Tag: Press Release

PRESS RELEASE : Infected Blood Compensation body and Victims and Prisoners Bill become law [May 2024]

The press release issued by the Cabinet Office on 24 May 2024.

Today (Friday 24th May) the Victims and Prisoners Bill was granted Royal Assent, creating a new arm’s length body called the Infected Blood Compensation Authority (IBCA).

Before the IBCA can make final payments, the Government will need to make the regulations to enact the compensation scheme for victims of the Infected Blood scandal. The legislation also means that the final regulations must be made by the Government – within three months, so by 24 August 2024.

The Prime Minister delivered a state apology on the 20th of May, in response to the publication of the Infected Blood Inquiry report.

The Minister for the Cabinet Office outlined the Government’s commitment to deliver compensation on the 21st of May in the House, alongside a proposed compensation scheme.

The Government will continue to deliver interim payments, including the £210,000 announced on the 21st of May, to those living with an infection, starting in this summer, and within 90 days as of the 20th of May as announced by the Government.

The Department for Health and Social Care has received the advance of £837 million to fund the interim payments. These payments will be made by the NHS Business Services Authority and equivalent organisations.

Infected Blood Compensation Authority (IBCA)

The IBCA is led by Interim Chair Sir Robert Francis KC. Sir Robert will continue engagement with the Infected Blood community in the coming weeks. The interim CEO of the IBCA has been in place for some weeks.

The Lord’s amendments to the Victims and Prisoners Bill were considered in the House of Commons today as part of the ‘wash up’ process ahead of the general election period starting on Saturday 25 May.

In addition, a statutory duty to review candour laws by the 1st of January 2025 has been included in the Act. The Inquiry recommended that due consideration be made of a duty of candour across Government.

Sir Robert Francis, Interim Chair of the IBCA, said:

I am very pleased to see that today Parliament has passed the legislation bringing the Authority into existence and to be formally confirmed as its Interim Chair.

I fully understand the urgency for the infected and affected community to enable the Authority to start to receive applications and make awards in the shortest possible time, and we are already working very hard to achieve that.

I will publish a more detailed statement about our work in the very near future.

June 3, 2024
PRESS RELEASE : Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act receives Royal Assent [May 2024]
The press release issued by the Department for Business and Trade on 24 May 2024.

The Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act has become law after receiving Royal Assent.
- The Act will give the UK’s competition regulator tools to stop technology businesses with strategic power from misusing their position to disadvantage competitors and consumers.
- The law will also create penalties for traders that break consumer protection law and allowing the Competition and Markets Authority to enforce consumer law directly.
- Under the rules, it will be easier for consumers to manage subscriptions by providing clearer pricing, banning fake reviews, and giving consumers greater control over what they are purchasing online.
The Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act has become law after receiving Royal Assent.

The Act paves the way to give consumers rights across the UK, with greater control and clarity over online purchases.

It does this by requiring businesses to provide clearer information to consumers before they enter a subscription contract, remind consumers that their free trial or low-cost trial is coming to an end, and ensure consumers can easily exit a contract.

Unavoidable hidden fees will also need to be included in the initial cost or clearly illustrated at the start of the purchasing journey. This will ensure consumers are clear from the offset about what they’re spending.

The Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act will also give new tools to the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) to address the challenges to competition in digital markets.

These tools will allow the competition regulator to set tailored ‘conduct requirements’ which require a powerful tech company to change the way it operates if it is not treating users fairly. These rules could give consumers the room to freely choose the services they use, or stop companies from withholding information consumers need to make good decisions.

The Act also gives the regulator powers to intervene and direct a firm to change its behaviour to boost competition – whether that is to benefit people using smartphones or businesses dependent on cloud services.

The Act will also give new powers to the CMA to closely monitor road fuel prices and report any sign of malpractice to the government.

Only a handful of the most powerful global technology companies will be subject to these new rules if, following an investigation, they are deemed to hold ‘strategic market status’.

If companies fail to comply with decisions made by the CMA, they could be subject to fines reaching tens of billions of pounds. These fines and other measures will be balanced by rigorous checks and balances.
June 3, 2024
PRESS RELEASE : Six new trustees appointed to the Theatres Trust board [May 2024]

The press release issued by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on 24 May 2024.

The Secretary of State has appointed Vicky Browning, Anna Collins, Liam Evans-Ford, Tracy-Ann Oberman, Saratha Rajeswaran and Michele Taylor as trustees of the Theatres Trust.

Vicky Browning

Appointed for a 3 year term commencing 01 April 2024. .

Vicky’s career spans both the commercial and charity sectors. Having spent nearly 15 years leading charities, she is currently enjoying a series of roles as an interim chief executive, most recently for national advocacy charity POhWER and cross-sector collaboration body WIG (the Whitehall & Industry Group).

Previously, she led ACEVO, the network of civil society leaders for over five years, joining from CharityComms, the membership network for communications professionals in UK charities, where she was director for seven years.

A former magazine journalist, editor and publisher, Vicky worked at Haymarket Publishing, the UK’s largest privately owned publishing company for 16 years during the nineties and noughties, including a stint launching a new title in New York. She then enjoyed six years as an independent publishing consultant, offering management consultancy, product development and marketing services to a range of clients, before moving to the charity sector.

Anna Collins

Appointed for a 3 year term commencing 29 April 2024.

Anna Collins spent her early career in Scotland managing front of house operations for ATG and Glasgow Life across their portfolio of cultural venues. Anna became freelance in 2012 when she managed a London 2012 Olympic venue, followed by leading the development and operation of a new build competition venue for the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth games.

For the last ten years she has been providing strategic leadership for clients undertaking significant new build and refurbishment projects within the Arts. Previous clients include, The Guardian News and Media Group, The National Theatre, Cambridge Arts Theatre, Northamptonshire Council and The Factory International. More recently Anna acted as Project Director for the RIBA-award winning Mountview Academy of Performing Arts’ new home in Peckham, and for the last two years has been leading the Dunard Centre project, the UKs first Nagata / Chipperfield designed concert hall which will become a flagship venue for the Edinburgh International Festival.

Anna also sits on the committee of Edinburgh’s Royal High School project to develop Thomas Hamilton’s grade A listed building into a new performance space. Anna has a keen interest in architecture and is the co-founder of an award winning, sustainable accredited architecture practice alongside her husband.

Liam Evans-Ford

Appointed for a 3 year term commencing 01 April 2024.

Liam is Executive Director and CEO at Theatr Clwyd, taking up the post in 2016. Theatr Clwyd is the biggest producing theatre in Wales and the third biggest client of the Arts Council of Wales. During his time the organisation has increased its annual turnover from £5m to £7.2m, won UK Theatre, Olivier, and Stage awards for their work, and progressed an ambitious and essential £40m+ Capital redevelopment of the 1970’s building in Flintshire. The theatre has also been recognised for leading the way on social impact and has major partnerships and social prescription models in place with the NHS, Social Services and numerous housing associations, runs William Aston Hall, a 1000 seat concert venue in Wrexham, as well as Theatr Clwyd Music Trust which delivers music lessons to over 70 schools and 3000 young people each week.

Before joining Clwyd Liam was Associate Producer and Capital Development Associate at York Theatre Royal; General Manager and Producer at Sheffield Crucible Theatres.

Liam is Chair of Creu Cymru, the development agency for theatres, arts centres and theatre producers in Wales; sits on the Business Advisory Board for the North Wales Growth Deal, the Strategic Advisory Group for the North East Wales Investment Zone, and the Advisory Group for the UK wide Access Scheme, All In.

Tracy-Ann Oberman

Appointed for a 3 year term commencing 01 April 2024.

Tracy Ann Oberman is an actress , writer and theatre creator. She studied drama at Manchester University and is an alumni of Central School of Speech and Drama. Tracy Ann has had an extensive career both on stage and screen. She has been a member of the Royal Shakespeare Company, the Royal National Theatre and has worked extensively across the country’s regional theatres and in the West End. Tracy Ann recently made British UK theatre history playing the first female, Shylock in the hugely successful Merchant Of Venice 1936 which toured the country and transferred into the Criterion Theatre Piccadilly. She is passionate about theatre creativity and making the theatre experience exciting, enjoyable and accessible for all.

Saratha Rajeswaran

Appointed for a 3 year term commencing 01 April 2024.

Sara is Chief of Staff to the Group CEO at Aviva plc, a leading Insurance, Wealth and Retirement business in the UK, Ireland and Canada. Sara has almost twenty years’ experience in executive advice, corporate affairs and political consultancy. Previous roles include Director of External Affairs at the British Private Equity and Venture Capital Association, Associate Director and Edelman and Chief of Staff to the CEO and Strategy Adviser to the Chairman of Network Rail. Sara has also worked for the UK Government as Special Adviser to two consecutive Environment Secretaries.

Sara co-authored A Portrait of Modern Britain with Rishi Sunak at Policy Exchange in 2014 and was a researcher to Professor Alison Wolf for her book The XX Factor: How Working Women Are Creating a New Society. Sara is also a Trustee of the National Centre for Social Research.

Sara studied Modern History and Politics at The Queen’s College, Oxford, then went on to train in classical voice at The Guildhall School of Music and Drama, performing across the UK at many of the country’s great regional theatres.

Michele Taylor

Appointed for a 3 year term commencing 01 April 2024.

Michèle Taylor is Director for Change at Ramps on the Moon, having run her own business as a Disability Equality strategist and trainer since 1992. She has been a key part of the Ramps on the Moon endeavour since its inception, supporting arts organisations to enrich the stories they tell and the ways they tell them by elevating the place of disabled people in the mainstream performing arts.

Michèle has been working with cultural and heritage organisations over more than 30 years to embed systemic and structural change to ensure that their practices, policies and premises are open to disabled people. She has been the access consultant on a number of award-winning buildings, and she contributed to the second edition of Theatre Buildings, A Design Guide (ed. Margaret Shewring, 2024)

She is an accredited coach, registered psychotherapist, and has an MA in fine art photography.

In January 2022 her work was recognised when she was awarded an MBE in the New Year Honours List for services to disabled people and theatre.

Remuneration and Governance Code

Trustees of the Theatres Trust are not remunerated. This appointment has been made in accordance with the Cabinet Office’s Governance Code on Public Appointments.

The appointments process is regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments. Under the Code, any significant political activity undertaken by an appointee in the last five years must be declared. This is defined as including holding office, public speaking, making a recordable donation, or candidature for election. Vicky Browning, Anna Collins, Liam Evans-Ford, Tracy-Ann Oberman and Michele Taylor have declared no significant political activity. Saratha Rajeswaran was a Special Adviser at DEFRA from 2019-2021.

June 1, 2024
PRESS RELEASE : New Chair appointed to The Royal Parks Board [May 2024]

The press release issued by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on 24 May 2024.

The Secretary of State has appointed Dame Mary Archer as Chair of The Royal Parks Board from 24 July 2024 until 23 July 2028.

Dame Mary Archer

Appointed for a 4 year term commencing 24 July 2024.

Dame Mary Archer is Chancellor of the University of Buckingham and a scientist by background. Her research interests lay in non-thermal methods of solar energy conversion to power and fuels, and she was the founder chair of the National Energy Foundation. She is a Companion of the Energy Institute and was awarded the Institute’s Melchett Medal in 2002 and the Eva Philbin award of the Institute of Chemistry of Ireland in 2007. She recently joined the Board of the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero as a non-executive director.

Dame Mary chaired the Board of Trustees of the Science Museum Group from 2015–2023. She has had a long association with the NHS, sitting on the board of Cambridge University Hospitals from 1993 and chairing it from 2002 to 2012. In 2012, she was appointed DBE for services to the NHS.

Among other commitments, Dame Mary is a Liveryman of the Salters’ Company and the incoming chair of the Salters’ Institute of Industrial Chemistry. She holds honorary DSc degrees from the University of Hertfordshire, Imperial College London and the University of Bradford.

Remuneration and Governance Code

The Chair of The Royal Parks Board is not remunerated. This appointment has been made in accordance with the Cabinet Office’s Governance Code on Public Appointments.

The appointments process is regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments. Under the Code, any significant political activity undertaken by an appointee in the last five years must be declared. This is defined as including holding office, public speaking, making a recordable donation, or candidature for election. Dame Mary Archer has not declared any significant political activity. This appointment is subject to confirmation by the new administration as set out in the cabinet office pre-election guidance.

June 1, 2024
PRESS RELEASE : Levelling Up Partnership funding confirmed [May 2024]

The press release issued by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities on 24 May 2024.

Five areas in England and Scotland have agreed details of their Levelling Up Partnership funding.

Boston, Stoke-on-Trent, Wakefield, the Scottish Borders and Tendring were previously announced as areas which would receive a Levelling Up Partnership to support regeneration.

In Boston we are investing £13m in regeneration and improving access to community sports facilities, including £7m for Boston Leisure Centre and £3.2m to complete Boston United’s community sports complex which supports young people and will include 30 affordable homes. Alongside this, we are investing over £1.5m for projects to support community groups and boost tourism and £2.8m for Boston College to acquire and develop the Haven Wharf site to open a digital and creative campus.

In Stoke-on-Trent, we are supporting the city by investing almost £6.5m to regenerate the historic and heritage buildings; investing £2.5m to improve recreational facilities and create a new wellbeing campus; and fund the redevelopment of a 19th century building in Burslem, bringing the building back into public use.

In Wakefield we are investing over £10m to support regeneration and boost skills, including renovating the Grade II listed Crown Court, £3.25m for Production Park to support the creation of 200 high skilled jobs, £1.5m for the Hepworth Art Gallery and a public art walking route; and building a new voluntary and community sector hub in the city centre.

In the Scottish Borders, we are investing over £11m to support local economic development, including hotel development in Galashiels, Crook Inn Bunkhouse, purchase of business units in Eyemouth, and a brownfield fund pot for Hawick. £2.3m will support the bus network, and £6m will support refurbishment and retrofitting of buildings, youth services and village halls.

Subject to local Cabinet approval, Tendring’s Levelling Up Partnership will likely include measures such as £3m to redevelop Clacton Leisure Centre to provide sports facilities and integrated health and wellbeing services, £2m to unlock the delivery of an urgent treatment centre and primary care facility at Clacton Hospital, and £2.5m to provide a new walking route across Tudor Fields, alongside other interventions to support regeneration.

All the Levelling Up Partnerships will be subject to business case.

June 1, 2024
PRESS RELEASE : Secretary of State announces Boundary Commission re-appointment [May 2024]
The press release issued by the Northern Ireland Office on 24 May 2024.

NI Secretary, Rt Hon Chris Heaton-Harris MP, has announced the re-appointment of Vilma Patterson to the Boundary Commission for NI for a further five years.

Background

The Boundary Commission for Northern Ireland’s role is to review the number, names, designation and boundaries of parliamentary constituencies in Northern Ireland and to submit reports with recommendations to the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.

The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland is responsible for making appointments to the role of members to the Boundary Commission for Northern Ireland. The appointment is made in accordance with Schedule 1 of the Parliamentary Constituencies Act 1986.

Biography of Appointee

Vilma Patterson MBE was formerly a Director and Shareholder of John G Duff (Annadale) Ltd and is a past member of the Training Committee for the Construction Industry Training Board for Northern Ireland. She was the founding Chair of the Women in Business Network and a former Board Member of the Women on the Move Network which works to support and encourage female entrepreneurship.

Ms Patterson has previously held a number of appointments, including Chairman of the Probation Board for Northern Ireland, non-executive member of the Audit Committee of the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland and a Civil Service Commissioner for Northern Ireland. Vilma was also a Member and Chair of the Independent Monitoring Board for HMP Maghaberry 1996 to 2008, Chairman of the Association of Members of Independent Monitoring Boards for Northern Ireland and a member of the Parades Commission for Northern Ireland from 2006-2010. From 2011 to 2013 she was a member of the Prison Service Pay Review Body and a Member of the Armed Forces Pay Review Body from 2015-2020. She is currently a member of the Parole Commission for Northern Ireland.

Terms of Appointment
- This position is part-time for a period of five years ending on 30 June 2029.
- The position attracts a daily remuneration of £505.50 per day.
- The position is not pensionable.
Political Activity

All appointments are made on merit and with regards to the statutory requirements. Political activity plays no part in the appointment process. However, in accordance with the original Nolan recommendations, there is a requirement for appointees’ political activity in defined categories to be made public.

Vilma Patterson has declared that she has not been politically active in the past five years.

Regulation

The appointment is regulated by the Office of the Commissioner for Public Appointment (OCPA).

Statutory Requirements

The appointment is made by the Secretary of State in accordance with Schedule 1 Parliamentary Constituencies Act 1986.
June 1, 2024
PRESS RELEASE : New Chair of the Consumer Council for Water appointed [May 2024]
The press release issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 24 May 2024.

Robert Wilson will take on the role for a three-year term.

Robert Wilson has today (Friday 24 May) been confirmed as the new Chair of the Consumer Council for Water.

Robert will succeed the departing Chair, Robert Light, for a three-year term commencing on 6 June 2024.

The appointment has been made in accordance with the Governance Code on Public Appointments published by the Cabinet Office.

Biography
- Robert Wilson is an experienced businessman, Chairman and Non-Executive Director across the private, public and charity sectors.
- Robert has been involved in supporting consumers in the transport sector with Transport Focus, the independent watchdog representing the interests of rail, tram, bus and coach passengers, as well as in the water industry as a Board member at the Consumer Council for Water for the past five years.
- He is a former Member of Parliament and Minister.
Notes to editors:
- All appointments are made on merit and political activity plays no part in the selection process.
- The Consumer Council for Water (CCW) is the independent, statutory body that represents all water and sewerage consumers across England and Wales. It provides advice and information on water matters and investigates complaints. It is an executive non-departmental public body, sponsored by the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs.
June 1, 2024
PRESS RELEASE : British Ambassador promotes economic development and environment protection in Quetzaltenango [May 2024]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 24 May 2024.

The British Ambassador to Guatemala Nick Whittingham visited Quetzaltenango on 23 May to strengthen ties with the new authorities and advance UK priorities.

Ambassador Whittingham engaged with government officials, civil society, and private sector. He reinforced the UK commitment to addressing shared priorities on boosting economic development, promoting democratic values and accountability, and tackling climate change.

The Ambassador met with the Governor of Quetzaltenango, Aldo Herrera Scheel; and the Mayor, Juan Fernando López. He highlighted the opportunities to continue boosting trade through the UK-Central America Association Agreement, the possibility of sharing UK experiences in sectors such as agriculture, green-infrastructure and financial services, and the impact of UK assistance on protecting the environment and reducing poverty in rural communities.

With representatives of the private sector, Ambassador Whittingham learnt more about the work of the Management Groups and their role in promoting local economic development, with the aim of improving the standard of living of the population, through the generation of jobs and increased income. He also visited the production plant of Ron Zacapa, the emblematic Guatemalan rum, which is distilled in the highlands of Quetzaltenango 2,300 metres above sea level.

Finally, the Ambassador visited Association 32 Volcanoes jointly with the organization Rescue the Planet to promote initiatives amongst youngsters that could reduce the consumption of single-use plastics, and to share ideas on small steps that could contribute to preserve forests and water sources.

June 1, 2024
PRESS RELEASE : Licensed drug testing continues at music festivals this summer [May 2024]

The press release issued by the Home Office on 24 May 2024.

Confiscated and surrendered drugs will be tested to identify toxic substances in circulation and help prevent drug-related overdoses.

A continuation of long-standing government policy, licences have been issued under strict conditions to drug testing organisations to operate at some of the leading festivals in the UK.

Confiscated or surrendered drugs will be tested on site and public alerts will be cascaded to festival goers if extremely potent drugs are detected to protect the public as much as possible and help prevent drug-related harm. The message to festival goers is there is no safe way to take illegal drugs.

This will also provide an important source of data for the government’s early warning system in tracking the prevalence of emerging threats, such as synthetic opioids, so that police and health support services can take swift action to contain the problem should any be identified.

Back-of-house drug testing does not see drug samples returned to an individual or provide them with tailored information on the content of their sample, as we are clear there are no safe ways to take illegal drugs.

More licences are expected to be issued in the coming weeks.

As in previous years, organisations wishing to deliver back-of-house drug testing must apply for a Home Office licence to operate responsibly, in line with government policy to ensure that they do not condone drug use which is illegal.

There has been no change in the government’s position on drug testing at festivals. It has long been a requirement for anyone handling controlled drugs, including drug testing services, to acquire a licence.

The Home Office continues to keep an open dialogue with any potential applicants who wish to apply for a licence, including organisations that deliver drug testing services, to ensure the strict requirements attached to back-of-house drug testing are fully understood.

Information about controlled drugs licences for companies that possess, manufacture, produce or supply controlled drugs in England, Wales or Scotland can be found in the controlled drugs: domestic licences guidance.

June 1, 2024
PRESS RELEASE : Grooming Gangs Taskforce arrests hundreds in first year [May 2024]

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

A dedicated police taskforce set up to bring down grooming gangs has supported police forces in England and Wales to make hundreds of arrests in its first year.

In the last 12 months the crack team of expert investigators and analysts has helped police forces arrest over 550 suspects, identify and protect over 4,000 victims, and build up robust cases to get justice for these appalling crimes.

Established by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak in April 2023, the Grooming Gangs Taskforce of specialist officers has worked with all 43 police forces in England and Wales to support child sexual exploitation and grooming investigations.

Led by the National Police Chiefs’ Council and supported by the National Crime Agency, the taskforce is a full time, operational police unit funded by the Home Office to improve how the police investigate grooming gangs and identify and protect children from abuse. It is staffed by experienced and qualified officers and data analysts who have long-term, practical on-the-ground experience of undertaking investigations into grooming gangs.

Home Secretary, James Cleverly said:

Where a child is being abused, we must do everything in our power to protect them and pursue the perpetrators until they are behind bars.

This despicable crime can have a lasting impact on a child’s life and I am pleased that in only a year, the taskforce’s hard work alongside local policing efforts has led to more than 550 arrests and helped keep thousands more children safe. I thank everyone that has been involved in this effort.

But we know we must do more. Through our Criminal Justice Bill we are better protecting children by requiring all professionals to report to police where they fear abuse is taking place and banning sex offenders from changing their names to evade justice.

Yesterday (Monday 20 May), the Home Secretary, James Cleverly, visited Essex Police where he spoke to the force’s Child Sexual Exploitation teams who have seen their investigations supported by the taskforce in the last year.

More than 400 officers across the country have now been specially trained by the taskforce, with more set to be mobilised over the coming months to root out child sex offenders. At his visit to Essex Police, the Home Secretary was able to witness first-hand a live training session of new recruits being upskilled in the specialist skills needed to work on child sexual abuse cases.

Minister for Victims and Safeguarding, Laura Farris said:

I am proud that the measures announced by this government just over a year ago to clamp down on crimes perpetrated by grooming gangs has led to hundreds of arrests, and the protection of over 4,000 victims.

We must continue to do more to support the police, placing technology and specialist training at the heart of our rigorous targeting of abusers who prey on vulnerable young people in the most appalling way. They must be brought to justice and face the full force of the law.

Crucial to the taskforce’s work has been the development of the Complex and Organised Child Abuse Database, which provides forces with a more robust data picture of the scale, risk, prevalence and characteristics of group-based child sexual exploitation than ever before, helping forces to deploy their resources locally in the most targeted way, and investigate without fear or favour around misplaced cultural sensitivities.

The taskforce has built strong engagement with an expert Crown Prosecution Service team to build robust prosecution cases to put more criminals behind bars. It provides intelligence for forces to help identify and disrupt grooming gang networks by collaborating with the Tackling Organised Exploitation Programme (TOEX) which provides cutting-edge data and analysis to help forces identify suspects.

The taskforce has also forged strong partnerships with hotels to raise awareness of the early warning signs of child sexual exploitation through Operation Makesafe.

Ian Critchley, NPCC National Police Lead for Child Protection and Abuse said:

Since the taskforce was launched, significant strides have been made to enhance the policing response to CSE investigation as well as co-ordinate best practice and guidance to further protect victims and disrupt perpetrators, through working closely with forces such as Essex .

Sadly, we know that CSE in many forms is still prevalent in our communities. The way we listen to, and support victims and survivors of these most abhorrent crimes is key to building on and maintaining the progress we have already made through the work of the CSE taskforce and dedicated force teams.

I hope this assures victims that when they take what is often a difficult decision to report to police, that they will be treated with empathy and respect and with the utmost professionalism . We are committed and dedicated to bringing more offenders to justice for these appalling crimes , wherever and whenever they have been committed and the taskforce are supporting force operations across the country.

While it is important to acknowledge how far we have come, particularly in the last 12 months, it is essential we continue to learn and make changes to help inform and influence all our work, in particular working alongside children’s services and valued third sector partners in encompassing the voice of victims and survivors in all we do.

We are not standing still. It is incumbent on us all in society and different communities to prevent these offences that have a lifelong impact on victims . We remain dedicated to ensuring we identify, protect and support victims and are committed to the relentless pursuit of offenders to bring them to justice.

Gabrielle Shaw, Chief Executive for the National Association for People Abused in Childhood (NAPAC) said:

At NAPAC, we are proud of the work we and other third sector colleagues have been doing in integrating the voices and experiences of victims and survivors into the CSE taskforce.

By listening to and acting on this, national policing will create authentic, practical change that improves victims and survivors’ engagement with the justice system.

The CSE taskforce’s work is informed by NAPAC’s unique body of research on what victims and survivors themselves want. This research shows that for a large proportion of survivors, a positive outcome does not necessarily equate to a criminal conviction. Many want to feel heard and believed, to stand up and be counted without entering the court process and without fearing judgement or re-traumatisation.

We look forward to police forces across the country continuing their positive work with partners, such as third sector organisations, to successfully understand and achieve the outcomes that victims and survivors wish for.

These measures demonstrate the government’s ongoing commitment to delivering on the recommendations of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) report to protect children from harm, and make sure authorities never again turn a blind eye to child sexual exploitation and abuse.

The Home Secretary is introducing a new legal requirement, through the government’s flagship Criminal Justice Bill, for anyone engaging in relevant activity with children in England, including teachers and healthcare professionals, to mandatorily report if they know a child is being sexual abused. Anyone who attempts to prevent a mandatory reporter from reporting known child sexual abuse could face prosecution and up to seven years in prison.

The Home Office has also provided £1.6m in funding for the NSPCC’s whistleblowing helpline, as well as their public helpline, giving professionals and members of the public help to raise concerns about children in their community. In the last year, the whistleblowing and public helplines have handled nearly 76,000 contact points with over 40,000 referrals made to partner agencies, including police and social services.

In addition, the police are gaining greater powers to stop registered sex offenders from changing their name if they think they still pose a risk to their communities, strengthening measures to ensure parents and carers have the information they need to keep children safe from offenders, and making sure that members of grooming gangs face the toughest possible sentences for their crimes by introducing legislation through the Criminal Justice Bill to create a statutory aggravating factor for grooming behaviour.

We recognise the devastating impacts that child sexual exploitation and abuse can have on victims and survivors, and are committed to ensuring that specialist support is provided to help all victims and survivors rebuild and move forward with their lives.

Our Support for Victims and Survivors of Child Sexual Abuse (SVSCSA) Fund (2022-2025) provides grant funding of up to £4.5m to voluntary sector organisations in England and Wales, giving nationally accessible support to victims and survivors of child sexual abuse.

The Ministry of Justice is also quadrupling funding for victim and witness support services by 2025, up from £41 million in 2010.

May 24, 2024