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Tag: Press Release

  • PRESS RELEASE : UPR51 – UK Statement on Australia [February 2026]

    PRESS RELEASE : UPR51 – UK Statement on Australia [February 2026]

    The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 3 February 2026.

    Delivered by the UK’s Human Rights Ambassador, Eleanor Sanders, at Australia’s Universal Periodic Review at the Human Rights Council in Geneva.

    Thank you, Mr President,  

    We express our deepest condolences following the tragic antisemitic terrorist attacks in Bondi. We stand with Australia against hatred and violence. 

    We commend Australia’s strong commitment to human rights.

    We welcomed the appointment of the inaugural Ambassador for First Nations People in 2022 and congratulate Australia’s leadership in reinforcing global humanitarian principles through the Declaration on the Protection of Humanitarian Personnel.

    We recommend Australia: 

    1. Introduces a National Human Rights Framework, including a National Human Rights Act, that strengthens and embeds Australia’s commitment to human rights at a national level. 
    2. Strengthens measures to combat hate crime through enhanced legal protections.

    Thank you and happy Australia Day!

  • PRESS RELEASE : Rehana Azam appointed as member of the Prison Service Pay Review Body [February 2026]

    PRESS RELEASE : Rehana Azam appointed as member of the Prison Service Pay Review Body [February 2026]

    The press release issued by the Ministry of Justice on 3 February 2026.

    The Secretary of State for Justice has announced the appointment of Rehana Azam as member of the Prison Service Pay Review Body.

    The Secretary of State for Justice has announced the appointment of Rehana Azam as the member of the Prison Service Pay Review Body (PSPRB) with Trade Union experience. Rehana Azam’s appointment will be for a tenure of 5 years from 1 March 2026 to 28 February 2031.

    The PSPRB provides the government with independent advice on the remuneration of operational prison staff in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, as set out in the Prison Service Pay Review Body Regulations 2001 (SI 2001 No. 1161).   

    Appointments to the PSPRB are regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments and comply with the Governance Code on Public Appointments. This appointment has been made in line with the Commissioner’s Code of Practice for Ministerial Appointments to Public Bodies.

    Public appointments to the PSPRB are made by the Prime Minister.

    Biography

    Ms Azam is a senior trade union leader with over 30 years’ experience advising and representing public sector workforces. She is currently Regional Head at the National Association of Head Teachers, a role she has held since 2023. She previously spent 24 years at GMB, holding a range of senior regional and national positions. In 2025, she was seconded to the British Airline Pilots Association as Head of Industrial Relations and has also served as a National Officer with the Royal College of Nursing (2022–2023).

  • PRESS RELEASE : Disability experts appointed to lead first ever full review of Personal Independence Payment [February 2026]

    PRESS RELEASE : Disability experts appointed to lead first ever full review of Personal Independence Payment [February 2026]

    The press release issued by the Department for Work and Pensions on 3 February 2026.

    Twelve experts appointed to the steering group for the Timms Review of Personal Independence Payment (PIP).

    • Group will work alongside three co-chairs to look at the role of PIP, ensuring it is fair and fit for the future.
    • First ever full review of PIP since its introduction will report to Secretary of State in autumn 2026.

    Disabled people will have their voices at the centre of the first ever comprehensive review of Personal Independence Payment (PIP) with the appointment of twelve members to its steering group.

    The group of appointed members will bring lived experience of disability or long-term health conditions as well as direct experience of working within Disabled People’s Organisations (DPOs).

    Their experience spans welfare policy, accessibility and advocacy, and there are members with a background in co-production, governance, and leadership.

    The group will provide strategic direction and help set priorities and a work plan for the Timms Review, alongside the Review’s three co-chairs, Minister Sir Stephen Timms, Sharon Brennan and Dr Clenton Farquharson CBE.

    Together, they will look at the role of PIP in allowing disabled people to achieve better health and live independent lives; the PIP assessment criteria; and how the assessment could provide access to the right support across the benefits system.

    The Timms Review will report to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions by autumn 2026, with an interim update expected ahead of that.

    Minister for Social Security and Disability Sir Stephen Timms said:

    Disabled people deserve a system that truly supports them to live with independence and dignity, and that fairly reflects the reality of their lives today.

    That’s why we’re putting disabled people at the heart of this Review – ensuring their voices shape the changes that will help them achieve better health, greater independence, and access to the right support when they need it.

    We’re delighted to announce the appointment of the steering group members, who alongside myself and the Review’s co-chairs will report back to the Secretary of State in the autumn.

    Co-chair Sharon Brennan said:

    The group we have chosen shows our commitment to ensuring this review is co produced with people from a diversity of backgrounds including lived and living experience, protected characteristics, geographies and professions.

    But 15 people can’t represent everyone, which is why our work will be part of a wider engagement process to ensure we hear from many more voices throughout the review.

    Co-chair Dr Clenton Farquharson CBE said:

    Personal Independence Payment plays a vital role in enabling disabled people to live independent lives.

    This Review will listen closely to lived experience, test whether the system is fair, and ensure PIP reflects the realities of disability in the modern world.

    The steering group members are:

    • Dr Mark Brookes MBE, Advocacy Lead, Dimensions UK
    • George Fielding, Disability rights advocate and Non-Executive Advisor
    • Tara Flood, Head of Co-production, London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham
    • Mark Fosbrook, Disability Inclusion Manager, West Midlands Combined Authority
    • Ben Geiger, Professor of Social Science and Health, King’s College London
    • Katrina Gilman, National Officer for Disability Equality, UNISON
    • Jean-André Prager, Senior Fellow, Policy Exchange and Director, Flint Global
    • Dr Lucy Reynolds, Chair of Board of Trustees, Disability North, and Founder, We Are All Disabled CIC
    • Dr Felix Shi, Lecturer in Management, Bangor University
    • Dr Dharshana Sridhar, Head of Public Affairs, Spinal Injuries Association
    • Phil Stevens, CEO, Disability Action Haringey, and Chair of the Board of Trustees, Disability Action in Islington
    • Leila Talmadge, Founder and former Director, Autistic Knowledge Development CIC

    The goal of the Review is to ensure that PIP is fair and fit for the future – reflecting the reality of people’s conditions and their goals and ambitions, and taking account of changes in society since it was first devised and introduced. Since PIP was introduced in 2013, there have been shifting trends in long-term health conditions and disability. More people are living with a disability, but the increase in the number in receipt of disability benefits is double the rate of increasing prevalence among working-age adults in England and Wales.

    PIP claims have grown considerably in recent years. In 2019, there were two million working-age people in receipt of PIP. This number grew by 50 percent in the following five years and is set to more than double from two to over four million people by the end of the decade.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Government to cover travel costs of children with cancer [February 2026]

    PRESS RELEASE : Government to cover travel costs of children with cancer [February 2026]

    The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 3 February 2026.

    £10 million financial support package for families of children and young people with cancer to cover travel costs to and from appointments.

    • £10 million support comes as more than a third of families travel over an hour to reach hospital for cancer care
    • Fund a key recommendation of the Children and Young People’s Cancer taskforce as part of the National Cancer Plan
    • Part of wider package to transform young people’s cancer care, from earlier diagnosis, expanded genomic testing to better access to clinical trials and psychosocial support

    Children with cancer will have their travel costs paid for, with a new government support package worth up to £10 million a year.

    For every parent of a child with cancer, each day presents real challenges, not only in confronting the disease itself, but also in managing the considerable demands and costs associated with transporting their child for specialist treatment.

    More than a third of these families must travel over an hour to reach hospital. There are 13 expert centres caring for children with cancer across England, with many young patients and their families face long and frequent journeys, sometimes several times a week, over many months or even years.

    The financial burden can be significant, with petrol costs, train fares and lost earnings making an already difficult time, even harder. For some families, it could mean money that means heating their home for fewer hours, or going without fresh, nutritious food at dinner time. These are choices no parent should ever be forced to make.

    Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting said:

    When a child is diagnosed with cancer, their family’s only focus should be on helping them recover and getting them well, not on whether they can afford the petrol or bus fare to get to their next appointment. This small change will make the world of difference to parents.

    Our plan will leave no family out of pocket while their child goes through cancer. It doesn’t matter what you earn – if your child needs treatment, we will help you get them there. When a child is fighting cancer, their family should never have to fight the system too.

    While wealthier families may absorb these costs, for those worrying about the cost of living, the impact can be overwhelming.

    Through the National Cancer Plan, the government will provide £10 million a year for a new fund open to all children and young people with cancer and their families regardless of income to support them with the cost of travelling to and from cancer care.

    It will help people like Emma Wilding, from West Lancashire, whose son Theo was diagnosed with Infant Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia in October 2024 when he was only five months old.

    Alder Hey Children’s hospital is 45 minutes away from their family home, which meant they had to spend a great deal of time and money on travel in addition to paying for parking at the hospital.  

    She said:

    When Theo was going through treatment, we had no choice but to pay out for fuel and parking at the hospital, as we had to be by his side. However, at a time when our household income had gone down, this was a struggle financially.  

    Sat on the ward, I met so many other families also struggling with these costs, many travelling from much further away from hospital as well. I know this news is going to mean so much to young people and families of children with cancer, so they won’t have to worry so much about how they’ll afford to get to hospital.

    This commitment sits alongside decisive action to transform cancer care for children and young people; including improving hospital food, ensuring medical psychosocial care during treatment, expanding genomic testing, and detecting cancers earlier when treatment is most effective.

    Professor Peter Johnson, National Clinical Director for Cancer at NHS England, said:

    Children with cancer need the best specialist treatment and this can sometimes mean repeated long-distance travel, adding to the pressures families face during some of the most difficult times of their lives.

    This new fund will be available regardless of income so families avoid having to choose between being at their child’s bedside and covering the cost of travelling there.

    Together with earlier diagnosis, emotional support, genomic testing and better access to trials, this will help deliver the new National Cancer Plan’s goal of improving care for children and young people with cancer.

    The upcoming national NHS food standards review will ensure young cancer patients have access to high-quality, child-friendly food, including outside mealtimes.

    The government will also improve the experience of those children who have to stay in hospital. The NHS and Starlight’s Play Well toolkit will help services deliver high-quality play provision for children, while youth support coordinators will help teenagers and young adults with education, emotional support and fertility concerns.

    Furthermore, mental health support will be standardised for all young cancer patients during diagnosis, treatment and long-term follow-up, recognising the experience of cancer often surfaces years after treatment ends.

    Taken together, these measures will ensure that when a child faces cancer, their family can focus on what matters most,  being by their side and helping them get well.

    This follows a series of reforms announced as part of the National Cancer Plan, including measures to improve access to specialists in rural and coastal communities, a crackdown on illegal underage sunbed use, improved bowel cancer screening to catch thousands more cases earlier and a new partnership to support England’s 830,000 working-age cancer patients to remain in employment during and after treatment.

    The plan will be published tomorrow and will set out further steps the government is taking to catch cancer earlier, treat it faster, and prevent it in the first place. Since coming to office, the government has already delivered 5 million extra NHS appointments, and 213,000 more patients have received a cancer diagnosis within the 28 day target.

    Rachel Kirby-Rider, Chief Executive Officer of Young Lives vs Cancer, said:  

    Young Lives vs Cancer has been campaigning for almost a decade for a Young Cancer Patient Travel Fund. Today’s announcement of dedicated travel costs support is a huge step forward in transforming the lives of children and young people with cancer and their families. Up until now, young people and families have been going into debt and even missing treatment because of the extra £250 every month just to travel to hospital. We’re ready to work with the government to make this a success.

    We’re pleased to see the National Cancer Plan will provide dedicated support that children and young people need, achieved by true sector collaboration. Young Lives vs Cancer has worked with partners over many years and through the Children and Young People Cancer Taskforce to ensure the experiences of children and young people with cancer are considered within the National Cancer Plan.

     Jules Worrall, Interim Chief Executive of Teenage Cancer Trust, said: 

    Cancer kills more young people in the UK than any other disease. By including a specific focus on young people with cancer, the National Cancer Plan for England has the potential to reduce the impact of this devastating disease.  

    We are pleased the Plan will look to improve access to clinical trials - a major issue for young people with cancer. Removing barriers that stop them accessing innovative new treatments could be a potential lifeline for some.    

    Our hope is that these new commitments will also lead to faster diagnosis for young people with cancer which we know is so important to improving health outcomes, as well as catalyse greater access to vital psychosocial support.  

    We look forward to working with the government to ensure the Plan achieves real and lasting change for young people with cancer.

     Mr Ashley Ball-Gamble, Chief Executive of The Children & Young People’s Cancer Association, said:

    Along with our partners at Young Lives vs Cancer, we’ve been calling for a Children & Young People’s Cancer Plan for several years, so we’re pleased to see that a focus on children and young people has been a priority in developing the National Cancer Plan. 

    The plan’s commitment to both speeding up diagnosis – building on the research and recommendations of CCLG’s own Child Cancer Smart awareness campaign – and the prioritising of funding for children and young people’s cancer research, represent a positive step forward to improving both outcomes and experiences. 

    We’re looking forward to playing our part in setting the plan into action and seeing the life-saving and life-changing impact it will have for children and young people with cancer.

    Gail Jackson, Chief Executive Officer of Solving Kids Cancer, said: 

    We welcome the dedicated attention to children and young people’s cancers in the upcoming National Cancer Plan – a level of focus that has not been seen before and remains rare internationally. A 2025 analysis of cancer control plans across Europe found that only 4 out of 22 countries had a comprehensive approach to childhood cancer. The government’s commitment to a clear, detailed plan for children and young people offers an opportunity to position England as a global leader in improving care, treatment and research for children with cancer and their families.

    Dr Sharna Shanmugavadivel, Early diagnosis fellow at CCLG: The Children & Young People’s Cancer Association and vice-chair of the Children and Young People’s Taskforce at DHSC, said: 

    Today marks a historic moment in policy for England. For the first time in the country’s history, there is a standalone chapter for Children and Young People within a National Cancer plan.  

    The commitments included in the plan are a direct result of the entire paediatric oncology community – clinicians, researchers, charities, children, young people and their families – coming together to highlight crucial gaps that need addressing when a child or young person aged 0-24 is diagnosed with cancer.  

    The result is a set of holistic commitments spanning the entire patient journey from ensuring earliest possible accurate diagnoses within primary and secondary care, to parity of access to clinical trials and genomic testing and prioritising CYP cancer research and data collection.  

    We are thrilled that this plan also places the child, young person and their families at the heart of it, committing to better psychosocial support including youth worker support for young people, improving access to high quality food and providing families with financial support through the travel fund.  

    We thank everyone who contributed, and look forward to the next, most important, step which is implementing the commitments to improve the experiences and outcomes for children and young people with cancer.

     Dr Timothy Ritzmann, Clinical Associate Professor in Paediatric NeuroOncology and Cancer Biology, University of Nottingham, and CCLG-funded researcher, said: 

    With the National Cancer Plan about to launch, it’s vital that children and young people with cancer remain a clear priority. A plan alone is not enough – it must be backed by sustained investment to deliver real change for children and families. 

    The James Lind Alliance has set out the research questions that matter most, and funding to address them is essential to close evidence gaps – especially for those with high risk cancers, where new effective therapies are urgently needed to create both hope for families and lasting cures for patients. 

    We must also deliver clinical trials more quickly and efficiently so that the UK’s world-leading scientific discoveries reach patients without delay. Alongside this, strengthening early diagnosis remains crucial. We cannot and must not allow children to be left behind – they are our future.

    The support will help people like Tim Sadler, from Gloucestershire, whose son Michael was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia in April 2014 just days before his third birthday and went on to have three years of treatment.

    Tim sat on the patient group in the Children and Young People Cancer Taskforce and has supported the Young Lives vs Cancer’s campaign for a Young Cancer Patient Travel Fund for the past eight years. Tim says today’s news of financial support for travel costs is the help families like his have been waiting for:

    I am so pleased to hear today’s news that the UK Government has listened to the need for travel costs support as part of the National Cancer Plan.  

    Supporting travel costs would make a massive difference in making sure families like mine don’t have to worry about affording the cost to get to and from the hospital and focus on what matters: being by their side.

    I am also pleased to see the government has committed to many other improvements to children, young people and families’ experiences, especially as parents and carers need to make sure they are best placed to support their child.

    The support will also help people like Victoria Ward, a young cancer survivor from the Isle of Wight, who was diagnosed with Lymphoma at 21.

    Victoria would have to travel from her home to Southampton General Hospital via ferry and then drive or take a taxi to the hospital once she reached the mainland. The return ferry ticket alone could cost anywhere between £80 to £200 at peak times. Victoria had to stop working and struggled to face these costs alongside her house costs, which led to her giving up her flat. Victoria said:

    If I was having my chemo in the morning and my clinic was 8am during rush hour, a taxi could be anywhere from £12 to 15 just to go up the road. The parking alone would cost us £20 to 23 a go. As much as people say ‘it’s only £20’, that £20 is my week’s food.

    It was a case of I either I keep my own safe space or die. I was previously homeless a year or so before I started my cancer treatment, so my flat was my achievement, so it was sad giving that up but it had to be done.

    It is brilliant news. I really struggled to keep on top of the costs of getting to and from hospital so it’s great to know that other young people will get support to face these challenges like I did and can focus on getting their treatment.

  • PRESS RELEASE : More than 3,400 jobs and targeted support for local communities to help tackle the cost of living as Lanarkshire named latest AI Growth Zone [February 2026]

    PRESS RELEASE : More than 3,400 jobs and targeted support for local communities to help tackle the cost of living as Lanarkshire named latest AI Growth Zone [February 2026]

    The press release issued by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology on 3 February 2026.

    Scotland will host a new AI Growth Zone in Lanarkshire, supporting more than 3,400 jobs and helping drive economic growth as part of the UK’s Modern Industrial Strategy.

    • Scotland to host new AI Growth Zone – a key pillar of the UK’s Modern Industrial Strategy – creating 3,400 highvalue jobs and boosting wages across the region over the coming years
    • Strong links with universities and businesses to open new collaborations, as the delivery of dozens of apprenticeships to support the next generation of Scottish AI talent. 
    • £8.2 billion in private investment committed with an additional £540 million to support the local community, help tackle the cost of living, and boost jobs
    • Demonstrates rapid progress on AI, with over 75% of the AI Opportunities Action Plan already delivered, laying the groundwork for growth and transformed public services. 

    Hardworking people in Lanarkshire will have access to the skills and opportunities they need to chase the jobs of the future, as AI is put to work to transform communities and livelihoods.  

    Delivered by home-grown data centre company DataVita around their data centre site in Airdrie – and in partnership with AI cloud firm CoreWeave – the Lanarkshire AI Growth Zone announced by the Technology Secretary today (29 January) will bring more than 3,400 jobs over the course of the coming years (note), including delivering 50 apprenticeships to nurture the next generation of Scottish AI expertise.  

    Of these jobs, around 800 are expected to focus on the high-paying AI jobs of the future, including everything from AI researchers and coders through to permanent staff who will run and maintain data centres. The rest will be made up of immediate construction jobs, as attention turns to building out the entire site, including data centres, supportive infrastructure, and a renewables park. 

    Alongside £8.2 billion in private investment that will drive economic renewal in the local area, a new community fund will inject up to £543 million into support for a range of local programmes over the next 15 years (note). The money will come as a direct result of the work carried out at the site, being raised as data centre capacity comes online.  

    From skills and training packages which will give people the tools they need for jobs in and working with AI, through to after-school coding clubs, and support for local charities and foodbanks – this is how the government is ensuring AI is delivering frontline support and opportunity for communities and playing an active role to bring down the cost of living. 

    AI Growth Zones are just one of the many commitments the government has delivered one year on from the publication of the AI Opportunities Action Plan. In total the government has met 38 of its 50 commitments (note) with the public able to track progress in detail at a newly published interactive dashboard. 

    In the past 12 months, the government has laid the foundations for long-term success, increased its AI computing power tenfold and launched a major skills drive which has already seen over one million free AI courses delivered.   

    It is already delivering practical benefits – a third of chest x-rays in the NHS are AI-enabled, while AI is also helping the government function more efficiently by reducing the time taken to identify fraud by 80%. Meanwhile, Extract, the government-backed tool to digitise planning, is expected to be made available to all councils by Spring 2026, with a target to digitise all planning documents by the end of 2026. AI tutoring tools to narrow the attainment gap will also be co-developed this Summer and begin trials at the start of the next academic year. 

    The UK AI sector is already the largest in Europe, raising £6 billion in 2025, which is an 80% increase from 2024. 

    Prime Minister Keir Starmer said:  

    Getting on in life should not mean travelling miles from your community for work while struggling to pay the bills at home. 

    By bringing billions of pounds of investment into Lanarkshire, we are creating good, wellpaid jobs and funding support that directly helps families with the cost of living.

    With strong progress made on our AI Opportunities Action Plan over the past year, now is the time to put our foot on the accelerator and ensure working people feel the benefits in every corner of the UK.

    Technology Secretary Liz Kendall said:   

    Today’s announcement is about creating good jobs, backing innovation and making sure the benefits AI will bring can be felt across the community – that’s how the UK government is delivering real change for the people of Scotland. 

    From thousands of new jobs and billions in investment through to support for local people and their families, AI Growth Zones are bringing generation-defining opportunity to all corners of the country.

    Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves said: 

    Seizing the opportunities of AI is vital for getting jobs and growth in every part of the country. 

    Our AI growth zones are doing just that – creating new opportunities for local communities and unlocking investment so businesses can grow and scale up, building an economy that works for working people.

    Scotland Office Minister Kirsty McNeill said: 

    North Lanarkshire’s proud industrial heritage helped power Britain through the last century – from coal and steel to manufacturing. Today, we’re writing the next chapter, as this community becomes home to an advanced AI site. The area will once again be at the very heart of Scotland’s and Britain’s industrial story. 

    This is the UK government’s economic growth in action. Scotland’s AI Growth Zone, backed by £5 million of UK government investment will create more than 3,400 jobs and attract billions in investment. With 5 AI Growth Zones now across the UK, we are cementing our position as Europe’s leading tech sector. 

    The UK government’s AI Growth Zone will bring new industries, good jobs and fresh opportunities to North Lanarkshire, but also boost the economy of the whole of central Scotland.

    Danny Quinn, Managing Director of DataVita, said: 

    Scotland has everything AI needs, the talent, the green energy, and now the infrastructure. But this goes beyond the physical buildings

    We’re creating innovation parks, new energy infrastructure, and attracting inward investment from some of the world’s leading technology companies. This is a massive opportunity for North Lanarkshire & Scotland, and we want to make sure local people share in it.

    The £543 million community fund means the benefits stay here, good jobs, new skills, and investment that actually reaches the people who live and work in this area.

    Ben Richardson, Managing Director of CoreWeave International, said: 

    The Lanarkshire AI Growth Zone marks a meaningful step in moving the UK from AI ambition into AI in production.

    We’re proud to make this £1.5 billion investment with DataVita, delivering a production-grade AI cloud designed to run, scale, and evolve as AI becomes embedded across the economy.

    That long-term approach is what supports economic growth and strengthens the UK’s position in AI.

    Bolstering the benefits for local communities even further, DataVita’s parent company HFD Group will also contribute a separate £1 million per year towards local charities and community groups.  

    When completed, Lanarkshire will be one of the most advanced AI sites anywhere in the world, with DataVita planning to include the generation of more than 500MW of on-site power to drive AI breakthroughs in the next 4 years.  

    It will also explore cutting-edge solutions to one of the most pressing challenges facing AI – energy consumption. The energy powering this new Growth Zone will be drawn from on-site renewables, while excess heat – produced by cooling systems as they keep cutting-edge computers and tech in top working order – will also be put to good use. Once the site is fully up and running, plans will be explored to see this excess heat re-directed to power the nearby University Hospital Monklands – Scotland’s first fully digital and Net Zero hospital.   

    Being in striking distance of land ripe for development for solar and wind power source will help to ensure the UK can realise its AI ambitions without compromising on its clean energy superpower mission. This is a pioneering new approach to AI development – harnessing renewable energy to power advances in the technology while ensuring those benefits always filter down to benefit local communities.  

    CoreWeave will be one of the key backers of the site, rolling out cutting edge NVIDIA GPU chips so researchers and innovators can power their work. This deployment will be part of the £2.5 billion investment the company has made to AI projects in the UK.   

    It joins a stable of 5 AI Growth Zones announced in the 12 months since the launch of the AI Opportunities Action Plan, joining Oxfordshire, North and South Wales, and the North East of England as jewels in the UK’s AI Crown. All told, AI Growth Zone announcements over the last 12 months have been bolstered by commitments to add up to 15,000 jobs for local communities, and at least £28.2 billion in private investment (note).     

  • PRESS RELEASE : UK and Japan strengthen science and technology ties [February 2026]

    PRESS RELEASE : UK and Japan strengthen science and technology ties [February 2026]

    The press release issued by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology on 3 February 2026.

    New partnerships across life sciences, quantum and advanced connectivity.

    • Multi-million pound investment into UK life sciences’ gene therapy industry, and a partnership to deliver a national rare disease genomics pilot for Japan
    • Millions in joint funding for quantum technologies to speed up drug discovery, secure data and improve navigation
    • New £6 million UK-Japan research and innovation programme for seamless mobile coverage and stronger digital infrastructure

    The UK and Japan have announced a major package of science and technology collaborations, strengthening ties between 2 of the world’s leading innovation hubs.  

    The announcements being detailed today (Tuesday 3 February) were confirmed during the Prime Minister’s visit to Japan on Saturday, where he committed to deepening the science and tech ties between our 2 countries. 

    These announcements span life sciences, quantum and connectivity tech. The projects are geared towards developing cures for rare genetic diseases and bringing ultra-fast mobile coverage to every part of the UK.   

    Leaders also agreed to hold the Japan-UK Joint Committee on Cooperation in Science and Technology for the first time in 3 years, and to establish a new space consultation. 

    In a boost for UK life sciences manufacturing, Orchard Therapeutics, the UK subsidiary of Japanese company Kyowa Kirin, is set to invest around £11 million in the UK. Subject to final agreement of terms and conditions of the UK government’s Life Sciences Innovative Manufacturing Fund, the funding will go towards the discovery of new drugs which could treat and beat diseases – transforming outcomes for patients. 

    This package of news adds to the £33 billion in bilateral trade between the UK and Japan. From collaboration on breakthrough technologies, to cooperation in high-growth economic sectors like space and cyber, through to the opportunities offered through both countries’ association to Horizon Europe, there are vast avenues by which the UK and Japan could go even further unlock the promise of science and technology to grow our economies and improve lives.

    Science Minister Lord Vallance said: 

    These announcements, covering life sciences, quantum and more, spotlight some of the key science-driven industries in which the UK and Japan are working together. The prizes on offer include new therapies for diseases that were previously considered untreatable, and critical infrastructure for the digital age. 

    It’s crucial that British and Japanese scientific and commercial partnerships continue to flourish, so we can grow our economies, create jobs, and give hope to patients battling some of the cruellest diseases.

    The investment by Kyowa Kirin into Orchard Therapeutics paves the way for gene therapies for devastating illnesses to be researched and developed in the UK – supporting high‑skilled jobs and helping ensure patients can access the most innovative treatments, with further potential investment in R&D to follow.  

    It builds on the success of Libmeldy (atidarsagene autotemcel), a revolutionary treatment developed by the company to treat children with metachromatic leukodystrophy. This rare and fatal genetic disease causes severe damage to the affected child’s nervous system and organs, but Orchard’s gene therapy, which is available on the NHS, saves lives by inserting working copies of a faulty gene in a patient’s own blood stem cells. 

    And, in another step forwards in deepening UK–Japan collaboration in life sciences, innovative British genomics firm, Oxford Nanopore Technologies, will enter into a multi-year strategic partnership with Japanese genetic testing provider Genesis Healthcare (A.D.A.M Innovations).  Following a UK government-led engineering biology trade mission to Japan in October 2025, the 2 companies are agreeing Heads of Terms to initiate a national pilot focused on transforming screening for rare diseases. 

    The UK and Japan are also launching 3 new joint quantum technology research projects, bringing together leading researchers from both countries to address challenges ranging from drug discovery and secure communications, to navigation in environments where GPS is unavailable. 

    The projects – ranging from work on quantum computers, to more accurate quantum sensors, to work laying the foundations of a future quantum internet – are jointly funded by £4.5 million from the UK’s Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) and just over £5.2 million from the Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST). 

    The Prime Minister also announced a £6 million UK–Japan research programme on advanced connectivity technologies, jointly funded by both governments.  

    These technologies will help to provide seamless coverage so that everyone can access digital services wherever they are, and ensure networks can reliably withstand cyberthreats and natural disasters. 

    The programme is backed by £3 million from the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, matched by £3 million from the Japanese Government. It will focus on artificial intelligence in telecoms, non‑terrestrial networks like satellite internet, and ‘optical’ networks that promise to deliver ultra-high capacity and energy efficiency. 

    Together, these announcements demonstrate the strength of the UK–Japan science and technology partnership and a shared commitment to innovation that drives economic growth, improves lives and strengthens resilience in an increasingly connected world. 

    Notes to editors

    Orchard Therapeutics Investment

    The investment into Orchard Therapeutics is the latest positive step for the UK’s critical Cell and Gene sector, which is currently home to over 90 advanced therapy companies. The UK government remains committed to keeping the UK at the forefront of cell and gene advancements, building on its existing status as a trailblazer in CAR-T cell therapy- primarily used to treat blood cancers – being the first in Europe to make it commercially available. 

    Bobby Gaspar, M.D., Ph.D., co-founder and chief executive officer (CEO) of  Orchard Therapeutics said: 

    Since joining Kyowa Kirin, we have remained committed to accelerating the realization of our shared vision of ending the devastation caused by severe genetic diseases and delivering life-changing value in medical care.

    We remain as true to our mission as ever, and bolstering our presence, infrastructure, and internal capabilities in our Hammersmith lab and office facility is a critical component to ensuring we remain well positioned to continue developing innovative cell and gene therapies for the benefits of patients, physicians, health care systems and society.

    Kyowa Kirin President and Chief Operating Officer (COO) Abdul Mullick, Ph.D., said: 

    Orchard Therapeutics has become a core pillar of our mission.

    By adding a gene and cell therapy modality with the potential to deliver one‑time treatments, we are making an investment fully aligned with our vision to create and deliver life‑changing value for patients. We also remain strongly committed to advancing innovation and development in the UK together with the government’s support.

    Oxford Nanopore-Genesis Healthcare partnership

    The rare disease screening pilot will see Oxford Nanopore introduce its new advanced generation nanopore-based sensing technology to help consolidate numerous existing test approaches into a single, focused genome test, initially applied to neuromuscular disorders. 

    Delivered by Genesis Healthcare, the test will allow screening for more than 70 currently under-diagnosed neuromuscular conditions. Set to begin in the second half 2026, the Oxford Nanopore-Genesis Healthcare partnership will directly support objectives to translate genomic research into clinical settings laid out in the recent UK–Japan Health Memorandum of Cooperation.   

    This is expected to generate sustained, recurring demand for UK-manufactured sequencing platforms and consumables, supporting high-skilled jobs, strengthen life sciences supply chains in both countries and drive innovation in treatments, technologies, and models of care for these rare neuromuscular conditions.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Barnsley becomes UK’s first government-backed Tech Town [February 2026]

    PRESS RELEASE : Barnsley becomes UK’s first government-backed Tech Town [February 2026]

    The press release issued by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology on 3 February 2026.

    Barnsley named UK’s first Tech Town – with local schools and college, businesses, NHS and more getting bespoke government support to unleash opportunities of AI.

    • Barnsley named UK’s first Tech Town – with local schools and college, businesses, NHS and more getting bespoke government support to unleash opportunities of AI 
    • Delivers on town’s ambitions to put AI to work in overhauling public services and business, blazing a trail for the rest of the UK to follow
    • Leading firms including Microsoft, Cisco, Adobe and Google back the plans and pledge to support local people’s access to jobs of the future
    • Follows launch of free AI training for all as part of commitment to upskill 10 million UK workers, naming of Lanarkshire as latest AI Growth Zone, and £36 million investment into AI Research Resource supercomputer

    People across Barnsley could see improved public services, better support in local schools, quicker NHS care and new opportunities for jobs and skills as it becomes the UK’s first government backed Tech Town.   

    Announced today (Tuesday 3 February), Technology Secretary Liz Kendall has set out plans to put the full heft of government behind the town’s rollout of AI across everything from education to health and more.   

    Tech Town status will position Barnsley as the UK’s trailblazer, acting as a national blueprint for how AI can improve everyday life. From AI tools that help GPs triage patients quicker, to new digital training for adults – today marks the start of a transformation designed to make like easier, fairer and more prosperous in Barnsley.    

    Over the next 18 months, government will work closely with local business leaders, educators, NHS workers and more to build local talent who can access the jobs of the future, and make local services fit for the AI era. Unleashing AI’s potential to turbo-charge how we learn and upskill is a central part of Barnsley’s regeneration plans, and the government’s ambitions for the UK overall too. Barnsley is set to forge a path the rest of the country, could follow – one that makes sure communities left behind by the economic changes of the 20th century, can seize the benefits of the 21st.  

    This will include:   

    • free AI and digital training – working with Barnsley College and the South Yorkshire Institute of Technology, residents will be able to take part in free courses to boost their career, retrain or simply learn something new
    • help to increase AI adoption – expanding the Seam Digital Campus to give small and growing businesses hands‑on support to use new technology, scale up and create good local jobs. The Seam is already home to 33 digital businesses, with plans for it to become an AI Campus based around a new National Centre for Digital Technologies
    • innovating in healthcare – partnering with Barnsley Hospital to test AI tools that offer quicker check-ins, faster triage and smoother outpatient care – providing a better service and freeing up NHS workers to focus on what they do best
    • tools to support teaching and learning –testing AI and edtech tools in schools and Barnsley College, to improve evidence of the impact of technology on pupil outcomes, inclusion and reducing teacher workload
    • building the right infrastructure – planning how the town will use technology better like public buildings and Wi‑Fi, as well as adding strong cybersecurity so people can use digital services with confidence and boosting connectivity

    Government will use its convening power to get leading tech companies involved in this work in Barnsley, with Microsoft and Cisco’s UK CEOs joining Kendall on a visit to Barnsley, to see the town’s digital and AI ambitions first-hand. Leading tech firms including Cisco, Microsoft, Adobe and Google are backing the plans – with all 3 pledging a package of initiatives to boost Barnsley’s AI and digital talent, so that people of all ages can build the skills that will help them access the jobs of the future in growing tech industries. Key local organisations like Barnsley and Rotherham Chamber of Commerce and Barnsley CVS are also set to partner the Tech Town initiative. 

    This follows a raft of government action last week to unleash AI’s potential as a force for national renewal: from the launch of free AI training for all as part of commitment to upskill 10 million UK workers, to the naming of Lanarkshire as the latest AI Growth Zone, as well as a £36 million investment to upgrade the AI Research Resource supercomputer in Cambridge. 

    Science and Technology Secretary Liz Kendall said:  

    I am delighted to have been invited by Barnsley, to work with them to achieve their ambition to become the UK’s leading tech town.

    If we are going to get AI to work for Britain, we need Britons and British public services that can work with AI. That is why Barnsley’s ambitions are crucial, because if we can show that AI helps young people learn, supports local businesses to be more productive, and improves public services, then we can show what’s possible for the whole country.  

    What we learn here will shape how we roll out AI across the UK – making sure every community sees the benefits.

    Barnsley Council Leader Sir Stephen Houghton CBE said:  

    One of the key missions in our Inclusive Economic Growth Strategy is for Barnsley to become the UK’s leading digital town. Welcoming the Secretary of State to Barnsley to announce that we are the UK’s first Tech Town underlines our ambition and commitment to innovation which will benefit our residents, businesses and partners. This is one of the most important investments in Barnsley in our history and will help secure our long-term economic future. 

    The Tech Town programme is where cutting-edge technology meets everyday usefulness. It will complement our existing plans at The Seam Digital Campus, including the National Centre for Digital Technologies, and the Health on the High Street programme, which is revolutionising how residents can access health and wellbeing services in Barnsley. 

    We’re looking forward to working with colleagues from DSIT, our residents and our partners to shape the programme to create safer, smarter public services and new opportunities for everyone to thrive in the emerging and fast-paced AI landscape, blazing a trail for the rest of the country to follow. 

    South Yorkshire’s Mayor, Oliver Coppard, said: 

    Thanks in no small part to work being led by Steve Houghton and Barnsley Council, we’re building a bigger, better economy in South Yorkshire, creating jobs and opportunities in the industries that will define the next generation and beyond. 

    That’s why the government have recognised Barnsley as the UK’s first Tech Town. Because we have already built a thriving digital ecosystem, from The Seam Digital Campus and the growing cluster of digital and creative businesses, to the cutting edge training at Barnsley College and the South Yorkshire Institute of Technology. Barnsley has all the foundations of a modern, thriving tech economy. 

    This is a place that is driving real change across our region. Being recognised as the first Tech Town in the UK both reflects and reinforces that momentum, strengthening South Yorkshire’s position as one of the most exciting tech communities in the country.

    UK government AI Ambassador, and 2024 Nobel Prize Winner for Economics, Simon Johnson said:  

    AI is changing everything, and the opportunities are massive. We have to make sure that everyone, wherever they live and whatever their background, gets to feel the benefits.  

    But that will only happen with ordinary people in the driving seat. That’s why what’s happening in Barnsley is going to be critical, to the whole country’s AI aspirations. By putting this technology into the hands of local people, working to improve their town, Barnsley can guide us to an AI-powered future that puts people and their families first, and that builds stronger communities. 

    Naming Barnsley as the UK’s first Tech Town is about putting local residents in the driving seat. Over the coming months, they will be invited to a series of “Tech Town Halls” – giving local people a real say in how AI is used across the community and an opportunity to feedback their experience of using the technology.   

    Barnsley is already embracing AI and other technologies to improve people’s lives. Delivery company EVRi recently trialled robot delivery dogs in the town, it is one of the first UK councils to roll out Copilot at scale and it is being used to support overstretched social care teams from paperwork.   

    Becoming a Tech Town will help take these bold ambitions to the next level. Just last month the government announced plans to make safe AI-powered tutoring tools available to up to 450,000 children in a bid to level the playing field for disadvantaged pupils. Trials will start in summer this year with a number of schools in Barnsley being considered.  

    While Barnsley’s Seam Digital Campus is set to be expanded into an AI campus; to help local firms make use of AI, to link them with universities and investors, and to help build a pipeline of local skilled tech talent.  

    Becoming a Tech Town will help take these bold ambitions to the next level. Just last month the government announced plans to co-design and trial safe AI-powered tutoring tools in schools. These tools could support up to 450,000 disadvantaged children; levelling the playing field for those who cannot afford private tutors. The co-design will start in the summer term this year with schools in Barnsley being considered.   

    Support for Barnsley Tech Town

    Nathan Hancock, Vice President and MD, Adobe UK, Ireland and Middle East, said: 

    AI is reshaping businesses, industries and the economy at a rapid pace, but it will only reach its full potential if skills and training programmes are accessible and delivered in partnership with industry to meet the real-world needs of businesses today.  

    By partnering with the government on the Tech Town initiative, we will bring the best of Adobe’s AI-driven tools, skilling and education programmes to the community, accelerating innovation and creativity, transforming careers and creating a talent hub in Barnsley that supports the UK’s ambition of becoming a leading AI economy.

    Sarah Walker, Chief Executive, Cisco UK and Ireland, said: 

    AI is set to be more transformative than the advent of the Internet. But to really matter to our citizens today, it must translate locally. That’s exactly what this first government-backed Tech Town is designed to deliver. How AI can be applied in real places, for real people, to make everyday life and work better. Whether that’s a parent being able to book childcare more easily, or a small business finding the confidence to hire and grow. 

     >Together with the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) and local leaders, we are excited to support Barnsley showcasing how towns across the UK can turn AI innovation into visible improvements in people’s lives, prospects and public services.

    Barnsley College CEO and Principal, David Akeroyd, said: 

    Being named the UK’s first government‑backed Tech Town is a significant moment for Barnsley, and Barnsley College is proud to be at the heart of this ambition. 

    This work reflects the long-standing commitment, vision, expertise and dedication of the College and our partners, who continue to push boundaries and provide a sector-leading digital curriculum to ensure our community can build the skills needed for an AI‑enabled future. 

    Together, we are creating new opportunities for people across Barnsley, opportunities that will shape lives, strengthen our economy, and open the door to a more innovative and prosperous future.

    Notes to editors

    Barnsley Tech Town supports Barnsley 2030: Barnsley Council’s long-term plan to build a prosperous, better, fairer and more inclusive town.  

    As part of Barnsley’s ambition to become the UK’s leading digital town, work is already well underway delivering the Seam Digital Campus, part of the South Yorkshire Investment Zone, which is home to DMC: an innovation space for digital and creative scale-ups. This is where the forthcoming National Centre for Digital Technologies will be based.  

    The £15 million Barnsley campus of the South Yorkshire Institute of Technology is also already up and running, offering a state-of-the-art learning environment that replicates industry conditions and uses the latest equipment 

  • PRESS RELEASE : Change of His Majesty’s Ambassador to the United States of America – Sir Christian Turner KCMG [February 2026]

    PRESS RELEASE : Change of His Majesty’s Ambassador to the United States of America – Sir Christian Turner KCMG [February 2026]

    The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 2 February 2026.

    Sir Christian Turner KCMG has taken up the role of His Majesty’s Ambassador to the United States of America.

    Following his appointment by His Majesty The King on 18 December 2025, Sir Christian Turner KCMG has presented his credentials to the US State Department and taken up the role of His Majesty’s Ambassador to the United States of America.  

    Curriculum vitae

    Full name: Christian Philip Hollier Turner

    DateRole
    2023 to 2025 FCDO, Director General Geopolitics and Political Director
    2019 to 2023Islamabad, British High Commissioner
    2017 to 2019Prime Minister’s International Affairs Adviser and Deputy National Security Adviser
    2016 to 2017FCO, Director General MENA and Africa; Acting Political Director
    2016No 10, Director, London Syria Conference
    2012 to 2016 Nairobi, British High Commissioner
    2009 to 2012FCO, Director, Middle East and North Africa
    2008 to 2009FCO, Deputy Director, Middle East and North Africa
    2007 to 2008 Cabinet Office, Deputy Director, MENANA, Overseas and Defence Secretariat
    2007No 10, Private Secretary to Prime Minister
    2002 to 2006Washington, First Secretary
    1998 to 2002Cabinet Office Fast Stream including roles in Prime Minister’s Strategy Unit, Private Secretary to Minister of State, Secretary to Economic and Domestic Committees of Cabinet
  • PRESS RELEASE : Enhanced Free Trade Agreement with Switzerland round update [February 2026]

    PRESS RELEASE : Enhanced Free Trade Agreement with Switzerland round update [February 2026]

    The press release issued by the Department for Business and Trade on 2 February 2026.

    Update following round 9 of negotiations on an enhanced Free Trade Agreement with Switzerland.

    The ninth round of negotiations on an enhanced Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with Switzerland took place in London between 12 and 16 January 2026. 

    The new deal aims to support British businesses, back British jobs, and put more money in people’s pockets. 

    The enhanced agreement with Switzerland demonstrates the UK government’s commitment to economic growth through strengthening trade ties with our 10th biggest trading partner – a relationship worth £49 billion in the 12 months ending September 2025.

    The FTA aims to deliver long-term certainty for UK services firms by locking in access to the Swiss market, guaranteeing the free flow of data and cementing business travel arrangements. 

    The trading relationship supported 130,000 services jobs across the UK in 2020 in sectors including legal, consultancy and finance. 

    The new agreement will update the current goods-focused UK-Swiss FTA, signed in 2019 and largely based on an EU-Swiss deal from 1972. This does not cover services, investment, digital or data, despite services accounting for over 60% of UK trade with Switzerland.

    We have already extended the Services Mobility Agreement between the UK and Switzerland for a further four years to 2029.

    Provisional agreement was reached on environment and labour policy areas, which both sides have agreed to combine in a chapter called ‘Trade and Sustainable Development’.

    Next steps on FTA negotiations 

    The government is focussed on securing outcomes in an enhanced FTA that boost economic growth for the UK.

    The government will only ever sign a trade agreement which aligns with the UK’s national interests, upholding our high standards across a range of sectors, alongside protections for the National Health Service.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Pension scheme reforms to tackle gender pension gap [February 2026]

    PRESS RELEASE : Pension scheme reforms to tackle gender pension gap [February 2026]

    The press release issued by the Department for Work and Pensions on 2 February 2026.

    Millions of working women will be better off with new measures being introduced to tackle historic gender pension gap.

    Millions of women working in local government will see their pensions improve under new reforms coming into force in April, as the government takes action to close the gender pension gap.

    These steps will directly benefit working people on the front line, serving school lunches, cleaning buildings, managing libraries, and cleaning streets. 

    Measures include making gender pension gap data reporting statutory and making unpaid additional maternity, shared parental and adoption leave automatically pensionable.  

    Around three-quarters of the scheme’s near seven million members are women and one of the most significant causes of the gender pension gap is due to maternity leave.  

    Making unpaid additional maternity leave automatically pensionable is a critical step that will help close the gender pension gap.   

    Minister for Local Government and Homelessness, Alison McGovern said 

    It is shocking that this gender imbalance in our pension system has persisted so long, and I am proud that these reforms will help correct this historic inequality.  

    These crucial changes will give hard working cleaners, librarians, school cooks and other public servants the security in retirement they deserve.

    Minister for Pensions Torsten Bell said:  

    For too long, women have been penalised in retirement simply for having children.

    These reforms mean that for millions of women working in local government, taking time out to care for a new baby will no longer cost them their pension security.

    This is about a pension system that works for modern families and properly values the vital contribution of working women across our public services.

    TUC general secretary Paul Nowak said:

    Everyone deserves a decent quality of life in retirement, but the gender pension gap means that too many women are pushed into hardship. 

    It’s not right. That’s why these measures are an important step forward – they will make a meaningful difference for millions of women working in local government, helping them to build up a decent pension.

    It’s now vital we see more action to close the gender pensions pay gap across the whole workforce, including by extending this approach to the rest of the public sector.

    Other measures include backdated payments and increased future pension payments to ensure that all surviving partners of eligible members are given the same pension as other survivors regardless of the type of relationship they were in.   

    Due to issues with the existing regulations, there have been instances where people in same-sex marriages and civil partnerships have received a more generous pension entitlement than those in opposite-sex marriages and partnerships.  

    Under these new reforms, all discrimination on the basis of the sex of those affected will be removed.      

    Another reform will remove an age cap currently in place that requires an LGPS member to have died before the age of 75 for their survivor to receive a lump sum payment. 

    The government is also taking steps to keep people in the scheme by enhancing data collection on why people opt out, in a bid to ensure as many people as possible benefit.