growth across the country and help deliver our Plan for Change.

We’re future-proofing our railways against delays and cancellations caused by a shortage of drivers, ensuring that we can provide reliable, passenger focused train journeys under Great British Railways for decades to come.

This follows a consultation DfT undertook last year, which received overwhelming support from across the industry and marks a significant step forward for rail reform.

Mick Whelan, General Secretary of ASLEF, the train drivers’ union, said:

ASLEF has been campaigning for many years for the lowering of the age at which drivers can start training.

This decision – to allow people to leave school, or college, and join the railway in the driving grade at 18 rather than wait until they’re 20 – will increase diversity in the driver’s cab by encouraging more people from ethnic minority backgrounds, more LGBT+ people, and more women – as well as more young people – to drive trains on Britain’s railways.

Because, at the moment, young people who want to become train drivers leave school or college at 18, get other jobs, and we miss out as an industry, as they don’t wait around until they turn 20 to find a career.

Several other countries have already successfully and safely adopted a lower age limit, including the Netherlands, France, Germany and Switzerland, with other countries, including Japan, considering a change in law. Transport for London also successfully opened up its train driver apprenticeships to 18 year olds to drive trains on the underground network in 2007.

Everyone who takes on the role of a train driver must undergo rigorous training to ensure they are competent, qualified and fit to do so, ensuring the safe use of our railways for everyone.

Work and Pensions Secretary, Liz Kendall, said:

This government is determined to widen the opportunities of all young people.

By allowing 18 year olds to take up careers as train drivers we are literally putting them in the driving seat when it comes to finding secure, well-paid work.

This is a core part of our plan to lower the number of young people not in education, employment or training and builds on our Youth Guarantee scheme to give all 18 to 21 year olds the chance to earn or learn.

Education Secretary, Bridget Phillipson, said:

By opening up this vital sector to more young people, we’re not only creating a pathway to high-skilled careers but also addressing the skills shortages that hold back our transport network and economic growth. This is another step forward in our mission to break down barriers and create new opportunities for young people.

This is our Plan for Change in action: bringing in fresh, diverse talent, tackling skills shortages and helping to grow our economy across every part of the country.

This is just one of the ways we’re delivering improvements to the railways ahead of the creation of Great British Railways (GBR). Once set up, GBR will bring track and train together, ending years of fragmentation and waste. GBR will relentlessly focus on driving up standards for passengers and proposals for how it will run, including plans for a powerful new passenger standards watchdog, are currently being considered.

Daniel Mann, Director of Industry Operations at Rail Delivery Group, said:

Our railways have played a vital role in connecting communities and supporting economic growth for 200 years and train drivers are an important part of this.

Working as a train driver is an incredible long-term career opportunity and we want to open the doors, especially to school-leavers, to encourage a wider and more diverse pool of young people to apply, reflecting the communities we serve. These changes will not only help us to recruit the next generation of drivers, lowering the average age of the workforce, but will also help to ensure a resilient railway for the years to come.

Mark Phillips, CEO at Rail Safety and Standards Board (RSSB) said:

To boost economic growth by running more frequent rail services, the industry needs to invest in enabling more young people to start train driver apprenticeships. Our research determined that 18 year olds are capable of safely becoming train drivers and identified opportunities to improve how the rail industry manages competence for all drivers.

Starting a train driving career could be more appealing at 18 than at 20, as young people can choose it over pursuing a degree or an office job. It is an excellent career choice, offering the opportunity to work independently in a role that carries huge responsibility.

Maggie Simpson OBE, Director General of the Rail Freight Group (RFG), said:

Rail freight thrives when the whole network has the skilled people it needs, so we welcome the decision to lower the minimum driver age to 18.

Bringing talent into the cab straight from school can widen the recruitment pool, inspire more young people to choose rail careers and let them build experience earlier  but importantly, this is a permissive change. Each freight and passenger operator will decide for itself whether and how to recruit younger drivers.
May 7, 2025
PRESS RELEASE : Applications open to bring 25 top tech minds into government, to accelerate AI-driven growth and modernise public sector [May 2025]
The press release issued by the Department of Science, Innovation and Technology on 6 May 2025.

Applications are open for a new round of government fellowships aimed at bringing 25 leading technologists and scientists into public service.
- Year-long government placements will see Britain’s best and brightest advise on policy and build tech for public services
- Science and tech experts will focus on driving the use of AI, bolstering tech and research policy, and driving innovation in the public sector – helping deliver a productive and agile state to drive the Plan for Change
- Fellows will bring deep technical expertise from industry and academia into government and return with first-hand experience of how it works, strengthening ties between government and the UK’s world-leading R&D sector
Leading scientists, technologists, and innovators are being urged to take up fixed-term positions within Government to drive economic growth and deliver on our Plan for Change with emerging technology.

With 25 places available, experts will have the opportunity to complete 12-month, part-time secondments as part of the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) Fellowship. They will help make the UK an AI powerhouse and strengthen our digital and cyber resilience, as well as secure leadership in semiconductors, advancing quantum technologies, and champion digital inclusion.

By shaping national strategies, DSIT Fellows will address pressing policy challenges and ensure innovation delivers tangible benefits for citizens and businesses, driving a more secure, inclusive, and digitally empowered society.

The Fellowship offers a unique bridge between government and the tech ecosystem – bringing expertise into policymaking and giving top talent a front-row seat at the heart of national decision-making.

Science Minister Lord Vallance said:

This is how we open up government – by bringing together the UK’s leading scientific and technological talent to directly shape policy and drive the innovation at the heart of our Plan for Change.

By harnessing expertise across academia and industry, we are embedding expert knowledge to tackle key challenges – from strengthening digital resilience to ensuring the UK leads in AI and quantum technologies.

This Fellowship creates a lasting partnership between government, academia, and business to unlock new solutions, accelerate progress, and drive long-term growth – ensuring science and innovation remain central to shaping our economy and society.

With applications closing on 3rd June, the DSIT Fellowship is offered as a secondment and is open to professionals who are currently employed and who are affiliated with partners including the Royal Society, Royal Academy of Engineering, Academy of Medical Sciences, techUK, IET and the British Standards Institute.

Fellows will gain rare access to government decision-making, professional development, and powerful cross-sector networks. Organisations benefit too – with secondees returning equipped with new insights, connections, and strategic experience.

Alex Casson, Current DSIT Fellow and Professor of Biomedical Engineering, University of Manchester, said:

The DSIT Fellowship has been a great opportunity to be embedded in the civil service. It has let me see how policy and advice teams work, and how science is put at the heart of decision making. This is in a ‘hands on’ manner; I’m not an observer. I’m part of the team and working with others on a wide range of different emerging technology topics.

I’ve learnt a huge amount about how academic advice is commissioned, and used, within government, and the many ways in which academics can engage with government. I’ll take these learnings with me when I go back to my home institution and think about potential policy impacts of my work in electronic engineering.

Placements span four core themes:
- AI – from deepfake threats to AI for science, regulation and adoption
- Technology – including semiconductors, digital standards, and telecoms resilience
- Futures Thinking – including quantum, climate security, and space policy
- Public Sector Innovation – from digital inclusion to commercial innovation and science capability
This is the third cohort of the Fellowship, building on the success of the Expert Exchange Programme and previous Science and Technology Fellowship pilots. Previous Fellows have gone on to shape major government strategies and returned to their organisations with powerful new insights – showing the lasting impact of this cross-sector exchange.

It comes as part of a major push to almost double the number of civil servants in digital roles – bringing top tech minds into government to drive innovation and deliver smarter public services.
May 7, 2025
PRESS RELEASE : ‘Seismic shift’ to improve professional standards across HM Prison and Probation Service [May 2025]
The press release issued by the Ministry of Justice on 6 May 2025.

Reports of bullying and harassment are “a wake-up call and an opportunity to change”, Lord Timpson said today (6 May), after a review recommended wholesale change to how HM Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) deals with complaints.
- New unit to deal with allegations of bullying, harassment and discrimination outside of chain-of-command
- Builds on action to strengthen vetting to root out those who fall below the high standards expected
- Tackling unacceptable behaviour better will improve retention rates and staff morale, part of our Plan for Change to reduce reoffending, cut crime and keep our streets safe
The Prisons, Probation, and Reducing Reoffending Minister pledged a ‘seismic shift’ to improve professional standards across the service.

Immediate action will include establishing a new unit to investigate and better respond to allegations of bullying, harassment and discrimination.

It will be independent – taking complaints away from the line management hierarchy to ensure they are dealt with impartially and fairly by a dedicated team of experts.

It comes as more than one in eight staff last year reported being bullied, harassed, or discriminated against – 50 per cent higher than the wider Civil Service.

Today’s announcement follows a comprehensive review by Jennifer Rademaker, a non-executive director for the Ministry of Justice. Commissioned by HMPPS leaders, it examined the HR processes and culture for dealing with professional standards complaints.

In a speech at HMP High Down in Surrey this morning, Lord James Timpson said:

Professional standards matter. They cannot simply be words on paper. They must be reflected in how we treat each other, every day.

And where those standards aren’t met – our staff – and the public – must know that we’ll take swift and decisive action.

HMPPS recognised that something needed to be done. That’s why it commissioned Jennifer to carry out her independent Review in the first place, and I’m pleased we have accepted her recommendations in full.

He contrasted the misogyny and sexual harassment experienced by a young prison officer at work with the bravery of staff responding to help prison officers attacked last month at HMP Frankland.

Lord Timpson said:

They ran towards danger, when others would run away. They are true heroes. And our thoughts are with the injured officers as they continue to recover.

That kind of bravery isn’t rare in the Service. Our probation officers, too, manage risk constantly, working with dangerous offenders to keep the public safe.

These are jobs where heroism happens daily, in environments more stressful, more pressurised, than people could possibly imagine.

The question is, then: how do we make this a Service worthy of the heroes at Frankland? Worthy of every hero in the Service?

Recommendations from the report include:
- The establishment of an independent central unit to handle the reporting of claims of bullying, harassment and discrimination.
- The creation of an Independent Commissioner for HMPPS Professional Standards.
- Improving data collection on complaints by creating one database and regular updates to all staff.
The Government has accepted all the recommendations from the review and will begin implementing them immediately as part of its Plan for Change. It will ensure unacceptable behaviour is tackled quickly and effectively. Improving staff morale, safety and retention rates will ensure prisons and probation can focus more on reducing reoffending and making streets safer.

This will build on significant action already being taken to drive up professionalism across the Service and root out those who fall below the high standards expected. This includes bolstering vetting processes to make it harder for unsuitable people to enter the workforce and improving staff training.

Work is also underway to improve the training provided to staff – to ensure they not only have the technical skills needed but possess strong ethical foundations, too. It will see the introduction of a more structured, longer-term approach to training with higher standards, so staff will be better equipped and more likely to thrive.

Meanwhile, HMPPS’s Counter Corruption Unit is working directly with police forces across the country to identify and remove staff who abuse their position or engage in criminal conduct.

Background
- The report provides 12 recommendations to improve the processes around reporting bullying, harassment and discrimination. HMPPS has accepted all the recommendations and work is underway to implement these.
- You can read both the review and HMPPS’ response on GOV.UK HMPPS Professional Standards Review – GOV.UK
May 7, 2025
PRESS RELEASE : It is the responsibility of this Council to uphold the Dayton Peace Agreement and support Bosnia and Herzegovina – UK Statement at the UN Security Council [May 2025]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 6 May 2025.

Statement by DCMG Karen Pierce, UK Special Envoy to the Western Balkans, at the UN Security Council debate on Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Thank you very much Mr President. I welcome the High Representative and thank him for his briefing. I’d also like to welcome the Bosnia and Herzegovina representatives in the Chamber today.

It is an honour to be back, Mr President, in the Security Council and see some familiar colleagues.

I am here today in my new capacity as the United Kingdom’s Special Envoy for the Western Balkans.

I am also here to show our support for the state of Bosnia and Herzegovina, for her institutions and for the High Representative, and my Foreign Secretary is, today, visiting Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Mr President, as other people have said, it is an important year for anniversaries.

The 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War and the founding of the United Nations.

The 50th anniversary of the Helsinki Final Act which then joins us to take heed about non-interference across borders.

And above all, for these purposes, the 30th anniversary not only of Srebrenica, but also of the Dayton Peace Agreement itself.

But in fact, Mr President, Bosnia has been on the agenda of this Council since the early 1990s and, at times, it has been the most serious issue that the Council has had to deal with.

Dayton, Mr President, is one of the successes of this Council.

And because of that, the Council enshrined the Dayton Peace Agreement in a Chapter 7 Security Council Resolution 1031. This represented hard work by UNSC members over many, many years.

It is unusual, as the High Representative and other speakers have said, it enshrined some very unusual civilian interventionist elements, but it stopped a war, and it is worth recalling, Mr President, that at the time, that war was the worst Europe had seen since the end of the Second World War.

It isn’t colonialism for the Council to take an interest, it isn’t colonialism for us to help Bosnia and Herzegovina along her path. As the High Representative said, the state of Bosnia and Herzegovina can evolve democratically.

This itself is written down in Dayton and with the successive conferences on peace that we’ve had held by the Peace Implementation Council, held by the Steering Board, the outcome of those conferences has been endorsed variously over the years by this Council.

It is all our fervent hope, Mr President, that one day Bosnia and Herzegovina will be able to graduate from the Council’s attentions and take its place as a normal and full member of Europe.

The Dayton Peace Agreement mandates one state, two entities and three constituent peoples.

The High Representative is also mandated by Dayton as the final authority on the civilian implementation of the Peace Agreement.

The powers that he is using have been backed by the Security Council. It is not a one-off; they have been successively backed by the Security Council.

And I want to stress that, Mr President. I also want to stress that the High Representative himself, under Dayton, is chosen by the Peace Implementation Council Steering Board.

He is not chosen by the Security Council, though the Security Council’s interest has been evoked from time to time, but not universally, and I want to set that straight.

It is open to people who have left the Steering Board and, hence not had an opportunity to share in the selection of the High Representative, to return to the Steering Board.

Mr President, the cause of Bosnia and Herzegovina remains critical to the issue of stability and security in Europe.

The United Kingdom has great pleasure in cooperating with the European Union, with the US and others. This autumn, we will chair the Berlin Process, which emphasises regional cooperation among the Western Balkans countries themselves.

And I want to take a moment to salute EUFOR, who is executing its Chapter 7 mandate to maintain a secure and safe environment.

I agree that it does not have executive authority but to pretend it does is a mischaracterisation of its role.

EUFOR is there to support the state institutions of Bosnia and Herzegovina and maintain safety and security for Bosnia and Herzegovina’s citizens.

And it is clear, Mr President, and we’ve heard today, that those citizens want better relations with the European Union, they want Euro-Atlantic integration.

We heard, particularly from the representatives of Pakistan and Sierra Leone, of their very strong support for the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and I think all speakers in the Council want to uphold that.

But it bears repeating that there is one threat to that today, and it lies in the person of the RS Entity President, Milorad Dodik.

His secessionist moves, his introduction of unconstitutional laws, the threats to adopt a new anti-Dayton constitution represent direct threats to that sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence as well as to the aspirations of the Bosnian people.

What Bosnia and Herzegovina needs, Mr President, is more pluralist politics.

There is no threat to Republika Srpska entity, nor to the federation entity in EU integration, nor Euro-Atlantic future.

I repeat this again, it is not a threat to RS citizens, it is not a threat to the Federation. There are many models in Europe of national and sub-national government.

And I would point out that the High Rep would not need to use his powers if the RS President did not challenge Dayton on an almost daily basis.

The High Rep acts against all who challenge the state institutions of Bosnia and Herzegovina, it happens that at the moment, the biggest challenges are coming from Republika Srpska, but the High Representative’s role is to uphold the Dayton Peace Agreement and help the state institutions to prosper and to do their work.

Mr President, in closing, I want to refer again to what other speakers have said.

It is the responsibility of this Council, as it was in the 1990s, and it was when the Dayton Peace Agreement was concluded, to uphold the Dayton Peace Agreement, to support Bosnia and Herzegovina on its journey, its journey freely chosen by her citizens for European integration and to help her citizens thrive and prosper.

May 7, 2025
PRESS RELEASE : Conflict, Hunger and International Humanitarian Law Handbook Launch – Lord Collins’ speech [May 2025]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 6 May 2025.

The Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, Lord Collins of Highbury, launched the Conflict, Hunger and International Humanitarian Law Handbook.

Good morning.

It’s great to see you all.

Welcome to the Foreign Office.

For those of us lucky enough to have all the comforts we need in life it is hard to imagine how it feels to have no choice but to go without food or be forced to eat what hardly nourishes the soul and the body.

Sadly, the heart breaking reality is that millions of people today suffer from an extreme lack of food and are acutely malnourished due to conflicts.

This cannot go on and the UK is determined to act.

Part of the answer is providing clarity on what the law is and how we can comply with it.

That is why I’m privileged to be launching a new handbook to promote compliance with International Humanitarian Law and its critical role in addressing hunger in armed conflict.

Improving food security and nutrition are not just part of my job, I’m personally invested in this mission.

Before joining the government last July, I served as a shadow minister for a decade, where I was focused on driving up the global agenda on nutrition.

Earlier this year, the World Food Programme and Food and Agriculture Organization warned that conflict has increased acute food insecurity in 17 countries, affecting as many as 175 million people across the world.

Many of these people have been suffering for years, trapped in never-ending conflicts.

Sadly Gaza is the example we think of most.

Almost the whole of Gaza is facing emergency levels of food insecurity, including Gaza’s one million children. The World Food Programme’s stocks have run out.

That is why together with our partners, we are denouncing the two-month long block on humanitarian aid and calling on Israel to immediately restart a rapid and unimpeded flow of lifesaving help.

It is hard to believe now that merely two decades ago the international community had confined famines to history.

Yet over the last decade we have seen a sizeable increase in the number and severity of conflicts.

Climate change and economic shocks have only compounded the problem.

In eastern DRC, hunger and malnutrition are at record levels and growing.

Trade routes and food production have been severely disrupted, and humanitarian access is limited.

Through our humanitarian programme, we have helped three and a half million people last year and are working flat out to reach as many people as we can.

And the United Kingdom has called for an immediate cessation of hostilities and withdrawal of all Rwandan Defence Forces from Congolese territory. I am hoping that there is positive news from discussions last weekend but the situation is dire.

If we turn to Sudan, we see farms, food markets, and water treatment facilities being destroyed by the conflict and the siege of El Fasher is causing immense suffering.

Last month the Foreign Secretary co-hosted the Sudan Conference in London urging the warring parties to allow unrestricted humanitarian access, protect civilians and end the conflict.

The United Kingdom is providing a further £120 million to deliver lifesaving food and nutrition supplies, including for vulnerable children at risk of wasting – a lifelong condition that will affect the ability for economic development and growth.

It is a failure of the international system that babies and young children in conflict settings frequently suffer and die due to acute malnutrition.

Last year at the G20, the Prime Minster launched the Joint UN Initiative for the Prevention of Wasting to help find the best ways to prevent malnutrition and save lives.

All of these initiatives show that despite cuts to the UK’s development budget, the UK remains fully committed to playing a key humanitarian role globally.

And this handbook is a key part of our global mission to improve compliance with international humanitarian law.

The landmark United Nations Security Council resolution 2417, adopted in 2018, made hunger in conflict a political issue, and rightly so.

Because famines are significantly less like to occur if all warring parties comply with international humanitarian law.

Now, while not all causes of hunger are violations of this law, many rules are of course crucial in avoiding hunger and malnutrition.

Our Handbook provides clear information on the law and how to follow it, with suggestions for good practices.

Indeed, the Handbook firmly backs the agenda set out in that Security Council Resolution.

By helping parties comply with the law.

By making policy discussions more informed.

And by equipping partners with the necessary information to promote compliance with the law.

So I’m pleased to share that from today, the Handbook is free and publicly available.

We will soon be rolling it out throughout the government and our diplomatic missions.

I hope that you and partners across the world will use it in your mission to tackle food insecurity in armed conflicts.

This week, as we mark the 80th anniversary of VE Day and reflect on the peace and freedoms we cherish, the international community must redouble its commitment to end the scourge of conflict and hunger.

Because change is only possible when all of us, all of us, work together as one team.

May 7, 2025