Tag: Press Release

PRESS RELEASE : Great British Energy interim CEO appointed [February 2025]
The press release issued by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero on 20 February 2025.
- Dan McGrail appointed as interim CEO of Great British Energy, working from the Aberdeen HQ
- Follows recent appointment of five non-executive directors to the start-up board
- New leadership will help the company drive forward the government’s Plan for Change and clean energy superpower mission
Dan McGrail has been appointed as the interim Chief Executive Officer of Great British Energy, to help drive forward the government’s Plan for Change and clean energy superpower mission.

Great British Energy is owned by the British people, for the British people, and will own and invest in clean energy projects across the UK to create good, skilled jobs and growth.

Dan McGrail is currently the Chief Executive of RenewableUK, the trade association for businesses developing wind, wave, tidal, storage and green hydrogen projects in the UK, and their supply chain companies. He currently sits on the board for WindEurope and was also previously CEO of Siemens Engines and Managing Director of Siemens Power Generation.

He will draw on his wealth of experience in clean energy including wind and thermal power to provide strong leadership and help rapidly scale up the new company so it can start delivering as quickly as possible.

This follows the appointment in January of five new non-executive directors to join Chair Juergen Maier on the company’s start-up board, bringing a wide range of experience across different sectors, with knowledge on workplace rights, building UK supply chains and driving investment in clean energy.

Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said:

With the appointment of Dan McGrail as interim CEO we now have a fantastic team in place to lead Great British Energy and start delivering on our Plan for Change.

Great British Energy is at the heart of our clean power mission, and will support thousands of well-paid jobs, drive growth and investment into our communities and deliver energy security for the British people.

I look forward to working with Dan as we unlock the benefits of a new era of clean electricity for the British people.

RenewableUK’s Chief Executive Dan McGrail said:

Homegrown, affordable clean power has never been more important and it’s a privilege to take up the role of interim CEO of Great British Energy at such a pivotal moment.

Together with the talented leadership team, I’m excited to hit the ground running to scale up the company and work with industry to unleash billions of investment in clean energy, helping to grow new industries at scale with job opportunities for hundreds of thousands of people, as well as helping the government achieve its clean power targets.

Start-up Great British Energy Chair Juergen Maier said:

Dan brings invaluable experience from a long career in clean energy and joins Great British Energy at a critical time to help spearhead our work to help make Britain energy independent.

I look forward to working with him to back innovation, create sustainable jobs, and grow our supply chains.

The Chair of RenewableUK’s Board of Directors Paul Cooley, Director of Offshore Wind at SSE Renewables, said:

I am delighted to support Dan in taking on the role of Interim CEO. He has the right combination of leadership skills and energy industry experience to take Great British Energy to its next stage of maturity and he has been an important driving force throughout his career in the sector. He has transformed RenewableUK into a leading voice in the industry and his appointment is a great vote of confidence in the work of the organisation. I am sure that he will establish a strategy at Great British Energy which enables our country to deliver on the amazing opportunities for economic growth and job creation which the clean power transition offers.

Dan will be based in Scotland, working from the Aberdeen headquarters, and will take up his post in March, on an initial 6-month contract, on secondment from RenewableUK. Recruitment for the permanent CEO will also begin shortly.

The government has already announced an unprecedented partnership between Great British Energy and The Crown Estate to unlock investment in clean energy, confirmed Aberdeen will host Great British Energy’s headquarters, and struck a deal with the Scottish Government for the company to work with Scottish public bodies to support clean energy supply chains. The government is also legislating through the Great British Energy Bill to give the company the powers it needs to rapidly deliver.

Great British Energy will support the government’s mission for clean power by 2030, with an action plan published in December to get more homegrown clean power to people and provide the foundation for the UK to build an energy system that can bring down bills for households and businesses for good.

Background

Dan McGrail took up his post as Chief Executive at RenewableUK in May 2021, and was previously CEO of Siemens Engines. He joined Siemens UK in 2004 and worked in a variety of roles across the energy industry, becoming CEO in 2017.
05/03/2025
PRESS RELEASE : The continued advance into DRC of M23 and the Rwandan Defence Forces is a breach of the UN charter – UK statement at the UN Security Council [February 2025]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 19 February 2025.

Statement by Ambassador James Kariuki, UK Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN, at the UN Security Council meeting on Democratic Republic of the Congo.

I will make three points.

First, we express our deep concern at the continued advance into DRC of the M23 and Rwandan Defence Forces.

This is an unacceptable violation of DRC’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and a breach of the UN Charter.

The occupation of Bukavu is a serious escalation which heightens the risk of a wider regional conflict.

The United Kingdom is clear that there needs to be an immediate cessation of hostilities and a return to dialogue via African-led peace processes.

There can be no military solution. As my Foreign Secretary has said, Rwanda must withdraw its troops.

The UK is actively considering next steps, alongside international partners, including the possibility of a review of all UK support to Rwanda.

Second, urgent action is needed to halt the rapidly deteriorating humanitarian situation.

The M23 and Rwandan Defence Forces’ takeover of Goma has displaced close to one million people in North and South Kivu.

Hundreds of thousands are now in desperate need of lifesaving support.

Civilians, particularly women and girls, are at increased risk of violence, including sexual violence.

We have seen harrowing reports, including of 165 women raped and many burned alive at Goma Muzenze Prison earlier this month.

The parties to the conflict must adhere to their obligations under international humanitarian law.

And humanitarian access, especially via Goma airport, should urgently be restored.

Third, MONUSCO’s freedom of movement is essential to support the protection of civilians and facilitate aid delivery.

Restrictions by the M23 and Rwandan Defence Forces are unacceptable.

The parties must respect MONUSCO’s mandate, as authorised by this Council.

The UK strongly condemns all attacks on UN peacekeepers and recalls that attacks on MONUSCO could be grounds for UN sanctions.

President, to conclude, the UK welcomes regional efforts to secure a lasting solution to this conflict.

We welcome the contribution of the recent joint EAC and SADC summit and the AU PSC summit.

We urge DRC and Rwanda to engage in good faith in existing peace processes.

We need to see the rapid implementation of the actions agreed at the summits, supported by urgent action by this Council.

05/03/2025
PRESS RELEASE : FCDO statement on the situation in DRC [February 2025]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 16 February 2025.

The FCDO has released a statement following the entrance of M23 and the Rwandan Defence Force into Bukavu: 16 February.

An FCDO spokesperson said:

“The entrance of M23 and the Rwandan Defence Force into Bukavu is a violation of DRC’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and a breach of the UN Charter. This is a serious escalation that heightens the risk of a wider regional conflict – the human cost of which would be devastating. The UK calls for an immediate cessation of hostilities, withdrawal of all RDF from Congolese territory and a return to dialogue through African-led peace processes. There can be no military solution.

“The humanitarian situation in eastern DRC is critical. Close to a million people have already been displaced by this recent offensive and hundreds of thousands are now in desperate need of lifesaving support. It is appalling that vital aid routes have been cut off. All parties must restore humanitarian access as a matter of urgency.”

03/03/2025
PRESS RELEASE : Business Secretary fortifies UK steel industry [February 2025]
The press release issued by the Department for Business and Trade on 16 February 2025.

The Business Secretary launches the Plan for Steel Consultation, seeking views from stakeholders to inform development of the Steel Strategy.

British steelmakers are being backed today by the Government as the Business Secretary launches the Plan for Steel Consultation.

This will look at the long-term issues facing the industry like high electricity costs, unfair trading practices, and scrap metal recycling – to protect jobs and living standards in the UK’s industrial heartlands.

Up to £2.5 billion will be put towards supporting the steel industry, as per the manifesto commitment, including via the National Wealth Fund. This could benefit regions across the UK – like Scunthorpe, Rotherham, Redcar, Yorkshire, and Scotland – which have a strong history of steel production. It will be spent on initiatives that will give the industry a long future – such as electric arc furnaces, or other improvements to UK capabilities.

This will drive growth in the economy – the priority of the Plan for Change – and protect our industrial heartlands for the long term.

But the Government is wasting no time in taking immediate action to support the industry. Just this week, Heathrow Airport announced a multimillion-pound investment, which will require 400,000 tonnes of steel – enough to build the Empire State Building.

This will give the industry a strong pipeline of business that will secure supply chains for years to come – and will drive economic growth as part of our Plan for Change.

This week the Government also simplified public procurement and aligned it with the Government’s missions, including the Industrial Strategy, to put UK firms – like the steel industry – in the best possible position to compete for and win public contracts.

That is on top of delivering a better deal for Port Talbot within weeks of taking office which will transform production at Port Talbot and deliver a modern Electric Arc Furnace, and implementing the British Industry Supercharger which will cut electricity costs for steel firms and bring prices more in line with international competitors.

This delivers on a manifesto commitment to secure the future of Britain’s steel industries – building on initiatives like the £22 billion investment in Carbon Capture Usage and Storage in Teesside and Merseyside – because the country’s industrial heartlands are too important to Britain’s heritage and will be supported by this Government.

Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds, said:

The UK steel industry has a long-term future under this Government. We said that during the election, and we are delivering on it now.

The deal announced by Heathrow this week will secure a strong industry pipeline for years to come – and we are putting the full weight of Whitehall behind the industry to build on this success.

Britain is open for business, and this Government has committed up to £2.5 billion to the future of steel to protect our industrial heartlands, maintain jobs, and drive growth as part of our Plan for Change.

The Plan for Steel will help with the issues which have been holding the industry back for too long. It will look at ways to:
- Identify where there are opportunities to expand UK steelmaking to better support UK manufacturing, construction, infrastructure and growth – and secure UK jobs and livelihoods
- Protect the steel sector from unfair trading practices abroad
- Improve our scrap processing facilities so they can best support the steel-making of the future
- Encourage high usage of UK-made steel in public projects
To make the UK competitive globally, the Plan for Steel will examine the electricity costs for steel companies.

The Plan will also look at ways to improve the UK’s scrap metal processing capabilities, in light of the industry’s ongoing transition to electric arc furnace (EAF) steelmaking which recycles scrap steel by melting it to produce high-quality steel and other metals.

It will assess the UK’s primary steelmaking capabilities and primary production technologies with a commissioned independent review, currently being carried out by the not-for-profit Material Processing Institute, based in Teesside.

The Steel Strategy will also explore what can be done to protect the steel sector from unfair trading practices abroad and look at how it can attract and retain skilled talent in the UK. It will leverage the UK’s world-leading research and development capabilities to support the industry, aligning closely with the Government’s Trade Strategy, Strategic Defence Review and its upcoming Industrial Strategy.

The Government will work closely with the Steel Council towards the launch of the Steel Strategy in Spring, and the Council will continue to meet regularly following its publication to help drive investment into steelmaking communities across the country.

Gareth Stace, Director-General of UK Steel, commented:

“Developing the Steel Strategy must be a collaborative process, and the consultation is an open invitation for all stakeholders to help shape the future of UK steel.

“The Government’s commitment to our steel sector is both vital and welcome. A robust, bold, and ambitious Steel Strategy has the power to reverse the sector’s decline, particularly as we face increasing competition from imports benefiting from more favourable business conditions. By setting out a clear business plan and roadmap for investment, the Government can secure a brighter future for our industry, safeguard jobs, and support steelworkers and their families.”

Andy Prendergast, GMB National Secretary, said:

“After years of dithering, today’s plan provides desperately needed funding for our once proud, now beleaguered steel industry.

“As the world becomes more volatile, primary domestic steel making capacity is vital for both our economy and domestic security.”

Jon Bolton, Steel Council co-chair, said:

“Publishing a consultation so quickly after the launch of the Steel Council demonstrates the importance the government places on the steel strategy and the important role it plays as part of an Industrial Strategy.

“Thorough consultation is key, with a first round table held with steel consumers chaired by The Industry Minister where future market dynamics were discussed including the demand for Green Steel.

“This work will continue over the coming weeks and I urge all stakeholders to respond to the consultation, with the issuing of the Steel Strategy in the spring a key moment for the sector.”

Roy Rickhuss CBE, Community General Secretary, said:

“After a long era of neglect under the previous government, we welcome the government’s firm commitment to our steel industry.

“The new green paper sets out some of the main challenges and opportunities our steel sector will face over the years ahead – this consultation is an important step towards developing the government’s new steel strategy, and we look forward to engaging with the process at every step of the way.”
25/02/2025
PRESS RELEASE : 40% business rates relief for film studios rolled out [February 2025]
The press release issued by HM Treasury on 16 February 2025.

From tomorrow (17 February), Local Authorities can begin rolling out local schemes for tax relief to help filmmakers produce the country’s next box office hits, rom-coms and cult classics.
- Box-office boost for film studios as 40% relief on business rates roll out begins, lasting until 2034.
- Creative sector, which includes film, is a vital industry of the future, worth over £120 billion to the UK economy, employing over 2.4 million people.
Film studios are to receive business rates relief over the next nine years as the government rolls out a 40% reduction in business rates bills – to help drive growth and deliver the Plan for Change.

From tomorrow (17 February), Local Authorities can begin implementing local schemes and awarding the tax relief to help filmmakers kickstart their journeys to producing the country’s next box office hits, cult classics and major rom-coms.

The UK’s creative sector already employs over 2.4 million people and is worth over £120 billion to the economy. The start of the business rates relief for film studios rollout will help create the conditions to boost both of these.

In October, the government confirmed that it would proceed with Film Studio Business Rates Relief that will be available for eligible studios in England until 2034, and, where applicable, will be backdated to 1 April 2024.

Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rachel Reeves, said:

The UK leads the world in creating great film and TV and we should all be immensely proud of the impact we’ve had across the globe.

From the Avengers to Indiana Jones, the UK has drawn in some of cinema’s biggest names thanks to a combination of fantastic local talent and a world-leading creative sector as well as attractive tax incentives.

As part of the Plan for Change, we will continue to build the sector into a global beacon of home grown success, creating more jobs, more investment, and putting more money into working people’s pockets.

This comes on top of a package of wider previous announcements for the creative industries announced on 17 January that included investments for start-up video game studios, grassroots music venues and creative businesses.

The relief will maintain the UK’s status as a world leader in the creative industries and will help deliver the Plan for Change by going further and faster to kickstart economic growth so working people have more money in their pockets.

The creative industries sector employs 2.4 million people and is worth £124.6 billion to the UK economy. Business rates relief forms part of the government’s wider strategy to support this vital growth sector, and forms a key part of our modern Industrial Strategy.

The film and TV sector benefits from other generous tax reliefs. The Audio-Visual Expenditure Credit (AVEC) provides companies with a tax credit worth 34% of their UK production costs on a film or high-end TV programme, or 39% of their production costs on an animation or children’s TV programme.

In addition, from 1 April 2025, film and high-end TV companies may claim a credit of 39% on their UK visual effects costs; and eligible films with budgets of under £15 million will be able to claim an enhanced 53% rate, known as the Independent Film Tax Credit.

Today (16 February), the UK film and TV industry will attend the BAFTA Film Awards that celebrate the many achievements of the sector and the significant cultural impact of British film and TV around the world.

Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said:

The UK’s film industry is truly world class, producing global box office hits like Wicked and indie classics like Aftersun.

The sector has huge potential for further economic growth and the government is ambitious for its future. Our new tax incentive, as well as other new measures like indie film tax reliefs and £25 million funding for a new film studio in Sunderland, will help ensure we can continue to create British content, international blockbusters and high quality jobs.

Adrian Wootton OBE, Chief Executive of the British Film Commission:

The British film and TV industry is a creative and economic powerhouse, and our film studios are a vital contributor to this success. Today’s confirmation of the Business Rates Relief for Film Studios in England is testament to Government’s recognition of this fact. The BFC is pleased that Government listened to the sector’s concerns and we are proud to have supported the development of this landmark intervention. We will continue to work with Government and stakeholders to secure the best possible long term solution for all parties.

Harriet Finney, Deputy CEO and Director of Corporate & Industry Affairs, BFI said:

2024 saw a massive £5.6 billion of production spend in the UK, further confirming that our film and TV industries continue to be a powerful and vital growth industry. Our state-of-the-art studio spaces are central to that growth, so we welcome today’s announcement and the Government’s recognition of their crucial role in ensuring we can continue to make world-renowned UK film and TV and attract outstanding international productions, driving investment and creating jobs across the UK.

Sara Putt, Chair, BAFTA said:

The UK is a world-leading centre for film and TV production – our studios provide world-class facilities and the craft and production skills here are second to none, as showcased by the British-made films nominated in this year’s EE BAFTA Film Awards. For those freelancers and crews to continue doing what they do best, it is vital that the UK remains competitive as a prospect for inward investment and continues to support a healthy talent pipeline to grow our domestic film and TV industry, so more UK talent and stories are celebrated at home and around the world.

Simon Robinson, Chief Operating Officer of Warner Bros. Discovery Studios said:

We welcome the Treasury’s announcement confirming its commitment to providing vital relief to business rates. It will create a stable environment for long-term investment, including securing the Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden expansion, which will create 4,000 direct and indirect jobs, and the opportunity for continued growth of the industry in the UK and U.S.

More information
- The relief will be available on properties valued by the Valuation Office Agency (VOA) as film studios.
- The 40% reduction is inclusive of Transitional Relief. The value of any Transitional Relief a studio receives will be deducted from the value of the film studio relief. This means that eligible film studios’ final bills will be no more than 60% of their gross bill. Studios will remain eligible for Improvement Relief in addition to this relief, which will mean that no ratepayer will face higher business rates bills for 12 months as a result of qualifying improvements to a property they occupy.
- Film studios will not need to apply for the relief, as Local Authorities will award it to eligible properties. If in doubt, film studios should contact their local authority.
25/02/2025
PRESS RELEASE : Munich Security Conference – G7 foreign ministers’ statement [February 2025]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 15 February 2025.

G7 foreign ministers and the EU gave a joint statement on the margins of the Munich Security Conference on 15 February 2025.

Joint statement:

The G7 Foreign Ministers of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States of America and the High Representative of the European Union, met on the margins of the Munich Security Conference for the first time under Canada’s 2025 Presidency.

The G7 members discussed Russia’s devastating war in Ukraine. They underscored their commitment to work together to help to achieve a durable peace and a strong and prosperous Ukraine and reaffirmed the need to develop robust security guarantees to ensure the war will not begin again.

The G7 members welcomed their discussion today with Andrii Sybiha, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine. They recalled the G7’s important contribution towards ending the war in Ukraine, including through measures pursuant to the G7 Joint Declaration of Support for Ukraine, by supporting Ukraine financially through the use of extraordinary revenues stemming from Russian Sovereign Assets, by imposing further cost on Russia, if they do not negotiate in good faith, through caps on oil and gas prices, and by making sanctions against Russia more effective. Any new, additional sanctions after February should be linked to whether the Russian Federation enters into real, good-faith efforts to bring an enduring end to the war against Ukraine that provides Ukraine with long-term security and stability as a sovereign, independent country. The G7 members reaffirmed their unwavering support for Ukraine in defending its freedom, sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity.

The G7 members discussed the provision to Russia of dual-use assistance by China and of military assistance by DPRK and Iran. They condemned all such support.

The G7 members discussed political, security and humanitarian issues in the Middle East, including in Israel, Gaza, Lebanon, Syria and Iran, and their commitment to advancing regional peace and stability. They underscored the importance of a durable, Israeli-Palestinian peace. They reaffirmed their support for the full implementation of the ceasefire reached between Israel and Hamas, including for the release of all hostages and the expansion of humanitarian aid in Gaza. The G7 members stand behind the ongoing efforts of Egypt, Qatar and the United States in continuing to work towards a permanent ceasefire. They reiterated their unequivocal condemnation of Hamas and the need to ensure that Hamas neither reconstitutes militarily nor participates in governance. They recognized Israel’s inherent right to self-defence, consistent with international law.

The G7 members welcomed the outcomes of the International Conference on Syria, hosted by France on February 13, 2025. They reiterated their shared commitment to the people of Syria and their support for an inclusive political transition process, in the spirit of UN Security Council Resolution 2254. They welcomed, as well, positive developments in Lebanon, including the recent election of President Joseph Aoun, the designation of Nawaf Salam as Prime Minister, and the formation of a new government. The G7 members reaffirmed their commitment to both countries’ stability, sovereignty, and territorial integrity.

The G7 members unequivocally condemned Iran’s destabilizing actions, including its rapid advancement of uranium enrichment without credible civil justification, its facilitation of terrorism organizations and armed groups across the Middle East and Red Sea, its proliferation of ballistic missiles and drones, and its transnational repression and violation of fundamental human rights.

The G7 members reiterated their commitment to a free, open and secure Indo-Pacific region, grounded in respect for the rule of law and sovereignty. They strongly opposed any attempts to change unilaterally the status quo using force and underscored the importance of resolving disputes peacefully. They strongly opposed China’s attempts to restrict freedom of navigation through militarization and coercive activities in the East and South China Sea.

The G7 members expressed serious concern over the DPRK’s nuclear and ballistic missile programs and reaffirmed their commitment to the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. They demanded that the DPRK abandon all its nuclear weapons, existing nuclear programs, and any other weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and ballistic missile programs in a complete, verifiable, and irreversible manner in accordance with all relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions (UNSCRs). They underscored that direct DPRK support for Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine marks a dangerous expansion of the conflict, with serious consequences for European and Indo-Pacific security. They urged the DPRK to cease immediately all assistance for Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, including by withdrawing its troops. The called upon DPRK to resolve the abductions issue immediately.

The G7 members also discussed urgent situations of conflict and instability elsewhere in the world, including in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Sudan, and in Haiti and Venezuela.

The G7 Foreign Ministers looked forward to their meeting in Canada in Charlevoix, Quebec on March 12-14.

25/02/2025
PRESS RELEASE : Statement from the Attorney General on the case of Axel Rudakubana [February 2025]

The press release issued by the Attorney General on 14 February 2025.

The Attorney General Lord Hermer KC has released a statement following a request to review Axel Rudakubana’s sentence under the Unduly Lenient Sentence scheme.

The Attorney General Lord Hermer KC said:

The senseless and barbaric murder of three young girls in Southport last summer shocked our nation.

No words come anywhere close to expressing the brutality and horror in this case.

It was understandable that we received multiple requests to review the sentence under the Unduly Lenient Sentence scheme – which is designed to identify and remedy gross errors made by judges.

After careful consideration of independent legal advice and consultation with leading criminal barristers and the Crown Prosecution Service, I have concluded that this case cannot properly be referred to the Court of Appeal.

No one would want the families to be put through an unnecessary further court process where there is no realistic legal basis for an increased sentence.

The 52-year sentence imposed by the judge was the second longest sentence imposed by the courts in English history.

Rudakubana will likely never be released and will spend the rest of his life in jail.

The Government have set out the next steps that must now take place to ensure that these awful murders will be a line in the sand.

My thoughts today are with the friends and families of Bebe, Elsie, and Alice, as well as the other victims – your memories will not be forgotten.

25/02/2025
PRESS RELEASE : European partners urged to develop sanctions to smash people smuggling gangs [February 2025]
The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 14 February 2025.

The Foreign Secretary will press partners to replicate Britain’s world-first plans for a sanctions aimed at organised immigration crime gangs.
- Foreign Secretary urges international action on one of the defining security threats of our time – irregular migration
- Partners pressed to replicate UK’s world-first plans for sanctions targeting people smugglers
- £8m additional funding will short-circuit people smugglers’ business model, delivering on the government’s Plan for Change and commitment to protect UK borders
European partners will be urged to join up with the UK’s pioneering efforts to smash the business model of people smugglers to help tackle irregular migration.

The Foreign Secretary David Lammy will press partners at the Munich Security Conference to replicate Britain’s world-first plans for a sanctions regime aimed squarely at organised immigration crime gangs and their networks.

On the first day of the conference (today), the Foreign Secretary met Vice President of the US J.D. Vance. They discussed the importance of the special relationship, the war in Ukraine, their shared commitment to NATO and AUKUS, and building on our strong trade which already delivers growth and jobs for millions.

The UK and Italy will co-host a migration roundtable on the second day of conference, gathering representatives from The Netherlands, Poland, Bulgaria, Romania, Germany and others to promote the use of innovative tools to tackle migrant smuggling and organised immigration crime.

The UK’s plans to freeze the assets of and slap travel bans on smugglers who facilitate the deadly trade in people will help to cripple people-smuggling crime rings and starve them of illicit finance fuelling their operations, delivering on the government’s commitment to secure borders.

The Government is targeting irregular migration through a ‘whole-of-route’ approach, tackling both smugglers and the drivers of migration – such as limited opportunities in would-be migrants’ region.

A new £8m funding package announced today will give more people in East Africa an alternative to making perilous journeys to the UK in small boats by boosting access to education alongside employment opportunities across the region.

This programme has already helped to deliver entrepreneurship training to over 650 would-be and returned migrants in Ethiopia and Kenya, enabling many of them to set up their own businesses in their home countries, rather than migrating further afield.

Foreign Secretary, David Lammy said:

Criminal gangs enabling irregular migration are a national security threat across Europe. We must deliver on our mandate to smash the gangs, secure this country’s borders and deliver the Plan for Change.

Only by working together with our neighbours will we take the wind out of their sails and degrade the appalling trade in people.

We must also target the root causes of migration, which is why we are boosting opportunities across Eastern Africa – making people less likely to travel to the UK in the first place.

This will further boost this government’s progress on irregular migration. Nearly 19,000 failed asylum seekers, foreign criminals and other immigration offenders have been returned since the election to countries across Africa, Asia, Europe and South America following a major escalation in immigration enforcement by the Home Office.

The government’s success in ramping up removals is a key part of our Plan for Change to deliver on working people’s priorities and finally restoring order to the asylum system. This new approach focusses on breaking the business model of smuggling gangs through tougher law enforcement powers than ever before, rapidly removing those who are here illegally and ending the false promise of jobs used by gangs to sell spaces on boats.

Following a drive from this government to have more deployable enforcement staff, a renewed crackdown on those attempting to undermine the UK’s borders last month saw the highest January in over half a decade for enforcement activity.

Throughout January alone, Immigration Enforcement teams descended on 828 premises, including nail bars, convenience stores, restaurants and car washes, marking a 48% rise compared to the previous January. Arrests also surged to 609, demonstrating a 73% increase from just 352 the previous year.
24/02/2025
PRESS RELEASE : Probate waiting times halved thanks to Government push [February 2025]
The press release issued by the Ministry of Justice on 14 February 2025.

Families, individuals, and charities will receive funds left to them in wills twice as quickly as they did last year, with probate applications now being granted in less than half the time.
- Outstanding caseload hits lowest level since early 2023
- Overall wait times cut to just over four weeks, as around eight out of ten of applications go digital
- Additional staff trained as part of Government’s Plan for Change to restore public services
The data published yesterday shows that HMCTS has slashed average wait times in December 2024 to just over four weeks. This compares to twelve weeks at the end of 2023 and over eight weeks at the end of June 2024. The improvement is a result of decisive Government action to reduce the backlog of cases which built up because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Around 80 per cent of grant applications are now completed online, with digital applications taking on average just over two weeks to complete – improving support for those who need it and easing the burden on people who are navigating what is often a challenging time. For those who complete the application online and submit their documents without any issues probate is granted in less than a week on average.

Minister for Courts and Legal Services, Sarah Sackman KC MP, said:

We know that handling probate can be tough for families at a difficult period in their lives. That is why so we’ve worked hard to reduce delays and make the process easier.

By cutting wait times and going digital, we’re ensuring people receive the support they need quickly at what can be a challenging time.

We’re getting public services back on their feet again as part of this Government’s Plan for Change.

The change comes after action was taken to recruit extra staff who have been trained to handle applications quickly and ensure fair and efficient processing, preventing delays.

In 2024, the average number of monthly grants issued was 27,400, marking a 20 per cent increase compared to the previous year. As a result, the number of outstanding cases is at its lowest point since early 2023 when data was first published.

The probate system has achieved a remarkable turnaround, reducing its backlog by over 50,000 cases since August 2023 and ensuring faster estate settlements for families.

Charities also benefit from a more efficient probate system because they now have quicker access to funds which have been entrusted to them – easing financial pressure on the third sector.

Even paper applications, which historically take longer to process than the digital system, have seen significant improvements in timeliness with waiting times reducing from just over 22 weeks to under 15 weeks.

James Stebbings, Chair of the Institute of Legacy Management, said:

We are delighted to see that HMCTS have reduced probate application processing times to where they were 5 years ago.

Each year the public leave charities £4bn of gifts in their wills and the relief in the charity sector that this income is flowing again is huge.

On behalf of the charity sector and all who benefit from it we would like to say a huge thank you.

Alex McDowell, Vice Chair of Remember A Charity and Director of Fundraising at the Duke of Edinburgh Award, said:

With more and more people across the UK choosing to support good causes through their Wills each year, an efficient and effective probate service is vital for sustaining charitable services and charities’ financial planning.

It ensures charitable gifts in wills can be put to good use swiftly, in line with supporters’ wishes.

We are hugely grateful to HMCTS for the improvements they have made and their ongoing engagement with the charity sector.
24/02/2025
PRESS RELEASE : Keir Starmer meeting with President Trump’s Special Envoy to the UK Mark Burnett [February 2025]

The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 14 February 2025.

The Prime Minister was pleased to host President Trump’s Special Envoy to the United Kingdom, Mark Burnett, at Downing Street last night, during which he took a call from President Trump and discussed his forthcoming visit to the US.

Mr Burnett and the Prime Minister agreed on the unique and special nature of the UK-US relationship, the strength of our alliance and the warmth of the connection between the two countries.

Mr Burnett reflected on his personal connections to the UK, and his mother’s experience working part time in Downing Street as a waitress over 30 years ago.

They emphasised the huge potential for even stronger collaboration on trade, tech and cultural matters between the US and the UK and looked forward to working together.

24/02/2025