Tag: Press Release

PRESS RELEASE : Towards a new Declaration for the Protection of Humanitarian Personnel [September 2024]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 23 September 2024.

Foreign Ministers of Australia, Jordan, Switzerland, Indonesia, Sierra Leone, the United Kingdom, Japan, Brazil and Colombia gave a joint statement on the protection of humanitarian personnel.

Statement by Foreign Ministers of Australia, Jordan, Switzerland, Indonesia, Sierra Leone, the United Kingdom, Japan, Brazil and Colombia:

Australia, Jordan, Switzerland, Indonesia, Sierra Leone, the United Kingdom, Japan, Brazil and Colombia, today announced the formation of a Ministerial Group for the Protection of Humanitarian Personnel, dedicated to upholding and championing international humanitarian law and driving action to protect humanitarian personnel in conflict zones.

International humanitarian law is the foundation for alleviating human suffering in wars. It limits the effects of armed conflict and regulates the conduct of hostilities. It provides for the protection of civilians, including the protection and respect of humanitarian personnel who assist and protect the victims of armed conflict, and notably provide the food, water and medical care that civilians in conflict zones need to survive.

But respect for international humanitarian law is severely undermined, with consequences for current and future conflicts. Calls for compliance are not being heard.

2023 was the deadliest year on record for humanitarian personnel, with 280 killed and hundreds more wounded and kidnapped. 2024 is on track to be even worse.

This year alone, we have seen humanitarian personnel killed in Sudan, South Sudan, Ukraine, Yemen and many other contexts. Gaza is the most dangerous place on earth to be an aid worker, with over 300 humanitarian personnel killed since the start of the war.

In forming this Ministerial Group, and in partnership with humanitarian organisations, we rededicate ourselves to the protection of humanitarian personnel. We stand together, seizing the momentum created by the adoption of UN Security Council Resolution 2730 in May 2024, to strengthen international commitment and translate it into action, to reverse current trends.

The Ministerial Group has decided to pursue a Declaration on the Protection of Humanitarian Personnel.

The Declaration will be developed over the coming months, and will demonstrate the unity of the international community’s commitment to protect humanitarian personnel and to channel that commitment into action in all current and future conflicts. All countries will be invited to join the Declaration.

The Declaration will support the United Nations Secretary-General in his endeavours to improve the safety and security of humanitarian personnel, including in accordance with UNSCR 2730.

October 2, 2024
PRESS RELEASE : Chancellor unveils package to deliver on promises of new government [September 2024]
The press release issued by HM Treasury on 23 September 2024.

The Chancellor has today unveiled a package of measures to deliver on the agenda of the new government.
- 750 schools with primary aged pupils funded for breakfast club pilot to run from April 2025
- New Industrial Strategy to be published in spring
- Decision to write off over £640 million in written off Covid PPE contracts reversed
- HMRC to consult on e-invoicing for businesses and government departments
The Chancellor has today unveiled a package of measures to deliver on the agenda of the new government including a breakfast club pilot for 750 schools with primary aged pupils, new powers for the Covid Corruption Commissioner, e-invoicing to support business and the next steps on the government’s industrial strategy.

School Breakfast Club Pilot

The Chancellor announced that up to 750 schools with primary aged pupils will be invited to take part in a £7 million breakfast club pilot. The funding will allow these schools to run free breakfast clubs for their pupils in the summer term (April-July 2025).

The Department for Education will work with the schools selected as part of the pilot to understand how breakfast clubs can be delivered to meet the needs of schools, parents and pupils when the programme is rolled out nationally.

This will help reduce the number of students at schools with primary aged pupils starting the school day hungry and ensure children come to school ready to learn. It will also support the government’s aim to tackle child poverty by addressing rising food insecurity among children.

Covid Corruption Commissioner

Reeves also announced a block on any Covid-era PPE contract being abandoned or waived until it has been assessed by the new Covid Corruption Commissioner, whom will be appointed in October.

The decision will affect £647 million of Covid PPE contracts where contract recovery was previously earmarked to be waived.

It follows action already in motion to cut government waste and curb unnecessary spending. In her statement to Parliament in July, the Chancellor pledged to halve government consultancy spend from 2025-26, with savings targets of £550 million this financial year and a further £680 million in the next already announced.

Excessive use of ministerial travel by aeroplane and helicopter is also being cutdown, with confirmation that a military contract for a helicopter also used for VIP trips, is not being renewed at the end of the year as previously announced.

Industrial Strategy

The Chancellor also today announced that the Industrial Strategy will be at the heart of the government’s mission to grow the economy, unlock investment and make every part of the country better off. It will focus on delivering long-term change to the economy by making Britain a clean energy superpower and accelerating to net zero, breaking down barriers to regional growth, and building a secure and resilient economy.

A green paper will be published around Budget in October outlining the long-term sectoral growth and priority industries of the government, ahead of the final strategy published in the spring of 2025 following a consultation with business.

HMRC package

Chancellor Reeves also outlined a package of reforms to improve the UK’s tax system to help fix the foundations of the UK economy.

As part of the package, HMRC will soon launch a consultation on electronic invoicing (e-invoicing) to promote its wider use across UK businesses and government departments.

The introduction of e-invoicing can significantly reduce administrative tasks, improve cash flow, boost productivity, introduce automation, and reduce errors in tax returns – all helping to close the tax gap. The consultation will gather input from businesses on how HMRC can support investment in and encourage e-invoicing uptake.

The Chancellor also announced that Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury James Murray, the minister responsible for the UK’s tax system, has become the Chair of the HMRC Board. This is to help oversee the implementation of his three strategic priorities for HMRC; closing the tax gap, modernising and reforming, and improving customer service.

It was also announced that a new Digital Transformation Roadmap, aimed to be published in Spring 2025, will set out HMRC’s vision to be a digital first organisation underpinned by customer insight. The Roadmap will include measures to ensure digital inclusion and support for customers who cannot yet interact digitally.

There was a further update that new staff are expected to join HMRC’s training programme in November as 200 additional offer letters have been issued as part of the 450 letters already sent. This is part of HMRC’s plans to recruit an additional 5,000 compliance staff to help close the tax gap.
October 1, 2024
PRESS RELEASE : Measures to ensure decent homes for all [September 2024]
The press release issued by the Department of Housing, Communities and Local Government on 22 September 2024.

The government will consult on a new Decent Homes Standard for the rented sectors.
- Government to consult on a new Decent Homes Standard for the rented sectors
- Awaab’s Law legislation for the social rented sector will be brought forward this autumn, and protections will be extended to private rented sector through Renters Rights Bill
- Introducing new access to information requirements for housing associations so tenants can access the information they need to hold their landlords to account
The government will consult on a new Decent Homes Standard for the rented sectors.

The consultation, which will launch as soon as possible, will look to ensure safe, secure housing is the standard people can expect in both social housing and private rented properties.

The government will also bring forward legislation for Awaab’s Law in the social rented sector this autumn, so hazards such as damp and mould must be investigated and remedied to set timescales. Implementing this legislation for social housing and extending protections to the private rented sector will support tenants to secure faster repairs, reducing health and safety risks.

Alongside this we will introduce new access to information requirements for housing associations, to enable tenants from the 2.5 million households managed by housing associations to hold their landlords to account and drive up the quality of the housing and services they provide.

We will also introduce a Competence and Conduct standard for the social rented sector that will ensure staff have the right skills, behaviours and experience to carry out the role they have in supporting often some of the most vulnerable in our society. The new standard, which will include qualification requirements for senior managers and executives, will help to raise standards across the sector, ensuring tenants receive a professional service and are treated with respect and dignity.

The government will bring forward further plans for high quality housebuilding through the revised National Planning Policy Framework this autumn, following the NPPF consultation which closes on 24 September.
October 1, 2024
PRESS RELEASE : Full devolution to be delivered across the North [September 2024]
The press release issued by the Department of Housing, Communities and Local Government on 22 September 2024.

The government is continuing to deliver devolution for all corners of the country, with a commitment to deliver full devolution across the North.
- Government will prioritise remaining Northern areas in the next wave of devolution deals
- Progression for deals covering Lancashire, Greater Lincolnshire, Hull and East Yorkshire and Devon and Torbay announced earlier this week will be prioritised
- Backing advanced manufacturing in the West Midlands and life sciences in West Yorkshire by releasing this year’s funding for the Mayors’ Investment Zones
The government is continuing to deliver devolution for all corners of the country, with a commitment to deliver full devolution across the North.

The next wave of devolution deals will work to ensure the remaining areas in the region not yet benefitting from greater devolved powers are supported to deliver agreements that work for their communities.

The commitment confirmed today follows the government’s announcement earlier this week that four devolution agreements will progress in Hull and East Yorkshire, Greater Lincolnshire, Lancashire, and Devon and Torbay.

The government will also release this year’s funding for two Investment Zones, delivering high quality jobs and attracting private sector investment, focusing on advanced manufacturing in the West Midlands and life sciences in West Yorkshire.

Investment Zones have been established in a number of Combined Authorities in England, combining tax incentives and flexible funding for research and development, skills, business support, local infrastructure and planning.

Further government action to deliver devolution includes:
- The English Devolution Bill announced in the King’s Speech;
- Establishing the Council of the Nations and Regions, with more details to be announced in due course;
- Asking existing mayors to develop Local Growth Plans for their areas to help drive regional growth. Greater Manchester, one of the places where devolution has existed for the longest and the powers are deepest, has been one of the UK’s fastest growing areas over the last 20 years, and is forecast to grow by more than the national average in coming years; and
- The devolution agreements announced this week means that over 60% of the country will be covered by a devolution deal.
October 1, 2024
PRESS RELEASE : New ‘brownfield passports’ to seize the growth opportunities of urban areas [September 2024]
The press release issued by the Department of Housing, Communities and Local Government on 22 September 2024.

As part of its brownfield first approach to development, the government has announced plans to support and expedite approval of urban sites, such as car parks.
- Call for evidence to look at how to accelerate building in urban areas.
- Part of the government’s brownfield first approach to deliver the homes in the areas people need.
- Sits alongside plans to deliver 1.5 million homes this Parliament.
As part of its brownfield first approach to development, the government has announced plans to support and expedite approval of urban sites, such as car parks.

As signalled in the National Planning Policy Framework consultation, the government is taking further steps toward the introduction of an effective ‘brownfield passport’ to ensure where proposals meet design and quality standards, the default answer is yes.

A call for evidence will be launched on options to further increase certainty in relation to brownfield development. These will include bold proposals that provide far greater clarity as to the principle, scale, and form of brownfield development with a view to lowering the risk, cost and uncertainty associated with securing planning permissions.

The options will then be discussed with key stakeholders, before specific proposals are consulted on, and any new policies implemented.

As part of its ambition to deliver 1.5 million homes this Parliament, the Government has already taken steps to deliver on its brownfield first approach through the NPPF consultation, setting out changes to clarify brownfield development is acceptable in principle. The consultation closes on 24 September.
October 1, 2024
PRESS RELEASE : More than 30 arrests in crackdown on Common Travel Area abuse [September 2024]

The press release issued by the Home Office on 22 September 2024.

A 3-day crackdown against people-smuggling gangs saw 31 arrests.

A Home Office crackdown against people-smuggling gangs and people exploiting the Common Travel Area (CTA) has led to the arrest of 31 people in multiple locations across the UK.

As the government steps up its pursuit against the criminal groups abusing our borders on all fronts, Immigration Enforcement teams, alongside UK police forces and international partners, descended on locations in the UK including Belfast, Scotland, Liverpool and Luton as part of a 3-day operation.

Checks were conducted at major ports, airports, and road networks across the country, targeting illegal migration and disrupting smuggling routes. Ruthless criminal gangs, operating both in the UK and internationally, often exploit vulnerable migrants, charging them thousands of pounds to enter the UK illegally, luring them with false promises of a better life.

During the operation, £400,000 of criminal cash and 10 fraudulent identity documents were seized. These documents, which are critical tools used by people-smuggling gangs, enable them to evade immigration controls. Created by criminal networks, counterfeit documents allow migrants to bypass border checks, trapping vulnerable people in further illegal activities. By exploiting these people, the gangs not only profit but also place them at risk of severe legal and personal consequences.

The multi-agency operation was led by Immigration Enforcement’s Criminal and Financial Investigations team in Northern Ireland, the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI), the National Crime Agency (NCA), other UK police forces, and international partners.

This operation is part of a national effort to stop irregular migration and human trafficking at key entry points across the UK, as the government works to tackle people-smuggling gangs and bring those exploiting vulnerable people to justice.

Minister for Border Security and Asylum, Dame Angela Eagle, said:

This government will not stand by as criminal gangs exploit vulnerable people, risking their lives and giving them false hopes of a better life in the UK. Driven by greed, these gangs have no regard for human life or safety, charging outrageous fees, preying on those desperate to escape hardship, and forcing them into illegal and dangerous situations.

We are taking the fight to them on all fronts under the leadership of our new Border Security Commander. Dismantling the business models of these gangs does not just apply to the small boats trade – we are also stamping out other routes into the UK to bring them to justice and slash their profits.

Home Office Immigration Enforcement Inspector, Jonathan Evans, said:

This operation has been a huge success and sends a clear message that the smuggling gangs who break our laws will face serious consequences.

We are taking action day in, day out to ensure we stay a step ahead of these criminal groups, disrupting them at the earliest possible stage. We will continue working relentlessly to ensure no one abuses the Common Travel Area or the UK’s borders.

I’m incredibly proud of our teams across the country, as well as our partners from the police, the National Crime Agency, and international counterparts, for their hard work and collaboration in carrying out this important operation.

October 1, 2024
PRESS RELEASE : Four devolution agreements signed off and others progressing [September 2024]

The press release issued by the Department of Housing, Communities and Local Government on 21 September 2024.

Step forward in government’s drive to hand more power from Westminster to local people with skin in the game.

Four areas will receive more power from Westminster in the latest step in the government’s devolution revolution, which will deliver real change by boosting economic growth across the country.

The government has today (19) signed off on agreements for regional mayors in Greater Lincolnshire and in Hull & East Yorkshire, and to establish combined county authorities in both Devon & Torbay and Lancashire.

The agreements signed today will mean local leaders have the power to make decisions in areas such as transport, adult education, and housing, boosting economic growth and opportunity, which are at the heart of the government’s agenda.

Mayors will be elected in Greater Lincolnshire and Hull & East Yorkshire – the last part of Yorkshire to be covered by a devolution deal – in May 2025 and will have control over transport, housing, skills, and investment to shape the future of their area.

For Devon & Torbay and Lancashire, combined county authorities will be established in early 2025 handed the responsibility for adult education. Ministers are encouraging local leaders to deepen these devolution deals and take strides towards mayoral devolution as a gold standard.

Subject to parliamentary approval and local consent, the devolution agreements will mean local leaders can make decisions that benefit their communities and harness the unique opportunities of their areas.

Devolution is central to the government’s mission to economic growth, but only around half of the people in England currently benefit from these arrangements. The Deputy Prime Minister wants every area to have the opportunity to benefit from new powers.

At the heart of the government’s drive to shift powers away from Westminster is the flagship English Devolution Bill, which will be introduced to give new powers to mayors and combined authorities – and roll out Local Growth Plans designed to maximise opportunities for growth.

Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner said:

“This is only the first step of our major ambition to drive forward our devolution revolution, and ensure we empower more communities and strengthen the existing powers of our brilliant mayors.”

The government is also minded to progress with the four non-mayoral ‘Level 2’ Single Local Authority devolution agreements with Cornwall Council, Buckinghamshire Council, Warwickshire County Council, and Surrey County Council, subject to further statutory tests being met. These agreements are an important step for places to see early benefits from devolution in the short-term. However, in making this downpayment in good faith, the government is encouraging these areas to continue working to explore the next steps towards deeper and wider devolution.

Today’s announcement comes after the Deputy Prime Minister’s letter inviting councils to share proposals for new devolution agreements over sensible geographies. The letter kickstarted the devolution revolution and the government expects more deals to be announced in the months to come.

The government strongly believes that the benefits of devolution are best achieved through the establishment of combined institutions with a directly elected leader. Mayors should have a unique role in an institution which allows them to focus fully on their devolved strategic responsibilities, working hand in glove with council leaders who will vitally also focus on the delivery of the essential services for which they are responsible. Conflating these two responsibilities into the same individual and institution, as is the case under the mayoral Single Local Authority model of devolution, would risk the optimal delivery of both and is not in line with the government’s approach to English devolution.

The government will therefore not proceed with the mayoral deals with Norfolk County Council and Suffolk County Council agreed with the previous government in December 2022 and instead intends to continue discussions over devolution in Norfolk & Suffolk.

The government will publish further detail on our approach to devolution in due course.

October 1, 2024
PRESS RELEASE : Joint Statement from Troika Capitals on South Sudan [September 2024]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 21 September 2024.

Statement by the Governments of Norway, the United Kingdom and the United States on the announcement by South Sudan’s leaders of an extension of the country’s transitional period.

The Governments of Norway, the United Kingdom, and the United States note with deep concern the announcement by South Sudan’s leaders of an extension of the country’s transitional period by two years.

This announcement demonstrates the persistent and collective failure of South Sudan’s leaders to create the conditions necessary to hold credible and peaceful elections in accordance with an established, publicly agreed-upon timeline.  Responsibility for this failure is shared by all parties in the transitional government.  As South Sudan’s leaders vie for power and fail to organise credible and peaceful elections, the people of South Sudan suffer the consequences. Millions face acute food insecurity year after year.

We acknowledge that elections cannot be credibly held as scheduled in December. This is because of South Sudanese leadership failures and lack of political will. Nevertheless, we cannot in good conscience endorse the extension of a status quo that prioritises the privileges of the elite over the welfare of the South Sudanese people.

We call on the transitional government to act with urgency to demonstrably create the conditions necessary for credible and peaceful elections. This includes expanded political and civic space to enable citizens to express their views without fear or repercussions, politically neutral security forces, funded and operationalized electoral institutions, and leaders’ public commitment to dialogue and the rejection of violence as a tool for political competition.

We urge South Sudan’s leaders to work toward sustainable peace, in particular through the Tumaini Initiative in Nairobi and broad-based leadership-level dialogue in Juba. It is also essential that the voices of women and youth are heard.

The Troika remains committed to the people of South Sudan in their journey towards a democratic future free from conflict.

October 1, 2024
PRESS RELEASE : Top perpetrators of VAWG targeted under new national strategy [September 2024]

The press release issued by the Home Office on 21 September 2024.

Women and girls will be better protected under a new national strategy using advanced data analysis and algorithms to relentlessly target the most dangerous perpetrators of abuse.

This initiative is part of an ambitious, unprecedented mission to reduce such violence by 50% within the next decade. It will see police forces use new data-driven tools to focus on the small number of offenders responsible for the highest levels of harm.

Working closely with the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC), and the College of Policing, the Home Secretary will oversee the development of a new national approach to the use of these data-driven tools – which use computer programmes to bring together and analyse a range of police data to identify and pursue offenders involved in domestic abuse, sexual assault, harassment and stalking.

These tools, used alongside police officers’ expert judgment, will help law enforcement prioritise and pursue the most dangerous offenders, enabling a more effective allocation of police resources.

The government is committed to providing both local and national capabilities to tackle these devastating crimes and ensure law enforcement agencies pursue the most prolific offenders.

In addition, the technology will assist in building risk profiles for both perpetrators and victims, enabling law enforcement and partner agencies to implement robust management plans that disrupt offenders’ behaviour and enhance victim safety.

This new approach will standardise the use of predictive technologies across police forces, ensuring those who pose the greatest threat are identified and managed through the criminal justice system or community-based, multi-agency interventions.

The Home Office funded National Police Chiefs’ Council’s Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) Taskforce will lead the charge in creating a framework for forces to follow. This framework will focus on identifying and managing the most dangerous offenders and drive forward a consistent national approach that allows those in operational policing to help meet the ambition to halve violence against women and girls in a decade.

October 1, 2024
PRESS RELEASE : A political solution is urgently needed to bring stability to Syria and to the region – UK statement at the UN Security Council [September 2024]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 20 September 2024.

Statement by Fergus Eckersley, Minister Counsellor, at the Security Council meeting on Syria.

First, the United Kingdom is gravely concerned by ongoing conflict and devastation within Syria and the risks this presents for the stability of the entire region. It must not be forgotten.

The regime and its backers continue to exploit this instability for their own gain. In a single attack last week, regime forces injured three innocent children in eastern Aleppo. And since we heard a lot from our Russian colleagues about the west today, let me also say that this month marks nine years since the start of Russia’s military intervention in Syria.

Since then, Russia has continued to defend and support the perpetrators of terrible attacks against the Syrian people.

And President, that violence across Syria continues unabated. This summer has also witnessed a concerning increase in Daesh attacks across Syria, made possible by the ongoing instability of a country locked in a cycle of conflict, with no resolution in sight.

The United Kingdom is dedicated to countering Daesh’s resurgence as a core member of the Global Coalition. We stand for the safety and freedom of the Syrian people.

Second, as we usher in the start of a new academic year, thousands of Syrian children are living in active conflict without access to education, a basic human right. Over 2 million children are out of school, and 1.6 million more are at risk of dropping out.

These children are the future of Syria and they deserve access to an equitable education system. This is why the United Kingdom is supporting over 200 schools across North West Syria, through our flagship Syria Education Programme.

Third, despite the tireless efforts of the UN Special Envoy, the Constitutional Committee has not met since the Assad regime and its backers blocked the meetings in Geneva. The regime has stifled progress towards a sustainable and lasting resolution to this conflict and chosen instead a path that prolongs the suffering of millions.

We urgently need a political solution to bring stability to Syria and to the region. In this regard, the UK fully endorses the Special Envoy’s efforts to implement UNSCR 2254.

October 1, 2024