Tag: Press Release

PRESS RELEASE : International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances 2024 – Joint statement to the OSCE [September 2024]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 5 September 2024.

Deputy Ambassador Deirdre Brown delivers a joint statement condemning enforced disappearances of Ukrainian civilians by Russia.

Thank you Chair.

I have the honour of delivering this statement on behalf of Canada, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and my own country, the United Kingdom.

30 August marked the annual International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances. As such, at today’s Permanent Council, we would like to state our strong condemnation of enforced disappearances.

We reaffirm our unwavering commitment to ending this serious human rights violation. In addition, we recall and reiterate the OSCE commitments we all made in adopting the 2020 Tirana Ministerial Council Decision on the Prevention and Eradication of Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman Degrading Treatment or Punishment.

Enforced disappearance is inexcusable and despicable, wherever and whenever it takes place in our region.

However testimonies collected by this year’s Moscow Mechanism experts, international organisations and civil society actors suggest that the Russian Federation has consistently and deliberately used incommunicado detention with respect to Ukrainian civilians. In some cases the Moscow Mechanism experts found that family members had received no information about detained family members for periods of more than two years. In these circumstances, they concluded that the Russian Federation had violated the absolute prohibition on incommunicado detention and enforced disappearances under international humanitarian law and international human rights law.

We unreservedly condemn the actions of the Russian authorities. Russia must confirm who it is holding, where, and why. It must also comply with its obligation to grant unhindered access to the ICRC and other appropriate humanitarian organisations. Russia must cease committing enforced disappearances and release all of those who have been detained in contravention of international law. Or, to repeat the Moscow Mechanism experts’ recommendation to the Russian Federation, Russia must:

“Immediately cease the practice of holding people incommunicado and/or subjecting them to enforced disappearances … ensure that persons deprived of their liberty are held only in officially recognized places of detention and accurate information on the detention of such persons and their place or places of detention … is made promptly available to their family members, their counsel or to any other persons having a legitimate interest in the information”.

In closing, we jointly reaffirm our commitment to ending enforced disappearances. We stand in solidarity with the victims and survivors of enforced disappearances, as well as their loved ones, in Ukraine, across the OSCE region and around the world.

September 12, 2024
PRESS RELEASE : Ukrainian children deserve to learn and grow in a safe environment, free from Russian aggression: UK statement to the OSCE [September 2024]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 5 September 2024.

Ambassador Holland condemns the impact of Russia’s illegal war on the safety, education, identity and future of Ukraine’s children.

Thank you, Mister Chair. As children around the world returned to school this week, in Ukraine they continue to face significant obstacles due to Russia’s ongoing war of aggression.

Across Ukraine, thousands of schools and children’s facilities have been damaged or destroyed by Russia’s military attacks. Over the last week, Russia has intensified its aerial attacks against Ukraine, hitting, among other civilian locations, schools in Lviv, nurseries in Kyiv and a centre for the social and psychological rehabilitation of children in Sumy. These have caused a number of casualties, including a 14-year-old girl who was killed in a Russian attack on a playground in Kharkiv. Our thoughts are with all the victims and their loved ones.

The UN now estimates that over 600 Ukrainian children have been killed since February 2022. This constant threat of violence has made it unsafe for two thirds of children in frontline regions to attend school in person. Most schools in these regions are closed due to ongoing hostilities, while elsewhere thousands cannot reopen because they do not have protective shelters.

Nationwide, half of school aged children rely on some level of remote based education. Yet frequent power outages, caused by Russia’s targeted attacks on Ukraine’s energy facilities, have only led to further disruptions and obstacles to their learning. Instead of experiencing a normal school year, Ukrainian children are often forced to seek shelter from air strikes, to navigate disrupted communities, or even to flee their homes.

At the same time, Ukrainian children going back to school in the Russian-controlled territories of Ukraine are faced with a different kind of challenge. We are seeing growing reports of the systematic indoctrination of children in these areas. The illegitimate Russian authorities have implemented re-education programmes designed to erase Ukrainian identity and to instil pro-Russian sentiments among the youth. Children in these areas are subjected to a curriculum that distorts historical facts, glorifies Russian military actions, and promotes allegiance to Russia. The indoctrination efforts include history lessons that frame Ukraine as part of Russia, and in some cases, military training.

Russia’s strategy to indoctrinate Ukrainian children dates back to its illegal annexation of Crimea ten years ago, before being enforced in the Russian-held parts of Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia oblasts since 2022. And Russia’s forced deportation of thousands of Ukrainian children forms part of this strategy. These children are separated from their families and communities, and then deported or forcibly transferred to Russia or Russian-held territories where they are subjected to these indoctrination practices. Reports detail the psychological impact on the children, who are confused and distressed by the forced assimilation and the separation from their families.

Mister Chair, Russia’s deportation of these children is a clear violation of international law and it aims to undermine Ukrainian sovereignty. It represents a grave human rights abuse, as the Russian state attempts to erode Ukraine’s future by reshaping the identities and loyalties of its youngest citizens. The UK and our international partners condemn these practices and call for an immediate end to the deportation, exploitation and manipulation of children in these regions. Russia must be held accountable for its actions. Ukrainian children deserve to learn and grow in a safe environment, free from Russian aggression. Thank you, Mister Chair.

September 12, 2024
PRESS RELEASE : UK response to the President of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly – UK statement to the OSCE [September 2024]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 5 September 2024.

Ambassador Holland thanks the President of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly for their work, including continued support for Ukraine and election observation missions, and noted the wider impact of the situation in Gaza.

Thank you Madam Chair. Madam President, on behalf of the United Kingdom, welcome back to the Permanent Council and congratulations on your re-election as the President of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly. Thank you for your address.

Your presentation, as well as the committee reports from this year’s Annual Session in Bucharest, testify to the wide range of issues with which the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly engages. First and foremost is continued support to Ukraine in the face of Russia’s illegal invasion. I welcome the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly’s focus on Ukraine at the top of the agenda. National parliaments have played a tremendous role in maintaining political commitment in capitals and monitoring the OSCE and national governments’ actions to support Ukraine.

We were disappointed to see the Russian parliament’s recent decision to withdraw their participation. It is not for us to speak for the rationale behind the decision to do so, but one can only conclude from such an action that the delegation were not interested in genuine dialogue or security cooperation. Clearly the best way to return to cooperation is for Russia to stop its illegal war, but I hope that in the meantime the Russian parliamentary delegation reengages, rather than turn away from messages that it may not like to hear.

Beyond the war in Ukraine, in your report you highlighted the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly’s discussions on the situation in the Middle East. We recognise the direct impact the ongoing conflict has had on our Partners for Co-operation, as well as the wider impacts on the security of the OSCE region, so let me say a few words on this.

The death and destruction in Gaza is intolerable – the fighting must stop now. A resolution to this conflict has been a priority for the UK. We want to see an immediate ceasefire, the release of all hostages still detained by Hamas terrorists, and much more aid entering Gaza. We want to avoid further escalation in the region. The UK will play our full diplomatic role in ending this conflict and creating a safe and secure Israel alongside a viable and sovereign Palestinian state.

Madam President, you also mentioned the Assembly’s work on election monitoring. We are now more than halfway through this year of elections, with several still to take place in the OSCE region. Election monitoring is an integral part of democratic scrutiny, supporting electoral integrity and documenting whether elections are credible and inclusive. It is inspiring to hear you report that we literally have hundreds of parliamentarians observing elections this autumn, coming together in a collective exercise to strengthen democracy across the OSCE. I would like to thank them for their dedication, and especially Michael Creed and Lucie Potůčková for leading the mission to Azerbaijan to observe early parliamentary elections last Sunday.

Madam President, our new Minister with responsibility for the OSCE, Minister Stephen Doughty, worked for the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly from 2003 to 2004 and looks forward to collaborating with you again from his new position. The UK thanks you, Secretary General Roberto Montella and the wider Assembly for the work you are doing. We offer our full support and look forward to continued co-operation and collaboration.

September 12, 2024
PRESS RELEASE : Charity Commission disqualifies former trustees, William Bortrick and Mark Ayre, of genealogy charity and recovers £113,000 [September 2024]
The press release issued by the Charity Commission on 5 September 2024.

The Charity Commission has disqualified two former trustees of Burke’s Peerage Foundation as part of its statutory inquiry into the charity, which has today concluded with the publication of an official report.

The charity was registered in 2014 with aims to promote education in genealogy and personal heritage. It was removed from the charity register on 2 August 2023 as it ceased to operate.

Matters under investigation

The Commission launched its inquiry in February 2022, after identifying serious concerns during a separate inquiry into The Mahfouz Foundation, which had links with Burke’s Peerage Foundation.

The inquiry was opened to determine the extent to which the trustees were complying with their legal duties in the way they administered and managed the charity, including compliance with legal obligations around the preparation and filing of annual accounts and annual returns.

Findings of the inquiry

In its inquiry report, the Commission concludes that William Bortrick and Mark Ayre were responsible for misconduct and / or mismanagement. The regulator has concluded that that they failed to manage conflicts of interest, misapplied charity funds, received unauthorised personal benefit and failed to submit accurate annual returns to the regulator.

The inquiry found that the trustees had purchased items that did not further the charity’s purposes, including antique furniture, paintings and statues. In one instance, a desk and bookcase were bought for £16,000 using the charity’s funds and were then kept and used at Mr Bortrick’s home.

The inquiry found the charity paid for services that benefited a company linked to both of the trustees. For example, it paid for insurance which would cover legal fees to protect the name of Burke’s Peerage – a guide to the genealogy and heraldry of historical families which is owned by a private company belonging to one of the trustees.

Regulatory action

As a result of the Commission’s interventions:
- on 16 February 2024, Mr Bortrick and Mr Ayre were disqualified from being trustees or senior managers at any charity for 12 years
- as part of its inquiry, the Commission recovered £113,000 of misapplied charitable funds from the trustees
- the charity was removed from the register on 2 August 2023 and its remaining funds (£121,455) were passed to another charity which will use the monies in line with the objects of Burke’s Peerage Foundation
Angela Ascroft, Critical Case Lead at the Charity Commission, said:

“This report sets out very serious findings.

Throughout the inquiry, Mr Bortrick and Mr Ayre provided contradictory statements and proved to be unreliable witnesses. They also failed in their most basic duty to act in the charity’s best interests and are responsible for serious misconduct and / or mismanagement.

The Commission’s intervention means that, whilst disqualified, they can no longer be trustees or senior managers in charities. Our intervention also ensured that misapplied funds of more than £100,000 have been repaid and transferred to another charity.

The inquiry report, published on GOV.UK, sets out the Commission’s full findings and conclusions.
September 12, 2024
PRESS RELEASE : Minister for Africa pledges funding to accelerate growth in Africa agriculture sector [September 2024]
The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 5 September 2024.

UK Minister for Africa, Lord Collins has announced new funding to scale up early-stage agribusinesses and boost climate resilience across Africa.
- Lord Collins announces £25 million investment into African food and agriculture sector during keynote speech at the Africa Food Systems Forum (AFSF) in Kigali, Rwanda
- Africa Minister reiterated the UK’s commitment to partner with Africa on boosting its food trade, tackling the climate crisis and strengthening food and nutrition security to senior African leaders
- Lord Collins will also meet the President, Foreign Minister and other senior Rwandan decision-makers to strengthen bilateral relations between the UK and Rwanda
Africa Minister Lord Collins has today [4 September] announced UK backing for a new investment facility that will accelerate the growth of Africa’s food and agriculture sector.

During his keynote speech at the Africa Food Systems Forum (AFSF) 2024, Lord Collins committed to providing £25 million for AgDevCo, a UK-based social impact investor dedicated to investing in African agribusinesses.

In the face of conflict and climate change, communities across Africa are grappling with high levels of hunger and malnutrition. In Sub-Saharan Africa, 1 in 4 are undernourished. Investing in Africa’s food markets is a crucial means of working with farmers, helping those at the forefront of the climate crisis and moving towards a world free from poverty.

The UK’s contribution is expected to yield an increase in income of £128 million for the farmers who benefit by 2036.

The Minister for Africa, Lord Collins of Highbury said:

Improving food markets will have a game changing impact on individuals and families across Africa. Giving hard working farmers stable incomes, creating jobs for the youth and helping end malnutrition.

Without access to funding, no matter the drive and ingenuity, too many businesses can’t get off the ground.

That’s why I’m pleased to announce that the UK intends to back a new $50 million facility called AgDevCo Ventures. The UK will put in over half the funds, with AgDevCo collecting funds from other investors. AgDevCo’s funding and expertise will enable early-stage African agribusinesses to grow and increase Africa’s resilience to climate change.

This funding will support the creation of AgDevCo Ventures, which will channel early-stage investment into small and medium-sized enterprises working within Africa’s agriculture sector. The UK government is contributing over half of the funds with matching contributions being raised from other investors, resulting in $50 million overall for the planned launch of AgDevCo Ventures in early 2025.

The new funding facility will work with small agricultural enterprises across Africa, with a particular focus on African owned and managed businesses.

Daniel Hulls, CEO of AgDevCo said:

We are very grateful for the continued collaboration with the UK government.

This funding will allow us to leverage third-party capital and go back to investing in small, early-stage businesses.

We are excited about developing a new AgDevCo Ventures portfolio, and expect it to be high impact, deliver jobs and increased rural incomes by building the next generation of African agri-SMEs.

There is evidence that small to medium-sized enterprises lack the financing options necessary to scale up. As a result, the UK is working alongside partners to pioneer new ways to finance agribusiness and mobilise other investors.

The demand for food and animal feed in Africa is projected to triple between 2010 and 2050, with the demand for food globally set to increase by 50%. UK investment will look to improve both African and global food and nutrition security by enabling enterprises in the agriculture sector to be better able to cater to the rising demand.
September 12, 2024
PRESS RELEASE : Landmark legislation to crack down on bosses for polluting water [September 2024]
The press release issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 5 September 2024.

Major legislation to crack down on water bosses polluting Britain’s rivers, lakes and seas is being set out today and includes the most significant increase in enforcement powers in a decade.

The Water (Special Measures) Bill has been introduced to parliament and will give regulators new powers to take tougher and faster action to crack down on water companies damaging the environment and failing their customers.

The introduction of the Bill comes as Secretary of State Steve Reed is set to deliver a speech at Thames Rowing Club on Thursday 5th September to representatives from the water industry, investors, environmental groups and campaigners setting out his plans to transform the water sector.

The Bill delivers on the manifesto pledges to clean up the water sector, including significantly increasing the ability of the Environment Agency to bring forward criminal charges against law-breaking water executives. It will create new tougher penalties, including imprisonment, for water executives when companies fail to co-operate or obstruct investigations.

The new legislation will also ban the payment of bonuses to water bosses if they fail to meet high standards to protect the environment, their consumers and their company’s finances.

Other measures in the Bill include severe and automatic fines for a range of offences, including allowing regulators to issue penalties more quickly, without having to direct resources to lengthy investigations. It will also introduce independent monitoring of every sewage outlet, with water companies required to publish real-time data for all emergency overflows. Discharges will have to be reported within an hour of the initial spill.

Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Steve Reed, said:

“The public are furious that in 21st century Britain, record levels of sewage are being pumped into our rivers, lakes and seas. After years of neglect, our waterways are now in an unacceptable state.

“That is why today I am announcing immediate action to end the disgraceful behaviour of water companies and their bosses.

“Under this Government, water executives will no longer line their own pockets whilst pumping out this filth. If they refuse to comply, they could end up in the dock and face prison time.

“This Bill is a major step forward in our wider reform to fix the broken water system. We will outline further legislation to fundamentally transform how the water industry is run and speed up the delivery of upgrades to our sewage infrastructure to clean up our waterways for good.”

Measures in the Bill

Bring criminal charges against persistent lawbreakers, including imprisonment
- Since privatisation, only 3 individuals have been criminally prosecuted by the Environment Agency without appeal despite widespread illegality.
- The Bill will significantly increase the ability for the Environment Agency to bring forward criminal charges against law-breaking water executives.
- The Bill creates new tougher penalties including imprisonment for water executives when companies fail to co-operate or obstruct Environment Agency and Drinking Water Inspectorate investigations. Previously, the maximum punishment for most cases of obstruction was merely a fine. We will increase sentencing powers to include imprisonment, with offences triable in both the Crown and Magistrates’ Court.
- In addition, the cost recovery powers of regulators will be expanded to ensure that water companies bear the cost of enforcement action taken in response to their failings. The Environment Agency will undertake a consultation on the implementation of these new powers.
Ban the payment of bonuses to executives of water companies
- Despite overseeing catastrophic failure, water chief executives have paid themselves over £41m in bonuses, benefits and incentives since 2020.
- This Bill will give Ofwat powers to ban the payment of performance-related pay including bonuses to chief executives and senior leadership of water companies unless they meet high standards when it comes to protecting the environment, their consumers, financial resilience and criminal liability.
- We will go further by requiring Ofwat to set rules requiring water companies to appoint directors and chief executives and allow them to remain in post only when they meet the highest standards of ‘fitness and propriety’, and to ensure customers are involved in company decision-making.
Introduce severe and automatic fines for offences
- Currently, the regulators have to conduct lengthy investigations to the criminal standard of proof (“beyond reasonable doubt”) before they can impose financial penalties, even for minor to moderate offences. They cannot impose Fixed Monetary Penalties for most water sector offences and the current maximum penalty is just £300. This means it is not cost effective for regulators to impose financial penalties for frequent, more minor offences.
- The Bill closes the gap in the Environment Agency’s enforcement powers by lowering the standard of proof to the civil standard (“on the balance of probabilities”) and enabling Fixed Monetary Penalties to be imposed as Automatic Penalties for specific offences – allowing regulators to issue penalties more quickly, without having to direct resources to lengthy investigations.
- The list of water industry offences that will be subject to Automatic Penalties will include pollution offences, failure to comply with information requests and reporting requirements, and water resource offences.
- These offences and the increase in the value of the penalties (from £300) will be set out in secondary legislation, following consultation.
Ensure independent monitoring of every outlet
- Emergency sewage overflows are not currently fully monitored.
- To make it easier and quicker for regulators to investigate and punish wrongdoing, water companies will be required to publish real-time data (within an hour) for all emergency overflows in England in a clear, accessible format. This will create an unprecedented level of transparency, enabling the public and regulators to see what is going on and hold water companies to account.
- This data will be independently scrutinized by the regulators and used as evidence in their investigations.
Wider measures in the bill to strengthen regulation
- To further increase transparency around water company operations, there will be a new statutory requirement for water companies to publish annual Pollution Incident Reduction Plans, setting out steps they are taking to address their pollution incidents to ensure that, wherever possible, they do not happen again.
Wider water sector reform

The introduction of this Bill is the next step in the Government’s three stage approach as the work begins to clean up our waterways.
- Reset: Within a week into office, the Environment Secretary secured agreement with Ofwat to ringfence funding for vital infrastructure upgrades and to ensure this can only be spent on upgrades benefiting customers and the environment. Ofwat will also ensure that when money for investment is not spent, companies refund customers, with money never allowed to be diverted for bonuses, dividends or salary increases.
- Special Measures: Now the Government is introducing its first piece of water legislation to strengthen the power of water industry regulators and to drive meaningful improvements in the performance and culture of the water industry, as a first important step in enabling wider, transformative change across the water sector.
- Further legislation: The Government will outline further legislation to fundamentally transform how the nation’s water system operates to tackle pollution and deliver a resilient water supply, boost investment and speed up infrastructure upgrades to clean up the nation’s waterways.
Notes to editors:

The full set of measures will be published on Thursday morning. Measures are subject to consultation, with further information set out in the coming months.

Stakeholder quotes:

Alan Lovell, Chair of the Environment Agency, said:

We welcome the Water (Special Measures) Bill and the government’s ambition to drive through much needed reform.

The Bill will give us, as regulator, more power to protect our precious water quality and resources, hold water companies to account and ensure the polluter pays. The stronger penalties introduced by the Bill will deter illegal behaviour and allow us to close the justice gap and strengthen our ability to deliver swift enforcement action.

This builds on our ongoing work to deliver our biggest ever transformation in the way we regulate, including recruiting up to 500 additional staff for a specialised workforce and investing in new digital and monitoring systems to identify the root cause of issues.”

David Black, Chief Executive of Ofwat, said:

We fully support the introduction of the Water Bill and are working closely with the Government to ensure its smooth implementation once it has gained Royal Assent. This Bill strengthens our powers and will help us drive transformative change in the water industry so that it delivers better outcomes for customers and the environment.

We welcome the opportunity to establish new rules on water company remuneration, governance and strengthening customer involvement in water company decision-making.”

Tessa Wardley, Director of Communications and Advocacy, The Rivers Trust said:

We are delighted that Defra is prioritising healthier rivers, lakes and seas, and strengthening regulation and enforcement is a really important strand of that work.

We’re particularly encouraged to see that our calls to ensure that polluters pay for the environmental damage they cause are being heeded, and that progress is also being made to improve transparency around pollution incidents and monitoring of emergency overflows. Hopefully the new powers will give regulators the teeth they need to hold polluters to account so we see improved performance across the sector.

Despite this, we know these special measures are not the whole answer to returning our rivers to full health, and we look forward to further work in collaboration with the government, enabling action to restore resilience in our water environment for a healthier future – for us and our rivers.

Jamie Cook, CEO, Angling Trust said:

The angling community have been at the forefront of calling for tougher regulation, so we welcome the long overdue introduction of the principle of cost recovery from polluters in the new Bill along with the other measures to increase penalties, create transparency and improve corporate conduct in the broken water industry.

Wherever possible it should be the polluter that pays rather than the taxpayer.

However, this can only be regarded as a first step, and we look forward to seeing more transformational change and a root and branch upgrade of Britain’s creaking and leaking wastewater infrastructure.

Richard Benwell, Chief Executive, Countryside and Wildlife Link said:

The Water (Special Measures) Bill shows real steel from the Government. Ensuring that companies never profit from pollution is a strong foundation to restore UK rivers. We hope to see this no-nonsense, polluter pays approach applied across the economy, wherever companies are taking advantage of nature.

Restoring rivers is a massive challenge and there’s much more to do, but if DEFRA follows this positive work on pollution with action to support water-friendly farming, stricter chemicals regulation, and investment in habitats to help clean up river catchments, then we can hope for a better future for the UK’s water environment.

Richard Walker, Executive Chairman of Iceland Foods and former Chair of Trustees of Surfers Against Sewage said:

Finally, we have a government prepared to tackle the criminal neglect and abuse of Britain’s waters. This new legislation is long overdue and will strengthen enforcement and hold water companies and their bosses to account.

There remain systemic issues that need to be tackled to end pollution of our waters in the long-term – but this swift action gives me confidence that things can and will start to change.

Mike Keil, Chief Executive, Consumer Council for Water said:

Our research shows consumer trust in the water sector has been badly fractured by concerns over the environment, which is why we welcome the measures laid out by the UK Government to ensure there are more serious consequences for water companies if they harm our rivers and seas.

We’re also looking forward to working with ministers to give people and communities a more powerful platform to hold water companies to account when they fail to deliver on their promises. These changes will complement the work we’re already doing to help transform the culture of companies, so they are focused on providing the best possible service for their customers.
September 12, 2024
PRESS RELEASE : Ground-breaking cancer and Parkinson’s research team given 5 year funding boost [September 2024]
The press release issued by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology on 5 September 2024.

Researchers at the University of Dundee are receiving a government funding boost to continue their vital work for a further 5 years.
- Vital work by Dundee-based cell biology researchers, who have already developed a drug to treat skin cancer and attracted £60 million in private investment, to continue thanks to further government backing
- Almost £30 million in government funding could potentially unlock new treatments for conditions, from motor neurone disease to Crohn’s, by supporting research into how signals are transmitted within the body’s cells.
- Science and Technology Secretary will announce funding at the Universities UK conference as he sets out his vision for harnessing the power of higher education to boost innovation and economic growth across the country.
Dundee-based researchers with a track record of devising treatments for deadly diseases like cancer and Parkinson’s – whose work has crowded in £60 million in investment to date – are receiving further backing from the government to continue their vital work for a further 5 years, Science and Technology Secretary Peter Kyle will announce today (Thursday 5 September).

The Medical Research Council’s Protein Phosphorylation and Ubiquitylation Unit (MRC PPU) will receive nearly £30 million of funding allocated from UKRI’s Medical Research Council (MRC) to bolster its cell biology research centre as it continues its vital work over the next 5 years.

Currently, the 200-strong scientific community of staff and students based at the University of Dundee are using cutting-edge technology and biochemistry to explore how signals transmitted within the body’s cells are disrupted. Working closely with industry, Dundee’s unit has been a fundamental part of the development and clinical approval of over 40 drugs that are now widely used to treat patients, attracting almost £60 million in private investment. It is just one example cementing Scotland’s place at the forefront of the UK government’s plans to make Britain a powerhouse for life sciences that attracts international investment and drives forward the deployment of discoveries that grow the economy, create prosperity across the country and improve lives and public services.

Improving our understanding of the processes within cells could be the key to unlocking the scientific basis of innovative treatments for a range of diseases – from Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s to Crohn’s and coeliac disease. Their work has already delivered a drug that is now widely used to treat skin cancer.

The new funding comes ahead of the Science and Technology Secretary addressing higher education representatives at the Universities UK conference at the University of Reading, where he will reflect on his personal experience in higher education and will give his full-throated backing to the sector as a vehicle for much-needed economic growth.

He will also outline his vision for DSIT, and the crucial role universities can play in this, harnessing discoveries and innovations for novel therapies and technologies, like those developed in Dundee, that could transform patients’ lives and drive economic growth.

Science and Technology Secretary Peter Kyle said:

“I went to university later in life than most, but when I did it changed everything for me. It was the first time in my life that people saw potential in me that I never knew I had, and gave me the support and focus I needed to build something from it. The value of our universities, to the economy and to the whole of society, cannot be overstated.

“As we embark on a decade of national renewal, the higher education sector has a profound role to play in every piece of work we’ll need to do, to build a Britain that delivers for working people: from seizing the potential of clean energy to rebuilding the NHS. I will always champion our universities. They are society’s most powerful engines for innovation, aspiration, economic growth and the creation of better lives for all – which is why investing in their work, like this £30m in funding, is so important.”

Science Minister Lord Vallance said:

“The work at the University of Dundee, which we are announcing support for today, is proof of how deep expertise, effective links with industry, and the power of curiosity can deliver meaningful improvements to people’s lives, while also driving economic growth across the UK.

“This funding puts the unit on track to strive for still more health breakthroughs, that could help more patients live longer and healthier lives.”

Working with other companies, including GlaxoSmithKline, the team was central to developing a drug now widely used to treat melanoma, and a promising new drug for Parkinson’s disease is in clinical trials as a result of the team’s globally recognise work, investigating the condition to discover potential causes and treatments.

Universities are vital to the government’s mission to boost our economy and transform healthcare services with world-class science and research. They are at the heart of our research strengths, underpinning key sectors including life sciences. Backing university-based researchers, like the team at the University of Dundee, will ensure that they can continue unlocking the technologies and therapies that could be life-changing to patients, and which drive economic growth and productivity.

Professor Dario Alessi, Director of the MRC PPU said:

“We are incredibly grateful for the long-term support that our Unit has received from the MRC over the last 34 years. This has enabled our researchers to tackle the most important questions and greatly contributed to our understanding of how derailment of biological pathways causes human diseases including neurodegeneration, diabetes, cancer, and immune dysfunction.

“Our mission for the next 5 years will be to work with leading research centres, clinicians, and pharmaceutical companies to translate our discoveries into clinical progress and accelerate drug discovery. Whilst doing this research we aim to provide our staff with a unique training opportunity working in a collaborative multidisciplinary environment paying attention to improving culture and development best practices.”

Professor Patrick Chinnery, Executive Chair of the Medical Research Council, said:

“The MRC are proud to be investing for a further 5 years in the exceptional research of the MRC PPU in Dundee. They are leaders in conducting rigorous fundamental research and then working with industry to translate those breakthroughs for patient benefit. The MRC PPU have an outstanding culture of collaboration and sharing their leading research expertise, products and techniques with the wider scientific community.”
September 12, 2024
PRESS RELEASE : Secretary of State has permitted the use of three bluetongue vaccines subject to licence [September 2024]

The press release issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 5 September 2024.

The Secretary of State permitted the use of 3 unauthorised bluetongue serotype 3 (BTV-3) vaccines within the United Kingdom yesterday (4 September). The vaccines are suppressive, meaning they will reduce some of the clinical signs experienced by animals with the disease. They do not prevent infection.

These vaccines must only be used with an appropriate licence being in place. Available licences to allow use will either be geographically targeted general licences, initially in high risk counties as part of a phased approach, or specific licences which can be applied for through the Animal Plant Health Agency (APHA). We will publish these imminently.

Unlike some of the authorised BTV vaccines for other BTV serotypes the BTV-3 vaccines reduce rather than prevent viraemia (presence of BTV virus in the blood). This means that they may not prevent your animals from being infected or infectious, rather depending on the vaccine their claims include reduction or prevention of clinical signs experienced or mortality. For this reason, all movement controls and trade restrictions in place will still apply to vaccinated animals.

Vaccination status will not affect movement restrictions which remain in place and apply to all ruminants and camelids moving out of the restricted zone and to the movement of their germinal products within the zone. Farmers are reminded to only move animals within the extended zone where this is absolutely necessary.

Farmers in England are urged to contact your private veterinarian if you want to use any of the available BTV-3 vaccines.

Following several confirmed cases of Bluetongue virus BTV3 across Norfolk, Suffolk and Essex, the UK Chief Veterinary Officer has declared a bluetongue restricted zone across the region to mitigate the risk of further cases of disease occurring.

Biosecurity Minister Baroness Hayman said:

The permitting of these vaccines forms one part of our efforts against this highly infectious disease.

We are working at pace in order to provide farmers with everything they need to protect their livestock and businesses and would recommend they contact their veterinarians for access to the vaccines. Farmers are also reminded that free testing remains available.

Chief UK Veterinary Officer Christine Middlemiss said:

These vaccines are an important step forward and will aid in reducing clinical signs in animals and the impact of disease on farms but it is not a protective vaccine, so we are still urging farmers to follow all of our guidance in order to prevent the disease spreading to their herds and any further.

I urge farmers to contact their veterinarians if they wish to use the vaccines and to continue monitoring their animals frequently for clinical signs and report suspicion of disease immediately to the Animal Plant Health Agency.

September 12, 2024
PRESS RELEASE : UK signs first international treaty addressing risks of artificial intelligence [September 2024]
The press release issued by the Ministry of Justice on 5 September 2024.

Lord Chancellor Shabana Mahmood signs first legally-binding treaty governing safe use of artificial intelligence.
- strengthens safeguards against risks to human rights, democracy and the rule of law
- Lord Chancellor also outlines support for Ukraine at Council of Europe meeting
Human rights, democracy and the rule of law will be further protected from potential threats posed by artificial intelligence (AI) under a new international agreement to be signed by Lord Chancellor Shabana Mahmood today (5 September 2024).

The new framework agreed by the Council of Europe commits parties to collective action to manage AI products and protect the public from potential misuse.

AI is likely to bring significant benefits like boosting productivity and increasing cancer detection rates. But the new convention includes important safeguards against its risks, such as the spread of misinformation or using biased data which may prejudice decisions.

The treaty will ensure countries monitor its development and ensure any technology is managed within strict parameters. It includes provisions to protect the public and their data, human rights, democracy and the rule of law. It also commits countries to act against activities which fall outside of these parameters to tackle the misuse of AI models which pose a risk to public services and the wider public.

Once the treaty is ratified and brought into effect in the UK, existing laws and measures will be enhanced.

As the first legally-binding international treaty on AI, the Convention will ensure there is a united front across the world to managing the dangers of the technology in line with our shared values. Countries outside the Council of Europe are also being invited to become signatories, including the United States of America and Australia.

Lord Chancellor and Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood said:

Artificial Intelligence has the capacity to radically improve the responsiveness and effectiveness of public services, and turbocharge economic growth.

However, we must not let AI shape us – we must shape AI.

This convention is a major step to ensuring that these new technologies can be harnessed without eroding our oldest values, like human rights and the rule of law.

The new agreement has 3 over-arching safeguards:
- protecting human rights, including ensuring people’s data is used appropriately, their privacy is respected and AI does not discriminate against them
- protecting democracy by ensuring countries take steps to prevent public institutions and processes being undermined
- protecting the rule of law, by putting the onus on signatory countries to regulate AI-specific risks, protect its citizens from potential harms and ensure it is used safely
The government will work closely with regulators, the devolved administrations, and local authorities as the Convention is ratified to ensure it can appropriately implement its new requirements.

The UK continues to play a key role as an international leader in safe, secure, and trustworthy AI, having hosted the AI Safety Summit and co-hosted the AI Seoul Summit, establishing the world-first AI Safety Institute, and playing a key role in the negotiations which have framed the Convention signed today.

Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, Peter Kyle said:

AI holds the potential to be the driving force behind new economic growth, a productivity revolution and true transformation in our public services, but that ambition can only be achieved if people have faith and trust in the innovations which will bring about that change.

The Convention we’ve signed today alongside global partners will be key to that effort. Once in force, it will further enhance protections for human rights, rule of law and democracy, – strengthening our own domestic approach to the technology while furthering the global cause of safe, secure, and responsible AI.

The Lord Chancellor also reiterated the UK’s commitment to supporting Ukraine and ensuring Russia is held accountable for its full-scale invasion. She discussed with international counterparts, the progress on establishing a Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression to hold Putin’s Russia to account for its illegal war.

 Notes to editors
- The use of AI to kickstart economic growth and deliver transformative change across the UK’s public services are central pillars of the government’s 5 key missions. The Technology Secretary has recently launched the AI Opportunities Action Plan led by Matt Clifford, which will play a central role in ensuring the UK can reap the benefits of AI across the economy.
- The UK’s AI Safety Institute was launched in November 2023, and is the world’s first state-backed body dedicated to AI safety. It continues to drive forward international collaboration on AI safety research, signing a new agreement on AI safety with the United States earlier this year.
- In the King’s Speech, the government also confirmed plans to introduce highly-targeted legislation which will focus on the most powerful AI models being developed.
Further announcements on this legislation will follow in due course.
September 12, 2024
PRESS RELEASE : Home Office will not use RAF Scampton for asylum accommodation [September 2024]

The press release issued by the Home Office on 5 September 2024.

Plans to house asylum seekers at RAF Scampton axed as latest assessment finds site is not value for money for the taxpayer.

The Home Office has made the decision to end plans to house asylum seekers at RAF Scampton, the former Ministry of Defence site in Lincolnshire.

Opening the site from this autumn as planned would have cost a total of £122 million by the end of its use in 2027, meaning the site no longer represents value for money.

A total of £60 million has already been spent on the site.

Work to close the site will begin immediately with the sale happening in line with the process for disposing of Crown land.

Progress is already being made to clear the backlog of asylum cases, which will save around £7.7 billion in asylum costs over the next decade.

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

Faster asylum processing, increased returns and tighter enforcement of immigration rules will reduce demand for accommodation like Scampton and save millions for the taxpayer as we drive forward work to clear the asylum backlog and strengthen our border security.

We have also listened to community feedback and concerns about using this site for asylum accommodation.

September 12, 2024